1. Depression, Suicide, and Suicide-By-Cop
Nicole Duranceaux, Ph.D.
Albuquerque Police Department
Behavioral Sciences Division
Albuquerque, NM 87199
(505)
Cell (505)

2. Why Should a Police Officer Know About Depression?
Accounts for most suicidal, passive neglect behavior
Suicidal persons are sometimes homicidal persons
Annually, twice as many police officers kill themselves than are killed by assailants and accidents
Police officers are expected to offer help to the public, victims, friends, co-workers and subordinates.

3. Depression Key Points Most common mental-health-related problem
In a lifetime, moderate-severe depression will affect
5% - 10% of males
10% -20% of females
Accounts for 75% of all psychiatric hospitalizations
Depression versus ‘Major Depressive Disorder’ or ‘Clinical Depression’

4. General Characteristics of Depression
Sadness
Usually situational
All of us have been sad, and have learned to deal with it.
Grief
Often the most severe sadness
May have a clear cause
E.g., death, divorce, loss of health

5. Criteria for Clinical Depression
Five or more of the following for at least 2 wks:
Depressed mood or lack of interest or pleasure
Significant weight change
Sleep disturbance
Psychomotor agitation or retardation
Daily fatigue
Problems thinking, concentrating
Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
Thoughts of death, dying, suicide
Change from previous functioning
Not better accounted for by something else
May come about through biochemical changes in the brain.

6. General Characteristics of Clinical Depression
If untreated, a major depressive episode can last six months or longer.
The onset is often gradual (i.e. weeks or months)
Can begin suddenly following a trigger
I.e., death of a loved one, divorce, job loss
Person may be unaware of depression, but
May experience it as disappointment, anger, “emptiness,” loneliness, or fatigue.
May be apparent to an episodic observer
“ I just saw Uncle Fred for the first time in months and he looks like shit”

7. Circumstances of the Law Enforcement Encounter
Barricadel, with or without a hostage(s)
Suicide in progress (or completed suicide)
“Man with a gun” call
Welfare check
Interrupted homicide/suicide.
Bizarre behavior (bridge jumper, running in traffic, setting self on fire)

8. Suicidal Triad Alcohol - either chronically or acutely
Isolation - divorced, “ a loner “ , a person who has “burned his bridges “ with family and friends
Hopelessness - both real and perceived

9. Suicide Rate for U.S. Usually begins with thoughts, fantasies
About 14.5 per 100,000
75-90 suicides per year in Albuquerque metro area
Usually begins with thoughts, fantasies
Means, motive, plan, intent (MMPI)
Emotional reasoning, alcohol impair the thinking process

10. Suicide Suicide attempt - intent to end one’s life
Plans range from vague thoughts to elaborate and detailed instructions, letters, etc.
Suicide gesture
Mimics suicide attempt but…
Intent is to change someone else’s behavior
Suicide attempt - intent to end one’s life

11. Suicide By Cop AKA “victim-precipitated homicide.”
Subject may attempt to “lure” authorities into the confrontation
Often starts as a disturbance call
e.g. “man waving a gun around” or “man threatening neighbors with a knife”
Initiating event typically is relationship based

12. Suicide By Cop
Subject is usually
Male
Young
Intoxicated
Despondent
Angry
Often has history of prior contact with police
Subject resistant to initial attempts at verbal de-escalation
”You are just going to have to kill me”

13. Suicide By Cop
Subject may respond to skillful, persistent verbal de-escalation.
Simply repeating commands is not verbal de-escalation
Outcome will hinge on
Subject’s behavior
Level of intoxication
Responders’ skill
Available resources

14. Suicide By Cop
The “ideal” response would include a CIT/CNT officer, a less-lethal force option (or two), and lethal force.
IF THE SUBJECT HAS A FIREARM, ALL COMMUNICATION MUST TAKE PLACE FROM A POSITION OF COVER.

15. Suicide By Cop Subject’s actions dictates response
Lethal force: used in response to credible threat of the same from subject
If subject de-escalates threat, any movement in that direction should be reinforced
Subject’s actions may be so dangerous that there is no time for negotiation
If subject in custody, should be evaluated at mental health facility

16. Suicide By Cop
Don’t let a suicide by cop event lead to the injury/death of an officer.