Suicide Prevention Campaign Backed By Unison

“We are all part of the same police family”, the Chair of South Yorkshire Police Federation has said, as Unison’s policing arm voted to back the STEP (Suicide Trauma Education Prevention) campaign.

This is the first time a national policing body has committed to the scheme, which is demanding more support from police leaders.

Spencer Wragg, STEP’s lead and Hampshire Police Federation Chair, delivered a keynote speech at the Unison Police, Probation and Cafcass Service Group Conference.

Afterwards, Unison members voted unanimously to join the campaign and take action, including surveying police branches to determine what trauma support is currently available for their members, who it is offered to, and when. They also agreed to promote the aims of the STEP campaign within all branches.

South Yorkshire Police Federation Chair Steve Kent said: “This is a massive step forward. We are all part of the same police family, and the overlap between staff and officers happens all the time so we need to look after each other.

“The wider this campaign spreads, the better. I’ve been a massive advocate for better suicide prevention measures. As Federation Chair, I’ve had to deal with a lot of tragic incidents of officers taking their own lives, and if this can even save one life, the whole thing is worth it.

“But I think this will go far further than that, and when you put it along with the services we offer such as our counsellors, I hope we are making really positive inroads into preventing these incidents.”

Steve said that South Yorkshire Police Federation had recently taken a counsellor to every traffic officer briefing within the force, “because we are really concerned”.

He said: “Police officers in every department are under significant stress at the minute, but we’re aware that our traffic officers have been to a significant number of incidents involving horrific injuries and fatalities, so we identified that this was a risk.

“We hope that this, together with the STEP campaign and all the help that’s out there, will start to add up to a big support network.”

It is important for officers and staff who are struggling to know they are not alone and that there are people there to help.

This includes, for immediacy, the Mental Health Support line from Oscar Kilo 0300 131 2789.