When the process becomes the punishment

According to the Police Federation of England and Wales, 12 of the 13 police officer suicides known to the Federation in 2025 involved officers who were under misconduct or criminal investigation. The figures cover England and Wales.

Suicide is never down to one thing. What this pattern shows is a point where people are known to be under strain, and where support could reach them earlier.

Too many officers under investigation face lengthy delays, uncertainty and isolation. Accountability matters, and investigations must also be timely, proportionate and humane. The process should never become the punishment.

If you know a colleague who is under investigation, keep in contact. A message, a call, an invitation to the crew room. Being cut off is part of what makes this period so hard.

Source: Police Federation of England and Wales, January 2026.