Police Patrol Officers’ Experiences and Actions in Situations When They Encounter People in Suicidal Crisis: A Critical Incident Study

Responding to people in suicidal crisis is a significant part of the work of Swedish police patrol officers (PPOs). PPOs can prevent suicide and provide the person in crisis with support, but their presence can also have unintended effects, like escalation of the situation and stigma. The aim of this study was to describe PPOs’ experiences and actions when they encounter people in suicidal crisis. The study was performed with an inductive and descriptive qualitative design using the critical incident technique (CIT). A total of 26 PPOs were interviewed. Their experiences could be grouped under the main areas Navigating on the edge of chaos, The stakes are high and A split objective, and their actions under the main categories Striving for control, Pursuing adaptation and Engaging in collaboration. The results give us insights in the balancing acts PPOs perform when confronting people in suicidal crisis, as they must weigh providing safety and control against being present, adapting to suffering, and the specific needs of the situation and the individual.