The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) recently held a stress management symposium, which has been hailed as a success.
In association with the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, the group of worldwide police officers discussed ways to reduce the amount of mental health issues that constables have to face.
The number of law enforcement officials who last year committed suicide was double that of traffic accidents and is higher than the general population.
Some 40 pre-selected invitees spoke on a number of subjects and it is thought police chiefs learned a lot from their time at the conference, which took place in Alexandria, Virginia.
Speakers included Tony West, associate attorney general of the US; Eddie Reyes, deputy chief of Alexandria Police Department; Dr John Violanti, a professor from the University of Buffalo and Katherine Deal, deputy secretary of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention.
The main conclusion reached at the summit was that officers need to be given the ability to talk about some of the more disturbing things they see on duty before they turn into long-term issues, which can lead toabsenteeism or suicide.
