ABSTRACT
This chapter argues a subject who is surrendering may in fact be setting up a police-assisted suicide scenario. The negotiator should know the typical symptoms and alert the tactical team to the possibility of Suicide by Cop. Law enforcement has always had some involvement with people who have mental problems. It is very important to separate suicidal people from those who are engaged in Suicide by Cop. The chapter discusses a Suicide by Cop incident which refers to an event in which an individual engages in behaviors that pose an apparent risk of serious injury or death to themselves and others, with the intent to necessitate the use of deadly force by law enforcement personnel. Some of the pre-incident behavioral indicators are obvious. Others require knowledge of the subject’s background that can be obtained through the interviewing of friends, relatives, neighbors and reviewing police and mental health files.
