NCJ Number
199787
Editor(s)
Dell P. Hackett,
John M. Violanti Ph.D.
Date Published
2003
Length
157 pages
Annotation
This book provides information on dealing with law enforcement officers in crisis.
Abstract
Depression, substance abuse, domestic abuse, and suicide can be a part of law enforcement. Most of those individuals completing suicide often communicate their suicidal intent to someone. A successful intervention, by those trained in suicide prevention/intervention skills, can save lives. Training and awareness are key to recognizing the suicidal danger signs and asking the right questions at the right time. A positive culture change regarding psychological wellness is now taking place in law enforcement. It is no longer a sign of weakness to seek psychological counseling. Suicide prevention strategies are discussed in Chapters 1 and 2. Chapter 3 describes the reasons why it is so difficult to seek help and what can be done about it. Chapter 4 gives some background on police suicide prevention and methods of suicide. Chapter 5 discusses departmental barriers to mental health treatment. Suicide and the police culture are discussed in chapter 6. Chapter 7 describes the impact of trust problems on the suicidal police officer. Chapter 8 describes effective postvention for police suicide. Chapter 9 discusses responding to the needs of the family of police suicide victims. Chapter 10 provides information on future directions regarding police suicide prevention. Index