ANOTHER POLICE OFFICER SUICIDE: TRAGEDY IN CORSICO - Massimiliano Mancini - ETHICA SOCIETAS-Rivista di scienze umane e sociali

Suicides among uniformed officers have become a real emergency

Abstract: Another suicide has occurred among police officers, this time involving a forty-year-old officer of the Local Police of Corsico who is reported to have been the recipient of a disciplinary measure. The case follows a series of suicides among uniformed officers and comes just days after the suicide of a young police official, once again drawing attention to the issue of psychological distress within law enforcement, a field characterized by particularly high emotional burdens and responsibilities. The article highlights the responsibility of public administrations to reconcile regulatory rigor with attention to the human dimension, promoting a culture of organizational well-being based on prevention, listening, and psychological support.

Keywords: #SuicidesInUniform #LocalPoliceSuicide #LocalPolice #Corsico #CorsicoLocalPolice #PoliceStress #LawEnforcementSuicides #MentalHealth #PsychologicalDistress #LawEnforcement #WorkRelatedStress #PsychologicalWellbeing #Prevention #Listening #MassimilianoMancini #ethicasocietas #ethicasocietasjournal #scientificjournal #humansciences #socialsciences #ethicasocietasupli #unionepolizialocaleitaliana

versione italiana

A New Tragedy in Corsico and within the Local Police

A local police officer serving in the Corsico command took his own life in recent days. He was a 40-year-old officer from the Friuli–Veneto area, hired less than two years ago. The man died while he was in his region of origin.

The circumstances surrounding his death have not yet been clarified by the authorities, and no official causes have been released to the press, apart from confirmation of the tragic event.

It has been reported that, a few weeks prior to the incident, the withdrawal of his service weapon had been decided during an internal meeting within the command. However, there is no direct institutional confirmation regarding the precise reasons that led to this decision, nor regarding the full dynamics of the officer’s personal or professional circumstances.

When a disciplinary matter precedes an extreme act, the greatest risk is that of seeking simplistic explanations or automatic causal links. Reality, as psychology reminds us and institutional experience teaches, is far more complex.

Beyond the facts: the weight of context and personal identity for those who wear a uniform

A disciplinary measure is an instrument предусмотрed by the legal system, necessary to ensure fairness, transparency, and legality in administrative action. However, the subjective impact of such measures can vary greatly from one person to another, particularly in professional contexts with a strong identity component, such as law enforcement.

Scientific literature, as well as institutional experience, shows that suicide is a complex and multifactorial phenomenon, in which individual, relational, professional, and organizational factors all play a role¹.

Disciplinary procedures are essential tools of the legal system, aimed at guaranteeing legality, impartiality, and the proper functioning of public administration. Nevertheless, their subjective impact may differ profoundly from person to person, especially in professional environments with a strong symbolic and identity dimension, such as police forces².

For those who wear a uniform, work is not merely a function; it often represents a central component of personal identity. When this identity is questioned, even temporarily, the emotional burden can become particularly heavy, especially if it is not accompanied by adequate spaces for listening and support³.

Psychological distress in disciplined institutions

Public organizations with hierarchical structures are called upon to balance two fundamental needs: institutional rigor and attention to the human dimension. This does not mean weakening the rules, but rather recognizing that the application of norms always takes place within relationships, careers, personal histories, and complex organizational contexts⁴. Psychological distress is not always visible; it often hides behind formal role compliance, silence, and fear of stigma or judgment. In highly disciplined environments, asking for help may be perceived as a sign of weakness, when it should instead be recognized as an act of professional responsibility⁵.

Scientific research highlights that law enforcement officers are exposed to high levels of work-related stress, traumatic events, and intense emotional demands, with potentially significant effects on mental health⁶. In this context, critical events such as disciplinary procedures, suspensions, or organizational conflicts may act as vulnerability factors, especially in the absence of structured systems of prevention and support.

A responsibility that concerns everyone

Every extreme act is the result of a multiplicity of factors and can never be traced back to a single cause. Nevertheless, events such as this one prompt institutions to reflect on how they support their personnel during critical moments, particularly when disciplinary measures, suspensions, or organizational conflicts are involved.

Strengthening a culture of organizational well-being does not mean renouncing control or discipline, but rather complementing formal regulatory tools with policies of prevention, psychological support, mediation, and listening. International and national guidelines emphasize that such instruments contribute not only to safeguarding the health of personnel, but also to the overall quality of administrative action and the credibility of institutions⁷.

In moments marked by tragic events, respect for the individual and for their family must prevail over any other consideration. At the same time, silence cannot turn into removal. Transforming pain into awareness represents an ethical and institutional duty. Speaking about mental health, work-related stress, and fragility within public organizations is not a sign of weakness of the State, but rather an indicator of democratic maturity. The quality of an institution is also measured by its ability to care for those who serve the community.

The need to reflect on the emergency of suicides among uniformed personnel

In moments such as these, respect for the individual and for their family must come first. At the same time, silence cannot become denial. Turning grief into awareness is an ethical and institutional obligation.

This further suicide highlights a real emergency that concerns everyone—not in order to assign blame, but to question how organizations can become better able to hold together rules and humanity, discipline and listening, legality and care.

NOTES:

[1] See D. De Leo, Suicide and Suicidal Behavior, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2016.

[2] J. M. Violanti et al., “Law Enforcement Suicide: A Review,” Policing: An International Journal, 41(6), 2018.

[3] I. H. Stanley, M. A. Hom, T. E. Joiner, “A Systematic Review of Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors among Police Officers,” Clinical Psychology Review, 44, 2016.

[4] G. Bonazzi, History of Organizational Thought, FrancoAngeli, Milan, 2014.

[5] CNOP – National Council of the Order of Psychologists (Italy), Mental Health and Work, Rome, 2020.

[6] INAIL, Work-Related Stress: Operational Guidelines, Rome, 2017.

[7] World Health Organization, Preventing Suicide at Work, WHO Press, Geneva, 2021; ISO, ISO 45003:2021 – Psychological Health and Safety at Work.