Suicide rate outpaces line of duty deaths

[BehindBlueI's]

https://www.policeone.com/lodd/articles/482561006-Report-More-cops-died-by-suicide-than-in-line-of-duty-in-2018/?NewsletterID=756705&utm_source=MailChimp&utm_medium=email&utm_content=TopNewsRelated1Title&utm_campaign=P1Member&cub_id=usr_mMLojAVnhhGN5DQV


Less than 10 percent of U.S. departments have suicide prevention programs.

Police can text “BLUE” or “TALK” to 741741 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, or call 1-800-273-8255.

This is not a new problem, it's just one that's now more in the open and less stigmatized. The days of taking out a cleaning kit and calling it accidental are gone. Hopefully the days of accepting drinking as a substitute for mental health services and being "hard" are fading as well. Our department has taken it seriously, having an office who's sole task is taking troubled officers and rehabbing them so they can continue to do the job and lead a productive life outside of it.

Watch out for each other. Don't be the guy who's stuck wondering "if only I'd..."

[Beat Trash]

We lost an officer to suicide the week before Christmas. He was on duty at the time.

As a profession, we definitely need to keep an eye on eachother.

[Rangers13]

It is terrible. This has been a problem for a long time that hasn’t addressed. Just as PTSD in the military needs to be addressed. There is a lot of stress involved in both jobs and more should be done to assist in helping.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[breakingtime91]

problem was the stigma when I was in. Admit you have a problem, say goodbye to deployments.

[Totem Polar]

Not a LEO, but just lost an uncle in law to suicide new years eve. Had to skip this last summer’s local Corvette car show because both guys I used to go to car shows with killed themselves last year. Fortunately, it looks like I have a new godson-in-law coming online pretty quick who loves Corvettes, so the show goes on. But still. Major uptick from my POV.

[LJP]

Having had to pronounce a cop who literally pushed pause on the TV remote and put his duty weapon in his mouth, I would agree that there is a problem and stigma. The saddest part of that call for me was his dog on a leash outside the house looking up at us on the porch. Almost as if the dog knew that it’s life had irrevocably changed for the worse. Dude’s partner found the body when he didn’t show up for work. He did it old school, one round with an empty mag and the slide locked back. I’d read about it, but it was the first time I’d seen it.

Generally, these days when I sense a coworker or colleague is struggling, I point them toward Warrior’s Heart. I know of another in my profession that locked himself in the office and overdosed on enough narcotics to kill an elephant. He was dealing with chronic pain from a previous injury and god knows what else.

I’m really not sure what conclusions to draw, but outside of LEO/EMS/MIL, I can’t count the number of bodies I’ve pronounced from hangings, GSW, and ODs. One of my closest friend’s son hanged himself last year and another of my uncle’s nephews killed himself a couple of years ago. This time of year is always rough.

The ones that piss me off are the ones that have young kids that find the bodies and the ones that do stupid shit that puts the public at large at serious risk. Swerving head on towards a TT is a good plan until you consider how many other people that action could have killed from the resulting collisions.

As I’ve posted before, suicide is rarely the right answer, and it always creates more questions than answers for the survivors.

Sebastian Junger’s “Tribe” is a good read, and I think he’s probably on to something.

My apologies if I went on a bit of a rant in this post, but the subject is not abstract for me. While dark humor generally rules the day, I’m generally kind to those that call 911. The system is definitely fucked, but if they have no one else to call, then definitely call us.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[secondstoryguy]

Cops are one of the few professions that have the opportunity to see the world and people for how they really are and most of the time humanity leaves a lot to be desired. Add to this the toll that the job takes on your family, the general thanklessness of the job, and most of the public's negative opinion of law enforcement and it really doesn't surprise me that guys choose to self-terminate.

[Erick Gelhaus]

We are seeing more about the suicides. I "think" it is because there is better reporting and sharing, although we may be having a few more. I think far, far too often the suicides were hidden or cloaked before.

Regardless, it is a real problem that departments and peers need to do a better job of dealing with.

[LockedBreech]

This is probably my greatest fear. My brother is devoutly religious and very anti-suicide, and has a new family that is fantastic, seems very happy, talks to me and my folks on a daily basis, is a great brother, has never given me even a hint of concern. But I know from when we were kids that he can be pretty sensitive.

I just try to bring it up pretty directly frequently enough that he'd have a chance to say something.

It's a hard job. It does psychological damage. Gotta maintain the brain just like you maintain your gear.

[TGS]

Watch out for each other. Don't be the guy who's stuck wondering "if only I'd..."


