Police Suicide: Acuity of Influence Abstract 1. Stat: Suicide claims - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Police Suicide: Acuity of Influence

Abstract 1. Stat: Suicide claims approximately 30,000 lives each year in the United States. 2. Fact: The law enforcement profession is a dangerous profession. 3. Intention of Research: To explore the lived understanding of police officers regarding their acuity with respect to the subject of officer suicides. 4. Aim: To facilitate a deeper appreciation of the lived experiences of police officers. 5. Format: Qualitative Phenomenological Research (Affords a distinguishable degree of examination of the phenomenon).

Review of Information 1. Res 1. esea earch h Que Question stion: : Wha hat t ar are the e the l liv ived ed e exp xperien erience ces s co conc ncer erning ning the the incide incidenc nce of e of suicide amo suicide among ng law law en enfor orce cemen ment t of officer? ficer? 1. 1. Da Data ta Coll Collec ecti tion on: a. a. Se Seri ries es of of i inte nterviews views (Individua (Individual/ l/Foc ocus us Gr Grou oup) p) b. b. 9 9 de demog mograph phic ic qu question estions c. c. 9 9 Inter Interview view qu question estions Popula opulation Sample Siz tion Sample Size 1. 1. Inc Include ludes: s: a. Mun a. Municipal icipal po poli lice ce a age genc ncy b. b. Sw Swor orn n Per erso sonn nnel el

Demographics Race and Ethnic Race and Ethnicity: ity: Educa Education: tion: 47% 47 % - White hite 20 20% % - Hi High gh Sc Scho hool ol 33 33% % - Hi Hisp span anic/La ic/Lati tino no 40 40% % - AA AA 13 13% % - Afr African ican Ame Ameri rica can 27 27% % - BA BA 7% 7% - Othe Other r 13 13% % - Gr Grad adua uate te Age: Age: Length of Length of Ser Service vice : 60 60% % - 46 46-55 55 47 47% % - 25+ 25+ 40 40% % - 36 36-46 46 13 13% % - 20 20+ + 33 33% % - 15 15+ + 7% % - 10 10+ + Marit Marital al Sta Status: tus: 80 80% % - Mar Married ried 13% 13 % - Di Divor orce ced 7% 7% - Se Sepa parated ted

Interview Questions 1. 1. Wha hat t typ type(s) e(s) of of dif diffi ficu cult lt situa situations tions ha have e you ou or or an anoth other er po poli lice ce of offi fice cer r ha have e you ou co come me ac acros oss s in y in you our r law law en enfor orce cemen ment t ca caree eer r tha that t wou ould ld lead lead you ou to to cons co nsider ider su suicide icide as as a c a cho hoice? ice? 2. 2. In retr In etros ospe pect ct to to you our r exp xperien erience ce with with you our r pr pres esen ent t law law en enfor orce cemen ment t orga or ganiza nization, tion, wha hat t typ type e of of i in-se service vice ed educ ucationa tional l pr prog ogram am did did you ou unde un dertak take e co conc ncer erning ning the the top topic ic of of suicide suicide? 3. 3. Think hinking ing ba back k on on the the tr training aining you ou rec eceiv eived ed with with you our r pr pres esen ent t age genc ncy, , wha hat t co could uld ha have e be been en do done ne to to impr improve e an and en d enha hanc nce e the the ef effi fica cacy y of of the the su suicide icide ed educ ucation tion (i (if an any)? y)? 4. 4. Con onside sidering ring you our r exp xperien erience ce with with the the age genc ncy y you ou ar are e emp emplo loyed ed with, with, in in wha hat t way ays s do does es you our r po poli lice ce or orga ganiza nization tion de demon monstr strate te co conc ncer ern n abo bout ut you our r welf elfar are e an and on d on the the issu issue e of of su suicide? icide? 5. 5. Wha hat t ef effor orts ts do y do your our pee peers s do do to to dimi diminish nish the the str strains ains tha that t dep depression ession often often exer ert t on on f fello ellow w of offi fice cers s tha that t may may co cons nsider ider su suicide icide as as an an op option? tion? 6. 6. Ho How w do you view the police culture encumbering an officer’s from ability to to look look for or he help lp on on the the su subjec bject t of of suicide suicide? 7. 7. In In retr etros ospe pect ct to to you our r exp xperien erience ces s with with you our r pr pres esen ent t law law en enfor orce cemen ment t orga or ganiza nization, tion, wha hat t typ types es of of tr training aining pr prog ograms ams ha have e you ou ha had tha d that t wou ould ld ha have e ad addr dresse essed d the the issue issue of of sui suicidal cidal thoug thoughts? hts? 8. 8. Ho How w do do police police su supe perviso visors s an and d co comman mmand d sta staff sp spea eak k to to the the issu issue e of of police police of offi fice cer r su suicide icide in in you our r law law en enfor orce cemen ment t or orga ganiza nization? tion? 9. 9. Ho How w ca can n po poli lice ce su supe perviso visors s an and d co comman mmand d sta staff war ard d of off the the risk risk of of suicide su icide as as an an option option for or you our r fello ellow w of offi fice cers? s?

