2021 Lesson 10: Man with Gun and Knife Threatening Suicide

Release Date: 

10/1/2021

This is a one-hour training helps prepare 9-1-1 dispatchers to handle a caller who reports he is suicidal and armed. In this lesson, the caller reports that he has antisocial personality disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, he has a gun and a knife on him, and he is walking down a street towards a high school stadium. The lesson addresses: 

- Being direct when speaking to a suicidal caller. 

- Avoiding putting a suicidal person on hold. 

- Carefully selecting words when speaking with a suicidal caller.   

- Using a caller’s name to build rapport. 

- Keeping a caller talking.  

- Noticing red flags. 

- Using active listening techniques. 

- Obtaining descriptions and locations of weapons.  

- Determining if the caller intends to harm himself or others. 

- Suicide by cop. 

- Effectively using “action with reason” statements to obtain a caller’s voluntary compliance.