Suicide on the job......

[X-cube]

I am a little disturbed after reading two different instances of suicide by members of Law Enforcement. The first case was of a young sheriff who took his life after being on the force for 3 years. He and two other units arrived at a call and the young man remained outside in his patrol car. When the two came out they found him dead, a self-inflicted wound. He left no note, and as the department can recall, he was not under any investigation.

The other case was of a Police Chief, who did the same, but this one was presumed suicidal prior to the chase which led into another county.

I want to know, other than problems at home, why would one do this, what causes one to snap and make such irrational decisions. I can understand one may be pressured at home to leave this type of work even after claiming they understand the nature of the job, infidelity issues on either side, money problems, and problems on the job which could lead up to imprisonment and fines; what I don't get is if nothing like the source exists, what is the motive?:confused:

[txinvestigator1]

I am a little disturbed after reading two different instances of suicide by members of Law Enforcement. The first case was of a young sheriff who took his life after being on the force for 3 years. He and two other units arrived at a call and the young man remained outside in his patrol car. When the two came out they found him dead, a self-inflicted wound. He left no note, and as the department can recall, he was not under any investigation.

The other case was of a Police Chief, who did the same, but this one was presumed suicidal prior to the chase which led into another county.

I want to know, other than problems at home, why would one do this, what causes one to snap and make such irrational decisions. I can understand one may be pressured at home to leave this type of work even after claiming they understand the nature of the job, infidelity issues on either side, money problems, and problems on the job which could lead up to imprisonment and fines; what I don't get is if nothing like the source exists, what is the motive?:confused:

These are questions that could take years of psychology studies to answer.

[DS Michelle]

I don't think we will ever truely understand why people commit suicide.

Check out this website:

http://tearsofacop.com/police/police.html

[JakeLock]

This is a question no-one can answer, I've spoken to plenty of attempters but it's impossible to talk to the ones who actually do it. None of them can give me a valid reason for killing themselves.

Suicide is the most cowardly act anyone can possibly take, it's so selfish I can't even describe it.

Even the ones who attempted, that I've spoken too, said they were tired of being bad to their families or similar. Ok, let's think about the rationale there, now this family has to deal with the fact that you are dead, you killed yourself, they have to bury you and pay for it, not to mention the emotional strain.

Nothing in life so so hard that you can't fix it or turn it around. Killing yourself is just the cowards way of dealing with lives problems. People who kill themselves are just cowards.

I know I used the word coward alot, but it's what I believe. I do not intend to offend anyone, but I've dealt with suicide to many times to be anything but blunt about it.

[christrue]

:eek: I'd rather be able to prevent the/m

[mobrien316]

People who kill themselves are just cowards.

That opinion is childlike in its simplicity. It isn't that simple.

Statistically, police officers are eight times more likely to kill themselves than they are to die by homicide.

Police officers are three times more likely to die by suicide than they are to die in a motor vehicle accident.

To make a blanket statement that all those men and women in blue were "just cowards" is puerile, disrespectful, and insulting.

You've dealt with suicide too many times to be anything but blunt? I'm sorry you have had that much experience with such a tragic occurrence. But please don't think that your experience makes you qualified to judge the character of every other person who has ever committed suicide.

If you don't believe that depression and mental illness play a part in the suicide rate in this country you are woefully uninformed.

[chiefhuntr]

Jake,
I think you are right in a lot of situations. However, Most police suicides I have had to deal with did not fall into this category. Police officers have to deal with the worst of the worst day in and day out. WE have to have two lives. One cant effect the other. You have a crappy day at work, you cant take that home to your wife. You have a fight with your wife, you cant take that to worka nd take it out on other officers or even worse the citizens you deal with. In the end, all that crap just gets bottled up inside and before you know it...............

So to make a blanket statment that everyone who does it is a coward is just wrong. You have no idea what these folks were dealing with at home. Could be the wife was planning on leaving and taking the kids with her. I know that would tear my heart out. Could be that work found out that he had a drinking problem and he was about to lose his job. You never know.

I lost a 2 year old little girl 3 years ago and if I did not have the love of Jesus and that of my wife/family to support me, who knows what I might have done. I had nothing to do with her dying but I still carried some of the blame.

Again, You have NO idea what these people are going through.

End of rant. If nothing else, I feel better.

[LA5150]

Sorry for your loss, chief. :(

[Group9]

Suicide is the most cowardly act anyone can possibly take, it's so selfish I can't even describe it.

.