We lost an officer to suicide the week before Christmas. He was on duty at the time.

As a profession, we definitely need to keep an eye on eachother.

Unfortunately, I'm not convinced that looking out for each other is enough.

I was one of 3, maybe 4 friends to a not-so-popular classmate of mine that killed himself the week before Christmas. Some of the guys, especially the guys in his office, beat themselves up over it. I heard about it within 3 hours, and immediately reached out to one of his friends from his prior agency that I had met during an active shooter instructor course.

The answer was near universal from his friends, coworkers, former coworkers and family: What the fuck, I just talked to him X days ago and nothing was amiss. What the fuck, he swapped shifts with me that night and everything was fine. Etc.

He had stressors in his life, but we all do...….and none of his stressors were anything that any of us would identify as a risk for suicide.

Especially given the details of who/what/why/when/where, none of it made sense. I mean, a college buddy of mine that I went into the Marines with killed himself over circumstances that a lot of people would easily identify as being "fuck my life has fallen apart and I've lost all that is dear to me". But my LE academy buddy? Nope.

Ditto an officer from the county that I used to work EMS in that killed himself the day after Christmas.

Through the lens of my experiences, saying that we need to be better at looking out for each other is the same as when I hear the teeth-gnashing of gun control advocates saying, "We have to do something! More gun control to solve this!".

It's hallow wishful thinking. A lot of this shit (as in the suicides) just doesn't make sense, and people are going to do what they're going to do. Over the last decade and a half, I've sat through countless briefings on the risk factors and identifiers, and even took a very insightful course on interview techniques for mental health triage. With the exception of my buddy in the Marines, none of it has applied to the suicides in my life and the split is about the same for the suicides I saw in EMS. Regardless of that, you're still going to be the guy wondering if you could've done something....that's unavoidable. That's just who we are.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

FYI - a general report on suicide rates. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/wr/mm6744a3.htm?s_cid=mm6744a3_w

There seems to be an indication that firearm suicide rates are increasing in general. It might be increasing even more sharply among older white males. Economics, life stress factors are suggested. How these interact with the particular nature of law enforcement stress should be investigated.

A link between firearms availability in the USA and suicide gets tangled with gun rights and gun control agendas by some scholars and advocates. Difficult issue to parse objectively for some.

Terrible situations for all involved.

[BehindBlueI's]

Unfortunately, I'm not convinced that looking out for each other is enough.


Respectfully, no shit. That's akin to claiming a diagnosis is enough to cure the disease. It's just a first step in a process, and a way to increase buy-in and legitimacy for programs that do work. It's the first steps in a process, claiming it's enough on it's own is like claiming a diagnosis is sufficient to cure a disease.

Looking out for each other is how you funnel someone in to the help they need to have the best chance of pulling through. That's why it's such a shame apparently only 10% of departments bother to have a suicide prevention program at all. Think about it. If suicides are killing more officers than LODDs an effective mental health program will save more officers than any other improvements in training or equipment.

I can tell you that our office has saved officer's careers for certain. I can speculate it has saved lives, but that's much more difficult to count. I know for absolute certain that officers that would have been fired have been referred to them and made a turn around. In my short tenure as a supervisor, I've already used it in lieu of suspension and so far the results are promising. I know one of my rookies just went on a baby not breathing run, and he's got a new baby a few weeks old at home. I've followed up with him once and will do so again in a week or two, as well as keep an eye on his work product for any changes. That's "looking out for each other". Keeping an eye out for problems, if one is spotted working with the officer to accept the problem, then facilitating the officer getting into the care of people trained to, and with a track record for, making a difference to first responders specifically, is the current best practice in my mind.

Most of us aren't even POST officers. We can be a support system, we can be a friendly shoulder and voice of reason, but as tough as it is we need to accept we aren't the experts here. Too often it just turns into choir practice, which goes back to alcohol as a coping mechanism and look out fucking hard we all are chest pounding. My approach, as a peer and a supervisor, is you can talk to me first, but I'm not the last you're talking to. POST, Chaplain's Office, EAP / Development Office, etc is the next step, depending.


And to everyone, this is a technical forum and as such any best practices, ideas, etc. on addressing the problem and creating buy-in from the brass is appropriate here. Given how personally affected many of us are, stories and less technical posts won't be trimmed as I think it helps put more of a human face on the numbers.

