Forensic Focus

Policing’s Well-Being Problem: Stigma, Isolation And The Retention Crisis

Dr Sarah‑Jane Lennie, an organisational psychologist and former police detective, discusses her research on the mental‑health crisis facing UK police officers and their families. She highlights how a culture of emotional masking and stigma drives chronic stress, sleep loss, and vicarious trauma, contributing to a growing retention problem. Her work, funded by the College of Policing, uncovers the isolation of police families, irregular shift patterns, and the lack of dedicated support networks. Lennie argues that without robust, evidence‑based interventions, the wellbeing of officers and their households will continue to deteriorate.