Three retired police officers have shared their experiences of trauma and its impact on mental health, with one stating he was medically retired in 2025 with complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after 26 years in the service. Another, who worked on high-profile cases including the search for Sarah Everard, also retired with complex PTSD after two decades of policing.
The Home Office has announced new funding, part of a £2.4m government investment, which includes support for a mental health crisis line for officers and staff. This crisis line, set up last July, has received over 350 calls. New guidance will also help forces implement tracking systems to record officer and staff exposure to traumatic incidents.
The Police Federation said officers are under relentless pressure and exposed to trauma daily. The National Police Wellbeing Service (NPWS) estimates officers can experience between 400 and 600 traumatic events during their career, compared to an average civilian who may experience three to four in a lifetime.
Chief constables have recently announced that all forces will introduce mandatory recording of police officer suicides. This follows a prevention of future deaths report after the death of Sussex officer Benjamin Websdale. The Police Federation claims more than 100 police officers and staff across the country have died by suicide since 2022, with over half of police suicides recorded from 2022-24 involving officers under investigation.