POLICE officers are a team and should look after one another when it comes to metal health, Essex Police Federation has said.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s backing the ethos of a new national PFEW campaign aimed at encouraging officers to spot the signs of poor mental health in themselves and each other.<\/p>\n
It says coming forward and talking about issues is the best way to deal with them and wants mental health in policing to be taken as seriously as physical health.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s joining up with some of the extensive work on improving officers\u2019 mental health already being carried out in Essex, the county\u2019s Federation Chairman, Steve Taylor said.<\/p>\n
\u201cMental health is not a dirty word, and it\u2019s being brought out of the shadows.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to have grown up, engaged debate and engagement around mental health and it is no longer acceptable to simply expect officers to go away and deal with it themselves. That\u2019s our mantra on the issue.\u201d<\/p>\n
The work being done in Essex and the new PFEW campaign focuses on officers looking out for each other and stepping in when they see the signs and symptoms in their mates and colleagues.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not something that should be expected to deal with on your own,\u201d Steve said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to take a group approach to it. We are a team, and we should look after one another. You can only do that if it\u2019s out in the open. If you bury it away, if you\u2019re encouraged to hide it away, no one benefits from that.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe individual certainly doesn\u2019t, and the organisation doesn\u2019t either. So, let\u2019s get it in the open where it belongs and let\u2019s tackle it head-on.\u201d<\/p>\n
To do that, officers are being encouraged to speak to their Fed Rep or supervisors.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t feel like you have to deal with it on your own. Speak to your supervisor, speak to your fed rep, speak to your peers, speak to HR. Speak to someone,\u201d Steve s<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t bury it within yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"