NSW POLICE COMMISSIONER ANDREW SCIPIONE’S PUSH TO HONOR OFFICERS WHO TOOK THEIR LIVES

The New South Wales Police Commissioner has revealed a bold plan to include the names of police officers who have taken their own lives on the National Police Memorial in Canberra

By Lorna Knowles

ABC News Australia
November 1, 2016

In an exclusive interview with the ABC, Andrew Scipione said he had put the proposal to a meeting of state and territory police commissioners in Melbourne last week.

Mr Scipione said regardless of whether he gets an agreement, he will "go it alone" and include the names on the NSW Wall of Remembrance at The Domain in Sydney.

But he said he was confident the commissioners would reach an agreement.

Each year, the names of police officers who died while performing their duties are etched in police memorial walls across the country. But the current criteria excludes cases of suicide.

Families of police officers who have taken their lives after being psychologically injured on the job have long campaigned for change.

They point out the Australian Defence Force's policy of honouring soldiers on the Australian War Memorial, that "does not exclude psychological injury".

Janet Hill, who lost her son, Constable Morgan Hill, to suicide in 2009, applauded Mr Scipione for showing leadership on the contentious issue.

Constable Hill developed severe depression and post-traumatic stress disorder after witnessing a series of traumatic incidents on the job. The 26-year-old took his life in 2009.

"Being honoured for being a police officer is not about how you died, what it should be about is how you lived," Mrs Hill said.

Mr Scipione told the ABC it was important to recognise police officers who had died as a result of mental harm they had suffered in the course of their duties.

"My view is that the work we require our officers to do now — and certainly it's becoming more and more intense — causes them to be injured," he said.

"Whether it's injured from jumping a fence, being involved in a motor vehicle accident, being confronted at a crime scene, unfortunately we have had too many officers that have lost their lives.

"The fact is you can be just as damaged psychologically as you can be physically. And so it's only appropriate that we recognise that the type of work that we're requiring our officers to do in support of their communities will cause them from time to time — not all, but some — from being psychologically damaged. And we need to respect that."

Mr Scipione said while the criteria for inclusion on the Police Memorial Wall was part of an inter-governmental agreement, he would introduce the change in NSW, irrespective of whether he could get agreement from other police commissioners.

"Whilst we are part of the national arrangements, I've indicated to my colleagues, the commissioners around the nation, that I intend NSW to — if you like — go it alone," he said.

"We are going to start recognising officers that have suicided, lost their lives, we will be recognising them."

Mr Scipione said, however, that he was confident his interstate counterparts would reach an agreement.

"There is general agreement across the nation that there needs to be a fresh look at this. So I look forward to that discussion continuing," he said.

Mrs Hill, who has been campaigning for "One Wall for All" since 2009, said she had not expected to see this change in her lifetime.

"It's extraordinarily good news and it's quite overwhelming. It goes a long way towards helping many other families in similar situations," Mrs Hill said.

"There are many, many serving officers and retired officers who suffer PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) and various forms of psychological injury and they will be heartened by seeing their colleagues honoured for the service that they gave, not for the way that they died".

'We need to front up to it'

Mr Scipione acknowledged that post traumatic stress disorder was a big problem for police services across the nation.

"It's real, it exists, we need to front up to it," he said.

"We need to make sure we have the resources around those that are suffering from it. Because this is about giving them a road to recovery. This is about having people that are well get well.

"I think it's critical for an organisation like mine that we continue to endeavour to do better."

Mr Scipione said he was keen to break down the stigma attached to mental illness and encouraged any police officer suffering from the symptoms of PTSD to come forward and seek help.

"My heart goes out to those that are suffering. There but for the grace of God goes all of us, because that's the type of work we are involved in.

"So my word of encouragement would be: 'You matter. You count. We care and we want you to come forward and tell us. Do as soon as you possibly can because we want to get you better'."

EDITOR’S NOTE: Great idea!