17 September 2021

Exposure to trauma is a part of policing - but we need to identify those struggling

Exposure to trauma is a part of policing - but recording the number of traumatic incidents officers attend would help identify those who are struggling, Dorset Police Federation has said.

Last week the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW)’s Wellbeing Lead, Hayley Aley, spoke at the Emergency Services Show and pointed out that forces currently do not hold any records about the number of traumatic incidents an officer has attended while on duty. She said collecting this data would help identify officers at risk of mental health problems.

Dorset Police Federation Chair James Dimmack agreed, saying: “Recording the numbers of traumatic incidents individual officers attend is a notion I fully support.

“Police officers undertake challenging and diverse roles, which inevitably involve repeated exposure to trauma. The effects of trauma are typically absorbed by the individual, who then often has to deal with them alone. It is widely accepted that repeated exposure to trauma has a cumulative effect, which left unchecked, can lead to significant mental health issues.

“Recording the numbers of incidents attended is a crude but effective way of signposting officers who are dangerously exposed. This can lead to early intervention to mitigate any ill effects. Naturally this is not a one-size-fits-all issue, but it is a positive start.

“To enhance this I strongly advocate that all first-line supervisors are trained in mental health first aid. This allows them to best identify officers who may be suffering and therefore get them the quickest and most appropriate intervention.”

Hayley said that the national Federation had successfully piloted a scheme of regular mental health check-ups on Fed Reps, and added that this could also work effectively within forces to help all officers’ wellbeing.

She said: “What we want to do is start this conversation more broadly throughout our membership about preventative measures and what they look like on a practical level.”