TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa's suicide rate is higher than usual for this time of year, and the city's homicide rates are very low.
Staff with Tulsa Police's Mental Health Unit tell 2 News suicides are already at 73 as of Sept. 11, 2023. Homicides are low for this time of year - only at 36.
Whether it's a homicide, a suicide, or something else, Tulsa Police officers are called to the scene.
2 News spoke with Lieutenant Amber McCarty of TPD's Mental Health unit.
"We treat every unnatural death as a homicide investigation," she said.
That means once the call comes in, Homicide Detectives and the Major Crimes Unit investigate, and the medical examiner determines if it's a suicide.
"In theory, there could be many more that we didn't realize were intentional," McCarty said. "It might have been reported as an accidental death overdose because there was no suicide note. Or we didn't know one hundred percent what the intention was at that time of death. My guess is they could be even higher."
Except for 2020 - suicides in Tulsa always surpassed homicides in the years 2020 to 2023. 2021 had the highest suicide rate at 97, with homicides spiking to 82 in 2020.
With policing and mental health going hand in hand, officers are exposed to many different situations.
"We have a lot of training in the academy, almost 60 hours, which for a profession that isn't primarily mental health training, that's a lot of training," McCarty said. "We also have continuing training every year. We're required to do two hours of mental health training, and then we have advanced classes for those interested."
2 News asked Lt. McCarty if she thought that was enough training.
"I do. I do because I know that the state requires it, and it's like four hours. If we do 60, that's a lot," she said.
McCarty says firearms are still the weapon of choice for suicides in Oklahoma, and most victims are between 10 and 24 years old.
Just like training, physical health is essential, McCarty says it's equally important to train mental health.
There are a plethora of resources for individuals struggling with thoughts of suicide.
9-8-8 is the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, where individuals can share feelings with counselors 24/7. It's also what TPD recommends. They also advise calling COPES, Tulsa's Family and Children Services center. Their number is 918-744-4800.
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