Death by Their Own Hands: Have We Failed To Protect Our Protectors? (From Suicide and Law Enforcement, P 447-464, 2001, Donald C. Sheehan and Janet I. Warren, eds. -- See NCJ-193528)

• NCJ Number: 193568
• Author(s): Elizabeth K. White; Audrey L. Honig
• Date Published: 2001
• Length: 18 pages
• Sale Source: US Dept of Justice
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Literature Review; Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: A paper submitted to the Suicide and Law Enforcement Conference, FBI Academy, Quantico, VA, September 1999.

Annotation

After reviewing the literature on police suicide, this article discusses a proposed research study that might lead to improved data on incidence rates, provide a means of evaluating existing interventions, and assist in developing new strategies for prevention and intervention.

Abstract

Although there have apparently been several recent "suicide epidemics" among police personnel, notably the suicides of 12 New York City police officers in 1994, there has also been an absence of any suicides in many large urban police agencies during the same period. Overall, there is a paucity of well-controlled research in this area. As a result, the International Association of Chiefs of Police Psychological Services Section established a committee to examine the issue. A comprehensive review of the literature, including assessment of methodological deficiencies, was the committee's first task. Based on this review, future research was proposed. Some confounding variables identified were the lack of reliable data from police departments, the extreme variability in police suicide rates over a given period, the presence or absence of pre-employment psychological screening among departments, the identification of appropriate comparison groups, and whom to include in "the law enforcement population." The literature review encompassed current statistics for the general U.S. population, current statistics for law enforcement personnel, current statistics for retired personnel, a military comparison group, alcohol and suicide, methods, law enforcement reasons for suicide, the use of mental health assistance, and meta-analysis. The proposed research will address many of the obstacles identified by creating a national database on law enforcement suicides. Law enforcement executives throughout the United States would be contacted and their involvement solicited. Each participating agency would be asked to complete a basic demographic sheet and identify a mental health professional to serve as a liaison between the agency and the project manager. At the conclusion of this project, a summary of all pertinent data, as well as any recommendations for prevention and intervention evident from the data analysis would be sent to participating agencies. 6 tables