The mental health of Police Officers was discussed here last Thursday September 24th, at a Symposium hosted by the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, focusing on the topic: Protecting Our Protectors: Understanding Suicide and Mental Health in Law Enforcement
The Symposium was held at the Auditorium of the SVG Mission of Seventh-day Adventists at Old Montrose, as part of the observance of Suicide Prevention Awareness Month by the Police Force.
The Forum brought together psychologists, counselling professionals, law-enforcement personnel, senior officers and other partners for a focused discussion on the mental and emotional pressures associated with policing.
Delivering brief remarks, Acting Commissioner of Police Trevor Bailey made it clear that the mental and emotional wellbeing of police officers is not an issue which the organisation can afford to treat casually.
The Acting Commissioner noted that policing demands composure, discipline and judgement under pressure, while exposing officers to circumstances that may remain with them long after a shift has ended.
He said mental health affects the people within the organisation, as well as decision- making, operational effectiveness and ultimately the quality of service delivered to the public.
The Acting Commissioner described the symposium as part of a wider conversation about strengthening the Police Force from within and encouraged the organisation to continue learning from research, professional expertise and approaches that can improve the support available to personnel.
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