The South African Police Service (SAPS) says the mental health of its officers remains a key priority, as the country continues to face a shortage of policing personnel.
Current statistics show that there is one police officer for every 400 people in South Africa — nearly double the ratio recommended by the United Nations.
SAPS spokesperson Athlenda Mathe says systems have been put in place to support officers’ wellbeing.
“The SAPS takes the mental health of its members seriously. Counselling and debriefing are available to members 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The SAPS Employee Health and Wellness follows an integrated approach, utilising psychology professionals, social workers, chaplains and medical administration practitioners to provide support and assistance to employees of SAPS,” says Mathe.
She adds that ongoing proactive programmes are provided to help prevent mental health issues. “Examples of these include Choose Life, which is a suicide prevention program focusing on suicide.”
VIDEO | SAPS focus on mental health challenges:
