Same the world over

Representatives from Australia, the US, Canada, Britain, New Zealand and Denmark recently attended the International Law Enforcement Council meeting in Queensland.

The meeting revealed that police officers the world over shared many similar hardships.

Canadian Police Associations labour services director, Dale Kinnear, has raised the particularly pertinent issue of police pensions. He has spoken of his organization’s battle with the Canadian federal government to secure improvements to them.

The Canadians, to illustrate their point, identify specific workplace stress and trauma in law enforcement.

(To assist with their argument, Dr. Patricia M. Fisher, R. Psych. – executive director of Fisher & Associates (www.fisherandassociates.org) – prepared a review document titled Workplace Stress & Trauma In Policing: Sources, Outcomes & Implications, which is directly sourced here.)

Systemic workplace stresses

• Overtime, excessive workload, travel demands, rotating shiftwork, resource scarcity, perceived lack of control, role ambiguity and role conflict, departmental politics, and severe work-life conflict.
• Restructuring, chronic understaffing, increased reliance on sophisticated technologies, demographic changes in both staff and community, increased needs for specialized skills and expertise, increased media scrutiny and other contextual challenges. Specific psychosocial challenges
• Exposure to the realities of violence, abuse, trauma, poverty, system failures etc that challenge an individual’s previous belief systems about self and world.
• Wider population unable to identify with law enforcement work leading to sharing of experiences with work colleagues only.
• Policing work not always valued by society with personnel often experiencing social stigma and negative judgments.
• At a psychological level, these challenges represent stress, identity, challenge, isolation, alienation and stigmatization.

The effects of workplace stress and trauma increase the risks for police officers in a wide range of negative physiological, mental health, behavioural and interpersonal symptoms. This manifests in increased risk of cardiovascular disease, weakened immune systems, frequent infectious illness, fatigue, physical depletion and exhaustion.

In terms of mental-health outcomes, police experience increased rates of clinical depression, suicide, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse and addictions, and diminished self-esteem. Behavioural and interpersonal effects include social isolation and withdrawal, relationship problems and increased rates of family dysfunction and breakdown. These effects are more pronounced in older officers – critical when considering an ageing workforce.

At an organizational level, these effects may translate to increased rates of absenteeism, sick leave, long-term disability, early retirement or attrition, labour-management friction, and difficulties attracting and retaining personnel.

Police officers subsequently perform their duties in an environment characterized by high levels of acute and chronic stress. Officers struggle with a myriad of related symptoms and effects.

It is therefore argued that the presence (or absence) of beneficial pension provisions could play a significant role in the future of Canadian policing. This compels the government to understand that police work in the field is particularly onerous and carries greatly increased risks of personal injury, and negative stress and trauma-related outcomes. Consequently, less than optimal pension benefits have significant negative effects, which include:

• Lack of morale, negative view of the profession and social role, increased cynicism and increased likelihood of workplace disengagement.
• Negative implications for individual members and their families – it is important that members and their families are able to anticipate a financially secure and achievable retirement given the long-term consequences of the high levels of occupational stress and cumulative risk for traumatic physical and psychological injury.
• Lack of career benefits will likely play an important role in the recruitment and retention of quality staff.

In South Australia, these issues would resonate with many police officers. The state government recently had an opportunity to rectify police superannuation benefits which, arguably, do not – for police Triple S contributors (now more than 1,000) – provide sufficient or appropriate benefits.

Next month’s industrial report will further focus on the government’s failure to address PASA concerns with current police superannuation benefits.

markcarroll@pasa.asn.au

In all members’ interests

Committed to all its members, the Police Association provides a vast range of legal, negotiation and support services.

From the negotiations in which it takes part, PASA continues to deliver successful outcomes for both its members and their employer.

Many issues brought to PASA, however, are the kind that some might interpret as member-on-member. They could include allegations of criminality, workplace harassment or improper selections, or might relate to staffing.

And, in any subsequent resolution process, PASA may not only represent an accused member, but also remain sensitive to the needs of the complainant member. Therefore, it would work to ensure that each enjoyed full support and representation.

No member should labour under the false belief that, because PASA might fund or support one member, it does not concern itself with the interests of the other member.

In any case, members are – depending on how disputes arise – represented by either PASA or SAPOL.

So, if one member finds himself or herself in conflict with another, who has secured PASA support, what should he or she do? Without hesitation, contact PASA for support and advice.

That member might subsequently receive representation from PASA, SAPOL or some other body. But, irrespective of who delivers the representation, PASA will see that it is both appropriate and ongoing.

Consider a hypothetical. Patrol supervisor, Senior Constable Nero, is finding it difficult to develop Probationary Constable Lake. Nero is an old-time officer with a somewhat autocratic style, of which he is unaware.

Lake finds it difficult to relate to Nero, and the two become embroiled in a workplace conflict. As the discord evolves, Nero puts Lake under the microscope and proposes that he undergo performance management assessments.

Lake can no longer endure the situation and lodges a workplace harassment notification, which outlines numerous incidents of bullying. Nero receives advice of the notification and so approaches PASA for assistance with a scheduled workplace grievance resolution process.

In a subsequent meeting with Nero, a PASA staff member explains the processes involved and provides advice on how to respond. Lake, also at the meeting, realizes that his supervisor, Nero, has secured PASA representation and, as a consequence, feels let down.

But PASA will in no way abandon its obligation to Lake.

If Lake feels in any way aggrieved, he should relate his concerns to PASA, which can explain not only its role but also the process. It is vitally important for Lake to be afforded proper representation by an appropriate body. PASA will ensure that that occurs.

Should any member feel unsatisfied with his or her representation, he or she should alert the organization concerned, be it PASA or SAPOL.

PASA is totally committed to the provision of support and advice for all its members. And its 99 per cent-plus membership is a clear indication of not just the volume but also the quality of its services.

thomasscheffler@pasa.asn.au