Police Officer Suspected Suicides

Request Number: FOI/15029

Category: Human Resources – Health and Wellbeing

Subject: Police Officer Suspected Suicides

Request and Answer:
Your request for information has now been considered. In respect of Section 1(1)(a) of the Act we can confirm that the Police Service of Northern Ireland does hold information to which your request relates. The decision has been taken not to supply the information you have requested and the reasons for this are set out in more detail below. We have also provided you with links to guidance issued by the Information Commissioner’s Office which we have followed in responding to your request.

Request Details
Under the Freedom of Information Act, can you please tell me for the following years - 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 (as of June 23rd 2025):

Request 1
The total number of serving and former police officers and staff from your force who have died by suspected suicide

Request 2
The total number of serving and former police officers and staff from your force who have died by suspected suicide - with the death recorded during or after misconduct proceedings

Can I request that this information is: 
- Broken down clearly by individual year
- Broken down by whether the individuals were either serving or former officers and staff

Answers 1 & 2
Section 17(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 requires the Police Service of Northern Ireland, when refusing to provide such information (because the information is exempt) to provide you the applicant with a notice which:
    a. states that fact,
    b. specifies the exemption in question and
    c. states (if not otherwise apparent) why the exemption applies.

The exemption, as well as the factors the Department considered when deciding where the public interest lies, is listed below:

Section 38(1) (a) – Health and Safety – Information is exempt information if its disclosure under this
Act would, or would be likely to endanger the physical or mental health of any individual.

The full text of exemptions can be found at www.legislation.gov.uk and further guidance on how they operate can be located on the Information Commissioners Office website www.ico.org.uk.

Section 38
Section 38 is a prejudice-based and qualified exemption which means the public authority must demonstrate that harm in releasing the information exists and carry out a public interest test.

Harm
As the information requested refers to low level data, it has the potential to lead to the identification of officers related to this subject matter. This in turn may be harmful to the mental health of close friends and family.

Public Interest Test
Factors Favouring Release - Section 38
As there is a public interest, release of this information would allow for better informed public awareness and would assist the public in ensuring openness and transparency.

Factors Against Release – Section 38
Publishing this information could lead to the loss of public confidence in PSNI’s ability to protect the wellbeing of any individual. Due to the low level of data, releasing this information into the public domain may identify information in relation to a deceased person or persons and could subsequently cause distress, upset and harm to close family and friends.

Balancing Test/Decision
Information should not be released, if it is likely to have a detrimental effect on the physical or mental health of any individual. The public entrust the Police Service to make appropriate decisions with regard to their safety and protection and the only way of reducing risk is to be cautious with what is placed into the public domain. Whilst there is a public interest in the openness and transparency of the PSNI, there is a strong public interest in safeguarding members of the public and the ability of the police service to protect individuals. It is for these reasons that the public interest must be against release of this information.

A disclosure of information under Freedom of Information is a release to the world in general and not just to the individual requesting the information. Once information is disclosed by FOI there is no control or limits as to who or how the information is shared with other individuals, therefore a release under FOI is considered a disclosure to the world in general.