Klao Bell, Staff Reporter
THE chaplaincy unit of the Jamaica Constabulary Force is concerned about the welfare of policemen who are not coming forward for counselling, after being involved in shootings.
Counselling or "debriefing sessions" are mandatory and should be conducted between the chaplain and policemen within 72 hours of a shooting. But while the police were engaged in 136 shootings in 1999, only 48 debriefing sessions were held.
Figures are not available for the number of debriefing sessions held this year but the police have been engaged in 138 incidents since the start of this year leaving 13 of them dead and 25 injured.
"It is policy that persons who shoot or are shot be referred for psychological debriefing...while some commanders always send their men for counselling others tend not to refer their men unless there is a visible need," said chaplain to the police Rev. Dr. Vivian Panton.
Dr. Panton blamed the strong culture of machismo within the force on the policemen's failure to attend debriefing sessions, a position supported by the lawmen.
"It's a macho thing, a regular thing to feel like you are a tough guy, you don't want it look like you are not handling the job," said Detective Corporal Ricky Bailey of the Duhaney Park Police Station. He doesn't often attend debriefing sessions but will "pull the chaplain aside for a word" when he needs it, he said.
Critical experiences
Dr. Panton explained that shootings are critical experiences which, if not handled properly, can compound stress factors. Psychological debriefing allows the policeman to discuss, share, come to terms with and learn how to get over the trauma of the event.
Ignoring debriefing can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder, which manifests itself in the short run as nervousness or alcohol abuse. But in the long run, life threatening physical conditions such as nervous breakdowns, heart attacks, memory loss and strokes can result.
"Scientific studies show that in any population three per cent is likely to display post-traumatic stress disorder at some point in life, but within the population of law enforcement officers, 18 per cent are likely to experience this disorder," explained Dr. Panton.
Rev. Horace Roberts, chaplain to the police in Area Four, Kingston, said that "the cases are not sufficiently documented but it has been observed that policemen engaged in volatile areas during their service often become victimised by hypertension, strokes and fast deterioration after retirement...debriefing becomes absolutely critical then because these illnesses are stress related."
He said that the men in Area Four, which is the most volatile police district in the country, are very responsive to counselling, adding that "in excess of 50 per cent come in for debriefing."
Deputy Superintendent Steve McGregor, operations officer for Area Four, said, "I ensure that men in my command get counselling, even if they think they are handling it well. The truth is, killing is not something that one should handle well, if you do then you need to be assessed."
