Police Suicide Prevention
Police officers are at an increased risk for suicide. Research studies show that officers have three times the risk of suicide over other municipal working populations. In many respects, prevention had previously been ignored in police work, while some attempts have been made towards intervention.
Prevention of police suicide may, in essence, incorporate intervention as part of the total process. The NYPD has taken some steps to initiate a suicide awareness prevention program with its officers. Although stress, traumatic work incidents, and access to firearms may be precipitants to police suicide, these factors cannot be significantly changed. Andre Ivanoff, the professor leading this project, suggests that suicide prevention efforts focus on identifying factors that can be changed, such as knowledge and identification of suicide risk factors and attitudes towards seeking help with personal problems.
Suicide awareness should begin at the police academy level to prevent the development of negative attitudes about seeking help for personal problems that may precipitate suicide. In addition, alternative confidential help resources should be developed in police departments. Intervention should be initiated on many levels of the police organization. Peer, supervisory, and administrative levels should be involved in training for suicide symptom recognition, intervention and referral.
Because suicide is likely the result of
a complex interaction of many factors, all major components of the police
work environment must be considered in prevention efforts. The following is
a list of suggested assessment and intervention techniques that police organizations
might employ: psychological assessment, tracking high risk officers, access
to firearms, family involvement and training. Essentially, suicide training
in awareness and intervention are key factors in reducing the high number
of suicides in policing. The extent to which police organizations apply such
training will ultimately determine the reduction of suicide within their ranks.
by John M. Violante, PhD
