EXCLUSIVE

Chief Commissioner Ken Lay has launched two external inquiries into police suicides and depression after finding some police in crisis are concealing their illnesses because they fear their careers will be damaged if they seek in-house treatment.

A total of 23 operational police and six police public servants have taken their own lives since 1995. Seven police have killed themselves in the past 30 months.

Police records show none sought assistance from internal welfare experts despite an ongoing police mental health awareness program.

The police psychology unit handles up to 1000 referrals per year and an additional 75 crisis calls.

In the past year the unit has assisted more than 30 police judged as potential suicide risks.

Police Association secretary Ron Iddles told The Age an estimated 200 police are on sick leave suffering from anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress and other mental conditions.

While more police are on sick leave from physical illnesses and injuries, senior police say more days are lost through long-term stress-related conditions.

Mr Lay said the department and the Police Association are supporting a Beyondblue study into police depression and suicides in Victoria. “It is good we can work with the union on this.”

Beyondblue chairman Jeff Kennett said they were researching global treatment of police depression to build a package for Victorian police that can be used for all emergency service workers.

‘‘It is not just police but all first responders who are at risk," he said. ‘‘We are looking around the world to see who does it better. We hope to put something forward by the end of the year.’

Mr Kennett said that among police, ‘‘there remains a huge resistance to seeking help.’’

‘‘We need a system that embraces prevention, education, treatment and post-service care.’’

Mr Lay has also commissioned a university study “to see what triggers suicide and self-harm with our members. There is work to be done. There is no quick fix. But we talk about things a lot more than we once did.’’

He said the police department has invested heavily in mental health prevention and treatment but some members conceal their problems. “We can’t make people seek help.”

The head of the Police Psychology Unit, Dr Alexandra West, said some police were wrongly concerned that if they sought help it would leave a stain on their record and damage their careers.

‘‘Historically police have been disadvantaged by coming forward but we have made major progress in the last five years.’’

Police figures show that the age of the police who suicided ranged from 22 to 54 with an average of 33.

She said police had developed better psychological testing at the recruiting level to ‘‘select the right people in the first place to deal with the stress of policing’’.

The unit was also concentrating on early intervention, encouraging police to live balanced lives, and improving self-care.

Senior police say one of the highest-risk groups is police who have been suspended from duty. If charged with criminal and disciplinary offences police can be stood down for up to two years.

Mr Lay is concerned the drawn-out process could be a contributing factor in stress-related illnesses.

“We have signed up for a university study to see how we run our business. We suspect that some of the ways we run the business can increase risks.”

“What we don’t understand is what is happening to people who have become disengaged (resigned, retired through ill-health, or suspended) from the organisation,” Mr Lay said.

Mr Iddles said no one was monitoring the mental health of 15,000 retired police. “They have fallen through the cracks. There is a major gap. No one really knows the size of the problem.”

Mr Kennett said Beyondblue was also looking at the mental health problems suffered by retired police. ‘‘One option we are looking at is setting up men’s sheds for ex-police.’’

Former US policeman turned psychologist Dr Kevin Gilmartin, the author of Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement, says police who neglect their families and their health often turn from idealistic recruits to cynical veterans.

He said police who were trained to recognise risks on duty were often ill-equipped to recognise the stress related dangers in their private lives.

For help or information call Suicide Helpline Victoria on 1300 651 251 or Lifeline on 131 114, or visit beyondblue.org.au