Hume’s Acting Inspector Anthony Brown has welcomed a statewide review into the mental health and wellbeing of Victoria Police staff.
The study will look at how the organisation can best support officers during and after their careers.
It follows a series of suicides involving serving and retired officers.
Hume police will also take part in a separate welfare study being undertaken by Deakin University that will help identify early warning signs of debilitating conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder.
Acting Inspector Brown said police were not immune to the distressing scenes they were frequently exposed to.
‘‘Things like severe car accidents and domestic violence, which they are seeing far too much of … on a daily basis they are placed into these situations,’’ he said.
‘‘As a result, there can be major ramifications for their health.’’
Acting Inspector Brown said while existing welfare networks were solid, Victoria Police was committed to ensuring it was providing the best possible support.
In Hume, local peer support is available 24 hours. The Police Association also offers its own welfare services.
‘‘Our managers are also really welfare oriented and really supportive of staff,’’ Acting Inspector Brown said. ‘‘The last thing we want is anyone going home in a worse condition than what they arrived in and mental health is a big part of that.’’
The review team, including clinical and organisational psychologist Peter Cotton, retired superintendent Peter Bull and healthcare executive Nancy Hogan, will report by the end of January.
Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton said traumatic experiences often had a cumulative effect that could impact officers for the rest of their lives.
