Startling rise in mental ill health among police officers

5 September 2024

More than 14,500 UK police officers were signed off work over the past year due to stress, depression, anxiety or PTSD it can be revealed.

Nationally, this figure is 9% up on last year - and a staggering 130% higher than when the survey was first run 11 years ago.

In Essex, 407 police officers were signed off work due to stress, depression, anxiety or PTSD in the financial year 2023-2024.

Laura Heggie, Chair of Essex Police Federation, said: “Sadly, it is no surprise that the numbers are increasing with the pressure and demand that is placed on our officers… it is relentless. 

“In many departments it is like Groundhog Day. Officers come in and are tasked with dealing with new detainees in custody or other commitments or demand due to a lack of resources and whilst doing that they are unable to progress their own investigations, which continue to increase.

“They come back the next day and are faced with the same situation, the stress and anxiety builds up as police officers want to do the best for their victims and that’s not always happening, through no fault of their own.

“I speak with officers who get so upset they are breaking down into tears in the workplace.

“We have officers who go off sick, they are getting to work and can’t physically step into the building due to overwhelming anxiety. 

“Officers deal with and see horrific things day in day out, many times it’s not one thing that causes an officer to go off sick, it’s actually the last thing that is the final straw.

“Officers stay in the workplace longer than they should without going off sick due to not wanting to let their colleagues down, as them going off puts even more pressure on those left behind, then they break.

“Officers deal with and see horrific things day in day out, many times it’s not one thing that causes an officer to go off sick, it’s actually the last thing that is the final straw.”

The National Police Chiefs’ Council’s (NPCC) Wellbeing Lead, Andy Rhodes, said: “Policing is an extremely fulfilling profession where officers can make a genuine difference to people’s lives and to their communities. Sadly the role they play means they can often be faced with some incredibly challenging and hostile situations and, over time, this can take a toll.

“For example, the recent unprecedented violent disorder saw more than 300 officers physically injured across the country and many more will also be impacted psychologically, although sometimes it may not surface for many years after the incident.

“Stressful, fast-paced situations and repeat exposure to trauma can affect officers and many police staff in a number of ways, which is why we are committed to supporting the psychological wellbeing of our people, working closely with leading experts and with the dedicated Occupational Health teams in forces.”

Mr Rhodes said that each force was committed to early-intervention debriefs when officers were exposed to trauma, alongside mental health peer support and psychological risk assessments. He added that the chief medical officer for policing had developed a national suicide action plan.

He said: “Policing is a rewarding career as long as the right support is made available to those who need it, when they need it.”