Importance of Research 1. Wha 1. hat t was as an anticipa ticipated ted: a. a. Sh Shou ould yi ld yield e eld evide videnc nce e tha that w t wou ould ben ld benefit efit a po a poli lice ce orga or ganiza nizati tion on. b. b. Shed light on a police officers’ sense of acuity of ca care. e. c. c. Aw Awar aren eness ess of of comp comple lex x issue issue o of police suicide police suicide. 2. 2. La Law E w Enf nfor orce cemen ment t Cult Cultur ure: e: a. a. Dramatically influences an officer’s perception. b. b. Rela elated ted to r to rep epea eated ted e exp xpos osur ure e to tr to trau auma ma. c. c. Of Officer ficer lear learns to man ns to maneu euver themse er themselv lves a es away ay fr from om dialog dialogue ue/e /exp xplor lorati tion on of of f fee eeli ling ngs. s. d. d. Power er in invites vites pe perso sons in nee ns in need d of of s self elf-af affir firma mati tion on.

Law Enforcement & Suicide 1. Officer’s predisposed to suicide affected by: 1. a. Depr a. Depress ession ion-type type symp symptoms toms b. b. Al Alco coho hol a l abu buse se c. c. Su Subs bstan tance ce abu buse se d. d. Di Diminished minished se sense nse of of p pee eer r su supp ppor ort e. Ongo e. Ongoing incr ing increa ease sed/pe d/perva vasiv sive e str stress ess 2. 2. Risk Risk Fac actor tors: s: a. a. Police Of olice Officer ficers s ar are mor e more su e susc scep epti tible to suicide ble to suicide tha than n the the gen gener eral al po popu pula lati tion on.

Research Limitations 1. Res 1. esea earch h Ava vail ilability: bility: a. Ava a. vail ilable ble li liter teratur ture e review view on on su suicide is limi icide is limited ted. 2. 2. Rea easo sons: ns: a. Police Of a. olice Officer ficer reluc eluctan tance ce to spe to speak ak a abo bout ut the the i issu ssue b. Police or b. olice orga ganiza nizati tion on f failur ailure to ac e to acce cept the f pt the fac act t tha that t suicide su icide exist xist c. c. Lia Liabili bility ty issue issues d. d. Mi Misc sclassifi lassifica cati tion on of of suicide suicide

Methodology 1. 1. Res esea earch h de design sign: a. Qualit a. Qualitati tive/Ph e/Phen enome omeno nologica logical l Mod Model el b. Review b. view of of i in-de depth pth i inte nterpr preta etati tion on of of liv lived ed exp xperien erience ces c. Abil c. Abilit ity y to to disp dispute ute f famili amiliar ar be beli liefs/the efs/themes mes/myths /myths d. App d. pprec ecia iati tion on o of police of police officer ficers pe s perce ception ptions/be s/beli liefs efs e. e. Better Better co coll llec ecti tion on of of i inf nfor orma mati tion on (O (Ope pen-En Ende ded d Ques Questi tion ons) s)

Results 1. The 1. heme mes s Ide Identified ntified V Via: ia: a. NV a. NViv ivo o 10 10  so softw ftwar are b. b. Tran ansc scri ript r pt review view of of r re-oc occu curri ring ng t the hemes mes c. Ide c. Identifi ntifiable ble pa patter tterns ns exa xamined mined d. d. Eme Emerging ging t the hemes mes collected collected un unti til l satur sa turati tion on/r /red edun unda danc ncy y rea eache hed e. e. Ex Explor plorati tion on of of per perce ception ptions s an and co d conse nsequ quen enti tial al ef effec ects ts 2. 2. Res esulte ulted d in 5 ma in 5 major the jor theme mes f s foc ocus using ing on on: a. Su a. Suicide pr icide preven enti tion on b. b. Talking alking a abo bout suicide ut suicide c. Training c. aining d. Ide d. Identifying ntifying ava vail ilable ble ou outside tside r res esou ource ces e. Unde e. Understan standing ding t the he police cu police cult ltur ure fur e furthe ther