OF THE 12 MALE SUICIDES, 3 OFFICERS WERE BLACK, 11 WERE PATROLMEN, AND ONE WAS A SERGEANT. TWO HAD ADMINISTRATIVE ASSIGNMENTS, ONE SERVED IN THE MOTORCYCLE DIVISION, AND THE REST PERFORMED IN ROUTINE PRECINCT POSTS. THE MAJORITY OF THE OFFICERS WERE YOUNG (25 TO 35 YEARS OLD), MARRIED, AND FOR THE MOST PART, FATHERS. THEY CAME TO THE FORCE FROM UNSKILLED JOBS OR THE MILITARY AND POSSESSED HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION OR BETTER. MANY HAD RECEIVED CITATIONS AND COMMENDATIONS, AS WELL AS SOME REPRIMANDS; FOR SOME, SERVICE RATINGS WERE NOT GOOD. THEY KILLED THEMSELVES DURING THE LATE EVENING OR EARLY MORNING HOURS, EITHER BY GUNSHOT, CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING, OR HANGING. NONE OF THE OFFICERS WERE FOUND IN THEIR UNIFORMS AT THE TIME OF THEIR DEATHS. BY FAR THE MOST UPSETTING PROBLEM FOR THESE SUICIDAL OFFICERS WAS THEIR MARRIAGE; MARITAL TROUBLE APPEARED TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT PRECIPITATING STRESS. MANY OF THE OFFICERS HAD RECEIVED PSYCHIATRIC CONSULTATION AND TREATMENT PRIOR TO THEIR SUICIDES, AND A FEW HAD ASKED FOR HELP DIRECTLY. HOWEVER, OBVIOUSLY IN THE SHORT TIME PRECEEDING THE OFFICERS' DEATHS, THE PSYCHIATRISTS WERE UNABLE TO CONVINCE THE OFFICERS TO EXERCISE OTHER OPTIONS. A PSYCHIATRIST ASSESSING THE SUICIDE RISK OF A POLICE OFFICER MUST TAKE INTO ACCOUNT SEVERAL GENERAL FEATURES, INCLUDING THE COPING STYLE OF THE OFFICER, THE EXTENT OF SUICIDE PLANNING, EMOTIONAL RESOURCES OF CONCERNED FAMILY AND FRIENDS, AND THE PRESENCE OF PSYCHOSIS AND PRECIPITATING EVENTS. THOSE WITH HIGH RISK ARE USUALLY ACUTELY DEPRESSED, BELIEVE THEMSELVES INCAPABLE OF COPING WITH OBJECTIVE LIFE STRESSES, AND HAVE OFTEN ATTEMPTED SUICIDE BEFORE. THEY DISPLAY MANY SOMATIC SYMPTOMS--LOSS OF SEX DRIVE OR APPETITE--AND ARE USUALLY TENSE, REMOTE, AND DISTANT FROM OTHERS. (KBL)