Police Officer Suicide 2007

7/26/2019 Police Officer Suicide 2007

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Stephen Barron, PsychLaw Conference - 2007.

Police Officer Suicide:Police Officer Suicide:

NSW Police Force.NSW Police Force.1999 to 20051999 to 2005Stephen W. BarronStephen W. Barron



Stephen Barron, Psch!a"

&esearch 'oals:&esearch 'oals:

To investigate suicie !y "SW Po#ice To investigate suicie !y "SW Po#ice

$%cers using a Psycho#ogica#$%cers using a Psycho#ogica#

&utopsy Protoco#.&utopsy Protoco#.

'entify the (ey psycho#ogica#, socia#'entify the (ey psycho#ogica#, socia#

an occupationa# factors associatean occupationa# factors associate

with po#ice o%cer suicie.with po#ice o%cer suicie.




SUICIDE: A MULTI-FACTORIAL EVENT

Neurobiology

Severe MedicalIllness

Impulsiveness

Access To Weapons

Hopelessness

Life Stressors

Family History

SuicidalBeavior

!ersonality"isorder#Traits

!syciatric Illness

$o%morbidity

!sycodynamics#!sycological &ulnerability

Substance

'se#Abuse

Suicide




PSYCHOSOCIAL SITUATION:

LIFE STRESSORS

Recent severe stress!u" "i!e events #ss$ci#ted %it& suicide in

vu"ner#'"e individu#"s (M$scic)i *++,.

Stress$rs inc"ude inter/ers$n#" "$ss $r c$n!"ict ec$n$0ic/r$'"e0s "e1#" /r$'"e0s #nd 0$vin1 (2rent et #" *++3'Les#1e et #" *++4 Ric& et #" *++5# M$scic)i *++,.

Hi1& ris) stress$r: &u0i"i#tin1 events e.1. !in#nci#" ruin#ss$ci#ted %it& sc#nd#" 'ein1 #rrested $r 'ein1 !ired(Hirsc&!e"d #nd D#vids$n *+55 6 c#n "e#d t$ i0/u"sivesuicide.

Identi!7 stress$r in c$nte8t $! /ers$n#"it7 stren1t&vu"ner#'i"ities i""ness #nd su//$rt s7ste0.

All studies are reviews




PROTECTIVE FACTORS

C&i"dren in t&e &$0e e8ce/t #0$n1 t&$se %it&/$st/#rtu0 /s7c&$sis

Pre1n#nc7

Deterrent re"i1i$us 'e"ie!s

Li!e s#tis!#cti$n

Re#"it7 testin1 #'i"it7

P$sitive c$/in1 s)i""s

P$sitive s$ci#" su//$rt

P$sitive t&er#/eutic re"#ti$ns&i/




(he Pscholo)ical *utops(he Pscholo)ical *utops

protocol.protocol.

&n investigative techni)ue where the&n investigative techni)ue where the

ai* is to gather enough infor*ationai* is to gather enough infor*ation

a!out the circu*stances of a personsa!out the circu*stances of a persons

eath +suicie to gain aneath +suicie to gain an

unerstaning of the reasons for thatunerstaning of the reasons for that

eath +suicie,eath +suicie,

awton et a# +//awton et a# +//




Pscholo)ical *utopsPscholo)ical *utops

1etho is specu#ative, pro!a!i#istic1etho is specu#ative, pro!a!i#istic

an resu#ts in a professiona# opinionan resu#ts in a professiona# opinion

regaring the causes an events whichregaring the causes an events which

*ay have contri!ute to the ecision*ay have contri!ute to the ecisionto suicie.to suicie.

Present protoco# was aapte fro* ePresent protoco# was aapte fro* eLeo 3 4vans +2002 stuy of suicie inLeo 3 4vans +2002 stuy of suicie in

5#.5#.




+ethodolo)-ata+ethodolo)-ata

Co*prehensive review of a## eathsCo*prehensive review of a## eathsreporte to the "SW Coroner of Po#icereporte to the "SW Coroner of Po#ice$%cers 6 /// to 1ay 200.$%cers 6 /// to 1ay 200.

1orta#ity rate of serving po#ice o%cers1orta#ity rate of serving po#ice o%cerswas /0 eaths +"SW Po#ice 8 atawas /0 eaths +"SW Po#ice 8 atawithin the sa*p#e years, withwithin the sa*p#e years, with

09 eaths reporte to the "SW Coroner.09 eaths reporte to the "SW Coroner.




