“Suicide by Cop” Responsible for 1/3 of Officer Involved Shootings

“Suicide by Cop” Responsible for 1/3 of Officer Involved Shootings According to the Journal of Forensic Sciences

(Mesa, AZ) – In light of a man in Mesa that tried to kill himself yesterday morning and the recent settling of the Mario Madrigal case, the Mesa Police Association would like to remind the public and law enforcement agencies that “Suicide by Cop” (SBC) is a growing epidemic that science does not have an answer for yet.  A new study in the Journal of Forensic Sciences examined the prevalence of this phenomenon among a large sample of officer-involved shootings and found that 1/3 of officer involved shootings are the result of SBC.

“We respond to many SBC calls, and we lucky every time that we don’t have to pull a trigger,” stated Sgt. Fabian Cota, President of the Mesa Police Association.  “SBC is truly a trend that no officer or family should have to deal with.”

“Suicide by Cop” (SBC) is a suicide method in which a person engages in an act creating actual or apparent danger to others in an attempt to get them killed or injured by law enforcement.  Researchers examined 707 cases of North American officer-involved shootings from 1998 to 2006.  Results showed that SBC occurs at extremely high rates, with 36 percent of all shootings being categorized as SBC. The findings confirm the growing incidence of this method of suicide, with SBC cases more likely to result in the death or injury of the subjects 50 percent of the time.

“We are working with our administration to have this phenomenon approached with more education,” stated Cota.  “The probability of an officer having to deal with SBC has increased and they need to be equipped to handle these situations successfully.”

Public Service Announcement submitted on behalf of Mesa Police Association
Founded in 1989, the MPA’s mission is to promote the positive role of Law Enforcement Professionals, and to protect and secure rights and benefits for our members through effective representation with local, state, and national governments.  The organization is currently the largest association representing active Mesa Police Officers.  For more information, visit http://mesampa.com/

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