Police Mental Health Support Under Spotlight in Fiji

The mental wellbeing of police officers is coming under increased focus, with concerns raised about the emotional and psychological pressures faced by those on the frontline. This issue was highlighted during a recent discussion on human trafficking, where participants stressed the importance of ensuring officers have adequate support while carrying out their demanding duties.

A recent study involving police officers brought to light concerns surrounding stress, trauma, and other mental health challenges directly linked to the demands of policing. A key point raised during the discussion questioned whether internal challenges within the police force could potentially affect officers' wellbeing and their overall effectiveness.

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I believe that all of the officers have been advised; even the psychologist unit is there, and a whole welfare team is there. As soon as one officer is registered, then they’ll monitor that officer’s performance, how they are performing and what they’re facing. These are all things done by the welfare unit and psychologist team.

Despite the existence of a Force's wellbeing policy, it was noted that a significant portion of it has not been prioritized. Criminal Investigations Department Director Trafficking, Naveen Sami, stated that the Fiji Police Force has systems in place to support officers experiencing emotional and psychological difficulties. These include a psychologist unit and a dedicated welfare team that monitors officers' performance and challenges.

However, a persistent challenge is encouraging officers to seek help, as some may fear judgment or being perceived as unable to handle the job's pressures. Sami believes the dedicated unit is addressing these ongoing emotional struggles. He further emphasized that continued awareness and support initiatives are being explored to ensure officers can access assistance while continuing their responsibilities to the community.

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I believe that unit is addressing those issues that officers continue to emotionally suffer from, so we do have a dedicated unit that looks into that.