Every four days, someone in Portland dies from suicide, making the city's suicide rate higher than the national rate, a new police report reveals. But just how much higher is not clear.



The report, compiled by the Portland Police Bureau's Behavioral Health Unit, claims 202 people killed themselves in Portland from April, 2011 to June, 2013. That's almost three times the national rate in 2010, the most recent year available, according to the report.



But Lisa Millet of the Oregon Health Authority disputes those numbers. Portland's rate is closer to 25 percent higher than the nation in 2010, not three times higher, she said. The police report is misleading because it combines data from 26 months and compares it to a one-year national rate, Millet said. "They combine more than one year," she said.



Millet is correct, said Frank Silva, who compiled the data for the police report. His information was correct, he said, but "if you compare apples to apples, she's right."



Preliminary data show Portland's suicide rate climbed 16 percent from 2010 to 2012, Millet said. National suicide rates for 2012 and 2013 won't be available until next year, she said. Oregon's suicide rate has long outpaced the country. In 2010, the state was 41 percent higher than the national average. Western states have higher rates than the rest of the country.



The report revealed that 202 Portland suicides are almost twice the number of people who died in homicides (53) and traffic fatalities, (68) combined.

More

Portland saw an average of 7.5 suicides a month, or one every 3.9 days.

"It's sobering," said Mike Reese, Portland Police Chief. "The statistics are telling and clearly indicate we have a problem in our community."

The report claims Portland's suicide rate is three times the national rate,

Police officers trained to respond to crises and mental health services must work together, said Reese at a press conference, Monday. "If we're trying to have a measurable impact, we have to have these relationships," he said.

Other findings in the report:

Most suicides were reported in the mornings and June had the highest average, with 10.3 suicides.

Summer months had more suicides than other seasons.

Men killed themselves more than women, 83.7 percent to 16.3 percent.

Whites represented 87.6 percent of suicides, African-Americans and Asians each were 4.5 percent and Hispanics were 3.5 percent.

The average age was 44.8 years.

The report did not include information on methods or locations in Portland.

In connection to the suicide report, the police bureau released a short video about suicide prevention, with advice and crisis line phone numbers. The video is posted on YouTube.

"What stood out for me," Reese said, "are the number of suicides compared to traffic fatalities and homicides. Those grab the headlines, but suicides are a bigger problem."

Suicide prevention resources

Crisis hotline for Portland and Multnomah County: 503-988-4888

Washington County: 503-291-9111

Clackamas County: 503-655-8585

Clark County: 360-696-9560

Other Oregon locations: www.suicidehotlines.com/

oregon.html

Lines for Life: 800-273-8255

Urgent walk-in clinic: Cascadia Behavioral Health Care, 2415 S.E. 43rd Ave. (43rd and Division), Portland; 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. daily

The report is "very much a work in progress," said Sarah Hobbs, a Navy veteran who is active in suicide prevention issues. "It has a lot of potential to do a lot of good."

Further research, including future annual reports about suicides in Portland, may include locations of suicides and comparisons with other cities, said Frank Silva, who compiled the report as a crime analyst for the bureau's Behavioral Health Unit.

– David Stabler