Trauma and Police Work - Peer Support

Professionals can deliver therapeutic services to traumatised individuals, however, peers like you can also be of valuable help.

Traumatised people can become quite sensitive, suspicious and worrying. They need constant support and concern in order to survive the trauma.

If you have been traumatised in the same incident and want to help yourself and your peers, you can:

1) Express your feelings and worries;

2) Share your methods of coping; and,

3) Keep in regular contact so you can develop good mutual support.

If you are not exposed to the trauma but want to do something, you can show your concern by:

1) Encouraging your co-workers who are affected to talk about their feelings and worries;

2) Validate their feelings and efforts during the incident, and provide them with support;

3) Make arrangements to relieve them if they need a break;

4) Encourage them to attend Critical Incident Stress Debriefing; and,

5) Monitor any signs and symptoms they may show after a traumatic incident.

If these continue after a few weeks, you might want to consider referring them to professional services such as the Psychological Services Group, medical doctors or other mental health professionals.

You are also strongly advised to note the following points when interacting with traumatised co-workers. Please avoid:

1) Neglecting or invalidating their feelings and worries regarding the trauma;

2) Blaming them for their actions or decisions, which might lead to guilt and shame;

3) Imposing your own values (e.g. "traumas are only for the inadequate people, not police"; and,

4) Isolating them or making them feel left out.

Traumas can hardly be predicted and they can impact anyone. Their effects are not easy for a person to fight on their own.

However, with your care and concern, though it may only be minimal, they can make a big step forward on the road of recovery.

Seek advice and help from the Psychological Services Group: PHQ, Hong Kong Island and Marine: 2866-6206 (5/F, 111 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay);

And in Kowloon and the New Territories: 2735-3739 (22/F, Ocean Building, 80 Shanghai Street, Kowloon).





<< Back to Index >>