Police officers take their own lives at a rate forty percent above the general population. The toll falls heaviest on white male patrol officers in their forties with ten to twenty years on the job. Annual counts remain above one hundred sixty even after a recent decline from the peak.
Key Takeaways
- Police suicides exceed general population by 40%
- 72% of police suicides are male aged 40-59
- In 2022, there were 165 confirmed police suicides in the US
- 44% of police suicides linked to alcohol/substance use
- Retired officers rate 2x higher at 34 per 100,000
- US police suicide rate is 17.3 per 100,000 officers
- Police suicides increased 21% from 2016-2020
Police suicide remains a critical tragedy, with concerning numbers highlighting the urgent need for prevention and support.
Related reading
01 · Category
Comparisons17 stats
01
Police suicides exceed general population by 40%
02
3x more police suicides than line-of-duty deaths in 2017
03
Police suicide rate 1.5x US working population
04
Higher than construction workers (15/100k) at 17-25/100k
05
Twice the rate of military personnel post-deployment
06
NYPD suicides higher than national average by 20%
07
UK police rate similar to firefighters but higher than teachers
08
Australian police 50% above civilians
09
RCMP suicides 30% higher than federal employees
10
Police vs civilians: 20.9 vs 14.5 per 100k males
11
More suicides than assaults or accidents in LE
12
Retired LE 2x active duty suicides
13
Small depts 2x large depts suicide rates
14
Male officers 95% of suicides vs 5% female
15
Officers over 45 have 3x rate of under 25
16
Patrol officers 60% higher than detectives
17
US police suicides outnumber firefighters 1.4:1
Interpretation
Comparisons Interpretation
Behind the badge lies a silent and staggering crisis where the cumulative trauma of the profession creates a graver threat than any assailant, turning those sworn to protect into the most vulnerable among us.
02 · Category
Demographics19 stats
01
72% of police suicides are male aged 40-59
02
95% of victims are male officers
03
Average age of police suicide victim is 45 years
04
60% have 10-20 years of service
05
White officers 82% of suicides
06
15% Hispanic, 3% Black officers in suicides
07
Patrol/sworn uniform 65% of cases
08
20% supervisors/management
09
70% married or in relationship at time of suicide
10
40% have children under 18
11
Veterans comprise 19% of police suicides
12
Local PD 78%, Sheriff 15%, State 5%
13
Rural/small town officers 35% higher risk
14
25% history of disciplinary action
15
50% recent critical incidents exposure
16
Female officers 8% of workforce but 5% suicides
17
Officers 50+ years 30% of suicides
18
85% used service weapon
19
PTSD diagnosed in 30% prior to suicide
Interpretation
Demographics Interpretation
These statistics paint a somber and specific portrait of a crisis centered on the mid-career, white male patrol officer, often a family man and veteran, whose identity has become so intertwined with his badge and gun that they become the instruments of his final, desperate act.
03 · Category
Incidence Counts30 stats
01
In 2022, there were 165 confirmed police suicides in the US
02
In 2021, US police suicides totaled 234
03
2020 saw 304 police officer suicides in the US amid COVID-19
04
In 2019, 228 law enforcement suicides occurred in the US
05
US police suicides in 2018 numbered 159
06
2017 recorded 172 confirmed police suicides in the US
07
In 2016, 143 US law enforcement suicides were reported
08
2015 US police suicide count was 140
09
New York PD reported 10 suicides in 2020
10
Chicago PD had 3 suicides in 2019
11
Los Angeles PD suicides reached 7 in 2019
12
Florida reported 22 law enforcement suicides in 2021
13
Texas had 18 police suicides in 2020
14
California law enforcement suicides totaled 25 in 2022
15
Ohio PD suicides were 12 in 2019
16
Pennsylvania reported 15 officer suicides in 2021
17
Illinois had 11 police suicides in 2020
18
Michigan law enforcement suicides numbered 9 in 2018
19
Georgia PD reported 8 suicides in 2022
20
UK police suicides in 2022 were 17
21
Australia recorded 13 police suicides in 2021
22
Canada had 22 RCMP suicides from 2015-2020
23
In 2023, preliminary US police suicides hit 140
24
Baltimore PD lost 4 officers to suicide in 2018
25
Philadelphia PD had 6 suicides in 2020
26
Phoenix PD reported 3 suicides in 2021
27
Detroit PD suicides totaled 5 in 2019
28
Las Vegas Metro had 4 suicides in 2022
29
Seattle PD reported 2 suicides in 2020
30
Portland PD had 3 officer suicides in 2021
Interpretation
Incidence Counts Interpretation
Despite a welcome dip in the grim tally, the hauntingly consistent annual roll call of officers lost to suicide underscores that the badge often fails to shield its wearers from the most insidious, internal enemy: untreated trauma.
