Policing is facing a mental-health emergency, senior representatives warned at this year’s Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) conference, as new evidence suggests the true scale of officer suicides is being severely underestimated.
The PFEW is calling for every force to formally record all suicides and suicide attempts among serving officers.
It says the profession cannot hope to tackle a crisis it cannot properly measure
During an emotional discussion on day two of the annual conference at Birmingham’s NEC, the panel said inconsistent or absent data collection was preventing policing from understanding the depth of the problem.
Recent work between PFEW and its local branches revealed major gaps in force records. Two of the country’s largest forces were unable to provide any figures, yet the Federation still identified 56 police officer suicides between 2021 and 2024.
Of those, 34 officers were under criminal or misconduct investigation at the time.
In the same period, 120 officers disclosed suicidal thoughts or attempts. 71 of them also facing ongoing investigations – suggesting a potential link between lengthy disciplinary processes and declining mental health.
PFEW national board member Paul Williams criticised the system.
“How can a criminal be arrested, tried, sentenced, and released faster than an officer can have a misconduct case resolved?” he said.
“Officers are left isolated, their routine stripped away, often for years. It’s an incredibly lonely place to be.”
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) categorises policing as low-risk for suicide. The panel said this classification was misleading because most forces do not routinely record incidents.
Tip of the iceberg
Board member Richie Murray warned: “It’s the tip of the iceberg.
“If forces aren’t recording the data, we can’t present it, and the service can’t begin to understand or address the true scale of the problem.”
Speakers highlighted intense operational pressures – trauma exposure, staff shortages, relentless workloads. They warned that a misconduct notice can become ‘the final straw’.
Delegates heard the story of Sussex Police Federation representative Sergeant Ben Websdale through a moving video presented by his wife, Michelle.
Hampshire Police Federation chair Spencer Wragg also shared his experience of reaching the brink of suicide.
He told the audience: “Although most of the room would have been to a suicide, we know the implications of that. We know what that means to families, we see that devastation, we deal with it, but it makes no difference to you when you’re in that place.”
Dangerously vulnerable
He said the lack of structured welfare support leaves many officers dangerously vulnerable, even as they continue responding to 999 calls.
PFEW is now pushing for major reforms. These include mandatory risk assessments for any officer placed under investigation, minimum national welfare standards, and the rollout of the Stay Alive suicide-prevention app across all work devices.
A motion has been tabled in the House of Lords to amend the Police and Crime Act, making recording suicide and attempted suicide a legal requirement.
In her keynote speech, PFEW chair Tiff Lynch echoed the urgency. She said: “I wish our branch reps didn’t have to deal with the aftermath of suicides within force, but they do.
“We talk about the job getting more dangerous on our streets. It’s even more dangerous in our heads.
It’s got to stop
“We’ve had too many funerals, too many wakes, too many anniversaries – it’s got to stop.”
Her three calls to action were:
– Record all suicides and attempts
– Commit to prevention through the STEP programme
– Acknowledge and reform the link between misconduct processes and suicide
Tiff confirmed that political support is growing, with Lord Bailey of Paddington tabling an amendment due for debate early next year.
You can watch all conference coverage on the PFEW YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PoliceFederation