New Free 24/7 Addiction Support

South Yorkshire Police officers and police officers across the country can now access free, 24/7 support for addictions of any kind.

The Police Federation of England and Wales has partnered with Help 4 Addiction and Rehubs to support members who are struggling with addiction. The Rehubs app, available on the Google Play Store and the App Store, offers free access to police officers when they enter the code POLFED under the ‘use company code’ prompt at the bottom of the payment page.

South Yorkshire Police Federation Chair Steve Kent also encouraged officers to speak to their Federation Rep if they were struggling with addiction, so they can get the support they need.

He said: “Reach out to your local Rep, because we need to proactively deal with this and give you that support in terms of the addiction, but also protect you going forward and make sure you’re treated fairly.

“Cops can turn to drink, gambling or other addictions as a coping mechanism. And I know addiction still has a stigma, but they need to reach out proactively for help, even though that feels like a big step.

“Or if you’re worried about a colleague, talk to them. Otherwise, we’ll put our head in the sand and think, ‘It’s going to make it worse’. The only thing that’s going to make it worse is if no one supports them and helps them. Ultimately, officers’ health comes first.”