04 · Category
Risk Factors19 stats
01
44% of police suicides linked to alcohol/substance use
02
PTSD prevalence 34.8% in officers attempting suicide
03
52% had relationship problems before suicide
04
40% experienced recent job stress/trauma
05
Depression diagnosed in 62% of cases
06
28% prior suicide attempts in victims
07
Sleep disorders in 35% of suicidal officers
08
67% exposed to 6+ critical incidents yearly
09
Firearm access increases risk by 5x
10
Shift work disrupts 50% leading to mental health decline
11
25% financial stress cited
12
Stigma prevents 60% from seeking help
13
18% involved in recent use-of-force incident
14
Isolation/divorce risk 3x general population
15
70% untreated mental health issues
16
Officer-involved shooting survivors 4x risk
17
55% chronic pain/ injury related
18
Hypervigilance trait in 80% heightens risk
19
30% bullying/harassment in dept
Interpretation
Risk Factors Interpretation
Behind the badge lies a perfect storm of trauma, relentless stress, and institutional silence, where a cocktail of untreated pain, broken sleep, and a loaded service weapon transforms the uniform from a shield into a crushing weight.
More related reading
05 · Category
Suicide Corrections1 stats
01
Retired officers rate 2x higher at 34 per 100,000
Interpretation
Suicide Corrections Interpretation
It seems the thin blue line does not fade but tightens into a noose long after the badge is put away.
06 · Category
Suicide Rates19 stats
01
US police suicide rate is 17.3 per 100,000 officers
02
Sworn officers have a suicide rate 54% higher than civilians
03
Police suicide rate in US is 25 per 100,000 for males
04
NYPD suicide rate averaged 20 per 100,000 from 2000-2020
05
LAPD officer suicide rate is 18.5 per 100,000
06
Chicago PD rate stands at 22 per 100,000
07
UK police suicide rate is 12 per 100,000
08
Australian police rate is 19 per 100,000
09
Canadian police suicide rate 24 per 100,000
10
Texas LE rate 16.8 per 100,000 in 2020
11
Florida police rate 21 per 100,000
12
California POST rate 15.2 per 100,000
13
Ohio LE suicide rate 19.5 per 100,000
14
Pennsylvania rate 17 per 100,000 officers
15
Active duty police rate 1.5x general population
16
Small agency (<50 officers) rate 28 per 100,000
17
Large agency rate 14 per 100,000
18
Firearms used in 90% of police suicides, rate adjusted 45 per 100,000
19
Midwest US police rate 22.1 per 100,000
Interpretation
Suicide Rates Interpretation
Behind the badge, the grim reality is that those sworn to protect us are quietly facing a crisis where their own mortality, tragically often by their own service weapon, becomes the final call they can't answer.
07 · Category
Trends Over Time19 stats
01
Police suicides increased 21% from 2016-2020
02
Post-2017, US LE suicides rose 33% peak in 2020
03
NYPD suicides spiked 50% in 2020
04
COVID-19 era saw 40% increase in police suicides
05
Declined 30% from 2020 peak to 2022
06
UK police suicides up 15% 2019-2022
07
Australian rates stable but up 10% decade average
08
Canada RCMP suicides down 20% post-2018 reforms
09
Midwest US up 25% 2015-2022
10
South US stable at 18-22 annually
11
West Coast decline 15% post-2020
12
Firearm suicides in police steady at 90% since 2000
13
Retired officer suicides rising 10% yearly
14
Small agencies saw 40% increase 2016-2020
15
Female officer suicides doubled 2010-2020
16
Officer suicides peaked mid-career 10-20 years service
17
National average up from 140 to 228 2015-2019
18
Post-George Floyd, some depts reported 25% rise
19
Blue H.E.L.P. tracking shows volatility 143-304 2016-2020
Interpretation
Trends Over Time Interpretation
Despite making a solemn promise to serve and protect others, law enforcement has been lethally failing to extend that same duty to itself, as these alarming statistics tragically prove.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Alexander Schmidt. (2026, February 13). Police Suicide Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/police-suicide-statistics
MLA
Alexander Schmidt. "Police Suicide Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/police-suicide-statistics.
Chicago
Alexander Schmidt. 2026. "Police Suicide Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/police-suicide-statistics.
Sources & references
31 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level