Social media prompts police suicides, says Turkish chief

AFYON - Doğan News Agency

Commotion about police on social media has stirred suicides, he has said. DHA Photo

Turkey’s general police director has blamed social media for the rise in police officer suicides in the country, which have reached alarming levels as 40 police officers have committed suicide so far this year.

“An average of 20 to 25 of our employees commit suicide each year. In 2013, this number rose to 40, saddening us as well,” Director Mehmet Kılıçlar said yesterday, speaking at a psychological counseling- and guidance-themed seminar held in the western province of Afyon.

Saying there was no clear indication of what could be the reason behind this unexpected raise, Kılıçlar said the only change he could think of was the increasing number of negative comments expressed thorough social media platforms.

“Thanks to God, there is no economic crisis in our country. We can say police forces are going through a good period with regards to terror thanks to the peace process.

“At least, we never went to the funeral of a martyred police officer this year. If you would ask me ‘what happened differently this year,’ in my opinion the commotion about police on social media has increased,” he said.

The police officers’ interest in social media platforms also surged this year, according to the police chief, who felt that over-discussion of the suicide issue in particular had adversely affected the number of officers who killed themselves.