Suicide attempt questions for Law Enforcement Officers?

Question

As a LEO, how have you treated those who have attempted suicide? With respect? Or, have you laughed at them and talked about them with your buddy?

Also, suppose someone slit their wrists and you were going to arrest them? Would you still put the handcuffs on them, even though it would hurt them very badly?

I am just asking...

Thanks!

Serious answers only!

Answer 1

Suicide victims are usually treated the same as any other victim, with respect and an eye towards maintaining their dignity. Well, except for the boobs that try to take out as many people as they can with them.

As for with a cut wrist attempt... most ambulances can fashion arm restraints with the gurney straps that go above the injured area. Even now a lot carry four point soft restraints for that purpose. If they are combative and the above way won't hold, you just fold a sheet in half and wrap it around their body with their arms straight down and tie it in the back. Use two if necessary. Almost every time the hands are sticking out the bottom and the EMTs can do their job.

Answer 2

If someone slit their wrists, their injuries would be taken into account. The cops have no reason to want to hurt someone attempting suicide.

Why would a cop - or anyone for that matter - show any sympathy for two crack heads who beat each other up? That's completely different from a person who is suicidal. I'm sure it varies from person to person, but the majority of police officers would treat the person with respect and care.

With their buddies (in private) they might make jokes, but it has less to do with disrespect than it does with coping. Policemen see a lot of bad and disturbing things. It's not that they don't care - most of the policemen I know care a lot about people - it's that if they didn't laugh at absurd situations every so often, they wouldn't last as police officers.

Answer 3

I try and respect the departed as much as I possably can (as I would expect for me). When jokes are cracked at scenes, that I hear, they are usually not directed at the person but at the situation, perhaps. When they are made, laughing is usually a more common emotion (consider the alternative). Law Enforcement Officers have a sick sense of humor. We do that, because we would rather laugh than cry.

In regard to the handcuffs, if they slit their wrists bad enought that handcuffs cannot be placed with out causing more injury to the subject, they will be taken to the hospital. More than likely they would be going anyways for a mental review (commital).

Answer 4

I used to think suicide was a way of Darwin's theory proving itself, until a coworker of mine killed himself.

Now I realize suicide is an illness, no different than a common cold. That was an eye opener.

Now I do the correct thing, I treat them with the respect they deserve, just like anyone else.

And yes, I would handcuff a suicide victim. This would be for their protection, and mine.

There is nothing more satisfying than seeing a suicide victim after they have gotten help, running into me and thanking me for the way they were treated.

Answer 5

I treat them like they act like they want to be treated. If they are compliant and cooperative then happy days. I call them an ambulance and the EMTs can come and take them away. If they are acting crazy and causing problems then the EMTs are not going to want to come near them anyway. If they force me to restrain them and/or arrest them then so be it. Handcuffs aren't usually used on slit wrists but there are ways of restraining someone. Charlie talks about one of the more common ways and the gurney straps work sometimes too.

I treat everyone like that. If they're cool then I'm cool. If they act up and cause problems then I can fix that too. I would rather deal with compliant people because I don't get paid extra for dealing with idiots.

If I talk about them with my buddies while we are grabbing a coffee then no one is going to care. Personally I think that if someone wants to kill themselves then no one is going to be able to stop them. Attempted suicides seem to be more like attempted attention grabbing.

Answer 6

It is done with respect. This is a person who is obviously having some problems and doesn't need ridicule at that particular moment. If someone has slit their wrists, they would receive medical treatment before they were placed under arrest.

Answer 7

With respect because people who want to kill themselves are in a bad moment in their lives, but it won't last forever. I try to talk to them about the fact that they are not alone, that everyone has ups and downs in their lives. I tell them life is a mossaic of good times, funny times, sad times, depressing times, exciting times, boring times, it goes on and on and on and 80 years from now when you look back you will be able to see that right now is a small fraction of their life. I also remind them that there are plenty of loved ones in their life who would be hurt if the die and it would be their fault if they killed themselves. Think about their mom or dad how they'd have to bury their son/daughter. I then convince them to talk to a doctor/shrink about their issues. Finally I say, hey, if you've made up your mind to kill yourself today, what does it really matter in the long run if you wait another few days and try going to the hospital with me? Come on, what would really hurt? I mean you're at the point where its all going to end right? But one more day is just one more day, and maybe it will turn into a week, month, and the rest of your life...This usually gets them to go to the hospital for a mental health eval. When it comes to someone's wrists slit, that is a medical emergency and they are usually not handcuffed! Get an ambulance!!

Answer 8

Do it with respect though sometimes not much you can do. When I first got into law enforcement I got a call to go to a home to talk someone out of suicide. When i got to the home the spouse told me he was in the bedroom. All I got time to say to him was How can I help? He looked at me stuck the SKS in his mouth and pulled the trigger.

Answer 9

Some one with slit wrists, as with most any attempted suicide, would be strapped to the gurney of an ambulance. The first part of your question is rude, suggestive, and inflammatory and I won't respond to it.

Answer 10

1. WITH COMPASSION AND EMPATHY
2. RESPECT? MOST ARE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO TALK TOO--THE ONES WHO NEVER SAY ANYTHING AND DO IT LEAVING YOU WONDERING WHY ARE THE SERIOUS ONE--THE OTHERS WANT COMPASSION, UNDERSTANDING AND SOMEONE TO TALK TO
3. TALK ABOUT IT WITH BUDDIES AS A TRAINING MODULE FOR WHAT THIS ONE DID SO IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN WE KNOW WHOM WE ARE DISCUSSING AND SOME RATIONAL APPROACHES IN THE FUTURE
4. YES--WITHOUT THE CUFFS THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO CUT THERE WRISTS AGAIN AND AGAIN--STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT THOSE WHO CUT THERE WRIST ARE LOOKING FOR SYMPATHY AND A WAY OUT OF ARREST(HOSPITAL TRIP BEFORE BOOKING ETC) THOSE WHO ARE SERIOUS GO FOR THE MAIN ARTERY--MOST WRIST SLASHERS ARE DANGEROUS TO THEMSELVES AND HAVE IN THEIR CUTTING SUBCUTANEOUS SLASHES CUT TOO DEEP AND HIT AN ARTERY BY MISTAKE.