POLICE forces must be more proactive by stepping in to help to officers who are facing difficulties with their mental health and wellbeing, the Police Federation has said.<\/p>\n
According to the Federation\u2019s Demand, Capacity and Welfare Survey, 74% of officers were aware of force-provided reactive support services for mental health and wellbeing.<\/p>\n
Less than half were aware of proactive support services offered.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne thing our force is very good at is reacting to mental health,\u201d said Steve Kent, Chair of South Yorkshire Police Federation.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith our own counselling in the Federation, which we just started last month, and the force expanding its budget on counselling, we have got counselling covered. We\u2019ve got systems in place like TRIM, which I actually think is excellent. All the things in place for when people have crossed that line and need us.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we\u2019re not so good at as a force, and we can always improve on, there is an appetite to do this but it\u2019s how we get there, is dealing with the root cause. We\u2019re good at dealing with the exhaust pipe, but not what we put into the engine, and that\u2019s the thing.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to address and deal with the effect of officers needing to do forced overtime, officers not having meals. They\u2019re the type of thing that build up to this crescendo.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are really good at dealing with people who are already broken or breaking. We need to do better to stop them getting broken in the first place. You might think it\u2019s odd I\u2019m focusing on this, but the thing I keep saying to the chief, and it\u2019s almost like becoming my Shawshank Redemption moment when I keep badgering the library for books, is get people to have their meals, get people off duty on time, as much as you can. If you do that, you\u2019ll crack it.\u201d<\/p>\n
171 South Yorkshire Police Officers took time off for mental ill health in the past year.<\/p>\n
Steve added: \u201cWhen you couple the fact you\u2019ve not had a meal and you\u2019ve got off late 4 times, and you\u2019ve just been to a horrific incident that might be involving a child or something like that, that is what is breaking our officers.\u201d<\/p>\n