There’s no question that, today, police are doing it far tougher than ever before.  As a district duty inspector working 24-7 shifts, I see it every day.

Members are working under relentless pressure.  The CAD events just continue to pile up and come with ever-increasing complexity and expectation.

Members are tired, fatigued and need support and relief.  I hear it in their voices and see it in their faces.

And the suffering isn’t confined to those on the front line or specific ranks.  There is an organizational sense of exhaustion right across SAPOL.  People are simply worn out and the impact on morale is obvious.'

You cannot serve from an empty vessel.

And these overwhelming workloads impact on not only members but also their families.  It pays to remember that we are people before we are police.

Police are members of their local communities and face the same daily challenges that everyone else does.

There are the restrictions on movement and travel, financial strain, balancing primary care-giving roles with employment, managing children’s sport and extra-curricular activities, the COVID environment.

So, even before police go to work to protect their communities, they are already juggling a host of major personal responsibilities.

SAPOL should never forget that its people are mothers and fathers, daughters and sons, sisters and brothers.  And that imposes a responsibility on SAPOL to provide them with appropriate support and protections.

People have breaking points and, in that regard, police are no different.  In fact, police are more likely to have a “full bucket” given the pressures of police work coupled with the challenges of every-day life.

To better support police, there must first be organizational acknowledgement that it’s okay not to be okay.  And not just the acknowledgement of glossy brochures and posters.

There’s a compelling need to create a culture which genuinely accepts open discussion about mental health and well-being and rejects the notion of stigma and adverse effects on careers.

SAPOL would find immense value in openly acknowledging mental-health problems, and that the right support and commitment won’t end a police career.

The current strategies are simply not working.  Too many police officers have taken their own lives.  Only a culture of openness can prevent the tragic and unnecessary loss of more lives.

The best health and well-being outcomes will result not from silence but rather shining a light on the current-day police environment.  It is folly for SAPOL simply to hope things will get better and hesitate even to acknowledge that suicide is a problem within its workforce.

It might be a difficult subject to discuss but isn’t it one of the most critical ones leaders should undertake?  If someone cared enough to rise up through the ranks, shouldn’t the health and well-being of his or her colleagues be among that officer’s highest priorities?

If the hard conversations are left ignored, it will only be a matter of time before another funeral notice is sent out across SAPOL e-mail.

In the digital world of today, human connection is more important than ever.  Imagine top-quality resident health professionals as part of police workplaces in metro and regional locations, providing regular conversation and support to police.

Imagine such trusted professionals as members of their local police communities, on hand to chat, listen without prejudice, and educate and support members.

SAPOL provides nurses within custodial facilities to look after police detainees, but who’s there on a daily basis to look after police?

Stoicism is a laudable trait but not always the best one with which to create a thriving police culture.  A culture in which members find themselves appreciated and achieve job satisfaction will always deliver more productive, high-quality police services to the community.

Change must start somewhere.

The Police Association continues to pressure SAPOL and government for additional ongoing funding for key health and well-being professionals and services to protect and support police.

If SAPOL doesn’t focus on, and genuinely address, the truth behind the mental health and well-being of police, we’ll always be wondering: “Who’s next to fall?”

And that is no way to live and work.