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Photo courtesy of Kenny Blackmon.
Officer Kenny Blackmon has worked in law enforcement for over 35 years, first as part of the Birmingham Police Department’s SWAT Team and now as a crisis negotiator for the Homewood Police Department.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Churnock
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Emmett
Kenny Blackmon is no stranger to a crisis situation. In fact, it's his job to de-escalate them.
Blackmon is a crisis negotiator for the Homewood Police Department, a title that often requires him to talk people off a ledge, both literally and metaphorically. He has been with the department for 15 years and previously served with the Birmingham Police Department, for a combined total of over 35 years in law enforcement.
His official title used to be hostage negotiator, but he says they changed the language to better describe the situations they handled.
“You’re not always going to a hostage. Most of the ones I’ve talked to, if not all, didn’t involve a hostage,” he said. “It was just them. I’ve talked to people on bridges, I’ve talked to people in their homes, talked to people in a hotel room that had a gun on themselves.”
Blackmon has unfortunately witnessed some of these situations end in suicide or responded to scenes where someone has taken their life. In these scenarios, his mind immediately wonders if he could have done more to prevent it, but his focus eventually shifts to the family experiencing the loss of a loved one.
It’s a tough gig, but Blackmon chose to be part of this unit for a reason. As September is National Suicide Prevention Month, he shared his motivation for working to prevent these deaths.
“I want to help the families of this person because it's a long-term effect,” he said. “But mainly the reason I wanted to do it is just to show them, ‘Hey if you’ll just breathe a minute. Whatever you’re going through, talk it out.’ You’re in that moment, but I just want to try to get them past that.”
He says that once they’re able to move past that moment together, most people seek the help they need and are able to move on and live their lives. Research shows that those who seek treatment and learn coping mechanisms are less likely to think about or die by suicide.
Blackmon said in order to help people get past that pivotal moment, he focuses on listening.
“Basically, everybody has a story,” he said. “What you’ve got to do is find out what story brought them here, what’s the pressing issue in their life where they want to end it? And you try to give them avenues and alleys out of that situation, and you just basically listen to them. You become a good listener.”
He said this helps to get them talking and allows him to distract them from what they were originally planning to do. Blackmon has also seen a lot of changes around the topic of mental health and suicide, both in law enforcement and in general societal perceptions.
He said that newer legislation that allows officers to hospitalize individuals who are a threat to themselves has helped get people to seek psychiatric treatment, and the mental health resources available have increased. He notes that the national 988 crisis hotline has been beneficial as well.
Blackmon encourages people to look out for others and take notice of any unusual behavior or noticeable changes, as these can often be signs of mental distress.
“If you see that change, there’s a reason for it,” he said. “Find out what’s going on.”
The goal is to let your loved one open up, and if they’re not comfortable with you, then Blackmon encourages helping them find someone they are comfortable with.
What you need to know about suicide
One person dies by suicide every 11 minutes in the United States, according to post-COVID-19 data from the Center for Disease Control (CDC).
The CDC’s most recent Fatal Injury Report found that over 49,000 people died by suicide in 2022, and the World Health Organization reported that the pandemic triggered a 25% increase in the prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide.
With these issues becoming more prevalent, the conversation around them has also increased, chipping away at the stigmas surrounding mental illness and suicide.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness and the CDC both report that one in five U.S. adults experience a mental illness each year, and one in six U.S. youth ages six to 17 experience a mental health disorder each year.
Suicide is the third leading cause of death for people aged 10-24 in the state of Alabama. Based on the most current verified CDC data from 2021, it is the 13th leading cause of death overall. Of recorded deaths, 75% of suicides were by firearms, and 47% of firearm deaths were suicides.
In 2023, 75% of Alabama communities did not have enough mental health providers to serve residents, according to federal guidelines.
Alice Churnock, the founder of BrainCore Birmingham and a licensed professional counselor who is certified in Neurofeedback, notes that mental health issues, and specifically suicide, have such a large impact on youth populations due to brain development.
Churnock said that the human brain is formed from the back to the front, and the prefrontal cortex (which is responsible for logic, decision-making and impulse control, among other things) does not fully develop until around age 25. Prior to that development, the amygdala limbic system, or the emotional center of the brain, is responsible for all decision making.
“When you’re an adolescent, we know that you have about a 15-second timeline in making a decision,” she said. “All the decision, all the future planning is done within that 15 seconds, so naturally, you can see how that impulsivity a lot of times is what happens with an adolescent.”
While research shows that brain development is important in understanding youth suicides, Churnock emphasizes that all people are unique and develop differently. Some younger individuals may be more logical or possess a calmer, less emotional response to stressors, and being 25 or older does not guarantee an absence of impulsive choices.
In fact, recognizing individuality is essential in addressing mental health issues and preventing suicide. While we’re often told to look for common warning signs like increased isolation, mood swings, substance abuse, giving away belongings and changes in sleeping habits, both Churnock and Meesha Emmett, the Alabama area director for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, stress that people can be struggling without exhibiting any of these signs.
“What we the public see as a potential cause that might lead someone to death by suicide is oftentimes not; it’s never the full picture,” Emmett said. “Research has shown that it’s a combination of environmental factors, biological factors and historical factors all converging at the same time to create that moment of despair.”
Churnock also emphasizes that there are wonderful parents and individuals who have lost children or loved ones to suicide, and the worst thing we can do is blame those who are already dealing with the guilt.
“All we’ve grown up hearing is the phrase ‘committed suicide.’ The word ‘committed’ in and of itself, we usually use that word to describe things that are negative, like you commit crimes,” Emmett said. “It perpetuates a stigma and implies judgment, and that’s really dangerous, particularly with loss survivors. … We just don’t need to assign that kind of judgment to something as complex as suicide because we never know the full picture.”
On top of being aware of the way we speak about these topics, Emmett said the most important thing you can do is be kind and show up for people in your life, let them know you care and are ready to listen.
If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health or contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or visit 988lifeline.org for help.
By the numbers
Suicide is the third leading cause of death for people aged 10-24 in the state of Alabama. Based on the most current verified CDC data from 2021, it is the 13th leading cause of death overall in the state. Of recorded deaths, 75% of suicides were by firearms, and 47% of firearm deaths were suicides.
In 2023, three-quarters of Alabama communities did not have enough mental health providers to serve residents, according to federal guidelines.
Suicide prevention resources
This list was provided by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Find the complete list at afsp.org/suicide-prevention-resources
- 24/7 Crisis Hotline: If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. Veterans, press one when calling.
- 24/7 Crisis Text Line: Text TALK to 741-741 to text with a trained crisis counselor from the Crisis Text Line for free. For more information, go to crisistextline.org.
- Veterans Crisis Line: Send a text to 838255 to access the hotline or go to veteranscrisisline.net for more information
- Vets4Warriors: Visit online at vets4warriors.com
- SAMHSA Treatment Referral Hotline (Substance Abuse): Call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) to access the hotline or go to samhsa.gov/find-help for more information
- RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline: Call 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) to access the hotline or go to hotline.rainn.org for more information
- National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline: Call 1-866-331-9474 to access the hotline or go to loveisrespect.org for more information
- The Trevor Project: Call 1-866-488-7386 to access the hotline or go to thetrevorproject.org for more information
This story is part of our September series for suicide prevention month. Read our stories on suicide rates among senior citizens and how local schools are addressing mental health issues for more information
