The interior ministry of the Russian southwestern Urals republic of Bashkortostan has drafted a set of measures to curb the growing suicide rate among police officers, a spokesman said on Wednesday.

A total of three police officers and a former law enforcement employee killed themselves in the republic since the start of the year. All of the suicides are believed to be due to personal problems.

"The ministry's psychologists and clergy would tour local police departments in order to work with personnel," the source said.

The first policeman to end his life in the republic, with a population of just over 4 million, did so on January 1. The 28-year-old officer shot himself using his police gun. Two days later, a 23-year-old officer hanged himself in the republic's capital of Ufa.

On January 14, a 22-year-old police canine officer from the town of Neftyekamsk hanged himself in the bathroom of his apartment. He was said to have recently split up with his girlfriend.

Last Saturday, a former traffic police officer also hanged himself.

There have been growing concerns in Russia over the state of the country's police force, with morale low and the reputation of the guardians of law and order in tatters.

UFA, January 20 (RIA Novosti)