DETECTIVES IN CRISIS
“I WORRIED ABOUT FAILURE” Danny Bolton was a talented scholarship footballer with Barnsley FC and got to know police officers who were involved with the club. It led to him joining West Yorkshire Police in 1997 and he was fast-tracked to CID, which he joined in 2000. Stress, trauma and the alcohol he turned to as a coping mechanism ended up costing him dearly. At first, everything was good. “I went on to the burglary and robbery squads to start with,” he says. “I got a taste for investigating those types of crimes and from there I moved quite quickly to the Serious and Organised Crime Unit.”
Danny became very skilled at his job and was involved in some of the biggest cases West Yorkshire Police dealt with. He worked in Cyprus, Holland and Germany, including alongside Theresa May when she was Home Secretary. He explains: “I felt the stresses and the pressures. It was very much a drinking environment in the early days, and we’d go to the pub after work. That was my first experience of using coping mechanisms
“ I was trying to make ends meet, sleeping on sofas and in back rooms – I’d lost myself completely.”
to deal with my role. I worried about failure. I was aware that if a case went ‘pop’ at court it could have fallen on me.”
Danny knew the drinking was not
healthy, but he justified it because others were also doing it. By 2015 he was struggling mentally but felt too ashamed to admit it. Then he attended a crime scene where two young children had been murdered, and a domestic incident where a woman victim had multiple stab wounds and died in front of him.
“I’d seen dead bodies, post-
mortems, everything like that before,” says Danny. “These two incidents smashed me. I developed PTSD on the back of that.”
His nightmares started, adding to his
SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH DETECTIVES “It’s not a one off. This is what a
Glyn Pattinson, Chair of the Police Federation National Detectives Forum (PFNDF) writes: “The Federation is continuing to highlight the fantastic work being done every day by detectives investigating the most serious and complex crimes. Work which has, of course, continued throughout the pandemic. “Not only that but to recognise the impact of this work on the physical and mental health of officers. “We all want to deliver the best
outcomes for the victims of crime and our communities. We want to lock the bad guys up and do the best possible job that we can. “Sadly, there are simply not enough
detectives. Demand continually outstrips resources. What this means for detectives is that they are frequently working incredibly long hours. They are working rest days when they should be with their families and friends. They are deprived of sleep. All of this takes its toll.
normal working week looks like for detectives and officers in departments all over the country. It’s not just the physical impact of working excessive hours, it’s the sheer volume of serious and disturbing crimes – the distress to the injured victims that we deal with, the frustrations when we’re dealing with the CPS and all of the other legal processes and when we’re dealing with suspects. All of it has a cumulative impact. “We know through the Forum that the welfare support and occupational health provision varies from force to force. So, what I really want to urge you to do is to look out for each other, to speak to each other and probably most importantly to listen to each other. And please make use
anxiety and panic attacks – and needing a drink to calm down. He entered a downward spiral and in early 2017 he was caught drink-driving off duty and had to resign from the force. Before long, his marriage had broken down and he subsequently lost his home. He recalls: “At one stage I had 16p in my bank account. I was doing different jobs, trying to make ends meet, sleeping on sofas and in back rooms – I’d lost myself completely.” Finally, in May last year Danny felt
ready to reach out for help. He went through detox and has been sober for seven months. He started a video diary on Facebook and has been amazed by the outpouring of support he has received from police officers who relate to his struggle. Danny has a new career in sports management but hopes to play a future role in helping Forces raise awareness of mental health and addiction, as well as counselling officers in similar difficulties.
Glyn Pattinson
of some of the fantastic organisations that are out there and can give that support. “Organisations such as Oscar Kilo, the police treatment centres, Flint House and many other groups which your local Federation can support you with and signpost you to, to get that help if you need it. “Stay safe and look after one another.”
DID YOU KNOW? If a constable or sergeant receives a call at home which requires necessary action or duty to be performed, this may be a recall to duty, and the member may be eligible for appropriate compensation. For more on your rights, see –
www.polfed.org
FEBRUARY 2021 | POLICE | 21
Danny Bolton
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