Public safety professionals, including law enforcement officers, face many job-related stressors that can negatively impact their mental health and well-being. Emotional injuries and suicide among public safety professionals are a significant concern. In fact, one study found that public safety professionals are more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty.
To address this issue, EDC, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), and the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention developed and are leading the National Consortium on Preventing Law Enforcement Suicide. The National Consortium leverages the expertise of its members (mental health experts, public safety leaders, families of police officers, academic professionals, and representatives of government agencies) to examine the complex issues underlying law enforcement suicide.
The National Consortium’s work includes the following activities:
- Develop national recommendations to guide the law enforcement and public safety fields in preventing officer suicide
- Create a national toolkit for law enforcement officer suicide prevention with specific suggestions for operationalizing the recommendations, including a Comprehensive Framework for Law Enforcement Suicide Prevention
- EDC and IACP developed an issue brief, which was reviewed and commended by the President’s Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice.
- The new national recommendations will support police departments in all 50 states.
International Association of Chiefs of Police, National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention