The Police Federation is encouraging detectives to look out for each other’s welfare.
Karen Stephens, secretary of the Federation’s National Detectives’ Forum, says the role can impact on detectives’ mental and physical health.
And Karen says the Federation is working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the College of Policing to help detectives who fall ill through the job.
“Like many roles within policing, the job can hugely impact your wellbeing, both physically and mentally,” she explains.
“Detectives come face-to-face with some harrowing scenes, which is why it’s so important that colleagues recognise the signs when things are getting too much and that the right support is in place from a welfare perspective.
“I’m currently working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and College of Policing (CoP) to develop a preventative toolkit to assist with treating officers who have unfortunately become unwell due to the job.
“Tools like this will be vital in keeping the officers we have fit and hopefully attract new recruits to what is ultimately one of the most rewarding careers out there.”
Her comments came in a blog on the Federation website as part of a month-long Federation focus on the role of detectives launched by Glyn Pattinson, secretary of Staffordshire Police Federation, in his role as chair of the detectives’ forum.
In the blog, Karen encourages serving officers to consider training to become detectives.
“In my opinion, it’ll be the best thing you can do,” she says, “Yes, you must study and sit an exam, but if you have an enquiring mind, this is the job for you, and you will thrive at it.
“The courses you go on from witness and suspect interviewing to disclosure will give you skills for life, transferrable to any role.
“And you do them so often it will be impossible to forget.”
Read more on the Federation’s Detectives in Crisis campaign.
