ABSTRACT
Mental health is an important concern in many occupations, including the policing profession. The literature relating police stress and its effects, on both the individual officer and organisation, clearly reflects the importance of mental health and well-being. Yet this area has been beset with controversy for many years: Is it the nature of policing with its inherent problems and occupational risks, or is it the policing organisation that provides the stressful events that might affect the officer’s mental health. The more extreme outcome of poor mental health policies and practises within a police organisation is suicide (Barron, 2010). These are the issues that form the gist of this chapter.