[Stephanie B]

Swerving head on towards a TT is a good plan until you consider how many other people that action could have killed from the resulting collisions.Not to mention that those doing that force the truck driver to be an unwilling participant. I read a news story about 30 years ago that discussed the mental trauma of railroad engineers who had seen people stand in front of their trains.

[Larry Sellers]

Having had to pronounce a cop who literally pushed pause on the TV remote and put his duty weapon in his mouth, I would agree that there is a problem and stigma. The saddest part of that call for me was his dog on a leash outside the house looking up at us on the porch. Almost as if the dog knew that it’s life had irrevocably changed for the worse. Dude’s partner found the body when he didn’t show up for work. He did it old school, one round with an empty mag and the slide locked back. I’d read about it, but it was the first time I’d seen it.

Generally, these days when I sense a coworker or colleague is struggling, I point them toward Warrior’s Heart. I know of another in my profession that locked himself in the office and overdosed on enough narcotics to kill an elephant. He was dealing with chronic pain from a previous injury and god knows what else.

I’m really not sure what conclusions to draw, but outside of LEO/EMS/MIL, I can’t count the number of bodies I’ve pronounced from hangings, GSW, and ODs. One of my closest friend’s son hanged himself last year and another of my uncle’s nephews killed himself a couple of years ago. This time of year is always rough.

The ones that piss me off are the ones that have young kids that find the bodies and the ones that do stupid shit that puts the public at large at serious risk. Swerving head on towards a TT is a good plan until you consider how many other people that action could have killed from the resulting collisions.

As I’ve posted before, suicide is rarely the right answer, and it always creates more questions than answers for the survivors.

Sebastian Junger’s “Tribe” is a good read, and I think he’s probably on to something.

My apologies if I went on a bit of a rant in this post, but the subject is not abstract for me. While dark humor generally rules the day, I’m generally kind to those that call 911. The system is definitely fucked, but if they have no one else to call, then definitely call us.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Finished that book the other night, until I read your post I was going to recommend the book to others. Good read

[Lester Polfus]

Watch out for each other. Don't be the guy who's stuck wondering "if only I'd..."

I'm that guy. I don't want to divulge the details here, but a well-liked sergeant got involved with a woman that everyone knew was bad news, and by the end, it had ended tragically.

Later, I realized that if he had been shot in laying in the middle of the street under fire, any one of us would have charged out to go drag him to cover, but none of us had the balls to take him to coffee and say "Sarge, I know you're lonely since your wife left you, and you've never been a big hit with the ladies, but this new chick is taking you for a ride and you're going to lose your badge."

Bravery comes in many forms. Don't be a coward, because you'll regret it for the rest of your life. I have done very few things in my life that I am ashamed of, but my inaction, in this case, is one of them, and there is absolutely nothing I can do to fix it.

[feudist]

I went to 6 LODD funerals over my career.

Me and an academy buddy were talking after we had 3 officers killed in 1 incident. We started talking about suicides in the department and adding them up.

It was 3 to 1.

:mad:

[willie]

The thread prompted my reading in the area. I found a link that summarizes selected research. The article pointed out that controversy exists about prevalence of officer suicide. For example, one study cited concluded that when certain variables in research are controlled, then cop suicide is no higher than that of the general population. These variables include race, sex, gender, and age. Another study claimed that suicide rate for police officers is even lower than the general population's. Of course we here accept that it is a serious problem. The article addresses many issues pertaining to this topic. Its bibliography is detailed.

oxfordre.com/criminology/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190264079.001.0001/acrefore-9780190264079-e-87

[BehindBlueI's]

Another study claimed that suicide rate for police officers is even lower than the general population's.

It should be. A group of people who's selection process generally includes a psychological evaluation, who's rate of drug use should be significantly lower, who have steady employment, etc. SHOULD be lower than the general population.

And while I'm sure the academic study of prevalence rates it is fascinating to some, is of little relevance to me. Why and how to prevent it, that's what I'm interested in. Particularly what I can do at my level.

[willie]

Reading the article reveals another study showing that the rate is much higher than the general population. The consensus is that the problem exists and must be addressed. Stress seems to be the common denominater, and police administration contributes more than it should. About administrators, I was reminded of research done by Professor Peter during the 1960's. He found that in organizations people are promoted to their level of incompetency. I saw this repeatedly in the school business. Officer suicide must also be addressed from the top of the organization down. I fear that it will not.

[Sherman A. House DDS]

My FTO when I was a cadet checked out. I took it hard. I was later assigned his radio callsign on another department, so I think about him every time I say it, or hear it.

