South Australia Police (SAPOL) Suicide Prevention Action Plan

Share your views on our Suicide Prevention Action Plan.

What's being decided?

The South Australia Police (SAPOL) Suicide Prevention Action Plan aligns with our agency's commitment to safeguarding the wellbeing of our staff and the community we serve and outlines the strategies and measures that SAPOL will implement to mitigate suicide risks among our personnel and the broader community. It addresses the unique challenges faced by our staff and recognises the importance of providing support and resources to those in need.

Our draft action plan reflects our ambition to foster a culture of care, collaboration and action—within SAPOL and across the wider community - and reinforces our resolve to prevent suicide and support those affected by it.

The SAPOL Suicide Prevention Action Plan is aligned with SAPOL’s Strategy 2030: Safer Communities to ensure the safety, wellbeing and resilience of our community and workforce. The goal is to continue to build on the strong foundations that have seen us remain contemporary and highly regarded.

Our commitment to this strategy is guided by five principles that provide the foundation for organisational growth and quality service delivery:

  • Our People, Our Strength.
  • Prevention First.
  • Community Centred, Socially Minded.
  • Collaborative Partnerships.
  • Technology Enabled Policing.

Under SAPOL 2030, our vision is to contribute to the safety of South Australians by creating stronger community partnerships, leveraging technology and fostering a culture of care and adaptability. Suicide prevention is intrinsic to this vision, as it directly impacts public safety and community trust. By providing sensitive, informed support to individuals in crisis, we reinforce our role as a trusted and compassionate partner in the community.

This Suicide Prevention Action Plan underscores the importance of community engagement, operational excellence and workforce wellbeing. Suicide prevention efforts are woven into these priorities, ensuring that SAPOL not only responds effectively to individuals in crisis but also addresses the risks faced by our own members. Enhancing officer mental health and resilience is fundamental to fulfilling our commitments under this plan, enabling our people to serve with empathy and professionalism.

Background

SAPOL’s consultation process for the development of this Action Plan was designed to satisfy the requirements of the Suicide Prevention Act 2021 and was comprehensive and inclusive, engaging people with lived and living experience as well as priority populations. Additional feedback on the draft plan was sought from families of those impacted by the suicide of a SAPOL employee, members with lived experience and members from key areas that investigate and respond to suicides in the community.

An environmental scan of other kindred agencies was performed, along with an investigation into grey literature. Engagement with external partners, including the Military and Emergency Service Health Australia (MESHA), was also undertaken to ensure a thorough and well-rounded approach.

Public feedback is now being sought on the draft plan and any feedback will be considered as part of the final drafting process before the plan is ratified and published. Once this action plan is finalised, we will collaborate closely with the other prescribed state authorities. This collaboration will ensure that all efforts are cohesive and aligned, maximising the effectiveness of our collective actions in preventing suicide. By working together, we can create a unified approach that addresses the needs of our communities comprehensively and efficiently.

Get involved

Find out more:

Have your say by:

What are the next steps?

We will consider your feedback to finalise the SAPOL Suicide Prevention Action Plan 2025 – 2028.

The final Action Plan will be released 30 June 2025 and will be available on this page.

Share your views on our Suicide Prevention Action Plan.

What's being decided?

The South Australia Police (SAPOL) Suicide Prevention Action Plan aligns with our agency's commitment to safeguarding the wellbeing of our staff and the community we serve and outlines the strategies and measures that SAPOL will implement to mitigate suicide risks among our personnel and the broader community. It addresses the unique challenges faced by our staff and recognises the importance of providing support and resources to those in need.

Our draft action plan reflects our ambition to foster a culture of care, collaboration and action—within SAPOL and across the wider community - and reinforces our resolve to prevent suicide and support those affected by it.

The SAPOL Suicide Prevention Action Plan is aligned with SAPOL’s Strategy 2030: Safer Communities to ensure the safety, wellbeing and resilience of our community and workforce. The goal is to continue to build on the strong foundations that have seen us remain contemporary and highly regarded.

Our commitment to this strategy is guided by five principles that provide the foundation for organisational growth and quality service delivery:

  • Our People, Our Strength.
  • Prevention First.
  • Community Centred, Socially Minded.
  • Collaborative Partnerships.
  • Technology Enabled Policing.

Under SAPOL 2030, our vision is to contribute to the safety of South Australians by creating stronger community partnerships, leveraging technology and fostering a culture of care and adaptability. Suicide prevention is intrinsic to this vision, as it directly impacts public safety and community trust. By providing sensitive, informed support to individuals in crisis, we reinforce our role as a trusted and compassionate partner in the community.

This Suicide Prevention Action Plan underscores the importance of community engagement, operational excellence and workforce wellbeing. Suicide prevention efforts are woven into these priorities, ensuring that SAPOL not only responds effectively to individuals in crisis but also addresses the risks faced by our own members. Enhancing officer mental health and resilience is fundamental to fulfilling our commitments under this plan, enabling our people to serve with empathy and professionalism.

Background

SAPOL’s consultation process for the development of this Action Plan was designed to satisfy the requirements of the Suicide Prevention Act 2021 and was comprehensive and inclusive, engaging people with lived and living experience as well as priority populations. Additional feedback on the draft plan was sought from families of those impacted by the suicide of a SAPOL employee, members with lived experience and members from key areas that investigate and respond to suicides in the community.

An environmental scan of other kindred agencies was performed, along with an investigation into grey literature. Engagement with external partners, including the Military and Emergency Service Health Australia (MESHA), was also undertaken to ensure a thorough and well-rounded approach.

Public feedback is now being sought on the draft plan and any feedback will be considered as part of the final drafting process before the plan is ratified and published. Once this action plan is finalised, we will collaborate closely with the other prescribed state authorities. This collaboration will ensure that all efforts are cohesive and aligned, maximising the effectiveness of our collective actions in preventing suicide. By working together, we can create a unified approach that addresses the needs of our communities comprehensively and efficiently.

Get involved

Find out more:

Have your say by:

What are the next steps?

We will consider your feedback to finalise the SAPOL Suicide Prevention Action Plan 2025 – 2028.

The final Action Plan will be released 30 June 2025 and will be available on this page.

Page last updated: 29 Apr 2025, 05:44 PM