Federation calls for officers to look after one another

11 March 2020

Police officers are a team and should look after one another when it comes to metal health, Essex Police Federation has said.

It’s backing the ethos of a new national PFEW campaign aimed at encouraging officers to spot the signs of poor mental health in themselves and each other.

It says coming forward and talking about issues is the best way to deal with them and wants mental health in policing to be taken as seriously as physical health.

It’s joining up with some of the extensive work on improving officers’ mental health already being carried out in Essex, the county’s Federation Chairman, Steve Taylor said.

“Mental health is not a dirty word, and it’s being brought out of the shadows.

“We need to have grown up, engaged debate and engagement around mental health and it is no longer acceptable to simply expect officers to go away and deal with it themselves. That’s our mantra on the issue.”

The work being done in Essex and the new PFEW campaign focuses on officers looking out for each other and stepping in when they see the signs and symptoms in their mates and colleagues.

“It’s not something that should be expected to deal with on your own,” Steve said.

“We have to take a group approach to it. We are a team, and we should look after one another. You can only do that if it’s out in the open. If you bury it away, if you’re encouraged to hide it away, no one benefits from that.

“The individual certainly doesn’t, and the organisation doesn’t either. So, let’s get it in the open where it belongs and let’s tackle it head-on.”

To do that, officers are being encouraged to speak to their Fed Rep or supervisors.

“Don’t feel like you have to deal with it on your own. Speak to your supervisor, speak to your fed rep, speak to your peers, speak to HR. Speak to someone,” Steve s

“Don’t bury it within yourself.”