I had another compatriot in dental school who was very close to me (we were both living in TN but from WA) and he punched out near the end of our second year. He had a child as old as mine, which made it much more awful and real for me.

Whenever people say stupid shit like, “Don’t dentists kill themselves more than any other specialist?” I tell them about my friend, Frank. They usually look sheepish after that, and then fuck off. Hopefully, if anything, they’ll never use that line again.

I’ve lost many friends, in both fields (police and dentistry) to suicide and it sucks. Most recently, just in October 2016. I can’t help but think that the few times he wanted to hang out, might have been what he needed to keep in the game. I was honestly intimidated to hang out with him, because I don’t drink, and I knew he tended to go hard, outside what I would ever do (I’m the constant DD).

I used to blow off a lot of phone calls/texts on my off-days, but if you’re one of my friends who actually has my number, and you wear a badge or swing the forceps, I’ll always answer because THAT time or THAT call may be the time someone really needs you.

[Chuck Whitlock]

Sherman,

Do you see any correlations between the two fields?

[Trooper224]

I lost more coworkers to suicide than guns and knives during my career. With the last one, it happened on my days off. He was an old coworker and friend from my previous assignment and I'd known him since day one. Everyone in my then current chain of command knew I knew him, yet no one bothered to make a call. I found out when I came back to work and checked my email. Then, it was only an email covering donations due to his passing. I had to find out a man I'd known for over fifteen years had killed himself by asking dispatch for the particulars. The upper chain was completely mum and acted as if they wanted to pretend it hadn't happened. They'd check off the suicide box by giving us an hour class every other year at inservice that would make you want to put a gun in your own mouth. Administrations aren't one of the contributors to officer suicide, they're the number one contributor.

[Sherman A. House DDS]

Sherman,

Do you see any correlations between the two fields?

I do. Had I not started in public safety before dentistry, then going back to public safety (as a reservist) I probably wouldn’t notice any correlations. However, much like, “The Matrix,” or, “They Live,” thematic archetypes, when you see the obvious indicators of drug use/abuse/violence/crime, you notice them everywhere. That jaded/informed my career early on, since I started work as a dentist in public health, and in correctional dentistry (pulling teeth on inmates).

Up until very recently, it wasn’t uncommon for me to see 20-50 drug seeking adults in one week. Other providers would often cave to their whims because they didn’t know the scam. When you can spot the grifters, and you see the same folks in the office that you see on patrol, it gets weird. You gain an increased capability at people management, seeing through the bullshit (lost my prescription, someone stole it, usual doctor on vacation, etc.) and generally just being an astute student at being acutely aware of how awful people are. And even when they do need legitimate help, there’s a greater than zero risk I assume physically, dealing with them due to all of the pathogens they’re often infested with. They also aren’t above stealing or robbing you for drugs/money, or threatening you in an attempt to get 16 hydrocodones.

If you don’t have a sense of humor and a grand sense of purpose and your place in the world, it can seem like a hopeless predicament. Compound that with the pressure of having to make a certain amount of money to pay your student loans, and life can be pretty bleak.

Both vocations, aim to help people. And help people you DO, but you also have to put up with an inordinate amount of turds to get the good. Private family practice is better. Lower frequency of weasels, since a nice practice in an affluent area is generally an intangible barrier to care for those from the wrong side of the tracks. Although a few still make it through, wherever you are. Much like policing...you can work in the smallest, sleepiest country town, and even then, bad things happen.

Those are a few of the similarities I see/contend with.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Sherman A. House DDS]

Also, my old, so I feel I should state that I’m not, “liking,” posts in this thread because I like the content, but because cops are generally not sharing types, and I want you to know that I’m reading, and hearing you.

I do that habitually on this thread about generally benign topics, but this one hits close to home on many levels, so I feel the need to expound.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[willie]

I lost more coworkers to suicide than guns and knives during my career. With the last one, it happened on my days off. He was an old coworker and friend from my previous assignment and I'd known him since day one. Everyone in my then current chain of command knew I knew him, yet no one bothered to make a call. I found out when I came back to work and checked my email. Then, it was only an email covering donations due to his passing. I had to find out a man I'd known for over fifteen years had killed himself by asking dispatch for the particulars. The upper chain was completely mum and acted as if they wanted to pretend it hadn't happened. They'd check off the suicide box by giving us an hour class every other year at inservice that would make you want to put a gun in your own mouth. Administrations aren't one of the contributors to officer suicide, they're the number one contributor.

