Retired police suicide: the enduring aftermath of career stress and post service transition

Purpose This study examined suicide among retired police officers compared to non-retired officers using National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) data. Design/methodology/approach The sample included 1,083 police officer suicide deaths between 2003 and 2019. Descriptive comparisons of retired and non-retired officers were made across demographic, circumstantial and mental health factors. Findings A high proportion (42%, n = 459) of police personnel died by suicide in the dataset were retired. Mean age of suicide for total sample, non-retired and retired officers was 54.8, 44.9 and 65.9 years of age respectively (<p 0.001). A greater proportion of retired officers were widowed, had military backgrounds, had physical health problems and were less likely to experience job problems or legal issues. Depression was the most common mental health condition in both groups, although posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was more prevalent among retirees. Retired officer suicide odds ratios: officers over age of 69- a four-fold risk; being widowed-a six-fold risk; having physical health problems a 72% higher risk. Research limitations/implications The study is cross-sectional, and changes over time in mental health following retirement cannot be determined. NVDRS may lack information on all aspects of suicide, particularly in the areas of protection of identifiable information, personal history, mental health and reasons for retirement. Practical implications Findings emphasize the need for targeted suicide prevention efforts focused on the retirement transition in policing. Originality/value This study is among the first to provide a national-level comparison of suicide risk between retired and non-retired police officers.