BHUBANESWAR: Commissionerate Police in collaboration with Indian Psychiatric Society on Thursday launched ‘me Help’ (Mental Health and Life Skills) programme to enhance the expertise of cops and ensure their mental well-being.
As part of the programme, which was inaugurated on the occasion of World Mental Health Day, senior officers will create videos in Odia language and create awareness among the personnel in police stations on how to deal with complainants in emotional distress.
A senior officer said in many instances, people facing devastating personal loss like a loved one dying by suicide have to visit police stations. Besides, there have been incidents in the past when complainants were found to be in an inebriated state and their behaviour combative. However, it is the duty of cops to look into the grievances of every citizen visiting police stations. In a bid to develop a better know-how among police personnel about the steps to be taken while dealing with emotionally-charged complainants, different videos will be created and shared with them, he said.
Apart from creating videos, ‘me Help’ programme will focus on the mental well-being of police. Both female and male cops will be provided counselling at least thrice a week at the Commissionerate Police Headquarters here considering their strenuous duties everyday.
“An expert of Indian Psychiatric Society (Odisha branch) will conduct the sessions and address the mental health issues, if any, of the cops. Inspectors of police stations will be instructed to send cops having behavioural changes to attend the counselling,” said additional CP Umashankar Dash.
The counsellors will also be apprised about police officers who have assigned the investigation of sensitive cases like murder, suicide, serious accidents and others. They will contact the officers a day after their visit to the spot of occurrence to find out about their mental health condition and if needed, provide them assistance, he said.
During the counselling sessions, a cop from every police station will be prepared as a master trainer. He/she will later impart training on mental health to their colleagues in police stations.
Sources said ‘me Help’ programme has been launched on a pilot basis for trauma debriefing of cops and to provide on-call emergency counselling as well as proactive intervention measures to keep them free from mental illness.