Characteristics of Police Officer Suicides in the Federal Austrian Police Corps

Crisis ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 265-271 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. D. Kapusta ◽  
M. Voracek ◽  
E. Etzersdorfer ◽  
T. Niederkrotenthaler ◽  
K. Dervic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Population ◽  
Police Officer ◽  
Suicide Rate ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Police Departments ◽  
Length Of Service ◽  
Suicide Rates ◽  
Suicide Notes ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Austrian Population

Background: Suicide rates among police officers may be high because of strong occupational stressors. Aims: This study examined the suicide rate and suicide characteristics among police officers in the Federal Austrian Police Force. Methods: All suicides among policemen during the period 1996–2006 were analyzed retrospectively on the basis of personalized police record files from all Austrian police departments. Information on sex, age, marital status, children, region, method and place of suicide, suicide notes, position, and length of service was extracted from these files. The general Austrian population, adjusted for sex and age composition, served as the comparison group. Results: The suicide rate among male police officers was 30.2/100,000 (SD 11.0), which was comparable to the suicide rate in the adjusted general population (30.5/100,000; SD 2.9). The female police officer suicide rate was 1.8/100,000, while the corresponding suicide rate of the adjusted female general population was 12.5/100,000 (SD 1.7). Firearms were the most frequent suicide method (77.8%), and the incidence of suicide notes was 30.8%. Conclusions: Suicide rates among police officers seem comparable to those of the age-adjusted general population. Given the healthy-worker effect, these results still suggest an increased risk of suicide among police officers. These findings should stimulate further research on stressors and risk factors for suicide among officers and should also encourage departments to increase awareness regarding suicidal signs among officers.

Suicides of Male Portuguese Police Officers – 10 years of National Data

Crisis ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. 360-364
Author(s):  
Tiago Costa ◽  
Fernando Passos ◽  
Cristina Queiros
Keyword(s):  
General Population ◽  
Suicide Rate ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
National Data ◽  
Portuguese Population ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
National Police ◽  
Difficult Situations

Abstract. Background: Police officers, as first responders to difficult situations with ready access to firearms, are frequently considered to be at increased suicide risk. Aims: We aimed to calculate the suicide rate for male officers of the Portuguese National Police (PSP) and compare it with the Portuguese general population. Method: Retrospective review of the PSP male officers' suicides between 2005 and 2014 and comparison with the suicide rate for the general Portuguese population, adjusted for sex and age. Results: A total of 39 suicides were identified, with 34 using a firearm – mostly the service one (30 cases). The average truncated (20–59 years) suicide rate for male officers was 20.6 per 100,000 person-years (95% CI =14.2–27.1). Over the same period, the rate for the general Portuguese population was 13.9 per 100,000 person-years (95% CI = 13.5–14.3). The standardized rate ratio was 1.5 (95% CI = 0.9–2.4). Limitations: Despite the 10-year period of observation, this is a small sample and there are issues with missing data, such as lack of information for retired or dismissed police officers. Denominators were converted to estimates of person-years observations and we should be mindful of the limitations in the validity of the reported rates. Conclusion: Portuguese male police officers mostly die by suicide using service firearms. The suicide rates among them were not statistically different from those of the sex- and age-adjusted general population. However, given that police officers are healthy workers, we would expect lower rates – thus, similar rates could suggest an increased risk in the study sample.

Suicide in psychiatric inpatients in Ireland

1999 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 127-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleanor Corcoran ◽  
Dermot Walsh
Keyword(s):  
General Population ◽  
Suicide Rate ◽  
Psychiatric Inpatients ◽  
Time Interval ◽  
Hospital Inpatient ◽  
Fourfold Increase ◽  
Suicide Rates ◽  
Duration Of Illness ◽  
Secure Environment ◽  
One Year