From the cases involving people I have known, this is completely untrue. Suicide is an act that comes from mental illness, usually depression, at least in the cases I am familiar with, involving people I have known.

Who are some of the people you've known who committed suicide and what was it about them that made you come to this conclusion?

[greenhead]

Chief, I am really sorry to hear about the loss of your daughter.

Suicide seems like a cowardly and selfish act and it is impossible to know what that person was going through to make them do that. It amazes me how dark and desperate the mind can make a person. I'm not a LEO but am married to one. We talk ALOT! He shares with me the things he goes through and sees and I know I probably know only a fraction of it and I certainly don't know how it feels for him. He also talks with his retired LEO dad, whose "been there done that" and can understand. Do you think maybe part of the police suicide rate has to do with the fact that seeking professional therapy is frowned on in many depts? Hubby's dept provides free counseling for the officer and immediate family. Very few take advantage of the service because they feel it makes them look weak. Whatever the case, it is very tragic. My heart broke when I read that story! When I was 11 I walked my best friend home from school, we found her father dead in the garage. He killed himself by carbon monoxide poisoning. We were alone and her mom was out with her 5 brothers and sisters. It traumatized me for life to see that! He became depressed over failed investments and the pressure of the financial burden for his family became too much. He thought they would be better without him. Sadly, they received no life insurance money because it was a suicide. They were most certainly not better off without him.
I just hope anyone who is feeling that desperate realizes the courage it takes to ask for help and gets it.

[kels]

People who kill themselves are just cowards.

.

I think you are going to be by yourself in the doghouse on this one.
There are just too many variables to make this blanket a statement.

The effects on family and friends after the fact can continue for generations.

[mckenna913]

Working in a police department (I am speculating here, but I think I am relatively on target) is similar to the military in alot of ways, and I would say suicide prevention tactics as well. I have been enlisted for going on almost 5 years and if I learned one thing about suicide prevention it's this:

The people around you and whom you are with are just as responsible for you as you are for them.

The military and the police are not just "band of brothers" against outside enemies, it should be that way for personal problems as well. Any time one of the Marines in my charge or a peer of mine has a problem that they need help with I am right there for them. I can't imagine a department that would not give some type of suidcide awareness training, and as corny as some of the indicators may sound, they're facts for a reason.

People who kill themselves are just cowards.

The only cowards in suicide situations are the officer's so called "friends" on the job who didn't have enough courage to ask if they could help or if anything was wrong. End of rant.

[StationM]

They have a job that few can understand, but many feel they can critique.

Their every action is questioned, but seldom commended.

There is never a shortage of complaints, but always a shortage of thanks.

It's a job where there are no do-overs.

[MDEMT280]

I have never personally known anyone who has succeeded in suicide. I have, however, known (personally and professionally) people who have attempted suicide. For the person attempting suicide, it must seem like death is the best or only option. And that is about as much as I would care to discuss about my own experiences.

In general terms, however... there is one heck of a stigma associated with mental illness, just for the general public. I know it's worse in fire/EMS, and I would assume it's similar in LE, where you're supposed to be big, strong, macho, check your feelings at the door, etc. I've seen some EMS providers, especially new ones, experience terrible things, and get really tangled up emotionally.

I, personally, would not call anyone who commits suicide a coward. I certainly wouldn't consider a public safety professional who has suffered great emotional distress because of the job a coward. In fact, I'd be tempted to call it a line of duty death.

[Cat_Doc]

None of them can give me a valid reason for killing themselves.

Suicide is the most cowardly act anyone can possibly take, it's so selfish I can't even describe it.

Nothing in life so so hard that you can't fix it or turn it around. Killing yourself is just the cowards way of dealing with lives problems. People who kill themselves are just cowards.

Jake,

I know this thread was narrowly focused on police officers taking their life, but blanket statements as quoted above are, in my opinion, coarse and shortsighted.

I spent several years in homicide and we always rolled on suicides. There were quite a few that I considered extremely sad because they thought the problems facing them were too overwhelming to live with. From my point of view, there was light at the end of the tunnel and I felt their death was a terrible waste.

However, I also investigated suicides that were committed due to severe medical issues that would have severely taxed the immediate family and the action took away the constant and unbearable pain in some horrific terminal illnesses. In those circumstances, I have been known to nod my head at the person (body) and say, "Sorry, I hope things are better now."

There are other cultures were a suicide was considered extremely brave and an honorable death, predominately in military scenarios.

Each and every case has to be approached as individual and unique; to do otherwise is a disservice.