Editor’s note: Dr. Davis, a frequent expert witness in law enforcement cases and a consultant to the FBI, stresses the importance of directness in dealing with would-be suicides. If you know an officer you suspect may be considering self-destruction, ask him or her outright: “Are you thinking about killing yourself?” or “Are you going to kill yourself?”
We encourage you to check out articles on Police1.com about officer suicide and prevention (found below the following article). Also, be sure to check out Dave Smith’s interview with Charlotte Rappley on officer suicide
By Kevin Cummings
Chattanooga Times Free Press
DALTON, Ga. — Police officers are mourning the death of a fellow officer after he killed himself inside the police department early Saturday morning.
Authorities did not plan to release the officer’s name until this morning after all immediate family members were notified. Bruce Frazier, police department spokesman, said the shooting happened about 5:40 a.m. Saturday at the Police Services Center at 301 Jones St.
Police Chief Jason Parker said the officer shot himself in the locker room area of the police department prior to the end of his shift at 7:15 a.m. He said other people were in the building but no one was in the locker room at the time of the shooting.
Dalton police officers carry a Sig P229 .40-caliber handgun, and Chief Parker said it’s believed that the officer used his service weapon, but the chief could not confirm that and was awaiting findings from a Georgia Bureau of Investigation probe into the death.
The dead officer was a 10-year veteran of the department and was married, the police chief said. Chief Parker said he was not sure of a motive for the apparent suicide.
He added that this is the first such incident he has seen in his 26-year law enforcement career, 21 of those with the Dalton Police Department.
“We’re pretty shocked, saddened and bewildered,” Chief Parker said. “Police officers have a high level of camaraderie, and this is going to take us some time to work through this.”
He said officers attended a meeting Saturday evening to discuss the death and chaplains will be on hand the next few days to help officers cope.
Copyright 2009 Chattanooga Times Free Press
Related resources on officer suicide:
Police Suicide: A special Newsline Series, Part 1
Police Suicide: A special Newsline Series, Part 2
Police Suicide: A special Newsline Series, Part 3
Officer Suicide: How to cope, how to heal
Police officer suicide prevention
Confronting police officer suicide
Police officer sucide: Recognizing the signs and helping our colleagues in distress