Inspector-General of Punjab Police (IGP) Inam Ghani has decided to conduct psychological profiling and drug testing of police personnel and avoid offering assignments to those who are mentally disturbed.

According to the report, the decision was taken at a recent meeting chaired by Inspector General of Punjab Police (IGP) Inam Ghani, which was attended by regional, city and district police officers.

Regional Police Officer (RPO) Rawalpindi Division Amir Ahmar, CPO Rawalpindi and DPOs of Attock, Jhelum and Chakwal also attended the meeting.

One of the participants said that the police job is very stressful and can lead to mental health problems.

He said that recent incidents of the suicide of police personnel have come to light so the mental health of the personnel has to be monitored.

He said that mental health problems of police personnel could be due to job pressures, social and economic problems and drug use.

The police official said that in addition to psychological tests for mentally disturbed personnel, drug tests would also be conducted.

Another senior police officer with extensive training experience revealed that mental health has become a major issue in the police department that needs to be examined, especially for senior officers who are themselves, victims.

“Every time they are deployed, their mental health and competence should be checked. The police work under pressure. Senior police officials have to make big decisions after taking into account the problems of their subordinates,” he said.

He said low-ranking officers needed treatment because they worked harder, faced job pressures and sleep deprivation, and sometimes family problems, but could not be reached by any senior police officer. Doesn’t consider personal worries that cause them mental illness.

Every police officer has to play a leading role so he has to look after the worries of his subordinates.

The officer also suggested conducting permanent capacity building courses for police personnel on a regular basis and monitoring changes in the attitude of senior police officers.

It should be noted that similar exercises were carried out in 2014 after the killing of former Punjab Governor Salman Taseer in Islamabad by a bodyguard in Rawalpindi and the killing of two brothers by a bodyguard squad in June 2015.

Earlier in 2014, the then IGP had hired seven female psychologists to assess the attitudes of police officers.

However, the exercise did not help senior police officers change their attitude towards their subordinates and the public.

In the latest move, Inam Ghani has directed the divisional police chiefs to ensure regular psychological profiling of their subordinates and refer cases of those declared medically incompetent to the medical board.