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Concerns have been raised over the mental health of police officers in Scotland after a new survey revealed around half are suffering from stress and burnout at work. The new wellbeing survey - which looked at the views of over 2000 officers – also suggests that the force is under-resourced and would struggle to fulfil its duties if officers stopped working overtime when they were due to be off. Commissioned by the Scottish Police Federation (SPF) and the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents (ASPS), the 2020 Welfare and Wellbeing in Times of Covid Survey found that 28 per cent of respondents reported high levels of stress, while 57.6% reported moderate levels.
June 1, 2021, 12:05 am
More than a third of police have reported for duty while ‘mentally unwell’, a survey has found (Andrew Milligan/PA)
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Frontline officers with Police Scotland are “suffering from chronic stress associated with their circumstances at work”, a report has warned.
Experts from Carleton University in Ottawa spoke out as a survey found more than a third of police officers have reported for duty when “mentally unwell” – with officers on average turning up for work in this condition a “staggering” 19 times over the last year.
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The researchers behind the study said frontline officers were suffering from “chronic stress,” and warned that the force’s culture meant they were either unable, or not encouraged to take time off to recover from the demands of their job.
David Hamilton, chair of the Scottish Police Federation (SPF), said the challenges of policing during the pandemic, allied to a lack of government support, was “bringing the frontline to its knees.”
But the force said the safety and wellbeing of officers, staff, and their families was a priority, and pointed to support measures such as its employee assistance programme, post trauma assessment, and mental fitness training.