Meet the woman who is training Hamilton police how to talk about suicide
After 2 high profile deaths, Cecilia Marie Flynn is helping Hamilton police to stop stigma
After Sgt. Ian Matthews killed himself at Hamilton police central station in 2013, Cecilia Marie Flynn knew it was time for police to have an open and honest conversation about suicide.
At the Blarney Walk and Run held in Matthew's honour, she could see how hard his death was on his fellow officers, his friends, and Hamilton as a whole.
"There were a lot of people gathering and a lot of people hurting," she said.
That old suck it up mentality just doesn't fly anymore.- Cecilia Marie Flynn
His death became the driving force behind the service's adoption of the Safe Talk program – which Flynn, a suicide intervention trainer, is delivering through a Bell mental health grant.
Since then, Flynn has trained all 1,200 members of the police service on how to recognize the warning signs of someone who might be considering suicide, how to talk about it, and how to get them help.
Their training is no different than what she delivers in other settings.
During her sessions, Flynn tells her students that a direct conversation about suicide is necessary if they suspect someone is dealing with thoughts of killing themselves. That means no sugar-coating it, and making a point to say "are you thinking about suicide?"
If so, that person must be connected with a professional to help them through the process and figure out what their next steps should be.
There have still been deaths. Const. Daryl Archer also took his own life earlier this spring, and those two high profile suicides in two years left some wondering if the police service is supporting its officers enough.
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But Flynn, who isn't a part of the local police service, says officials are doing everything they can to get officers help. Chief Glenn De Caire echoed that sentiment in a statement, saying that commentary suggesting Hamilton police isn't paying attention to the issue "just isn't accurate."
27 first responder deaths in Canada last year
According to statistics provided through the Safe Talk program, 45-55 people die by suicide in Hamilton every year, on top of 4,000 every year in Canada and one person every 40 seconds, worldwide.
On top of that, 5 per cent of people in Hamilton think about suicide at least once every two weeks, Flynn says. Last year in Canada, 27 first responders died in suicides.
"We need to be able to have a conversation about suicide," she said. "Suicide alertness benefits everyone."
But it's not an easy conversation to have. The topic of suicide remains one of society's true taboos – and nowhere is that more prevalent than in law enforcement and with first responders.
Historically, it's been difficult for cops to talk about. De Caire often refers to them as "everyday heroes" – people who are supposed to be unflappable in the face of grotesque and dangerous situations.
In going into these Safe Talk sessions, Flynn says most Hamilton officers understood this is a "necessary conversation to have."
But many people don't realize a reluctance to talk about suicide on a police officer's part isn't necessarily some sort of "tough guy front," she says – but a fear of losing his or her gun and becoming ineffectual.
Generational differences shaping new attitudes
When a person in any profession starts talking about suicidal thoughts, it can change their role at work. Bus drivers can't drive a bus. Pilots can't fly a plane. And for a police officer – they can't carry a gun.
"I try to normalize that for them and say, 'So what? You're not the only one," she said. "When you're suicidal, you have to get away from having a means strapped to your hip. Get over yourself."
And generational differences in attitude are helping that along. The ranks of Hamilton's police service are "relatively young," Flynn says, and many don't have the same reluctance to talk about suicide as the old guard might.
"That old suck it up mentality just doesn't fly anymore," she said.
Now with this first round of training complete, officers will soon embark on a course called "Road to Mental Readiness," which is based out of recommendations from the Canadian military.
More than anything going forward, officers need to be able to recognize when their peers keep saying "I'm fine," when they truly aren't.
"Doing that can be a disaster," De Caire said.
Anyone dealing with suicidal thoughts can call COAST's 24-hour support line at 905-972-8338