Trooper, this mindset among administrators is an example of incompetence, and until these folks cease to be selected for advancement, the guys at the bottom will receive little support. These types of leaders have allowed a certain culture of fear to exist--fear of losing one's career and fear of stigma and exclusion when declaring a need for mental health treatment.

Cop's live in an either/or world with an emphasis on objectivity. Perhaps not processing shades of gray in their personal lives makes depressed officers view their lives as either ok or fucked up with no possibilities in between. Some see themselves trapped in situations where death is the only escape. Part of being trapped is belonging to an insensitive organization that ignores all the variables bringing about the problem discussed here.

[Chuck Whitlock]

Years ago I attended a Weed & Seed conference in Tampa. One of the presentations was on LE suicide. The presenter was the widow of an FBI agent who was doing a lot of deep cover narc stuff in the 80's and took his own life.

Some of the take-aways that I recall:

1) Cops are generally Type A personalities, and are used to problem solving in the moment...we respond to a situation, make a decision, then execute that decision.

2) Cops have responded to numerous suicides and attempts. Cops don't swallow pills or stick their heads into ovens. They pick the quickest, most effective method.

3) Cops and .mil are about the only two professions were killing is a problem-solving option on the table.

[Rex G]

Interesting. We are on page three, and nobody has yet typed that “suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.”

In actuality, depression is not a temporary problem; it is a life-long struggle. Some of us hide it very well.

[arcticlightfighter]

As a veteran and an officer I have seen it on both sides.

I try to leverage my position as a Sergeant and mentor to talk about this issue with my officers.

I believe that my "street cred" , miltary an tactical experience over 20 years gives me an advantage to gain the attention of the young cops so that they will listen without dismissing me vs. if they are "ordered" to attend training on the subject by admin

As important as preparing them for the use of force and deadly force scenarios as well as internal struggles with administration, is inculcating them within an environment in which they feel comfortbale talking about the effects of "the job" mentally and emotionally

I try to do this by my own example...i talk about those calls that bothered me..about the long term effects of the job
And how it has affected me personally

I tell my guys that I have PTSD and attend therapy..that there is hope even with the deep dark struggles

I am an advocate for critical incident stress management, EMDR and accelerated resolution therapy for PTSD and trauma

We as peers and formal leaders need to take the lead in officer wellness in all regards but especially trauma

[Totem Polar]

...I’m not, “liking,” posts in this thread because I like the content, but because cops are generally not sharing types, and I want you to know that I’m reading, and hearing you.


This; legit.

[Port]

I lost more coworkers to suicide than guns and knives during my career. With the last one, it happened on my days off. He was an old coworker and friend from my previous assignment and I'd known him since day one. Everyone in my then current chain of command knew I knew him, yet no one bothered to make a call. I found out when I came back to work and checked my email. Then, it was only an email covering donations due to his passing. I had to find out a man I'd known for over fifteen years had killed himself by asking dispatch for the particulars. The upper chain was completely mum and acted as if they wanted to pretend it hadn't happened. They'd check off the suicide box by giving us an hour class every other year at inservice that would make you want to put a gun in your own mouth. Administrations aren't one of the contributors to officer suicide, they're the number one contributor.

I’m sorry. And yes, I agree, those one hour professional development made in the 60’s are awful!

Suicide in KS is way up, cop or not, 40% since 1999. Suicide in America is up. It’s a real problem. Of course advocating for social programs in America makes you a communist, and our healthcare doesn’t do much to help. It’s a freaking mess.

Here’s an interesting story about how this has become a national problem.

Why US suicide rate is on the rise http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-44416727

[willie]

Reading suicide studies revealed that white males are 2.5 times more likely to die from suicide than black males. Further, one article showed that black police officers have a suicide rate only slightly more than half the rate of white officers. Montana has the nation's highest suicide rate among its population and Washington D.C. the lowest. Since every state has numerous independent law enforcement agencies with much variation from one to the other, designing and conducting studies is difficult. Generalizing from available data may or may not yield valid conclusions. And then there can be variation from one region to another. It appears that insurance company data compiled over time may provide studies from which to draw accurate generalizations. Regardless, in this area some findings are controversial. Some do not agree(as we do)that a crisis exists. One reason that departments may not find training dollars for prevention is that if they pick and choose data, they can say that the problem does not exist or that if it does, there are no findings supporting the fact that prevention measures are effective. So what does all this verbiage mean? It means that you guys will have to beat the drum and carry out the effort from the bottom up. Help may not originate at the top. One reason that the topic interests me is that I have lost friends and relatives to suicide. One uncle had been a sheriff.