NCJ Number
180710
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 47 Issue: 12 Dated: December 1999 Pages: 95-98
Date Published
December 1999
Length
4 pages
Annotation
Based on a review of over 30 incidents of suspected staged citizen confrontations with cops for the purpose of having officers kill them (suicide), this article compares the characteristics of such cases.
Abstract
There are some common methods suicidal persons use to attract police officers to a fatal confrontation that involves "suicide by cop." A direct call to the local 911 operator or to police dispatch is typically the first step. The callers sometimes report that they plan to harm themselves, and sometimes they report that they are going to harm others. Alternatively, subjects may act in some threatening way that is designed to cause others to notify the police. In other cases, the suicidal person can draw the attention of officers by engaging in some overt action in front of the officers, forcing a deadly interaction. The 911 operator or police radio dispatcher who receives a potential suicide call can be of great assistance to the officers who respond to the incident. The operator should record the exact message that was given. The dispatcher should keep the caller on the line as long as possible. This can be accomplished by asking for specific and important information. The safety of the responding officer must be the major consideration in a potential suicide situation. Officers must be trained to negotiate and use interpersonal communication skills with citizens who appear determined to have officers use deadly force against them. When possible, a backup or secondary unit should assist in any call to which a one-officer unit responds. This article also discusses the role of the public information officer and police supervisors/managers in dealing with such incidents.