AbstractObjectives:To establish suicide rates of psychiatric inpatients in Ireland and the characteristics, demographic, social and medical, of the patients involved.Method:Clinical, post mortem and inquest data on all such deaths from 1983-1992 were examined. Suicide rates were calculated using ‘person year method’.Results:The suicide rate for short stay inpatients (stay less than one year) was 319/100,000, and 118/100,000 for long stay patients. The average duration of illness at time of suicide was 10 years. A fourfold increase in suicide rate of inpatients over the century was associated with a similar increase in the suicide rate in the general population. Thirty five per cent of suicides were aged 25-34 years. The risk of suicide was higher the shorter the time interval after admission. Three quarters of suicide deaths in registered inpatients occurred away from hospital grounds.Conclusions:Social factors which contribute to an increase in the suicide rate in the general population are relevant to the increase in hospital inpatient suicides. More effective and comprehensive services to meet the needs of those with severe mental illness, particularly young adults, are essential. The results emphasise the importance of managing inpatients in a safe, secure environment. The person year method is appropriate for monitoring changes in suicide rates.

scholarly journals Incidence of Suicide in Persons With Cancer

2008 ◽  
Vol 26 (29) ◽  
pp. 4731-4738 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Misono ◽  
Noel S. Weiss ◽  
Jesse R. Fann ◽  
Mary Redman ◽  
Bevan Yueh
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
General Population ◽  
The United States ◽  
Mortality Data ◽  
Standardized Mortality Ratio ◽  
Patients With Cancer ◽  
Suicide Rates ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Mortality Ratio ◽  
Adjusted Rate

Purpose The purpose of this study was to characterize suicide rates among patients with cancer in the United States and identify patient and disease characteristics associated with higher suicide rates. Prior studies, mostly in Europe, have suggested that patients with cancer may be at increased risk for suicide, but large cohort studies comparing patients with cancer with the general population have not been performed in the United States. Methods Patients in the study were residents of geographic areas served by the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program who were diagnosed with cancer from 1973 to 2002. Comparisons with the general US population were based on mortality data collected by the National Center for Health Statistics. This was a retrospective cohort study of suicide in persons with cancer. Results Among 3,594,750 SEER registry patients observed for 18,604,308 person-years, 5,838 suicides were identified, for an age-, sex-, and race-adjusted rate of 31.4/100,000 person-years. In contrast, the suicide rate in the general US population was 16.7/100,000 person-years. Higher suicide rates were associated with male sex, white race, and older age at diagnosis. The highest suicide risks were observed in patients with cancers of the lung and bronchus (standardized mortality ratio [SMR] = 5.74; 95% CI, 5.30 to 6.22), stomach (SMR = 4.68; 95% CI, 3.81 to 5.70), oral cavity and pharynx (SMR = 3.66; 95% CI, 3.16 to 4.22), and larynx (SMR = 2.83; 95% CI, 2.31 to 3.44). SMRs were highest in the first 5 years after diagnosis with cancer. Conclusion Patients with cancer in the United States have nearly twice the incidence of suicide of the general population, and suicide rates vary among patients with cancers of different anatomic sites. Further examination of the psychological experience of patients with cancer, particularly that of patients with certain types of cancer, is warranted.

scholarly journals Police Officers’ Best Friend?: An Exploratory Analysis of the Effect of Service Dogs on Perceived Organizational Support in Policing

2021 ◽  
pp. 0032258X2110447
Author(s):  
Kenneth M Quick ◽  
Eric L Piza
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Police Officer ◽  
Organizational Support ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Perceived Organizational Support ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Police Departments ◽  
Service Dogs ◽  
Service Dog

This study explored the effectiveness of a novel technique for police departments to support their officers and promote wellness: the use of service dogs. We evaluated officer perceptions in two mid-sized, municipal police departments that have wellness programs with a service dog that is permanently assigned to a full-time police officer handler: Groton and Naugatuck, Connecticut. We assessed six factors believed to influence police officer wellness including: operational and organizational stress using the Police Stress Questionnaire; topical stressors including those related to the COVID-19 pandemic, police use of force and community relations, and police reform efforts; Perceived Organizational Support (POS); receptivity to service dogs; and willingness to seek assistance for mental health issues. We found evidence that exposure to service dogs is significantly linked to both POS and receptivity to service dogs in policing. We also found that officer willingness to seek their department’s assistance regarding mental health approaches significance with greater exposure to the service dog ( p = .07). Although we found no significant evidence that exposure to service dogs is linked to stress reduction, we found that police reforms pose a substantial perceived stress on officers in the study. This finding presents a serious challenge for reformers that risks undermining officer wellness. Implications of our findings and recommendations for future research are discussed.

