XN000022-1996-01-31 — Page 49

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Reply:

(b)

(c)

(d)

Mr President,

(a)

what measures the Police Force will take to prevent the occurrence of similar incidents;

how many cases requiring counselling are handled by the two clinical psychologists in the Police Force daily; and whether, given that in non- urgent cases police officers requiring counselling have to wait for at least one to two weeks before they are seen by the clinical psychologists, the Government will consider increasing the establishment of clinical psychologists in order to increase the counselling service; and

whether, in view of the concern among some officers that promotion prospects of those who have received counselling may be jeopardised if their counselling records are passed to the Force management, the Police Force will ensure that such records will not be taken into consideration in the assessment for promotion process?

The figures for the past three years are as follows:

1993

1994

1995

(i)

Officers committed suicide

1

2

5

(ii)

Officers attempted

6

4

00

8

to commit suicide

(b)

(It should be noted that the number of officers committing suicide in 1994 should be 2 instead of 3 as stated in the question.) Honourable Members may also wish to note that the Police suicide rate is broadly comparable to that of the rest of the community. For example, the mean annual suicide rate of police officers in the past six years is 14 per 100,000. compared to 11 to 14 per 100,000 for the rest of the community.

The Force Management has always recognised that police service is a stressful occupation. Accordingly, the Force has taken proactive measures to equip and support police officers to cope with stress. These include: