September 2000 Volume 81 Number 9 "serving the protectors"

Relocation - Consider Carefully

Dear Editor

I wish to comment on Trevor Haskell’s article Welfare and Kindred Services (Police Journal, May 2000).

As a member of SAPOL for the past 13 years with the majority of time spent in operational fields, I personally have sought the counselling services of the police psychology section. I have found benefit from their assistance with periodic visits to them over the past two-and-a-half years. There is no doubt that if it had not been for such service, I would have become another WorkCover statistic. Such workplace injury comes at a cost to SAPOL both financially and organizationally. In this regard the psychology section has served a preventative function. I am aware that people seeking the services of the section know of its confidential, sensitive and professional practice. This is supplemented by the section’s understanding of police procedure and culture which is difficult to find outside of SAPOL in counseling settings.

Emotional distress is hard to define, and also highly personal and sensitive in nature. It is an area that most are reluctant to speak about particularly among direct police peers. In addition, a stigma generally is associated in admitting personal distress and seeking help. Indeed it is the nature of police work that some incidents experienced are traumatic. This work trauma can extend into and impact on home life, emotional and physical health for sometimes up to months and years. (I suggest that speaking of such distress is not an indicator of an inadequate police officer but one of strength.) For these reasons mentioned, SAPOL management and the HR director may be surprised if they were to find out how many employees have actually utilized the counselling services of Psychology and Welfare Section. In addition they may find difficulty in quantifying those actual numbers and consequences that may have resulted had preventative functions been disregarded.

I find it baffling that the HR director would consider moving the Welfare and Psychology Sections to the police headquarters building in Flinders St. I cannot envisage traumatized officers walking through the security section and main offices in order to gain counselling and/or to have a general chat regarding problems. This is because in addition to being traumatized and the stigma attached with seeking help, there is a fear of becoming known and labelled for having “problems”. Becoming known for attending Psychology and Welfare Section may only serve to inflame and add complications to the initial trauma. I suggest that such location proposal of Flinders St headquarters for the section shows a lack of sensitivity and respect for the confidentiality and welfare of police officers and would virtually stop employees from seeking help.

Equally confusing is any downgrade of staff from the sections that may occur. When major public sectors (who generally aren’t dealing with traumatic incidents frequently) are upgrading their employee psychology and welfare services, questions are raised as to what worth is placed on the health of police employees in SAPOL when services are downgraded. I wonder in what regard the outsourcing of the sections has benefit for and displays understanding of the needs of police. I personally find support in knowing that within SAPOL a section exists unrelated to direct peers where appointments can be made periodically to talk over problems. I can foresee that consequences of downgrading, outsourcing and relocating the section include:

• Increased WorkCover claims.
• Further stress-related illness and sick leave taken.
• SAPOL members feeling unsupported leading to decreased morale.

In this sense there appears to be a lack of understanding that healthy functioning police officers are better police officers and therefore are further equipped to work harder in providing service to the community.

The HR director and SAPOL management may wish to confidentially survey their employees regarding opinions on Welfare and Psychology Section services before any concrete changes are made, as it is the employees who are using the services. For those who have not personally had dealings with the sections, perhaps negative judgement can be withheld - sadly one day you may need them. I encourage those who have used the services to also voice their opinion before it’s too late.

Name supplied

PASA Always There

Dear Andy

We wish to express our gratitude for the recent assistance given to us by yourself and PASA committee member, Tom Scheffler.

On the night of June 16, 2000, Stephen and I were involved in an accident where a motorcycle crashed. Unfortunately, the rider was killed and the pillion passenger suffered serious injuries as a result. Notwithstanding the impact of loss of life on friends and relatives of the riders, the effects on members working at that time was considerable as the subsequent demands on their time to see the “job done” meant long hours that night under stressful conditions for all concerned.

Tom had been recalled to duty for another matter and was therefore in a position to immediately assist. Solicitor Michael Woods was engaged by the PASA to offer assistance to Stephen and myself. The fact that this was arranged after midnight on a Friday night made these efforts all the more remarkable.

Our initial thoughts were: “Solicitor? What the hell do we want with a solicitor? We haven’t done anything wrong.” Of course at that time we couldn’t see the forest for the trees and we certainly were not on the night in a position to consider the peripheral issues attached to circumstances such as this.

The prompt response from Tom, yourself and Michael Woods and subsequent late night discussions with Michael and Tom were extremely beneficial to us. While the unfortunate incident was paramount in our minds at the time, we were forced to focus on the bigger picture in regard to interviews, a commissioner’s inquiry and coronial investigation.

The outcome of the enquiry is still pending. That said, the legal representation offered to us by Michael Woods on the night and then later in the week at his Adelaide office was first-class and proved beneficial to both of us. It helped us to resolve a number of issues and set our minds at ease before and after subsequent interviews pertaining to the accident.

To follow the line of PASA president, Peter Alexander, in the Police Journal (July 2000), it is times such as this that membership of the PASA gives cause to reflect on the benefits associated with membership and that from seemingly innocent and everyday events, potential hazards arise. The knowledge that the PASA is there for all members, at any hour, is most reassuring. To all members, we urge that if legal assistance is offered - take it. If only for the peace of mind that may arise from it, the time taken is worthwhile.

Jeff Page
Stephen Fitzgerald

PASAweb   Index & Search   Top of Page   Comments   Email to Editor

The Police Journal Online is an official publication of the Police Association of South Australia and is published monthly. Editors of kindred publications can seek permission from the Editor to re-publish any Police Journal Online article. Copyright 2000  The Police Association of South Australia sustance