Police Suicide: Can it be prevented?
by John M. Violanti, Ph.D.

Introduction
Police officers all over the world are exposed to the potential for violence every work day, yet an even more dangerous enemy lurks inside their own ranks: suicide. Police suicide can devastate the morale of entire agencies and leave other officers with intense feelings of guilt, remorse, and disillusionment.
Under conditions of stress, danger, and availability of firearms, one might expect an increased risk of police suicide. Research statistics demonstrate that officers kill themselves more than they are killed by others. Major epidemiological studies have shown that the risk of police suicide is over three times that of the general population, and risk has appeared to increase over the past decade. In addition, there is suspicion that some police suicides are intentionally misclassified as accidents or undetermined deaths in order to protect suicide victims and survivors.

Suicide Risk Assessment
There are some general indicators which have been found to associated with an increased risk of suicide:

1. Age, race and sex – male officers 50 years and older are at highest risk, while females of any age at lowest risk. Caucasion males have the highest suicide rate of all demographic groups.
2. Psychiatric symptoms - persons with clinical depression are at highest risk for suicide. Depression is likely the most common warning sign of suicide, followed by those exhibiting symptoms of schizophrenia such as disorganization
confusion, chaos, and hallucinations
3. Stress - recent stress including daily hassles, life events, and traumatic events. Examples are a recent job loss, significant other or illness. The experience of a traumatic incident may also precipitate suicide.
4. Prior suicidal thoughts/attempts - A person’s potential for suicide is higher if they have had previous suicide attempts, have been considering suicide as an option, if they have specific plan and means readily available, and if a truly lethal means is contemplated (e.g., a police officer who always has a gun readily available). Each attempt increases the liklehood of success.
5. Available resources - A person who is isolated or has no means of social support has a greater risk for suicide, as is someone whose friends and family are openly hostile and rejecting.

Although stress , traumatic incidents, or access to firearms may be precipitants to police suicide, these factors cannot be significantly changed. Researchers suggest that suicide prevention efforts focus on identifying factors that can be changed, such as knowledge and identification of risk factors and attitudes towards seeking help with personal problems.

Preventing Police Suicide
The following is a proposal for a suicide prevention model adaptable to most police organizations:

Psychological Assessment
Although recruit screening in many police departments involves psychological testing, personality factors and family history (family violence, substance abuse) should also be noted for tracking high-risk officers in the future. In-service officers being selected for special duty (SWAT teams, undercover, etc.), should undertake additional psychological assessment to determine their suitability for such assignments.

Tracking High Risk Officers
Police departments should track high-risk officers (e.g., officers with marital difficulties, substance abuse, work problems, and other life problems) so that timely support can be provided. A behavior profile should be reviewed every 6 months to determine which officers are at risk for suicide. There should be documentation of changes in behavior and problems of officers. Consultation with mental health professionals is essential when a police officer exhibits inappropriate behavior or behavioral change that suggests potential suicide.

Access to Firearms
Certainly, the risk of suicide increases because police officers have ready access to firearms. The practice of some departments requiring police to carry firearms off-duty may be a target for police organizational policy change, as such immediate access can facilitate impulsive suicide tendencies in officers. An informal survey of four large size urban police departments by the present author indicated that none of them kept statistical records of off-duty use of firearms by police officers.

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