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      Police and Suicide Prevention : Evaluation of a Training Program

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          Abstract

          Abstract. Background: Police officers are frequently the first responders to individuals in crisis, but generally receive little training for this role. We developed and evaluated training in suicide awareness and prevention for frontline rail police in the UK. Aims: To investigate the impact of training on officers’ suicide prevention attitudes, confidence, and knowledge. Method: Fifty-three participants completed a brief questionnaire before and after undertaking training. In addition, two focus groups were conducted with 10 officers to explore in greater depth their views and experiences of the training program and the perceived impact on practice. Results: Baseline levels of suicide prevention attitudes, confidence, and knowledge were mixed but mostly positive and improved significantly after training. Such improvements were seemingly maintained over time, but there was insufficient power to test this statistically. Feedback on the course was generally excellent, notwithstanding some criticisms and suggestions for improvement. Conclusion: Training in suicide prevention appears to have been well received and to have had a beneficial impact on officers’ attitudes, confidence, and knowledge. Further research is needed to assess its longer-term effects on police attitudes, skills, and interactions with suicidal individuals, and to establish its relative effectiveness in the context of multilevel interventions.

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          Author and article information

          Contributors
          Journal
          cri
          Crisis
          The Journal of Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention
          Hogrefe Publishing
          0227-5910
          2151-2396
          April 4, 2016
          2016
          : 37
          : 3
          : 194-204
          Affiliations
          [ 1 ]Psychology Department, Middlesex University, London, UK
          [ 2 ]British Transport Police, London, UK
          [ 3 ]Kent Police, Maidstone, UK
          [ 4 ]Centre for Suicide Research, University of Oxford, UK
          Author notes
          Lisa Marzano, Psychology Department, Middlesex University, The Burroughs, London, NW4 4BT, UK, Tel. +44 (0)208 411-6998, E-mail l.marzano@ 123456mdx.ac.uk
          Article
          cri_37_3_194
          10.1027/0227-5910/a000381
          27040129
          db85078b-8b52-41b4-892d-170eb22e331d
          Copyright @ 2016
          History
          : July 28, 2015
          : October 22, 2015
          : October 22, 2015
          Categories
          Research Trends

          Emergency medicine & Trauma,Psychology,Health & Social care,Clinical Psychology & Psychiatry,Public health
          suicide,training,gatekeeper,intervention,police

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