SUICIDE PREVENTION SUICIDE PREVENTION


WORKING GROUP NEVER MORE IMPORTANT THAN NOW


The SPWG brings together members of the National Board who have experience working in suicide prevention and the mental ill-health arena


The World Suicide Prevention Day was observed on 10 September and this year and Mark Andrews, PFEW National Board’s Health and Safety lead published five things he would like chief constables to enact to help combat the suicide crisis that exists in policing. Police officers, especially male officers, are at a far greater risk of taking their lives than counterparts in almost any other profession in England and Wales. Currently with morale in policing at the lowest it’s been in a generation, the


14 | POLICE | OCTOBER | 2023


workload at its highest and respect and trust in policing at its lowest in living memory, it is more important than ever to ensure that all


mental ill-health that suicide becomes something they think about.”


“The stark reality is that each year a significant number of police officers and staff in England and Wales tragically take their own lives”


officers have the support they need. As Mark pointed out, “It’s about having the support infrastructure in place so that we identify officers who need help long before they reach the point of having such


Mark also chairs the Suicide Prevention Working Group (SPWG). The SPWG was established by the PFEW to address the urgent and deeply concerning issue of police officer suicides, which has far-reaching and profound consequences


for all our policing family and society. The stark reality is that each year a


significant number of police officers and staff in England and Wales tragically take their own lives, leaving a devastating impact


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