Suicide In Law Enforcement

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Law enforcement officers (LEOs) are frequently exposed to high-stress situations such as child abuse, sexual assault, and traumatic events (Violanti, 2021; Civilotti et al., 2022; McAward, 2022; Hartley et al., 2007). This leads to law enforcement workers being 69% more likely to commit suicide than other occupations (Violanti, 2021, p. 2). In addition to mental health risks, officers also risk their lives in the line of duty to protect their community. One of these risks is vehicle-related incidents such as car accidents or being struck by a vehicle as a pedestrian. This paper's purpose is to create an understanding of police suicides and vehicle-related deaths, evaluate the statistics of each category, and evaluate the effectiveness of the wellness policies currently enacted.

Literature Review
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Some critical risk factors that increase the risk of suicide in law enforcement include substance abuse, exposure to traumatic events, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptomology, sleep deprivation, and negative life events (Violanti, 2004; Violanti et al., 2008, Garbarino et al., 2019; Carpenter, 2021). These risk factors can be mitigated through appropriate prevention, intervention, and prevention. However, the mental health stigma often prevents LEOs from receiving the support that they need (Fear et. al., 2012 as cited in Ramchand et al., 2019). LEOs also face the risk of line-of-duty death. The risks included in vehicle-related line-of-duty deaths are automobile crashes, motorcycle crashes, or being struck by a vehicle as a pedestrian. Research has been conducted to investigate vehicle deaths and safety policies have been put in place to reduce these