NCJ Number
183864
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 27 Issue: 6 Dated: June 2000 Pages: 40-44
Date Published
June 2000
Length
5 pages
Annotation
Police officers should be aware of the potential for victim-precipitated homicides involving suicidal victims so that they can recognize and deal with situations that may involve "suicide by cop."
Abstract
Police officers involved in these incidents experience emotions ranging from shock and remorse to shame, anger, and powerlessness. Further strain may result from repeated inquiries as to why it happened, ongoing civil litigation, and negative public perception. In a Los Angeles study of 437 officer-involved shootings during 1987-97, suicide by cop accounted for 11 percent of the shootings and 13 percent of all officer-involved justifiable homicides. Suicide by cop appears to be increasing. The victims enact elaborate schemes, including doing something to draw officers to the scene; disobeying commands to put down the weapon; continuing to threaten officers and other individuals; and escalating the encounter to the point where police must use deadly force to protect themselves, their partners, and civilians. The Los Angeles research indicates that the majority of these individuals are male and have a past history of domestic violence, suicide attempts and alcohol and drug abuse. Canadian criminalist Rick Parent recommends a five-phase assistance process for officers involved in a shooting. In addition, police agencies need to continue sending the message that they will stand behind the officer throughout the process. A course taught by a retired Los Angeles detective aims to raise awareness, understanding, and recognition of the phenomenon and discusses the identification of these events, tactical considerations, and alternative solutions involving less-lethal tactics. However, police officers need to recognize that suicide by cop is not the fault of the police officer, because most victims leave police officers with little or no choice. Photographs