SA Police officers fear seeking mental health help, government report finds

Damning claims have emerged over counsellors being pressured to use a SA police officer’s mental health session to gather ammunition for “disciplinary allegations”.

SAPOL commissioner Grant Stevens. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

Damning claims over counsellors being pressured to use a South Australian police officer’s mental health session to gather ammunition for “disciplinary allegations” must be investigated, according to a parliamentary report.

The report also called for another serious allegation over a senior SA police officer wrongfully accessing medical records to manage a “psychiatrically injured” officer’s case and decide if the employee was “fit for duty” to be examined.

A year-long parliamentary inquiry found the “most critical matter of concern” was police officers claimed they were too scared to access mental health help as they feared personal information would be passed onto their managers.

One officer said “they are never, ever going to tell the truth about how they are feeling” with the inquiry finding there were widespread worry they would lose their operational jobs.

Numerous submissions to the Select Committee on Support and Mental Health Services for Police said it was “established practice among some officers to conceal mental health issues”.

In the wake of this week’s emotional impact statements from police colleagues of shooting victim Brevet Sergeant Jason Doig, State Opposition police spokesman Jack Batty called for urgent action on the report’s 30 recommendations tabled in April.

Jason Christopher Doig. Picture: Supplied

The inquiry heard about SA police officers facing ongoing traumatic scenes. Picture: Keryn Stevens

“It’s heartbreaking that our police officers don’t seek the support they need, because they don’t trust the system,” Mr Batty said.

“There is a fundamental flaw in the system if individuals don’t feel completely comfortable coming forward to seek help. Labor can’t keep ignoring the recommendations of the parliamentary committee.”

SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens told the committee that there was no evidence mental health sessions were not “completely confidential”.

He found one SA police (SAPOL) employees’ medical records were accessed once during a Police Disciplinary Tribunal, at the request of the employee’s lawyer.

But the committee found the allegations were so “serious” they still warranted further investigation.

The committee received 54 submissions including one that claimed a police officer who died by suicide in the Port Adelaide Police Station in January 2024 was the “subject of bullying by senior officers”.

SAPOL commissioner Grant Stevens told the committee that there was no evidence mental health sessions were not “completely confidential”. Pic Roy VanDerVegt

“Despite complaints to SAPOL senior management, it was suggested that little support was offered,” the report said.

Colleagues of the officer who died had to “attend the officer’s funeral in their own time” adding to mental health concerns and it was “business as usual” at the Port Adelaide police station the day after the suicide, the committee was told.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens told the committee that in March 2024 there had been eight SAPOL employees who had died by suicide since 2017, with two happening on police sites and involving a police firearm.

A vast range of stakeholder submissions outlined the trauma experienced by frontline officers and gave suggestions for better support.

It led to recommendations to lift the existing cap of six counselling sessions over two years offered to the most trauma impacted police officers and the criteria for access to sessions expanded.

Some officers told how they never had been offered a “debrief” after harrowing call outs and the committee heard “motor vehicle accidents involving deaths are not classified as critical incidents”.

Some officers told how they never had been offered a “debrief” after harrowing call outs. Picture: Brett Hartwig.

The committee also recommended far better wellbeing follow ups with retired police officers and to explore appointing a liaison officer for families.

Ray Sparrow left the SA police force in 2016 on mental health grounds but said he received “virtually no contact from SAPOL” and was forced to stop receiving psychiatric or psychosocial help because it was too expensive.

Psychiatrist Dr Nick Ford from Closing the Gaps: The Trauma Group said more specialist post traumatic stress training was needed for those treating police.

He cited Beyond Blue data that suggested 10 per cent of serving police “carry a diagnosis of PTSD” and 20 per cent of psychological distress.

A police spokesperson said SAPOL was considering the inquiry recommendations.

In relation to the Port Adelaide Station suicide incident staff from the “Employee Assistance Section” were sent to the station and provided “brief intervention counselling”, the spokesperson said.

Support included “encouraging staff to check in with colleagues and asking RUOK? And promoting the network of health and wellbeing officers across SAPOL training in mental health first aid and peer support”.

Police Minister Stephen Mullighan is on annual leave and a spokesperson said the State Government also was considering the report recommendations.

Originally published as SA Police officers fear seeking mental health help, government report finds