Kiplings rules.

I keep six honest serving-men
(They taught me all I knew);
Their names are What and Why and When
And How and Where and Who.”

from The Elephant’s Child, Just So Stories

I have found myself being involved in dealing with a number of suicides over the years and the Why? of the six above is the most problematic.
Why? Why Here? Why now?
The recent publicised 'suicide's of Ian Hardwick, Richard Fuller and apparently now Michael Todd have made my internal concerns resurface.This is not because they are Job as such,although we always tend to feel a greater sense of loss if it is one of our own, but simply why? and why now?.

As coppers we want answers, we want reasons. Some of those that take their lives give us one, sometimes they don't.Sometimes we can put together the reasons from background history sometimes we cant.

The worst thing about suicides is dealing with the family afterwards

They are in shock, grieving and wanting answers and a lot of the time I cant give them any.They go through the emotions from deep,grieving sorrow, to anger,to blame.

At the scene the only thing I do know is that the person who could give me any answers is lying broken in front of me.
I have experienced deep sadness for the person who has reached that level of despair that they felt it necessary to take that action.
But my greater sympathy always lies with the family and friends they have left behind.

That sixth honest serving man Why? stands alone unheard and unanswered.