Police chiefs have warned that the police force is facing a mental health crisis. New figures show more than three-quarters of officers had difficulties with their mental health in the last year.

Professor John Harrison is Chief Medical Officer for Devon and Cornwall police, strategic health and wellbeing lead for the Alliance with Dorset Police and Senior Medical Advisor to the National Police Wellbeing Service.

He has held positions as a Director of NHS Plus, advisor to the Health and Work team of the Department of Health and has been an occupational health advisor to the Professional Support Unit of the former London Deanery. He is an Associate Professor at Brunel University in clinical organisational development and is the former Head of the National School for Occupational Health of England and Wales.

In this session from the Emergency Services Wellbeing Conference 2021, Professor Harrison discussed the causes and impact of trauma in the police. They also shared the services offered by Devon and Cornwall Police to support the mental wellbeing of their police officers.

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New figures show more than three-quarters of police officers had difficulties in the last year with their mental health. Professor John Harrison from Devon and Cornwall Police discussed how trauma affects police officers, and the services that his force provide to support officers through trauma.

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