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Providing Hope
Post Falls Police Department – Victim Services Unit
Achieving Zero Suicide for Our Inland Northwest Communities – March 2015
Overview
• Suicide on the increase
– Community
• Idaho – Consistently in top ten in the Country
• Kootenai County – Top in the State
– In Law Enforcement
• Two – Three times more likely to die from
suicide.
• Suspicious law enforcement deaths ruled
accidental
P.F.P.D. Approach
• Victim Services – OASIS
– Very successful in dealing with domestic
violence.
• Chaplaincy Program
– Volunteers
– Success in dealing with employees and
citizens in need.
– Came up with the idea of following up and
providing HOPE.
How It Works
• Community Education
– Suicide = Anyone…..Anytime
• Service Clubs
• Schools
• Social media
– Public Safety Announcement
• Staff Training
– Mental Health First Aid
– QPR – Dr. Quinnett
– Dr. Lou Sowers
Follow Up
• Threat comes into the 911 Center
– We do receive threats via social media
• Police Officer Responds
• Provides Assistance
– Majority of cases involve intoxication
– Normally consists of medical care.
How It Works
• Victim Services involvement
– They receive information from investigator
• Chaplain follows up in person
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Available to immediately respond
Meet with the entire family
Provides resources
Works to provide hope, somebody cares
• Firearm safety is a consideration.
– Safe keeping, Gun Locks
Is it Working?
• Difficult to measure
– City is rapidly growing
– Combat veterans returning from overseas
• Chaplains have worked with hundreds of
suicidal individuals
– Until this year, no completions
– Very positive feedback from the community
Public Service Announcement
Blue 541
Thank you!
Prevention may be a matter of a caring
person with the right knowledge being
available in the right place at the right
time.
Scot Haug – Chief of Police
Post Falls Police Department
[email protected]
(208)773-6366 (w) - (208) 661-1235 (c)