The Trials of George Doyle

2019 ◽  
pp. 17-33
Author(s):  
K. Stephen Prince
Keyword(s):  
African Americans ◽  
New Orleans ◽  
Police Officer ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Jim Crow ◽  
Police Force ◽  
Police Departments ◽  
Racial Exclusion ◽  
Black Police ◽  
Black Police Officers

This chapter explores the racial exclusion of African Americans from the New Orleans police force, which had been integrated until the 1910s. It draws attention to the experience of George Doyle, a black off-duty police officer who shot a white man in 1905. Doyle’s story demonstrates the problems black police officers posed for white New Orleanians as they instituted a Jim Crow regime. It also shows how elemental all-white police departments were to that regime; when white New Orleans denied African Americans the ability to police their own communities, they stripped from them a fundamental right.

Police Officer and Supervisor Perceptions of Body-Worn Cameras Pre- and Postimplementation: The Importance of Officer Buy-in

2019 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 322-338 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamie A. Snyder ◽  
Matthew S. Crow ◽  
John Ortiz Smykla
Keyword(s):  
Police Officer ◽  
Survey Data ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Stakeholder Perceptions ◽  
Police Departments ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Policy Suggestions ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Impact

Body-worn cameras (BWCs) are increasingly more common in their use among police officers. Research on BWCs is the focus of an increasing number of studies seeking information on stakeholder perceptions and the impact of the technology on behavior and other related outcomes. Although the emerging research is mixed, several studies find that officers have concerns about the use of BWCs and may not fully support their use. The current study utilizes survey data from two Southern police departments. Police officers and supervisors were surveyed on their perceptions of BWCs prior to the implementation of BWCs, then again after their implementation. The analysis focuses on changes in perceptions before and after BWC implementation and examines the impact of respondent rank on perceptions. Overall, perceptions became more positive toward BWCs after the implementation; however, differences emerged when considering rank. Respondents at the supervisor rank expressed significantly less concern and more support for BWCs than those at the officer level after implementation. These results are discussed in the context of the importance of officer support and buy-in for BWCs. Policy suggestions and future directions are also discussed.

Police cynicism in Serbia: prevalence, nature and associations with job satisfaction

2018 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 659-672 ◽  
Author(s):  
Radomir Zekavica ◽  
Biljana Simeunovic-Patic ◽  
Phillippus J. Potgieter ◽  
Cornelis J. Roelofse
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Crime Control ◽  
Job Dissatisfaction ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Police Departments ◽  
Length Of Service ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gender Education ◽  
Public Citizen

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present the results of the first research on prevalence, nature and correlates of the police cynicism in Serbia, with particular attention to the associations of cynicism with job satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected using a paper-based survey, and obtained from 472 police officers from five police departments across the country. For the purpose of measuring of organizational and work aspects of police cynicism a new developed 24 five-level Likert-type items scale was used. Findings The results show that cynicism is normally distributed. No statistically significant gender, education or police rank differences were identified, and the length of service does not appear to influence cynical attitudes significantly. Cynicism scores statistically significantly varied across police departments and predicted job dissatisfaction. The underlying four-factor structure of police cynicism was identified. The factors include: general organizational cynicism; cynicism toward police hierarchy/superiors; cynicism toward public/citizen cooperation; and cynicism toward modernization of policing in the crime control field. Research limitations/implications The generalizability of the sample is limited, giving that participants come from only five out of a total of 27 police departments in the country, while the female police officers and officers with education higher than high school were somewhat overrepresented. Originality/value This research provides some more evidence on the nature and determinants of police cynicism that might inspire future research in this important but under-researched area. It implies that the need to explore more deeply relations between police cynicism and stress, burnout and particularly contextual and departmental factors that might be influential to police cynicism. It might also incite future research on the internal structure of police cynicism.

