Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
PSNI reveals its struggle to beat the blues
Force ‘washed its hands’ of issue
SOME police officers have “washed their hands” of welfare issues, a former sergeant has said.
But the PSNI’S deputy chief constable Drew Harris contested that claim and said 398 officers and staff used a special helpline over the last 10 months, while 169 had received counselling.
The police’s occupational health department offered almost 900 appointments a month.
Mr Harris said: “Our society is becoming more fraught so more is required of us, and other frontline responders.
“Vulnerability and then the crime and tragedy that comes from that is increasing in our society, you see that. It is very different from when I joined.” The ex-sergeant, who left the force in 2013, said civilianisation as part of peace process reforms made the system inflexible and less human. He said: “If you are an officer now and you can wash your hands of it and say we have the staff to do that, it does not have to touch you or blemish your copybook or alter your promotion.”
The officer’s own mental health difficulties were partly linked to the death of a colleague who shot himself.
He also twice faced unsubstantiated and unfounded workplace allegations, and said he was made to feel like a criminal, “guilty until proven innocent”.
The anonymous officer was told he would not be prosecuted, but felt like he was being whispered about behind his back. He said: “You felt that the only person who knew the truth was yourself. I cried myself to sleep.”
When the officer faced a second complaint, he took medical retirement aged 48.
He said: “I felt broken, numb, it is just the nothingness, I did not want to go out of the house or meet anyone.”
Mr Harris said the PSNI had invested heavily in occupational health and selfhelp and modern grievance procedures had been in place 15 years. He added: “We are a listening organisation.”