Mandatory recording of officer suicides agreed by chiefs

22 April 2026

Hertfordshire Police Federation has welcomed a move by police chiefs to make recording of police officer suicides and attempted suicides mandatory after a successful PFEW campaign.

The Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) called for the change to allow policing to fully understand the scale of the issue and take meaningful action to protect officers’ wellbeing.

Branch chair Luke Mitchell said: “This is a welcome and important step forward, and reflects the determined campaigning by PFEW, local branches, and our members.

“The number of officers dying by suicide or attempting suicide is frightening, but without consistent data, we don’t know the true picture.

Officer welfare

“And without that vital information, policing has not been able to understand any underlying reasons, to identify patterns, and to drive meaningful change.

“This change acknowledges the seriousness of the issue and shows that officer welfare must remain a policing priority.

“And it shows how our collective voices can help to make positive changes.”

PFEW has been calling for the mandatory recording of police suicides and attempted suicides after figures revealed that between 2022 and 2025, at least 70 serving officers are known to have died by suicide.

Calls for reform intensified after the death of Sergeant Ben Websdale. The coroner at his inquest, Penelope Schofield, published a report calling on forces to record officer suicides.

Now the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) has agreed to make recording of suicides mandatory and to introduce a trauma support system, annual psychological assessments, and training, according to a report in the Mirror.

PFEW’s campaign also highlighted the link between suicide and attempted suicide and the misconduct system. It found that 47 of the 70 suicides involved officers under misconduct or criminal investigation, with 173 of 236 attempted suicides also linked to officers under investigation.

The figures have led the Federation to renew its calls for a 12-month limit on disciplinary investigations.

Tragedies

Luke said: “Recording these tragedies is vital, but we also need to focus on prevention.

“We cannot ignore the growing body of evidence showing the toll that lengthy disciplinary investigations can take on officers and their families.

“The next step must be clear time limits so cases are resolved swiftly, fairly, and with proper welfare support in place.”

For urgent mental health help or immediate support, please contact:

• Samaritans: 116 123

• Oscar Kilo’s Mental Health Crisis Line: 0300 131 2789

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