NSW Police +ortalitNSW Police +ortalit

eart isease 6 0 eaths,eart isease 6 0 eaths, &ccients 6 eaths,&ccients 6 eaths,

1otor :ehic#e co##isions 6 eaths,1otor :ehic#e co##isions 6 eaths,

o*icie 6 eaths,o*icie 6 eaths, &#coho# re#ate a!use 6 2 eaths,&#coho# re#ate a!use 6 2 eaths,

Suicie 6 9 eaths,Suicie 6 9 eaths, $ther causes 6 2 eaths,$ther causes 6 2 eaths, ;n(nown causes 6 < eaths.;n(nown causes 6 < eaths.




NSW Police +ortalit contdNSW Police +ortalit contd

/ eaths of po#ice o%cers whi#st on/ eaths of po#ice o%cers whi#st on

uty=uty= < trave#ing in po#ice vehic#es,< trave#ing in po#ice vehic#es,

9 >rear* re#ate wouns, an9 >rear* re#ate wouns, an

2 o%cers sta!!e.2 o%cers sta!!e.

$vera##= <.7? of a## eaths are on uty,$vera##= <.7? of a## eaths are on uty, Suicie rate accounts for ? of a## "SWSuicie rate accounts for ? of a## "SW

po#ice o%cer eaths.po#ice o%cer eaths.




Suicide &ate co/parison.Suicide &ate co/parison.

"SW +200 6 suicie rate . per"SW +200 6 suicie rate . per

00,000 +gen. [email protected],000 +gen. pop@n.

"SW Po#ice +200 6 suicie rate of 20.7"SW Po#ice +200 6 suicie rate of 20.7

per 00,000.per 00,000.

;.S. !est Aguesti*ate@ 6 per 00,000;.S. !est Aguesti*ate@ 6 per 00,000

+&a*ot 3 Wer#ic(, ///+&a*ot 3 Wer#ic(, ///




Suicide Freuenc 1999$2005Suicide Freuenc 1999$2005




-e/o)raphic -ata.-e/o)raphic -ata.

1a#es 6 92=1a#es 6 92= e*a#es 6 2e*a#es 6 2

1ean age= 9 years,1ean age= 9 years,

1arita# status=1arita# status= 1arrie=1arrie= <0?<0?

Sing#e=Sing#e= 9.?9.?

e facto=e facto= .?.?

Separate=Separate= <?<? ivorce=ivorce= 9?9?




-e/o)raphic data contd.-e/o)raphic data contd.

8e#igious a%#iation=8e#igious a%#iation= Catho#ic 6 7<?Catho#ic 6 7<?

&ng#ican, Church of 4ng#an 6 7?&ng#ican, Church of 4ng#an 6 7?

+// stuy of po#ice recruits 6 9? C of 4+// stuy of po#ice recruits 6 9? C of 4an 9? 8o*an Catho#ic.an 9? 8o*an Catho#ic.




-e/o)raphic data contd.-e/o)raphic data contd.

Location 6 <7? at ho*e= 20? at aLocation 6 <7? at ho*e= 20? at a

po#ice station,po#ice station,

Dears of service 6 9<? with #ess than Dears of service 6 9<? with #ess than

2 *onths service +average, an2 *onths service +average, an

? with #ess then 0 years of years? with #ess then 0 years of years

of service,of service,

7 ? of o%cers co**itte suicie7 ? of o%cers co**itte suicie

ha chi#ren.ha chi#ren.




Occupational Stressors.Occupational Stressors.

Perfor*anceEaFust*ent issues 6 9?,Perfor*anceEaFust*ent issues 6 9?,

Pro!#e*atic wor( re#ationships 6 7?,Pro!#e*atic wor( re#ationships 6 7?,

;ner investigation 6 22?;ner investigation 6 22?+uneresti*ate= since interna#+uneresti*ate= since interna#

co*p#aint >gures were not avai#a!#e,co*p#aint >gures were not avai#a!#e,

Wor( re#ate trau*a 6 .?.Wor( re#ate trau*a 6 .?.




+ethod of Suicide.+ethod of Suicide.

anging -anging - 7?,7?,

irear* -irear* - <9?,<9?,

rug overose -rug overose - <?,<?,

1otor :ehic#e eGhaust -1otor :ehic#e eGhaust - /?,/?,

$ther -$ther - 7?.7?.




Suicide #o//unication.Suicide #o//unication.

$vera##= <9? co**unicate suicie$vera##= <9? co**unicate suicie

intent with other persons, inc#uingintent with other persons, inc#uing

fa*i#y, friens an wor( co##eagues.fa*i#y, friens an wor( co##eagues.

9? of o%cers who co**itte9? of o%cers who co**ittesuicie #eft a suicie note.suicie #eft a suicie note.




#ontact "ith +edical Practitioners#ontact "ith +edical Practitioners

prior to death.prior to death.

