death by their own hand: have we failed to protect our protectors?
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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?. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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?