Chair of Hampshire Police Federation calls for backing on suicide prevention campaign
The Chair of Hampshire Police Federation wants Chief Constables to back the campaign to "help drive real change"
Last updated 12th Dec 2025
The Chair of Hampshire Police Federation is calling for backing from Chief Constables on the Suicide Trauma Education Prevention campaign.
The STEP campaign, running since March, aims to raise awareness of the rising numbers of police officers who die by suicide.
The campaign has now been backed by the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) and Unison, but Spencer said the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) needed to commit to the campaign.
He said: "We can’t have people just pay lip service to this and say that it’s terrible and we must do something about it – but then nothing actually happens.
"We can put up a Thin Blue Line flag, we can say all those words, but it doesn't actually change anything or make it any easier for the people who are suffering across the country.
“If there were 10 officers this year run over by police vehicles, the Government and Chief Officers would be doing something about it. But we just don’t see that around suicide.
"Now is the time for chief officers to step up and implement things in their own forces in order to try to prevent these tragedies.
"We know we won't prevent all of them, but there must be at least one or two that we can stop.”
Mr Wragg is encouraging police officers as well as members of the public to download the Stay Alive app, developed by the Grassroots Suicide Prevention charity.
The STEP campaign say they've already got 8,000 Hampshire and Thames Valley police officers to download the app.
Mr Wragg said: “The charity has said the app has been downloaded almost a million times across the country.
"If policing got on board, we would push it over the million mark, which would be a huge feat for suicide prevention, but also a big statement for policing that it is taking suicide seriously.
“There's always nervousness in policing around IT and data protection, but all those hurdles have been dealt with, all that red tape has been removed.
"It is already on Thames Valley and Hampshire police phones and the charity has met the requirements for the Apple iStore and Google Play.
“It’s out there in society, so why wouldn't we put it in policing to try to support officers and staff?
"All we need is forces to download it onto their own mobile devices. And don't forget, it will cost them nothing.”
In recent months, both PFEW and Unison have got on board with the STEP campaign, which Spencer hopes will make a real difference.
He said: “It's so important, because we started the campaign as a local Federation branch, and now two of the biggest national organisations in policing have recognised STEP.
"That is something that can make a difference.
"But we need more than the endorsement; we need people to actually take some action, chief officers to be persuaded to download this app, people to talk in forces about suicide and destigmatise it, and endorse trauma debrief sessions in their forces.
"It's all very well to sign up to a campaign, but you've actually got to do something alongside it as well.”
Spencer hopes the NPCC will take the cause on and drive it forward at a chief officer level.
He added: “The message needs to be spread wider among chief officers, it needs national coordination.
"We still don't have national recording of police suicides, and that's another thing chief officers can take responsibility for, even if they only implement it in their own force.
"PFEW is taking this to government and the home office but forces could take a lead on this immediately and lead the way.
“Sadly, we know that in 2026 we are likely to see more deaths across policing.
"It’s shocking that we have to say: ‘We're guessing how many officers and staff have taken their lives this year, we're not sure that's 100% accurate’.
“We also don’t know how many officers are struggling today, who might have made a suicide attempt or considered it; they're the ones who are most at risk.”
The NPCC have issued a response.
It says: "Policing is a rewarding but demanding profession, often linked to high stress, fatigue, and trauma exposure.
"These pressures, combined with personal challenges, can impact mental health and, in some cases, lead to crisis.
"Every suicide is a tragic loss, and we urgently need better data and research to understand the drivers and prevent future tragedies.
"Under the National Police Wellbeing Service (Oscar Kilo), we’re committed to raising standards and prioritising mental health support.
"One of our most significant steps is the launch of the Mental Health Crisis Line – an independent, confidential service available 24/7/365 to anyone working in policing across England and Wales.
"Staff can speak directly to qualified counsellors trained in suicide prevention and experienced in supporting emergency service workers. This line has already saved lives.
"Our approach is about prevention, not just response.
"Anonymous data from the Crisis Line will help us identify trends and develop targeted interventions.
"Alongside this, we're doing work in a number of specific areas and offer resources, including:
- Suicide prevention and postvention support for forces.
- Peer Debriefing Model for teams after traumatic incidents.
- Supervisor Support Model to help managers spot and respond to mental ill-health.
- Toolkits, podcasts, webinars, and guidance for resilience and recovery.
- Dedicated support for families and leavers.
"We know there’s more to do: reducing stigma, improving data, and driving cultural change.
"But every step we take brings us closer to saving lives and supporting our people when they need it most."
The NPCC's crisis line can be contacted by calling 0300 131 2789.
We've reached out to Hampshire and Isle of Wight police for a response.
If you are struggling with your mental health, you can reach the Samaritans by calling 116 123.