death by their own hand: have we failed to protect our protectors?

Death by Their Own Hand: Have We Failed to Protect Our

Protectors?

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department

Death by Their Own Hand: Have We Failed to Protect Our Protectors

Is Law Enforcement Suicide an

“Epidemic” or a

Terrible Tragedy?

Death by Their Own Hand: Have We Failed to Protect Our

Protectors?

11

18.1

0

5

10

15

20

25

National Rate Law Enforcement

Suicide Rate per 100,000 People?

National Rate

LawEnforcement

Death by Their Own Hand

“A peace officer is twice as likely to die

by his or her own hand than the hand

of a suspect!”

Death by Their Own Hand: Have We Failed to Protect Our

Protectors?

19031

10388

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

Suicides Homicides

Suicide/Homicide Ratio in 2002 General Population Males, Aged 21-65

SuicidesHomicides

1.8:1

Death by Their Own Hand: Have We Failed to Protect Our

Protectors?

Estimates are that each suicide

severely impacts at least six people.

Death by Their Own Hand: Have We Failed to Protect Our

Protectors?• Family/friends• Work family/friends• Work colleagues• Immediate

supervisors• Unit commanders• First responders• Homicide

investigators• Department at large

Based on law enforcement

suicide rates, an agency the size of

the LASD can expect to have 1-2

suicides a year

Who is impacted…?

Death by Their Own Hand: Have We Failed to Protect Our

Protectors? Often compromises usual mourning

rituals Typically not pathological but often

complicated:– Leaves “unfinished business” – Often leaves a violent death scene– Scene is a “crime scene”– Media involvement

Expect a 4-7 year recovery period Disrupts normal group performance

for an extended period of time

Death by Their Own Hand: Have We Failed to Protect Our

Protectors?Greater impact on law

enforcement… Increased sense of

responsibility Increased cohesion increases

loss Increased sense of personal

identification Increased media attention due

to profession of law enforcement

Death by Their Own Hand

OVERVIEW• Introduction• General Confounding Variables• Law Enforcement Confounding

Variables• Precipitating Factors• Interventions• LASD Suicide Intervention

Model

General Confounding Variables

INTRODUCTION

•Regional Variability•Marital Status•Methods of Suicide•Alcohol and Suicide

General Confounding Variables

Regional Variability of Suicide Rate

21.1

14 12.8 11.39.2

6.511

05

10152025

Suicides per 100,000 in 2002

General Confounding Variables

10.6

17.8

32.7

19.7

0

10

20

30

40

Suicides per 100,000

Marital Status and Suicide Rate

Married

Single

Divorced

Widowed

General Confounding Variables

Having a firearm in the home increases your risk for suicide

five fold!

WEAPON AVAILABILITY

General Confounding Variables

33%

55%

16%

23%41%

14%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

Firearms Hanging,Asphixiation

Poisen

General Public Method of Suicide in 2002

Males

Females

General Confounding Variables

The risk of suicide in alcoholics is 50-70 percent higher than

the general population!

ALCOHOL AND SUICIDE

Law Enforcement Confounding Variables

INTRODUCTION

•Law Enforcement Defined

•“Code of Silence”•Comparison Groups

Law Enforcement Confounding Variables

•Alcohol and Law Enforcement Suicide

•Method of Law Enforcement Suicide

Law Enforcement Confounding Variables

•Sworn peace officers

•Custody officers•Reserve officers?•Parole officers?•Retired officers?•Security officers?

Who is a member of

law enforcement?

