Suicide calls to Southern police still increasing

THE number of calls to Southern police relating to suicide continues to climb.

Between July 2016 and May this year, Southern police were called to more than 1500 suicide threats or attempts — 4.5 a day.

That number is 16.5% up on the previous financial year and 27.5% up on two years ago.

Nationally, police attended close to 18,000 incidents in the 11month period.

The rise has coincided with an increasing suicide toll.

The coroner’s provisional number of suicides for the 201516 financial year was 579, the highest since records began a decade ago.

Southern district police mental health liaison officer Inspector Matenga Gray said the rise in suicide threats and selfharm incidents was an ‘‘international phenomenon with many theories as to why this may be’’.

‘‘It is not yet known what definitively is behind the rise in threatening/attempted suicides calls that are made to police,’’ he said.

‘‘It is a very complicated social issue with no easy answer.’’

Officers received mental health training at Police College and further training once operational to prepare them for the task.

‘‘Deescalation and crisis resolution training is part of ongoing training police receive for all incidents,’’ Insp Gray said.

‘‘Police operationally work closely with mental health crisis teams, and health facilities to provide the best possible response.

‘‘Frontline police are all trained in managing crisis situations, depending on the circumstances police negotiators may be brought in.

‘‘Police will always have a role to play in mental health as we provide a 24/7 emergency inperson response.

‘‘Police daily provide to the public not just a crime response, but also a social service response in a number of fields.

‘‘Like all demands on police officers we look to work with other agencies to provide a better service to various groups we interact with and across the country we are doing this in the mental health space.’’

timothy.brown@odt.co.nz