Being Investigated on Charges of Crime or Serious Misconduct
Officers investigated for crimes or misconduct may feel extreme guilt if they have done what they are accused of. Even if they have not done anything wrong, they may also fear embarrassment and disgrace when charges against them are made public, and fear the humiliation that the charges may cause their families.
Obviously, if you believe that an officer may be guilty of, or under investigation for, serious misconduct, you may have significant legal and ethical obligations, which can limit the actions you may appropriately take to assist the officer. We do not recommend that you help another officer to engage in, or improperly conceal, crimes or serious misconduct, or violate any legal or ethical obligations that you may have in the situation.
The best advice that anyone can provide to an officer under investigation is
to seek competent legal assistance, and other professional help as necessary. Note:
officers who are depressed may consider even minor charges of
misconduct as being very damaging, and cause for suicide. Remember
that a suicidal person’s problems are very important to him or her, even if
they do not seem as important to you.
URGENT: IF YOU ARE THINKING OF SUICIDE, CLICK HERE
IF YOU NEED HELP FOR SOMEONE ELSE WHO MAY BE SUICIDAL, CLICK HERE
IMPORTANT NOTE: nothing on this web page or any other web page by the Police Suicide Prevention Association, or in any link or other web page linked to a Police Suicide prevention Association Web Page, constitutes medical, psychiatric, or psychological advice or treatment, or legal advice. Nothing in such web pages or links is intended to replace such advice or treatment. Links to, or references to, other organizations do not necessarily imply that the Police Suicide Prevention Center endorses those organizations, or that those organizations endorse the Police Suicide Prevention Center.
NIE 04/01/2001