NCJ Number
173641
Journal
Police: The Law Enforcement Magazine Volume: 22 Issue: 11 Dated: November 1998 Pages: 36-44
Date Published
1998
Length
6 pages
Annotation
The growing phenomenon of "suicide by cop" or police-assisted suicides can put police officers in the unintentional role of assisting the death wishes of other persons.
Abstract
Recent incidents in three States exemplify the situations in which suspects attempt to have themselves killed by a police officer. In addition, a study of 384 officer-involved shootings that occurred in Los Angeles Count during 1987-96 revealed that at least 10 percent fit the criteria of suicide by cop. Among the criteria that each case met was that before, during, or after the incidents, the suspects made it explicitly known that they wanted to be shot by officers. In almost all cases, the victims were male. An overwhelming majority were white or Hispanic persons. The cases also involved high incidences of prior domestic violence, alcohol or other drug abuse, and prior suicide attempts. The most easily recognized catalyst was the dissolution of an intimate relationship. The findings reveal that suspects set out to precipitate a shooting by preying on a police officer's defensive responsiveness through an outrageous event following a period of anxious vacillation. The suspect's final actions are often very aggressive. They are usually armed with real weapons. It can be difficult for the police officer to determine the suspect's true motive. However, the taking of another person's life can be psychologically debilitating for the involved officers. List of recommended factors to consider to minimize the likelihood of harm to officers and suspects and names and addresses from which to obtain further information