Stress takes heavy toll on police

By Tony Wall

Frontline police in one of the most violent countries in the developed world are suffering serious psychological problems.

A former police officer working as a psychologist says he is often overwhelmed by the sheer intensity of the violent situations police face.

Greg Ford - a 28-year police veteran - says he deals with five or six officers a month in Auckland who are seriously disturbed by their work and failing to cope.

Of those, two-thirds end up leaving the force. Almost all cite violence as a major contributing factor to their stress-related disorders.

Figures published in the last Weekend Herald show New Zealand has the second-highest rate of violent crime in the developed world behind South Africa.

Convictions for crimes of violence have increased 65 per cent since 1988.

Mr Ford left frontline policing in 1986.

He says officers today work in far more violent and hostile environments, with more likelihood of being seriously assaulted.

"When I listen to cops now, the sheer intensity of what they have to do and the violence is almost overwhelming."

Younger officers new to the police tend to cope better, but the average age of officers suffering major stress-related problems has dropped from 33 to about 29 since the 1980s, he says.

He deals with tearful officers exhibiting symptoms of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Officers in some parts of Auckland are going from "homicide to homicide" and dealing regularly with domestic violence, youth suicides, stabbings and shootings.

To cope, some officers close off their feelings - known as emotional distancing - which allows them to do their job but often makes it difficult for them to maintain personal relationships.

Mr Ford says police go into situations in a more aggressive manner, anticipating violence, and the danger is that they can take that aggression home with them.

"Police are trained to defend themselves and are working in hostile environments in a state of hyper-alertness most of the time ... sometimes it overflows into relationships."

An Auckland Police Association representative, Mark Leys, says he knows of one officer on suspension at present for domestic violence, and there are usually at least three such cases a year.

"They just see this behaviour day in and day out, and subconsciously they may identify that as being normal behaviour."

Dr Ian Miller, the manager of psychological services at police national headquarters, says police introduced a national trauma support policy in 1992 to provide confidential support for officers.

The department pays for three visits to a psychologist for those who want it.

He says the service is becoming well used as it becomes more accepted among officers.

Dr Miller says violence - physical and verbal - is often cited by officers as a reason for leaving the force.