Victoria police seek in-house psychologist, occupational health nurse to support officers' mental health
The Victoria Police Department says it's hoping to improve supports for its officers by adding an in-house psychologist and occupational health nurse to its team.
Police Chief Del Manak says officers are increasingly exposed to traumatic incidents and that the job has grown "more challenging" over the years.
"There's no doubt about it, the stress and the trauma that officers are experiencing out on the road is quite significant, and it's not going away," he told CTV News on Monday.
"It can be extremely draining and extremely exhausting to be helping people day in and day out and being exposed to the levels of trauma that our officers and staff are exposed to," he said.
The police department is now looking to hire an in-house psychologist, who would connect officers with relevant supports and accompany police in the field.
By joining officers on calls, the psychologist can see what frontline policing entails and recommend services and supports that would best suit officers' needs, according to Manak.
The police department also hopes that having an in-house psychologist will allow staff to develop a more trusting relationship with them, and know that help is readily available.
Manak says policing culture has previously dismissed mental health issues as a "sign of weakness."
"[The psychologist] allows us to normalize the conversation to say it's OK to seek professional help," he said.
Meanwhile, adding an occupational health nurse to the police department will allow off duty officers to better understand what resources are available to them if they are removing from work stress exposures, like PTSD.
"It's really important that we invest in our people and [that they] are healthy – healthy to go to their families, healthy so they can maintain positive outlooks when they come to work," said Manak.
The new positions are estimated to be up and running in early 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Why drivers in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada will see a gas price spike, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
It's the biggest election in history. Here's why few Indians in Canada will take part
In the Indian general election that gets underway on Friday, almost a billion people are eligible to vote, but a vast majority of the overseas Indian community in Canada won't be casting a ballot.
McDonald's customers left with 'zero value' collection of free hot drink stickers after company ends program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Juror dismissed in Trump hush money trial as prosecutors ask for former president to face contempt
Prosecutors in the hush money trial of Donald Trump asked Thursday for the former president to be held in contempt and fined because of seven social media posts that they said violated a judge's gag order barring him from attacking witnesses.
Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
Biden scores endorsements from Kennedy family, looking to shore up support against Trump and RFK Jr.
U.S. President Joe Biden will accept endorsements from at least 15 members of the Kennedy political family during a campaign stop in Philadelphia on Thursday as he aims to undermine Donald Trump and marginalize the candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.