NCJ Number: 193583
Title: Suicide by Cop: Strategies for Crisis Negotiators and First Responders (From Suicide and Law Enforcement, P 637-646, 2001, Donald C. Sheehan and Janet I. Warren, eds. -- See NCJ-193528)
Author(s): Thomas F. Monahan
Date Published: 2001
Page Count: 10
Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
Sale Source: US Dept of Justice
Document: PDF |PDF
Type: Instructional Material
Format: Document
Language: English
Country: United States of America
Annotation: This article provides an overview of why some people attempt to
force police officers to kill them as a means of committing
suicide ("suicide-by-cop"), the initial response by officers at
the scene, negotiation strategy, and organizational response.
Abstract: Although there can be no definitive answer to why people seek
"suicide-by-cop" (SBC), those who have survived such suicide
attempts have reported that they wished to kill themselves but
did not have the will to complete the act by their own hand. In
almost every case, the subject would deliberately commit a
criminal act in the knowledge that police officers would come to
the scene. In the initial response, which usually involves patrol
officers, the officers must seek adequate cover, and they must
use whatever force is necessary to defend themselves and others
from being harmed or killed by the subject intent on committing
suicide. Officers must be aware that a person determined to
commit suicide may go so far as to shoot an officer or a hostage
in order to force officers to shoot him or her. Once officers have
assumed positions of adequate cover and have determined that no
bystanders are in imminent jeopardy, the situation can be
assessed to determine whether they are faced with an SBC
incident, an individual who is deranged and bent on committing
random acts of violence, or a felon interrupted in the commission
of a crime. The author lists some criteria officers can use in
determining whether or not they are involved in a SBC incident.
Mullins and McMains (1996) outlined three basic and primary goals
when dealing with suicidal persons: establish rapport with the
subject; assess the violence and suicide potential; and instill
hope. This article provides details on a negotiation strategy in
SBC incidents. The final section of the article focuses on the
organizational response to SBC incidents. Attention is given to
the use of specially trained crisis negotiators coupled with
tactically trained and equipped personnel and the creation of
employee or peer support groups to assist officers forced to kill
a subject. A proactive and accessible public information official
is also important in SBC incidents. 1 figure
Main Term(s): Police policies and procedures
Index Term(s): Negotiation; Police use of deadly force; Suicide; Suicide prevention
Note: A paper submitted to the Suicide and Law Enforcement Conference,
FBI Academy, Quantico, VA, September 1999.
To cite this abstract, use the following link: http://www.ncjrs.gov/App/publications/abstract.aspx?ID=193583
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