On New Year's Eve, Senior Constable Laurie Fox took his own life.

Working on this project reminded me of the power storytelling holds to break down stigma.

It’s a sad and unacceptable truth that police officers are far more likely to experience suicidal thoughts and behaviours than the general public. Between 2012 and 2019, more than 20 Victoria Police officers tragically died by suicide.

Case Study Film

My goal was to help break down the barriers that stop officers from opening up about mental health. To encourage them to take action and normalise asking for help. The biggest challenge was confronting a culture that’s as old as the organisation itself, 168 years, a culture that has long shut down conversations around suicide and reinforced the damaging belief that struggling with suicidal thoughts is a sign of weakness.

To truly understand the issue, we interviewed current and former Victoria Police officers, along with mental health experts. Throughout the process, I worked closely with Victoria Police’s mental health team, and Laurie’s family were involved every step of the way.

One of the most powerful elements was a film that spoke from beyond the grave using Deep Fake technology to bring Laurie back to share a message no officer could ignore. Delivered peer-to-peer directly to every officer in Victoria Police, it encouraged them to seek anonymous support through the Bluespace website, staffed by trained counsellors.

Using Ai and deep fake technology

The response was overwhelming. The story was featured across national media platforms, Channel 9, The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, and national radio and reached over 52 million people. It resonated internationally too, being shared by police forces in the UK, US, New Zealand, and Canada.

This unprecedented approach to tackling such a sensitive subject was embraced globally and was recognized with three Effie awards, including two Gold Effies and a Gold AWARD from the Australasian Writers and Art Directors Association. Laurie’s legacy was also honored with the Mumbrella Award for Courage.