Support for new campaign focused on police suicide prevention

26 March 2025

Suicide Trauma Education Prevention (STEP) also aims to raise awareness of the daily trauma that officers face in their job and to better support those attending suicides.

Speaking on behalf of West Mercia Federation branch, Pete Nightingale said members know all too well the impact that suicide can have.

He said: “We’ve lost colleagues here in West Mercia to suicide and know how devastating that can be.

“And all too often our members attend suicides and see the impact that has on families, friends, and communities, and it can take its toll.”

Between 2021 and 2024 it’s estimated that 80 serving and former police officers took their own lives.

Hampshire Police Federation chair Spencer Wragg, who is behind the STEP campaign, said: “The campaign is going to talk about some uncomfortable subjects but it’s important we have these conversations and understand what can happen to our colleagues when they attend these incidents.

Suicide

“What safeguards are in place for our colleagues attending such high volume of suicides? Do we know how many suicides officers are attending in the course of their duties?

“This can take its toll and – sadly – when officers are at their lowest ebb, rather than talk to someone they carry out something they know all about. “We have to change this.”

Backing the campaign, Pete said there were a lot of issues that could impact the mental and emotional health of officers, including ‘lengthy and disproportionate’ police conduct investigations, fatigue and not being able to get leave.

Many officers feel guilty taking a refreshment break despite there being protection in police regulations, he said.

“I feel we do a lot of talking and posters on the wall in relation to mental health messaging but if organisationally we treated people right in the first place it might be better,” he said.

Treatments

“Its like the NHS spending vast amounts on medication and treatments but not looking at fixing the causes.

“As a Federation we’ve been highlighting for a long time the stress and pressure caused by lengthy Professional Standards Department (PSD) investigations.

“We do our bit by trying to educate line managers about early intervention and how matters could be dealt with in other ways, other than formal referrals, when appropriate.

“It is hugely frustrating seeing the emotional toll on officers and their families over a long period of time to result in no further action or reflective practice many months or even years later. Nobody suggests that officers shouldn’t be accountable but has the pendulum swung too far?

“Demand and bureaucracy is greater than ever. We are more stretched than ever and it is really impacting the morale.

“Good, hard working officers are seeing what other jobs are available that will not have such a detrimental impact on their health.

Colleagues

“Many members are hugely frustrated as they simply want to do a good job but factors beyond their control such as poor IT infrastructure and systems that are not fit for purpose restrict them.

“Presenteeism is a real problem too, as officers are coming to work because of not wanting to let their colleagues down.

“But working when they are unwell physically or mentally is a recipe for disaster and can increase the chances of mistakes and errors happening.

“As well as the emotional toll of PSD investigations, the cost to the taxpayer is enormous.

“But the stress and the strain that investigation puts on an individual officer is incalculable.”

Pete said he understood the pressure that heavy workloads put on members, after having taken time off recently himself. Many supervisors inadvertently take on the vicarious trauma of their staff.

All consuming

“You’re helping people to deal with what they’re going through and you want to support them as best you can, and it can become all consuming,” he said.

“We have lost canteens, and places of rest where we could have our own debrief and help process a traumatic incident.

“Officers are under more scrutiny from the media and the public, and don’t necessarily feel supported in their role, particularly from the Government.

“They’re dealing with road traffic collisions on a daily basis. They’re being attacked for simply doing their jobs, and offenders are then being let off with a slap on the wrists by the wider judicial system.

“It’s no wonder that people’s mental health can deteriorate.

STEP campaign

“It’s easy for people's lives to fall apart and quite quickly as well. It just needs that one little domino at the start to knock it all down.”

The STEP campaign will be lobbying chief officers, MPs and police and crime commissioners to provide better support to front line officers.

“We often think of police officers as being the strong person who rescues others, but mental health can strike anyone,” said Pete. “And it’s okay to not be okay.

“It’s important for members to realise they are not alone and support is there.”

Signposts for mental health and wellbeing support can be found on the PFEW website.

If you are in Group Insurance, you and your family can access a GP 24 hours a day from anywhere in the world.