Document Type
Portfolio
Publication Date
Summer 2026
Abstract
Goal Statement:
This portfolio aims to raise awareness of the increased risk of suicidality in small, rural law enforcement agencies and identify prevention strategies to reduce the risk by empowering and educating law enforcement officers (LEOs).
Significant Findings:
LEOs in small, rural agencies like those found in the Columbia River Gorge face significant mental health challenges, with research indicating LEOs rate of suicide at agencies employing 50 or fewer sworn staff is 43.78 per 100,000 between 2016 to 2022, compared to the United States (U.S.) general population of 13.78 per 100,000 in that same time period (Lawrence et al., 2025; National Institute of Mental Health, n.d.) This heightened risk is fueled by multiple factors, including institutional and self-stigma, as well as the Western hegemonic masculinity "warrior culture," which serves as a barrier to help-seeking behavior (Craddock & Telesco, 2022; Drew & Martin, 2021). Additional barriers as well as supports exist within the interconnected, bidirectional social-ecological system in which LEOs exist, and key findings demonstrate that prevention can be effective in preventing suicide when focused on upstream, culturally responsive efforts that break down barriers and stigmas while supporting shifts in perspective The International Association of Chiefs of (Police, 2020). Recommendations for implementing upstream prevention include culturally responsive psychoeducation for LEOs modeled on the Health Belief Model framework, mandating mental health sessions at recurrent times throughout the career, cultivating peer support networks, and establishing collaborative relationships between culturally responsive mental health providers and law enforcement agencies (International Association of Chiefs of Police, n.d.; Mobley & Siegel, 2021 ).
Objectives/Strategies/Interventions/Next Steps:
To improve LEO mental health and resilience as an upstream prevention against suicide, consider the following proposed objectives:
• Mandate annual mental health check-ins unrelated to fitness for duty to normalize help-seeking behavior and break down stigma;
• Foster the development of a multi-agency peer support team;
• Train all staff in Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) to ensure officers are equipped to recognize and intervene on signs of potential suicidality;
• Establish a formal collaboration partnership with Eastern Oregon Trauma Center, a local culturally responsive mental health provider, to be accessible to LEOs free of charge;
• Implement evidence-based psychoeducation, such as the "Together for Life" program, which aligns with the health belief model (HBM) framework;
• Draft and promote legislation to advocate for funding at the state policy level to ensure equitable support for small and rural law enforcement agencies' mental health and wellness efforts.