Law Enforcement Confounding Variables

Code of Silence Concerns of Police

Survivors (COPS) sent out a survey to 14,000

agencies regarding surviving family members of peace officers who had

committed suicide

4 RESPONDED!

Law Enforcement Confounding Variables

Code of Silence

20

5

12

1

0

5

10

15

2025

Law Enforcement Municipal Workers

17 % of Police Suicides Misclassified

Original Suicides Reclassified Suicides

Violanti, 1996

Law Enforcement Confounding Variables

Comparison Groups

11

17.9

4.3

12.2

5.5

19.9

0

5

10

15

20

25

Na

tio

na

l

Ma

les

Fem

ale

s

Wh

ite

No

n-W

hit

e

Wh

ite

Ma

les

General Population Rates - Suicides per 100,000 in 2002

National

Males

Females

White

Non-White

White Males

Law Enforcement Confounding Variables

Comparison Groups - Military Personnel

Military Rates 1990-2002

0

5

10

15

20

CY-91

92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02

Rat

es/1

00K

Navy Marine Corps Air Force Army

Law Enforcement Confounding Variables

33.5334.7

2615

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

Comparison Group - Retired Personnel Suicides per 100,000

Retired WhiteMunicipal Workers

Law EnforcementRetired

Law EnforcementRetired withDisability

Gaska, 1980

Law Enforcement Confounding Variables

ESTIMATED LAW ENFORCEMENT RATES

• Aamodt & Stalknaker (2001) - 18.1/100,000*

• Loo (2003) - 22.99/100,000*• Campion (2001) - 18.1/100,000

* Reviewed multiple studies for a more accurate estimate

Law Enforcement Confounding Variables

78%

51% 50%42%

16%

60%

17%

60%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%Q

ueb

ec

Irel

and

Au

stra

lia

Det

roit

NY

PD

LA

PD

Can

ada

Ch

icag

o

ALCOHOL AND LAW ENFORCEMENT

Percentages of law enforcement suicides involving alcohol

Law Enforcement Confounding Variables

79%95% 94%94%

70%

100%86%

54%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%A

ust

ralia

Ch

icag

o

Irel

and

NY

PD

Can

ada

Wyo

min

g

LE

Ave

rage

Gen

eral

Pop

ula

tion

LAW ENFORCEMENT SUICIDE BY FIREARM

Precipitating Factors

32%

23%

12% 10%7% 5% 5%

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%

Multiple Studies - Cross Regional

Aamodt 2001

Precipitating Factors

61%

20%

8% 8%2% 1%

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%

NYPD 1985-1999 Rationale for Suicide

O’Neill 2001

Precipitating Factors

4.8x 6.7x

21.7x

0

10

20

30

40

50

Increase in Risk for Suicide

Marital Problem

Suspension

Both

Janik & Kravitz 1994

Precipitating Factors

33.5334.7

2615

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

Health Problems and Law Enforcement Suicide Rate per 100,000

Retired MunicipalWhite Males

Law EnforcementRetired

Law EnforcementRetired withDisability

Gaska, 1980

Interventions

Education•Depression•Suicide•Stress Management•Conflict Resolution•Signs and Symptoms

* Line Personnel & Supervisors

Interventions

TRACKING OF “AT RISK” PERSONNEL

•Divorced/Separated•Bereaved• Injured/Ill•Under Investigation•Substance Use Problem•Approaching Retirement

Interventions

Availability of Resources •Law Enforcement Mental

Health Professionals (MHP)•Peer Support Program•Chaplains’ Program•Health Insurance MHP’s•Self-Help Programs•Peace Officer’s Fellowship

Interventions

Voluntary vs. Mandatory Referrals

•Supervisor Referrals•Settlement Agreements

•Supervisor Mandated

Interventions

Critical Incident Interventions

•Officer Involved Shootings

•Serious Threat to Life•Secondary Traumatization Incidents

Interventions

•Pre-employment Psychological Screening

•High Risk Assignment Screening– Special Weapons– Undercover– Arson/Explosives

•Retirement Planning Seminars

LASD Suicide Intervention Model

Top Down Roll Out•Upper managers support - introductory letter and commitment to saturation training

•“Personal touch” roll out to middle managers

LASD Suicide Intervention Model

Top Down Roll Out•Preview presentation and training to peer support personnel & chaplains

•Availability of materials through computer feed as well as briefing/training

LASD Suicide Intervention Model

Top Down Roll Out•Distribution of materials to all units at line level

•Incorporation of video into all existing trainings - where appropriate

LASD Suicide Intervention Model

Awareness

Assist line staff and

supervisors to recognize

signs & symptoms in colleagues/

subordinates!

Do People Communicate Suicidal Intent?

20%

80%

Warning No Warning

McCafferty et.al. (1992)

LASD Suicide Intervention Model

•I don’t know what to look for.

•I don’t know what to do or what is available!

• I don’t want to ruin somebody’s career!

• It’s not my business – it’s not work related…

LASD Suicide Intervention Model

“Rolling Backup”

LASD Suicide Intervention Model

Evaluation

0

1

2

3

4

5

2001 2002 2003 2004

Number of LASD Suicides per Year

Sworn Civilian

*Based on size, LASD can expect ~1.5 sworn suicides per year.

Final Considerations

Questions?