This course is an overview course in the investigation of suicide and self-harm death. The course is specifically designed for patrol officers, investigators, and coroners who have the duties of responding to and/ or investigating a death. Specific causes of suicide deaths covered are self-inflicted gunshot wounds, hanging and asphyxia deaths, drug overdose, Helium inhalation deaths, planned and assisted suicides.


This course is approved for 3 hours of continuing education credits by Missouri POST, American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI)

Who Should Take This Course

  • Law Enforcement Patrol Officers/ Supervisors
  • Detectives and Investigators
  • Medicolegal Death Investigators
  • Coroners
  • Interested Students

 

This course is an advanced overview of the investigation of suicide and self-harm death. The course is specifically designed for patrol officers, investigators, and coroners who have the duties of responding to and/ or investigating a death.

The course assumes the students basic understanding of a crime scene and evidence collection methods. It goes beyond the preliminary death scene and targets what suicide deaths are and what they are not. It also gives insight into the mental aspect of suicide and self-harm behaviors. Participants will learn how to evaluate a scene, obtain evidence specific to making a determination of suicide, as well as how to properly document the scene and obtain vital victim history information and family statements.

This course will cover specific causes of suicide deaths such as self-inflicted gunshot wounds; which are the most common form of suicide in the United States. Also covered in this course is drug overdose deaths, which may be ruled; accidental, homicide, or suicide and only a complete investigation will determine the true manner of death. Another area covered in this course is hanging and asphyxia deaths. It is important for the investigator to know that most hanging deaths do not occur from a full suspension position. Other self-harm deaths covered in this course are   Helium inhalation deaths, as well as planned and assisted suicides.

Students will learn the best practices and standards for investigating suicides and self-harm deaths. This course is not intended to set department policy but rather focuses on generally approved methods of criminal investigations as it applies to a death scene involving the possibility of suicide and self-harm.

This is an online video training and is designed to be interactive with students by random quizzes and a final exam. Student login and time are tracked per student to verify the time spent in the course if needed.   Testing cannot be done until the videos are watched.  Many of the videos have a unique symbol or picture that will appear prominently in the video and is part of the test questions, this will ensure the video has been watched. Certificates will only be available for print after the successful completion of the course material.

Each certificate will indicate that it was an online training and will note the approval control number and the CLEE hours given.