Stressed cops need counselling, evaluation

Irregular duty hours, high risk, exposure to trauma imperil mental health

LAHORE:

Before proceeding to build an argument regarding the utmost need of introducing psychotherapy and counseling for the police, let us go through four news reports of the past four years.

A handout issued by the Punjab Police public relations director on October 17, 2019, read, “On the direction of Inspector General of Police Punjab Captain (retd) Arif Nawaz Khan, psychology test and profiling of Punjab Police officials have been started. Under the supervision of Battalion Commander Mufakhar Adeel and with the cooperation of psychology department of Government College University Lahore a seminar titled 'Anger Management' was held for profiling and counseling of the officials who are performing their duties at sensitive places, offices and with high profile persons."

After the seminar, a psychological session was conducted to observe the positive and negative behaviour of more than 100 officials and to ensure their psychological training. On the occasion, psychiatrist Professor Salma Hassan along with Dr Rabia conducted tests of police officials and gave them guidelines. The second news is of February 2020 about Abbass Line SSP Mufakhar Adeel having gone missing.

Investigations revealed that the official had murdered his childhood friend before dissolving his body in an drum full of acid and dumping it into a drain. A year later, in May 2021, disturbing images of a police constable who had taken his own life by hanging himself with a tree in the same police lines surfaced.

It transpired that the deceased was frustrated over his suspension from service for remaining absent for four days. He salary had been withheld as punishment.

Last week, another visual came forth from the same police lines, showing a constable having taken his colleagues hostage at gunpoint. Constable Muhammad Farooq had reportedly closed the main gate of the premises before climbing a atop a water tank.

He refused to come down until his leave application was approved. A Punjab Police spokesperson said Farooq had been suffering from depression. The incidents from one police establishment may not just be isolated instances.

They ostensibly indicate poor mental health conditions prevalent among the personnel of the force.

The Professor of Epidemiology and Environmental Health of University of Buffalo, John M Violanti, who had himself served as a trooper in New York State Police for 23 years, co-authored a research report in 2012, showing that police officers are more likely to suffer from chronic diseases and suicidal tendencies as compared to the general populace.

Though a study is not available about the situation in Pakistan, it is common among policemen in the country to show signs of stress.

Unfortunate incidents of suicide during duty have also been reported in addition to obesity, hypertension, irritation, anxiety and depression.

Professor Violanti attributed these tendencies to the pressure of high performance in events arising suddenly along with exposure to stressful environment like dealing with traumatic cases frequently.

The job of policing involves working in shifts and for unspecified hours, interaction with people affected by trauma, public and media bashing, and high risk of injury and to life.

Some researches have concluded that those working in shifts suffer from higher stress levels than those engaged in daytime work.

An SHO recently commented during a conversation in his office, “Right now, I feel like waiting for someone I could beat up brutally."

Published in The Express Tribune, March 20^th, 2022.