FBI Releases Statistics from Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection, 2022

In 2022, the Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection (LESDC) completed its first year of compiling statistics on the deaths by suicide and attempted suicides of current and former law enforcement officers in accordance with the Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection Act. Law enforcement, corrections, telecommunications, and judicial system agencies provide data to the collection.

Limited data are available for this first data year of 2022 because the LESDC is a new collection. The following information has emerged based on the data received from 22 agencies reporting 32 deaths by suicide and nine attempted suicides. An infographic presenting this information is available here through the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer.

Number of deaths by suicide and number of attempted suicides reported

  • Suicides: 32
  • Attempted suicides: 9

Methods used

Suicide deaths

  • Firearm: 28
  • Other methods: 4

Attempted suicides

  • Intentional drug overdose: 4
  • Firearm: 2
  • Other methods: 3

Locations of deaths by suicide and attempted suicides

  • Residence: 30
  • Public space: 5
  • Other locations: 6

Suicides and attempted suicides by region

Midwest

  • 7 suicide deaths
  • 7 attempted

Northeast

  • 6 suicide deaths
  • 0 attempted

South

  • 12 suicide deaths
  • 2 attempted

West

  • 7 suicide deaths
  • 0 attempted

Occupational categories

Suicide

  • Sworn law enforcement officer: 13
  • Supervisory/management law enforcement officer staff: 11
  • Correctional individual (not sworn law enforcement officer): 3
  • Community/corrections staff: 2
  • Other: 3

Attempted suicide

  • Sworn law enforcement officer: 2
  • Supervisory/management law enforcement officer staff: 0
  • Correctional individual (not sworn law enforcement officer): 6
  • Community/corrections staff: 0
  • Other: 1

Suicide deaths and attempted suicides by occupational category and years of experience

0-5 years of experience

  • Corrections
    • Attempted: 6
    • Died: 5
  • Law enforcement
    • Attempted: 2
    • Died: 2
  • Total individuals
    • Attempted: 8
    • Died: 7

6-10 years of experience

  • Corrections
    • Attempted: none reported
    • Died: none reported
  • Law enforcement
    • Attempted: 1
    • Died: 5
  • Total individuals
    • Attempted: 1
    • Died: 5

11-20 years of experience

  • Corrections
    • Attempted: none reported
    • Died: 1
  • Law enforcement
    • Attempted: none reported
    • Died: 8
  • Total individuals
    • Attempted: none reported
    • Died: 9

21-30 years of experience

  • Corrections
    • Attempted: none reported
    • Died: none reported
  • Law enforcement
    • Attempted: none reported
    • Died: 10
  • Total individuals
    • Attempted: none reported
    • Died: 10

31+ years of experience

  • Corrections
    • Attempted: none reported
    • Died: 1
  • Law enforcement
    • Attempted: none reported
    • Died: none reported
  • Total individuals
    • Attempted: none reported
    • Died: 1

Of the 32 individuals who committed suicide, 24 were active duty, and eight were retired. Limited data are available for this first data year of 2022 because the LESDC is a new collection. However, the FBI wants to be transparent by sharing the information outlined in the LESDC Act and submitted by law enforcement agencies. The Bureau is presenting this first release of information with the knowledge this collection is still in the growing stage. More data will be available as more agencies submit details about these incidents. You can find more information on the LESDC landing page of the FBI's Crime Data Explorer website. Data are as of March 15, 2023.

Demographics

Race

  • White
    • Suicides: 24
    • Attempted suicides: 5
  • Black/African American
    • Suicides: 5
    • Attempted suicides: 2
  • Hispanic/Latino ethnicity
    • Suicides: 3
    • Attempted suicides: 2

Gender

  • Male
    • Suicides: 32
    • Attempted suicides: 5
  • Female
    • Suicides: 0
    • Attempted suicides: 4

Military service

  • Military
    • Suicides: 8
    • Attempted suicides: 1
  • Non-military
    • Suicides: 18
    • Attempted suicides: 5
  • Unknown
    • Suicides: 6
    • Attempted suicides: 3

Suicides and attempted suicides by age

  • Average age of person committing suicide: 43
  • Average age of person attempting suicide: 30

Characteristics

  • Potential contributing factors reported for the 32 suicides (multiple categories can be chosen for each occurrence):
    • 26% cited the individuals were having relationship problems.
    • 23% reported the individuals were suffering from depression.
    • 19% of reports suggested the individuals had been suffering from burnout/secondary trauma collapse, chronic illness, and/or post-traumatic stress disorder.
  • Of the 32 reported suicides, 19% of agencies reported the absence of any warning signs or indications to colleagues or the agency prior to the incident.
  • Of the nine reported attempted suicides:
    • 67% of individuals cited the feelings of hopelessness, rage, anger, or anxiety at the time of the attempted suicide.
    • The separate categories of depression, relationship problems, and increased social isolation were reported in 56% of attempted suicides.

Multiple categories can be chosen for each incident.
 
Number of incidents by agency wellness programs available

Agency provides mental health and counseling resources

  • Suicides: 31
  • Attempted suicides: 9

Agency provides training and opportunities for critical incident processing after significant traumatic work events

  • Suicides: 30
  • Attempted suicides: 9

Agency provides a peer-connection support program or platform

  • Suicides: 29
  • Attempted suicides: 9

Agency provides training on secondary trauma, burnout, and suicide risk

  • Suicides: 27
  • Attempted suicides: 6

Agency has a formal well-being or resiliency program

  • Suicides: 25
  • Attempted suicides: 8

Agency has a law enforcement competent formal well-being or resiliency program

  • Suicides: 13
  • Attempted suicides: 3

Data elements collected

The LESDC collects the following data elements, as established within the LESDC Act:

  • The circumstances and events that occurred before each suicide or attempted suicide
  • The general location of each suicide or attempted suicide
  • The demographic information of each law enforcement officer who commits or attempts suicide
  • The occupational category of each law enforcement officer who commits or attempts suicide, including criminal investigator, corrections officer, line-of-duty officer, and 911 dispatch operator
  • The method used in each suicide or attempted suicide

Incident

  • Date, time, location, and duty status
  • Method used in the suicide or attempted suicide

Administrative

  • Investigating agency information
  • Category of operation (law enforcement, corrections, etc.)

Wellness resources

  • Does the agency provide counseling on secondary trauma, burnout, etc.?
  • Does the agency provide well-being program?
  • Does the agency provide mental health counseling resources?

Circumstance

  • Issues reported by the individual (death of friend/colleague, survivor guilt, etc.)
  • Issues the individual reported experiencing (post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, relationship issues, etc.)
  • Other signs/circumstances (threats of harm, risky behavior, subject of investigation, etc.)