From suicide crisis calls to aftercare... Police strengthen cooperation with private organizations

[Financial News] Police are building a cooperation framework with private organizations to link rapid on-site response in suicide crises with professional counseling and prevention services.
The Korean National Police Agency said on the 14th that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Samsung Financial Networks and the social welfare corporation Life Line at the agency’s headquarters in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, to strengthen the response system for suicide crises.
The agreement was established to expand support for people at risk of suicide by combining the police’s on-site response capabilities with private organizations’ expertise in counseling and prevention. Samsung Life Insurance, Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance, Samsung Card and Samsung Securities are part of Samsung Financial Networks.
The three organizations agreed to coordinate rapid police responses when suicide crises arise and work together to provide counseling and prevention services for people at risk, including adolescents. They also plan to jointly promote and provide education to foster a culture that values life, while supporting the psychological recovery of police officers dispatched to suicide-crisis scenes.
The organizations also divided their roles. Police will handle emergency response and protect lives at suicide-crisis scenes, while Samsung Financial will support social contribution projects to foster a culture that values life. Life Line, as a specialist suicide-prevention organization, plans to provide counseling services and related programs.
Police plan to continue their cooperation under the agreement so that on-site response can be connected with follow-up support from specialist organizations.
Acting Korean National Police Agency Commissioner General Kim Jong-cheol said, “Suicide is a social challenge that is difficult to address through the efforts of any one organization alone. I hope this agreement will create an opportunity to closely link the police’s on-site response with the expertise of private organizations and provide stronger protection for the lives of the public.”

[email protected] Kim Ye-ji Reporter