• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Eighteen police personnel who experienced stressful or traumatic incidents in the line of duty or during the conduct of police operations, participated in a stress debriefing session on Wednesday at Camp Alfredo Montelibano Sr. in Bacolod City.
The stress debriefing session, according to the PNP, is a structured process that helps individuals process and cope with traumatic or stressful events.
PMaj. Junette Canete, Regional Medical and Dental Unit (RMDU) 6 chief, said by providing stress debriefing, PNP personnel can better manage the emotional demands of their job, leading to improved mental health, well-being, and job performance.
This early psychological intervention is a proactive measure to address signs of acute stress, emotional fatigue, or trauma, which, if left unaddressed, may develop into more serious mental health conditions such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorders, or depression, Canete further said.
The participants are members of the Ilog, Toboso, Hinigaran, Don Salvador Benedicto, Cauayan, Candoni, Binalbagan municipal police stations, as well as Cadiz City, Kabankalan, and San Carlos City Police Stations.
Among those were a policeman who was recently involved in a shooting incident in Ilog, where he shot a suspect in an act of self-defense, while he and a colleague responded to a shooting incident in the town.
Stress debriefing, according to Canete, helps reduce the risk of long-term psychological trauma by providing a safe space to process intense emotions after exposure to distressing events such as police operations and violent encounters.
In a statement, PBrig. Gen. Arnold Thomas Ibay, PRO-NIR regional director, expressed his strong commitment to prioritizing the mental and psychological well-being of personnel.
“We recognize that our men and women in uniform are constantly exposed to high-risk and emotionally demanding situations. It is our responsibility to ensure that they are not only physically equipped but also mentally and emotionally prepared,” Ibay said.
Recognizing that the challenges faced by law enforcement personnel extend beyond physical risks, PRO NIR continuously strives to create a culture where psychological well-being is prioritized alongside operational readiness, he added.*
