‘Operation Disrupt’ gains traction at disrupting suicide attempts in Illinois

[November 29, 2022]  By Trina Thomas | The Center Square contributor

(The Center Square) – A suicide prevention program initially launched in February 2020 is generating interest from Illinois police departments.

Operation Disrupt was launched by the Naperville Park District Police, Naperville Police Department, Will County Forest Preserve District, DuPage County Forest Preserve District and Linden Oaks Behavioral Health. The primary aspect of the operation is to use data to help officers check common suicide attempt locations in parks.

"We took the data and broke it down to times of days, hours, things like that, there's a window of opportunity that if you can get out, you may very well disrupt the actual act of suicide, attempting suicide," Officer Thomas J. Wronski of the Naperville Park District Police told The Center Square.

The secondary aspect involves a deterrent campaign where signs are posted in the locations and a social media and media campaign to educate the public.

Operation Disrupt was adopted by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Police in September 2022 for state parks and forests throughout Illinois, which broadened the visibility of the program.

"Police officers get out of their cars and go down these isolated and remote areas to check on foot," Wronski said. "That is a big sea change in the way a lot of law enforcement operates, right? This is a proactive type of thing."
 

Wronski is one of the founders of Operation Disrupt and a veteran police officer. He also serves as the director of Inclusion and Training for the Illinois Park Law Enforcement Association, which is the professional association of the park, conservation and forest preserve officers in Illinois.

“I personally have been out … where I've come across people who I suspected had we not had someone there to intervene or to disrupt what could have been a suicide attempt. It might have been tragic," Wronski said.

Wronski said psychologists have determined that often times when a young person is contemplating suicide, it is not an impulsive decision and when happening at a public place or park it doesn't happen immediately. Those who get disrupted often don't have a plan B.
 

Wronski said Operation Disrupt should be seen as part of a community's wider effort to combat teen and young adult suicide and not a stand-alone program.

"In 2021 alone, there were 45,855 suicides in the United States, plus over 100,000 overdose deaths in 2021 alone," Wronski said. "So, this is a major crisis."

According to Wronski, Operation Disrupt may be implemented by any police or law enforcement agency that is responsible for maintaining public safety in parks, state parks, conservation areas and other open spaces. There is no formal organization and zero cost to join. There is not a "one-size-fits-all" approach and individual police departments, park and recreation departments, or state agencies are strongly encouraged to take the basic Operation Disrupt protocols and use them in ways that are most appropriate for their communities.