Trends in absences owing to psychological illnesses in ‘frontline’ and ‘response’ officers in England and Wales

In recent years, the psychological impact associated with 'being a police officer' has been brought into sharp focus. However, little has been reported on absences due to psychological illness, specifically in functions more frequently exposed to Potentially Traumatic Events (PTEs). This paper presents data collected from 23 territorial Forces in England and Wales covering 2019–2023 on 'Frontline' and 'Response' officer absence(s) attributed to psychological illness(es). The findings show overall rates of increase in the mean (40%), minimum (450%), and maximum (46%) rates of officer absence owing to psychological illnesses – at least double that of sickness absences. This paper also reports on Occupational Health Referrals (OHR) with one Force reporting a 247% rate of increase in referrals for 'Response' officers due to psychological illness. The paper concludes by emphasising the urgent need for attention and exploration into the causes of increased psychological illness before officer absences become unsustainable.