The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Officers ‘pushed towards alcohol and drugs’ to cope
Research highlights huge levels of stress, exhaustion and depression in the job
The stress, exhaustion and depressed mood experienced by police officers in Scotland has been highlighted in new research compiled by a Canadian academic.
The research by Professor Linda Duxbury from Carleton University in Ottawa was sponsored by the Scottish Police Federation (SPF) and surveyed officers in six divisions across Scotland in May, June and September this year.
It found almost four in five from just under 3,000 responses reported a lack of officers or staff to do work caused daily stress or stress several times each week. More than half did not take a break during a shift and two thirds suffered stress.
One in 10 officers drink or take prescription drugs as a coping mechanism.
Details of the study were outlined in a letter by SPF general secretary Calum Steele to Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie.
Mr Rennie said: “Earlier this month, I challenged the first minister about the spiralling rates of mental health absences I had uncovered in the police.
“She didn’t have a solution and now it emerges that this was just the tip of the iceberg.
“This new research presents a devastating breakdown of the health of Scotland’s police officers.
“Far too many are exhausted, depressed and being pushed towards alcohol and drugs in order to cope.”
He added: “Policing is a rewarding but tough job. However, the extent to which the job is making people unwell is shocking.
“The conditions they are working in are fundamentally unsafe. The culture is all wrong if people feel they have to be out on the beat when they know they aren’t fit to be there.
“Officers feel that those at the top aren’t doing anything like enough. They have been telling me for a long time that they don’t get the support they need. Now it’s there in black and white.”
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “While the welfare and wellbeing of police officers and staff is the responsibility of the chief constable, we support initiatives being undertaken by Police Scotland to create a safe, positive and healthy working environment.
“A service-wide wellbeing and engagement survey will launch early in the new year.”
Police Scotland Deputy Chief Constable Fiona Taylor said: “Response rates in the previous two surveys were lower than we had hoped for and we will be taking time to encourage as many people as possible to take part in the next one.”