Mind mental status of police

Of late, cases of suicide and attacks by police officers on colleagues and family members have increased with no serious remedial action.

The 2014 “Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences” shows high stress levels are the major cause. The findings of the study involving 105 police constables and four officers commanding police station (OCS) from Kisumu County show many of the respondents (37 per cent) were experiencing moderate- to high level of occupational stress—up to 14.3 per cent had low level stress and 11.4 per cent very high levels.

Nairobi University Research Archive show exposure to suicide risk factors like occupational factors surrounding law enforcement—especially workplace stress, frustration and helplessness, poor working environment, traumatic incidences, poor pay and access to firearms—predisposed law enforcement agents to suicide ideation and suicide.

There is an urgent need for new ways to help in reducing suicide cases among police officers.

First, conduct mental health screening and counselling on officers at police stations before going to work and as a way of bringing mental health to the ground. Secondly, the State, working with religious leaders, should launch mental health campaigns in police stations and camps to educate the officers on the importance of sharing their problems.

Thirdly, the State should fully implement housing reforms in order to give police officers the freedom of living among civilians. That will help them to cool off as it enables them to get support systems in the society and better working conditions.

Mr Sifuna is a journalism and communication student at Rongo University. [email protected].