Staff suicide or suspected suicide

Request Number: FOI/15713

Category: Human Resources – Officer and Staff: Health & Wellbeing (Incl. Sick absences and retirement)

Subject: Staff suicide or suspected suicide

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 to disclose the following.

Question 1
From 1/4/2015 to date, how many serving police officers and staff have died by suicide or suspected suicide?

Answer 1
11 police officers have the cessation reason recorded as suicide for the requested date range.

Suicide is not a recorded cessation reason for police staff; therefore this information is not held.

There is no cessation reason for attempted/suspected suicide; only confirmed suicide. Therefore this information is not held.

Question 2
Of these individuals, how many were currently under investigation by professional standards department?

Answer 2
For the requested date range, 1 police officer has died by suicide while under investigation by Professional Standards Department (PSD).

Question 3
Of those not under investigation, how many had been under investigation in the year previous to their death?

Answer 3
For the requested date rage, no officers have died by suicide having been under investigation in the year prior to their death.

Suicide is not a recorded cessation reason for police staff; therefore this information is not held.