Practical Considerations for Preventing Police Suicide

This book takes an in-depth look at the phenomenon of police officer suicide. Centered on statistical information collected from cases of officer suicide from 2017 to 2019, this volume helps readers understand the circumstances surrounding death by suicide amongst law enforcement personnel and makes recommendations for identification and prevention.

Through interview and case presentations, this volume examines the lives and last days and weeks of several officers, using findings from social media, departmental surveys, medical examiner reports, toxicology reports and interviews with loved ones and colleagues to create a psychological autopsy. With 14 chapters contributed by former law enforcement, researchers, and mental health professionals, it addresses national, state, and local policy implications and strategies, presenting a theory for better understanding and preventing the phenomenon of officer suicide. This volume will be of interest to researchers in policing, to law enforcement and first responder leadership and administrative professionals, and to mental health practitioners and clinicians working with this unique population

Olivia Johnson is founder of the Blue Wall Institute, an Air Force veteran, former police officer, and published author. She belongs to numerous professional organizations and Boards. Dr. Johnson is a subject expert in police officer wellness, suicide and prevention and recently received the Law Enforcement Psychological Autopsy Certification from the American Association of Suicidology. She holds a master’s in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Missouri, St. Louis, and a doctorate in Organizational Leadership Management from the University of Phoenix. Dr. Johnson formerly served as an Advisory Board member for VALOR Officer Safety and Wellness Program regarding curriculum review for de-escalation training and techniques. She previously worked as a Senior Research Associate for the Institute for Intergovernmental Research as a Lead Instructor for the VALOR Officer Safety Program and was the Program Advisor and Lead Instructor for the Suicide Awareness for Law Enforcement Officers (SAFLEO) Program.

Konstantinos Papazoglou, PhD, CPsych is a licensed psychologist (clinical, police, & forensic). His research work focuses on law enforcement stress, trauma, wellness, performance, and resilience. He is the founder and director of the ProWellness Inc., a division of his psychology professional corporation, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In addition, he is also the principal founder of the POWER Project: A non-profit public benefit corporation in San Diego, California, USA.  He completed his postdoctoral appointment with Yale School of Medicine. He served as a police officer for 15 years with the Hellenic national police and he resigned as a police captain. He authored numerous scholarly articles, edited books, and presented in many major conferences. 

John M. Violanti, PhD is a Full Research Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, NY. He is a police veteran, serving with the New York State Police for 23 years as a trooper, criminal investigator, and later as a coordinator in the Psychological Assistance Program (EAP). Dr. Violanti has authored over 140 peer-reviewed articles on shift work, stress, and PTSD and has written and edited eighteen books on topics of police stress, trauma and suicide. Dr. Violanti served as a presenter on the President’s Task Force of 21^st Century Policing (2015), and for the President’s Commission on Law enforcement (2020) discussing police mental and physical health. Dr. Violanti has been nominated seven times for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s Charles C. Shepard award.

Joseph Pascarella, PhD, MPH is an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at Saint Joseph’s College in Brooklyn, NY.   Dr. Pascarella was also a Post -Doctoral Research Associate at the Violence Institute of New Jersey at Rutgers University and a Retired Captain and Commanding Officer from the New York Police Department.  Dr. Pascarella was also a recipient (2003) of a Fulbright Fellowship to lecture and conduct research at the National Police College of Finland in Espoo, Finland. Dr. Pascarella’s has published in journals and encyclopedias and numerous conference presentations and research interests include police organizational management and strategic initiatives and use of technology in the criminal justice system and additionally, applying public health model to crime causation.