Subjects completed a brief questionnaire that sought details on age, sex, employment status, and past suicide history and then completed other instruments that concerned suicide ideation, depression, life experiences, and coping. Although it was expected police officers would show higher levels of negative life events than students, no significant differences between the two groups were observed. A history of negative life events appeared to have more impact on the suicide ideation of police officers than students. Police officers used less problem-focused coping skills than students. While police officers did not report higher levels of avoidant coping, the impact of this style seemed greater for police officers. Negative life events and coping had an impact on the suicide ideation of students only through their effect on depression but had an independent effect on the suicide ideation of police officers. For police officers, avoidance appeared to exert a protective influence, while negative life events and depression implied higher suicide risk. Police officers did not seem to be a greater risk of suicide compared to students when suicide ideation and depression scores were accepted as indicators of suicide risk. 37 references, 1 note, and 2 tables