It is vital that police officer suicides are properly recorded so that more deaths can be prevented \u2013 and it is \u201cstaggering\u201d that this hasn\u2019t happened earlier, South Yorkshire Police Federation has said.<\/p>\n
Federation Chair Steve Kent was speaking after Chief Constables announced that forces will introduce mandatory recording of police officer suicides. Last month, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) said: “We have now secured approval from Chief Constables to introduce a mandatory, consistent reporting requirement through the Chief Medical Officer for policing.” The NPCC said it is also developing a national trauma support system, including tracking, annual psychological assessments and mandatory training.<\/p>\n
The move follows the STEP (Suicide Trauma Education Prevention) campaign, run by Hampshire Police Federation Chair Spencer Wragg, which has been calling for mandatory recording for the past year.<\/p>\n
Steve said he was pleased this positive step was being taken, but that it was \u201cabsolutely appalling\u201d that it had taken so long to happen.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cSuicide reporting is vital, because without it, the only light that is shone upon police suicides is when one happens and then it’s dealt with in isolation and it finishes in isolation.<\/p>\n
\u201cSince I\u2019ve been Federation Chair I’ve been aware of a number of officer suicides, but it’s only when you start to add them together with other forces that you see the true scale of this.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am staggered, from a health and safety point of view, that recording suicides hasn’t been a legal requirement for police forces. It is absolutely appalling. So I am pleased that this positive step has been taken. It has taken too long and we’ve lost officers when we could have potentially prevented that from happening.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is really important to help understand what the issues are, to get tangible figures that we can present to the Government and health and safety executives. I would be very surprised if there is any industry the size of the police that has a higher suicide rate per member. But we’re only going to see those figures if they are properly recorded and then we can reflect on it and do something about it.\u201d<\/p>\n
If police officers and staff are struggling they can contact the Mental Health Crisis Line (call 0300 131 2789) and Samaritans (116 123).<\/p>\n