Ethnicity and Elderly Suicide in Singapore

1995 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 309-317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soo Meng Ko ◽  
Ee Heok Kua
Keyword(s):  
General Population ◽  
Elderly People ◽  
Suicide Rate ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Sociocultural Factors ◽  
Suicide Rates ◽  
Younger Age ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Elderly Suicide

In the cosmopolitan city of Singapore the annual suicide rates in the general population from 1985 to 1991 remained fairly constant, with a mean of 15.3 per 100,000. It was highest among Indians (19.5 per 100,000), followed by Chinese (16.2 per 100,000) and Malays (2.3 per 100,000). The suicide rates were higher in elderly people (aged 65 years and over) than in younger age groups (10 to 64 years) and in males than in females. For the elderly, the mean annual suicide rate for this period was 52.0 per 100,000. However, it was highest among Chinese, with 59.3 per 100,000, followed by Indians at 33.9 per 100,000, and, again, lowest among Malays, with 3.0 per 100,000. Possible sociocultural factors are proposed to account for differences in suicide rates among these ethnic groups.

Suicide rates according to education with a particular focus on physicians in Norway 1960–2000

2004 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 873-880 ◽  
Author(s):  
ERLEND HEM ◽  
TOR HALDORSEN ◽  
OLAF GJERLØW AASLAND ◽  
REIDAR TYSSEN ◽  
PER VAGLUM ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Population ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Suicide Risk ◽  
Census Data ◽  
University Graduates ◽  
Suicide Rates ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Educational Groups ◽  
Female Nurses ◽  
Death Data

Background. Suicide rates are higher in certain educational groups. The highest rates are generally found in the medical and allied professions, but the empirical evidence for high suicide rates may be questionable. This study compares the rate of suicide among trained physicians, dentists, nurses, police officers and theologians with the rate among other university graduates and the general population according to sex, age and time period.Method. Census data from 1960, 1970, 1980 and 1990 relating to education were linked to suicide as cause of death data from Statistics Norway, and followed up for the period 1960–2000, comprising 46 and 49 million person-years among men and women respectively.Results. Physicians still have a higher rate compared with other graduates and the general population, both among males [43·0, 95% confidence interval (CI) 35·3–52·5] and females (26·1, 95% CI 15·1–44·9). Suicide rates increased steeply by age among physicians and other graduates, whereas for non-graduates the rate was highest in the 40–60 years age group. The suicide rate among female nurses was also elevated, whereas police officers seemed to have an intermediate suicide risk. The rate among theologians was low (7·0, 95% CI 2·9–16·9). The suicide rates in the 1990s were significantly lower than in the 1980s.Conclusions. The high suicide rates among physicians and elderly graduates are of concern. The reasons why graduates are more vulnerable than others when getting older and the low rate among theologians warrant further study.

Suicide in Nógrád County, Hungary, 1970-1994

Crisis ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 64-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamás Zonda
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Psychiatric Disorders ◽  
Suicide Rate ◽  
Risk Groups ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Female Ratio ◽  
Suicide Notes ◽  
Suicidal Intention ◽  
Male Female Ratio

The author examined completed suicides occurring over a period of 25 years in a county of Hungary with a traditionally low (relatively speaking) suicide rate of 25.8. The rates are clearly higher in villages than in the towns. The male/female ratio was close to 4:1, among elderly though only 1.5:1. The high risk groups are the elderly, divorced, and widowed. Violent methods are chosen in 66.4% of the cases. The rates are particularly high in the period April-July. Prior communication of suicidal intention was revealed in 16.3% of all cases. Previous attempts had been undertaken by 17%, which in turn means that 83% of suicides were first attempts. In our material 10% the victims left suicide notes. Psychiatric disorders were present in 60.1% of the cases, and severe, multiple somatic illnesses (including malignomas) were present in 8.8%. The majority of the data resemble those found in the literature.

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