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Police in Bendigo have welcomed the recommendations of Victoria Police’s Mental Health Review, which they say build on an already changing culture within the organisation.
Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton has accepted all 39 recommendations of the review, released on Tuesday.
Acting senior sergeant Dale Simm said times had moved on from the bad old days when police members were told to “suck it up” by superiors after difficult call-outs, but the implementation of the recommendations would support that change.
“It will assist members because, as you know, police attend a number of critical incidents and just turning up to work and having to do the work we have to do is trying at times,” he said.
“Something that’s come up with the report is picking things up at the start, instead of waiting till someone is sick and needs help, that’s probably the biggest thing.”
Acting Senior Sergeant Simm said incidents that could trigger mental health issues for police ranged from informing members of the public of the death of a loved one, to attending car crashes or dealing with siege situations where hostages are involved.
He said he had personally experienced difficulty in dealing with traumatic situations during his work and had sought help.
“There’s been a number of incidents I’ve attended over the years and it is difficult,” he said
“I’ve had difficult times, I’ve sought assistance and it’s been good.”
Despite the stigma some Victoria Police members reported to the review around seeking assistance with mental health issues, acting Senior Sergeant Simm said he encouraged his colleagues to come forward if they were struggling, as he had done.
“That’s probably something that’s changing, the members are more aware that they can seek assistance and be assisted if they’ve got a problem,” he said.
“It’s not frowned on, or [considered] that they’re being weak or anything like that, it’s there to assist them and we’re there to help them as much as we can.
“I’d recommend anyone that needs any help to seek assistance, that’s for sure.”
The review’s recommendations include wide-ranging educational and resilience programs that start the day police join and the establishment of a Department of Veteran Affairs-style organisation for former police.
It also concluded an expanded psychology unit was urgently needed.