Suicide By Cop
Suicide By Cop
One of the more challenging calls for police officers is the suspect who is at a point in his life when he wants to end it all, and he’ll do what it takes to reach that goal. Unfortunately, achieving that objective sometimes involves shooting at a cop, hoping the officer will do as he’s trained and return fire. And he’s right—shoot at a cop and you’ll quickly find a volley of lead headed your way.
When the suspect exhibits signs that he may be trying to use the officer as a means of suicide, well, that sometimes changes the mindset of the responding officer(s). It shouldn’t, but sometimes it does. Why? Because this is a person who needs help and harming a person in need goes against everything a cop stands for and tries to accomplish. After all, isn’t it a cop’s job to keep everyone safe, no matter what?
Police officers are sort of like mother hens in uniform. They try to keep everyone out of harm’s way and, contrary to a lot of people’s belief, only as a last resort do they use force of any kind.
When someone is hurting, officers are pre-wired to render aid. When someone needs help, they provide it. When a life is in danger, they save it. That’s what they do. Therefore, when the suicidal individual confronts a police officer it’s possible the officer could let down his defensive guard, feeling compassion for the troubled person.
Cops are trained to defend themselves and others, at all costs, and they should. They should also be hyper-alert when a distraught suspect exhibits one or more of the following signs. Remember, if the officer is faced with a deadly force situation and he or she hesitates to shoot it may very well be the last thing they ever do. A dead hero will not be in attendance when the chief presents a posthumous commendation to his next of kin.
Some telltale signs/indicators that a suspect could be/is planning a suicide by cop.
– He’s just killed a close family member—a wife, his child, or even a parent.
– The suspect has supplied a list of demands to the police and none of those plans include a means of escape.
– Very rapid breathing. Hyperventilating.
– Something happened recently that the suspect feels is life-altering—someone close to them has died, they’ve been arrested and face a lengthy prison sentence, loss of a job, divorce, spouse is cheating on him, money troubles, foreclosure, etc.
– Refusal to obey any commands.
– Rocking back and forth. Beating a fist on a table or other surface. Or any other movement in a repetitive, cadence-like tempo. The rhythmic movements often increase in speed and intensity.
– Just before encountering officers, the suspect gives away everything that’s important to him.
– He says things like, “You’ll never take me alive.” “When I die everyone will remember it.”
– Suspect is constantly, frantically, and rapidly looking around, searching his surroundings.
– He expresses a desire to die and demands that the officers kill him.
– He may reveal that he has a terminal illness.
Of course, there are times when a suicidal suspect does back down and allow himself to be taken into custody. And the reversal, or diminished signs from above are indicators that he has changed his mind about dying. BUT, at no time should the officer let down his guard. AND, at no time should the officer hesitate to do what must be done at the proper time.
So I ask, could you make the call? If so, would it be the right call?
Writers’ Police Academy recruits will be faced with similar, live-action scenarios during their Meggitt training. Will they make the right decisions? We’ll find out in just a few short weeks.
