Conn. Training Conference Addresses Police Suicide

Four suicides of Connecticut law enforcement officers between April and June led to a training conference this week seeking to teach officers how to avoid future suicides.

The event, titled "Training the Mind: Preventing Police Suicide and Promoting Mental Wellness," is sponsored by the Connecticut Alliance to Benefit Law Enforcement and the state Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.

The conference at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain is expected to draw nearly 300 police officials from across the state.

A recent study by The Badge of Life -- a group of active and retired police officers, medical experts, and families affected by suicide -- found that police officers have a higher suicide rate than the general public. The research found that while the suicide rate for the general public was 11 per 100,000 people, police officers' rate was 17 per 100,000.

Source: NECN