750 Police Too Sick To Work

Sun Herald

Sunday February 11, 2001

CANDACE SUTTON

THE NSW Police Service is in crisis, with 750 mostly senior officers on long-term sick leave and the force unable to hire new officers to fill the gap.

The service is paying $3.5 million a month for some of the State's most experienced officers who are on the books, but unable to be on the streets because of mental or physical fitness injury incurred on duty.

The Police Service's own human resources chief has admitted the ``brain drain" has left a predominantly young force.

And Police Commissioner Peter Ryan has conceded there is a dearth of experienced police to guide junior officers.

NSW Police Association president Ian Ball said the crisis was ``demonstrative of an organisation which has not looked after the welfare needs of its members".

``It's an absolute scandal that this many police are on the long-term sick list," he said.

``The vast majority of these 750 officers have well in excess of 20 years' service.

``Policing is making people very sick. Police officers face that much scrutiny internally and externally and the anxiety that is accompanied by some of this scrutiny has an extreme effect."

Mr Ball said the union was negotiating with Mr Ryan and the Government to introduce an early retirement scheme, with full superannuation benefits, in the new police pay package.

``This would be good for everyone, the service, the police officers, the Government and the public," he said. The commissioner has spoken of the difficulties of older people being locked into confronting policing situations because of the superannuation arrangement (under which officers may take early retirement at the age of 55).

The Police Service human resources executive director Edwin Chadbourne described the long-term sick leave situation as a ``major problem".

``We have been watching this very closely over the last 12 months and have been working exceptionally hard on developing a number of initiatives to address the issue," Dr Chadbourne said.

The initiatives include the outsourcing of welfare services, which will allow for 24-hour access to counselling for officers and their families.

A decision on the tender, which recently drew 22 applications, is expected soon and could make round-the-clock counselling available from May 1.

Rehabilitation staff numbers are to increase from seven to 15 officers, while improved trauma training is to be introduced for all recruits.