Suffolk Police Federation has joined national calls to make the recording of every police officer and staff suicide and attempted suicide a legal requirement, warning that without proper data, the scale of the crisis remains hidden.

New figures from the Police Federation for England and Wales (PFEW) reveal that between 2022 and 2025, more than 100 officers and staff are known to have died by suicide, including at least 70 serving officers. More than 200 attempted suicides were recorded in the same period.

But the true scale is almost certainly much higher. With no legal requirement for forces to record suicides or attempted suicides, policing is not officially recognised by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) as an occupation at risk. 

Suffolk Police Federation says this lack of data prevents the service from understanding the risks officers face and from taking meaningful action to prevent deaths.

Police suicides

Matt Paisley, vice chair of Suffolk Police Federation, said: “Mandatory recording is absolutely critical - it is the foundation of understanding this crisis and taking steps to prevent more tragedies. 

“Every suicide and attempted suicide must be counted so we can see the full picture. Without accurate data, we cannot identify patterns, provide the right support, or make the changes our officers urgently need.

“Recording these incidents isn’t just about statistics. It’s about recognising the human cost, understanding the pressures officers face every day, and ensuring their struggles are not invisible."

PFEW analysis also highlights a concerning link between suicides and officers under misconduct investigation. Of the 70 officer suicides recorded between 2022 and 2025, 47 involved officers facing misconduct or criminal investigations. In 2025, 12 of the 13 known officer suicides involved officers under investigation.

Matt added: “The link between officer suicide and misconduct investigations shows why mandatory recording is so urgent. 

“This is a matter of accountability - the Force, the Federation, and the wider system need to know the scale of the problem in order to act.

Mandatory recording

“We owe it to our colleagues, and to every officer who is suffering in silence, to make sure that nothing is overlooked. Mandatory recording is the first, essential step in preventing future deaths.”

Suffolk Police Federation supports PFEW’s six-point plan to tackle the crisis, with mandatory recording at its centre. This includes:

• Recording and reporting all suicides and attempted suicides, backed by law.
• Limiting misconduct investigations to 12 months.
  Treating suicide as a work-related incident under Health and Safety legislation.
• National rollout of the STEP (Suicide Trauma Education Prevention) initiative, including mandatory TRiM support and the Stay Alive app.
• Reforming the coronial system to reflect policing-specific risk factors.
• Fully funding the Police Covenant to support officer welfare and wellbeing.

For urgent mental health help or immediate support, please contact:

Samaritans: 116 123

Oscar Kilo’s Mental Health Crisis Line: 0300 131 2789

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