The Head of Therapy and Wellness at the 37 Military Hospital, Dr. Erica D. Dickson, has expressed concern over the rising cases of suicide among police officers in Ghana. Citing a study conducted between 2015 and 2021, she revealed that 69 police officers lost their lives through suicide during that period. In a recent study sampling 268 officers, 28% had lifetime suicide ideation, 21.6% had made threats, and 26.9% experienced ideation in the last 12 months.

Speaking at the 2024 World Suicide Prevention Day Forum in Accra, Dr. Dickson noted that while police officers face significant mental health risks, other security services may experience similar trends. She explained that the stressful nature of their work, combined with society’s expectations, exposes them to psychological trauma, increasing the risk of mental health issues, including suicide.

Dr. Dickson called for a change in how mental health is viewed in Ghana, advocating for proactive measures such as community support, advocacy, and prioritizing mental health within the security services. She stressed the importance of breaking cultural and religious stigmas surrounding suicide.

Professor Joseph Osafo, an expert on suicidology, emphasized that decriminalizing suicide is not enough and urged the establishment of a national suicide prevention policy. Dr. John-Deigo Kosoe from the Ghana Police Service added that mental health should be included in police recruitment screenings to identify and address issues early.

Major General R. K. Ewusie of the Ghana Armed Forces called for open discussions about mental health within all security services and the need for robust support systems, including counselling and peer networks, to ensure no personnel feels isolated in their struggles.