Officer Suicide - The Findings - Day 3

The participants for this study were law enforcement officers from various departments within the selected state that worked with an officer who completed suicide. Participants were solicited through a variety of avenues including the Fraternal Order of Police, all law enforcement organizations in the state, and other sources. Law enforcement departments were either reluctant to allow research access to data or did not collect such information. For example the state in question does not track this data at all. 40 percent of respondents acknowledged they felt the training they received was inadequate. Additional findings will be discussed during the broadcast.

Law enforcement officers often address their issues internally rather than externally and that makes it difficult to detect evidence of suicidal thoughts and behavior, mental illness, and depression in individuals who suffer from mental illness or self-medication.     

If law enforcement officers are to survive effectively in the workplace, they must master effective coping skills that will help them deal with occupational stress. Based on the premise that officers are uncomfortable approaching departments for help, departments are potentially at risk for adverse legal action and leaving communities to be protected by officers who are emotionally unstable. This is the third broadcast in this Officer Suicide series.

This training program is a public service of The American Public Safety Training Institute found at www.tapsti.org