Officer Down Portrait of a Police Suicide Amy K. Lyons

1. OFFICER DOWN: Portrait of a Police Suicide Amy K. Lyons Lyons Investigation and Consulting, L.L.C.

2. Amy K. Lyons

3. University of Arizona Police Department Date of suicide September 28, 1999 Denny Mallory

4. Anchorage Police Department Date of suicide April 11, 2007 Chad Gunter

5. http://www.njlawman.com/2002_line_of_duty_deaths.htm

6. National POLICE Suicide Foundation reports an average of 450 Police Suicides every year http://www.psf.org Accurate statistics difficult to obtain due to incomplete records, mis-classified deaths, and stigmatization

7. Every year more police officers die by their own hand than by felonious assault or other line-of-duty death

8. 22.99 per 100,000Loo (2003) meta-analysis 14.9 per 100,000Marzuk et all (2002) New York City Police Officers 18.1 per 100,000Aamodt & Stalnaker (2001) National study 25 per 100,000Lindsay & Lester (2001) Northeastern Police Department Police Suicide Rates

9. Red flags

10. Preoccupation with death Emotional distance Risk taking Increased alcohol use Unexpectedly contacting people that they have been estranged from Giving away treasured possessions Recent devastating loss Noticeable change in personality/mood Change in personal appearance Warning Signs suicide risk ahead

11. Risk Factors for Police Suicide PTSD Depression Alcohol Abuse Job Stress/Burnout Relationship Problems Availability of Firearms Mistrust of Mental Health System Inability to separate from the “COP” identity Perception that needing and/or asking for help implies weakness

12. Constant exposure to death/ violence/ aggression/ tragedy Hypervigilance Shift work/overtime/ weekends/ holidays Pressure from spouse/ significant other/ kids Public scrutiny Departmental pressure Self-imposed criticism Frustration with Judicial system Same crime, same people, Pendulum swing from boredom to adrenaline dump and back again Lack of proper equipment/ resources Police Stress is Multidimensional

13. Target= object of desire Desire= motivating factor Opportunity= favorable forming of circumstances Crime triangle video clip

14. DESIRE/motivating factor “FINAL STRAW” mental/physical pain, loss, revenge TARGET/object of desire END TO PAIN DEATH SUICIDE OPPORTUNITY/favorable forming of circumstances LOSS OF AMBIVALENCE Plan, lethality, access to means

15. Portrait of a suicide

16. Thierry Sloan Tucson Police Department Date of suicide January 10, 2000

17. Ask for help Ask for help Ask for help Lessons learned

18. Confidentiality concerns Stigma associated with mental illness and seeking professional help Possibility of job reassignment and/or loss of firearm privileges Some departments require reporting of all prescription medications (i.e. Antidepressants) thereby “letting the cat out of the bag” “Officers help people, they don’t need help themselves” Barriers to Seeking Help

19. Why CIT? http://www.nami.org/PrinterTemplate.cfm?Section=CIT2&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=54881 “To combat the devastating effects and trauma brought about by the stigma of mental illness requires a profound community outcry, joined with linkages to appropriate community service infrastructures. CIT is a profound course of action. It is a hope, a voice, a necessary plan to correct the harmful and life-taking tragedies of stigma’s past and present.”

20. Comfort factor Trust Proximity Share same experiences, know what it is like to work there. Understand that sometimes all a person needs to do is vent in a safe environment and have their feelings normalized before the problem gets too large for them to handle. Peer supporters

21. Early intervention – get to officers when the incident is fresh in their mind. Allows participants to talk about thoughts, emotions and physical symptoms that they have been experiencing since the critical incident in a safe and confidential environment. Allows groups to “fill in the blanks” and have a more comprehensive view of the incident. Provides reassurance that what they are experiencing are “normal reactions to an abnormal event” Team members assess the need for follow up and provide participants with information about typical stress reactions. Critical Incident Stress Management

22. Address the “elephant in the room” Roll play talking to people about suicide Reduce stigma Dispel myths Discuss local intervention/prevention programs and facilities SUICIDE AWARENESS TRAINING

23. “It is essential to remember that the consequences of seeking help are never as permanent as the consequences of suicide” –Violanti

24. Thierry Pierre Sloan July 05, 1957 – January 10, 2000

25. CONTACT INFORMATION or aklyoness@msn.com