:isite their H.P@s within ay 6 9:isite their H.P@s within ay 6 9

*onths prior to eath 6 9<?,*onths prior to eath 6 9<?,

:isite *enta# hea#th professiona#:isite *enta# hea#th professiona#

within 2 *onths of their eath 6 <0?,within 2 *onths of their eath 6 <0?,

Ta(ing *eications at ti*e of eath 6 Ta(ing *eications at ti*e of eath 6

<0? +anti-epressants *ost co**on.<0? +anti-epressants *ost co**on.




Presence of +ental 3llness at ti/ePresence of +ental 3llness at ti/e

of death.of death. $vera##= 77? of ecease o%cers$vera##= 77? of ecease o%cers

inicate so*e evience of *enta#inicate so*e evience of *enta#

i##ness,i##ness,

$f these=$f these= epressive isorers 6epressive isorers 6 9.?,9.?,

Persona#ity isorers 6Persona#ity isorers 6 <?,<?,

&nGiety -&nGiety - <?,<?,

SchiIophrenia -SchiIophrenia - ?,?,

"o inications -"o inications - 29?.29?.




Other &esults.Other &esults.

&cute events 6 <0? of eaths,&cute events 6 <0? of eaths,

Binge or heavy a#coho# use 6 90?,Binge or heavy a#coho# use 6 90?,

S*o(ers 6 ?,S*o(ers 6 ?,

8eferre !y "SW Po#ice for intervention 68eferre !y "SW Po#ice for intervention 6

.?,.?,

Presence of negative #ife events 6 9?,Presence of negative #ife events 6 9?,

Presence of trigger event 6 20?,Presence of trigger event 6 20?, 8e#ationship !@own within 2 *onths 68e#ationship !@own within 2 *onths 6

0?.0?.




Officer Suicide &is4 Profile.Officer Suicide &is4 Profile.

Characteristics=Characteristics= Persona# - *a#e, a!out 9 years of age,Persona# - *a#e, a!out 9 years of age,

*arrie, catho#ic, resiing at ho*e with*arrie, catho#ic, resiing at ho*e with

spouseEpartner an chi#ren, s*o(er.spouseEpartner an chi#ren, s*o(er.

Socia# 6 *oerate to heavy rin(er, aJecte !ySocia# 6 *oerate to heavy rin(er, aJecte !y

a#coho# at eath, access to >rear*,a#coho# at eath, access to >rear*,

co**unicate intention to fa*i#y or wor(co**unicate intention to fa*i#y or wor(co##eague, re#ationship !rea(own within 2co##eague, re#ationship !rea(own within 2

*onths an increase negative #ife events*onths an increase negative #ife events

within 9 *onths of eath.within 9 *onths of eath.




&is4 Profile contd.&is4 Profile contd.

Characteristics Cont@=Characteristics Cont@= $ccupationa# 6 #ess than 0 years of service,$ccupationa# 6 #ess than 0 years of service,

current#y uner investigation for wor( re#atecurrent#y uner investigation for wor( re#ate

incient or perfor*ance issue, referre forincient or perfor*ance issue, referre for

wor(p#ace supportEassess*ent, whose wor( re#atewor(p#ace supportEassess*ent, whose wor( re#atepro!#e*s are (nown !y co##eagues anEorpro!#e*s are (nown !y co##eagues anEor

*anagers.*anagers.

Psycho#ogica# 6 recent history of *enta# i##nessPsycho#ogica# 6 recent history of *enta# i##ness+usua##y epression, ta(ing prescri!e *eication,+usua##y epression, ta(ing prescri!e *eication,

no previous history or suicie, no previous atte*pts,no previous history or suicie, no previous atte*pts,

visite *eica# practitioner 9 *onths prior to eath.visite *eica# practitioner 9 *onths prior to eath.




6ealth Wor4er 7ias effect.6ealth Wor4er 7ias effect.

#arpenter, 198%.#arpenter, 198%.

or* of positive se#ection !iasor* of positive se#ection !iasregare as occupationa# protectiveregare as occupationa# protectivefactors re suicie ris(=factors re suicie ris(=

Pre-recruit*ent an se#ection screening,Pre-recruit*ent an se#ection screening,inc#uing *u#ti-#eve# se#ection processes,inc#uing *u#ti-#eve# se#ection processes,

Cohesiveness of the organisation,Cohesiveness of the organisation, 1eica# an *enta# i##ness support,1eica# an *enta# i##ness support, Perceive *eaningfu#ness of e*p#oy*ent.Perceive *eaningfu#ness of e*p#oy*ent. +:io#anti, //K ourani et a#, ///K 1i##er,+:io#anti, //K ourani et a#, ///K 1i##er,

2000K &ger!o, 200.2000K &ger!o, 200.






uestionsuestions

Contact=Contact=

s!arronMcsu.eu.aus!arronMcsu.eu.au

Documents

Police Officer Suicide 2007