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
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
WHO likely to issue wider alert on contaminated cough syrup
The World Health Organization is likely to issue a wider warning about contaminated Johnson and Johnson-made children's cough syrup found in Nigeria last week, it said in an email.
WATCH Video shows dramatic police takedown of carjacking suspects chased through parking lot north of Toronto
Police have released video footage of a dramatic takedown of a group of teens wanted in connection with an attempted carjacking in Markham earlier this month.
Canada, G7 urge 'all parties' to de-escalate in growing Mideast conflict
Canada called for 'all parties' to de-escalate rising tensions in the Mideast following an apparent Israeli drone attack against Iran overnight.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
After COVID, WHO defines disease spread 'through air'
The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time on what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.