Thousands of vacancies for police officers across Australia are making it harder for police to safeguard the public. From workplace culture, management support and recruitment initiatives, what needs to be done to retain serving officers? Watch Insight episode Thinning Blue Line Tuesday 9 September at 8.30PM on SBS or on SBS On Demand.
In September last year, WA police detective senior constable Greg McDougall pulled over a known drug dealer to search his car.
While he was trying to remove the keys from the ignition, the driver sped off. Greg was dragged several metres before falling under the car and being run over.
He suffered critical injuries including a punctured lung, lacerated liver, 18 broken ribs and a broken ankle. His arm was also broken in two places.
"My arm is still numb ... I still can't feel my knee down to my ankle," Greg told Insight.
The incident has made him re-evaluate his life.
"Before the accident, I don't know if I had my priorities wrong or not, but I used to always put the job first because I loved it."
Greg in hospital after the incident. Source: Supplied
'I was handcuffed to a desk'
Mel Cooper joined NSW Police when she was 19 years old. She was in the force for three decades and was a senior sergeant before resigning with mental health issues.
She says that she experienced a toxic workplace culture at times — including an incident early in her career while she was the only female officer on one night shift.
"I was handcuffed to a desk in the muster room of the police station ... They thought it would be funny ... I was preyed upon," Mel told Insight.
"My shirt was actually ripped open. I had men gyrating in my face when that happened."
This incident occured in 1994 when Mel was 19 years old. Source: Supplied
"[She] took me upstairs and got me a new shirt and cleaned me up. Gave me a hug."
Mel did not report this incident due to fear of potential repercussions on her career progression.
Police force vacancy rates in Australia
Police forces across the country are calling for new recruits to stem the tide of experienced police leaving.
The NSW Police Force has a vacancy rate of 11 per cent — the highest across Australia's states and territories. Queensland has a vacancy rate of 7 per cent while Victoria reports 6 per cent.
"That's a significant number of police officers that we haven't got on the street," NSW Police assistant commissioner Brett Greentree, Commander People and Capability, told Insight.
Some of the initiatives introduced by NSW Police to drive recruitment include paying recruits to train at its academy, award amendments, being a cop in your hometown, regional recruitment incentives, and the introduction of a Healthy, Safety and Wellbeing Command — aiming to look after police officers' mental and physical health.
"I'm really optimistic about the future in terms of some green shoots that we see in the recruiting space, in particular. Retention is a whole other story," Greentree said.
Source: SBS
Joining the force at 52
"I started the recruitment process, and started at the academy, when I was 51. And I graduated just shy of 52," Tasmania Police constable Jayne told Insight.
Having worked in marketing and real estate, Jayne regretted not having formal qualifications when considering a career change.
"I looked down the line of doing teaching or nursing but needed to do a full degree for that. I would have been 55 or so by the time I graduated and actually started work. And would have had a HECS debt.
Jayne then turned to the Tasmania Police and trained (with pay) for 28 weeks; training she says this equates to two-thirds of an associate degree.
Jayne joined the police force recently at the age of 52. Source: SBS
"I'm hoping to be around [in Tasmania Police] for another ten years," she said.
"I just feel I have to put faith back into myself and just know that I'm going to do the best that I can do. And I want to give as much as I can give. And I'm still willing to learn everything that I can."
Traumatic experiences on the job
While some members of the public may only face a handful of traumatic events in their lifetime, police can encounter hundreds of traumatic experiences throughout a decades-long career.
Peter McGee, senior vice president of the WA Police Union, said that when 1,500 of their 7,000-odd members responded to an internal survey on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), more than a third of them reported some form of the mental health condition.
Peter said that 25 per cent of the officers who reported having PTSD were at a critical level and needed serious help. He says these were active police officers and not those who were "medically retiring or long-term sick".
Peter says he "can't see anybody doing this job for more than five or 10 years" without witnessing a number of traumatic experiences.
"I lost count of the number of corpses I've seen ... [traumatic instances are] going to have a cumulative effect on officers."
NSW Police assistant commissioner Brett Greentree says there is an onus on the organisation to provide support to its officers. Source: SBS
"We have an onus and obligation as an organisation to do whatever we can in that space because it's a really hard, challenging job," he said.
"And there's no surprises psychological issues are the number one issue in terms of people separating from our organisation."
He said job security, good pay, meaningful work and connection to community are some of the key components of one's employee value proposition in the NSW Police Force.
"If we get that right — forever working on it — I think that goes a long way to not only attracting, but also retaining as well."
'I'm still grieving the loss of my career'
Mel continued to work in the police force for almost 30 years. She says she loved her job and still loves the police.
But Mel says she wasn't adequately supported by management throughout her career.
"I worry that if you put your hand up — the second you identify that you're struggling in any way, shape or form, or you have any issues – you become a liability," she said.
She fears that there's an anxiety that people hide their struggles due to fear of being passed up for a promotion.
"If you put your hand up and you ask for help, you're not a liability. You're actually proactively making sure you can sustain your career for a lot longer.
"I never wanted to leave. And really, I'm still grieving the loss of my career."
Mel Cooper recently left the police force after almost three decades of service. Source: SBS
'You do have a second thought'
Greg has recently returned to work — two days a week — after almost being killed in the line of duty last year.
Before joining the police, Greg drove trucks and chemical tankers to and from mines in Western Australia.
"Driving trucks or tankers ... that's not so much pressure ...
"You don't think about it ... when you go home about what you could have done or should have done."
After 18 years, policing still has a hold on Greg. It's hard to walk away from a lifetime dream.
"I still enjoy the job, I do. But I know that it's dangerous at times. I think sometimes you're a bit naïve when you first join. You think no, it won't happen to me.
"But until something does happen ... you do have a second thought about why you did it."
Readers seeking support can contact Lifeline crisis support on 13 11 14, Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467. More information is available at beyondblue.org.au and lifeline.org.au.
For further information about PTSD contact the SANE Australia Helpline 1800 18 SANE (7263) www.sane.org or talk to a medical professional or someone you trust.
And for more stories on sex, relationships, health, wealth, grief and more, head to Insightful — an SBS podcast series hosted by Kumi Taguchi. Follow us on the SBS Audio App, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
