A consistent finding in policing research is that investigators report some of the lowest levels of wellbeing, highest levels of emotional fatigue, and elevated risks of vicarious trauma compared with other policing roles (Police Federation, 2020).
This week’s Wellbeing of Investigators Week of Action provides both a moment for reflection and an opportunity to examine the organisational, cultural and emotional pressures experienced by investigators across policing. Coordinated by the National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) Recruitment, Retention and Wellbeing of Investigators Portfolio, the week has brought together leaders, investigators and academics to explore challenges that have long been acknowledged, yet persistently under-addressed.
Supported by the updated Investigator Wellbeing Toolkit, the work of the Investigator Wellbeing Group is vital to build on decades of awareness and ensure that improvements are made at the pace needed.
Understanding the Demands and the Costs
As a career investigator, I have experienced the full spectrum of investigative pressures from volume and priority crime up to PIP3 Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) and PIP4 Strategic Investigator. Much of my career centred on major and complex investigations, including leading homicide and national high-profile investigations into child sexual exploitation and organised crime. These were testing environments but also hugely rewarding.
These roles shaped me professionally, but they also came with significant personal impact. Like many investigators, I missed family birthdays, school events and milestones. Long deployments away from home were not uncommon. Such sacrifices that come with ‘the job’, are rarely acknowledged, yet they intensify emotional burdens that investigators accumulate over time.
Academic research consistently shows the cumulative effect of such strain. Investigators experience secondary traumatic stress, particularly when investigating rape, child sexual exploitation and abuse (Foley et al., 2024). Emotional labour and chronic exposure to interviewing victims and viewing distressing material, all reduce psychological energy and increase vulnerability to burnout. These pressures are compounded by a policing culture that historically rewards endurance and “getting on with it” (Loftus and Holdaway, 2013), even when doing so jeopardises wellbeing, impairs judgement and decision-making (Cook and Tattersall, 2014).
The Work That Never Switches Off
My personal experience was that one of the most persistent challenges is the inability to mentally switch-off. Even after leaving work, investigative threads replay in the mind as you go over key evidence and unanswered questions searching for that vital break-through. On long-running harder to solve cases, I would routinely keep a notepad by my bed, as I would wake up with flashes of inspiration that needed to be captured before I could nod back off to sleep.
While dedication is essential, research by McLean, Meakins and White (2022) shows that cognitive overload and fatigue impair decision-making, reduce investigative accuracy and increase risk-taking. Research also cautions on the structure of investigative work, long unsociable hours, high-risk and often under-resourced teams, (James et al., 2025) which can leave investigators feeling like rest is a luxury rather than a necessity.
Wellbeing literature emphasises the critical role of recovery in sustaining performance in high-risk roles (Hope, 2016). Each investigator must find what works for themselves, but such practices are only fully effective when embedded within supportive organisational cultures. For me, watching my children’s sporting achievements, running and (who would have thought) gardening became rare moments of mental relief, providing space to decompress and recalibrate.
Victims, Moral Injury and Emotional Weight
Investigators carry a profound responsibility towards victims and their families. In many cases, they are the voice and the person they rely on to reveal the truth and achieve justice. The emotional weight of supporting victims and families whilst remaining professional and objective can be considerable, especially on long-running hard to solve cases. Blumberg et al. (2020, p.1) argue that investigators can then also experience psychological distress resulting from “the cost of caring” by feeling unable to reduce the suffering experienced by others. Investigators carry their stories with them long after the investigation concludes and this is a major reason that wellbeing support is so vital.
Organisational pressures
Organisational demands such as tight time frames, high case volumes and pressure to ‘wrap up’ all influence investigative decision-making ((McLean, Meakins and White, 2022). This can push investigators into a more cursory investigative mindset where they are prevented from upholding their own professional values (Blumberg et al., 2020). This is central to why investigator wellbeing requires more than simply individual resilience.
Team Culture and Leadership
No SIO can shoulder the responsibility of an investigation alone. Evidence shows that effective leadership and psychological safety (meaning the confidence to raise concerns, admit uncertainty and seek support), significantly enhance wellbeing and team performance (Phythian et al., 2023). In practice, however, as James, Cox and Carr (2025, p.1) have found, investigative teams still operate within a culture in which “high workloads, stress, and skills shortages” impact on their capacity and capability.
The work of the National SIO Wellbeing Group also reflects a growing recognition that the unique pressures faced by senior investigators require dedicated support. The group acts as a peer forum for confidential discussion, challenge and shared learning, with similarities to the NCA’s National SIO Adviser mentorship role. While a positive step, the groups very existence also highlights the continued gaps in organisational design, investment and support.
Preparing the Next Generation of Investigators
At UWE Bristol, the Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP) in partnership with Avon and Somerset Police plays a crucial role in preparing future detectives for both the operational and human challenges of investigative work.
The programme combines academic learning with professional practice, introducing student officers to concepts such as reflective practice, emotional resilience, trauma exposure, and the psychology of decision-making. It also focuses heavily on trauma-informed approaches, inclusive investigatory practice and acting in a procedurally just way – both in their engagement with members of the local community, as well as interactions with their peers.
Taught by a team of academics from a range of professional backgrounds, it encourages critical engagement with the realities of policing, the pressures that contribute to poor wellbeing as well as tools for self-management and ownership.
Moving forwards
The “Wellbeing of Investigators Week of Action” represents significant progress under the leadership of ACC Martin Brunning, who I first met as an SIO colleague on a cross-border serial killer investigation. I have no doubt that having walked the path, Martin will do his upmost to deliver sustainable change and embed wellbeing as a core component of investigative practice. Many of the challenges for investigators wellbeing are structural rather than individual, and I wish him and the working group all the very best.
Reflecting on my own investigative career, I am proud of the investigators and teams I worked alongside and the justice we collectively achieved. For me though, it was not until I walked out of the office for the last time, and stopped investigating, that I came to realise how much I had internalised and normalised the stresses of the job.
My message to those still investigating is “keep persevering “as it is a fantastic career but remember that resilience is not about running on empty. It is about knowing when to stop, recharge and go again!
References
Blumberg, D. M., Papazoglou, K., and Schlosser, M. D. (2020). Organizational Solutions to the Moral Risks of Policing. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health [online]. 17(20. [Accessed 10 November 2025].
Cook and Tattersall (2014). Blackstone’s Senior Investigating Officers’ Handbook. 3rd Ed. Oxford University Press.
Hope, L. (2016). Evaluating the effects of stress and fatigue on police officer response and recall: A challenge for research, training, practice and policy. Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition, 5(3), pp. 239–245.
James, A., Cox, C., and Carr, R. (2025). Caseloads, culture, and capacity: rethinking investigative policing [online]. Policing & Society, pp. 1–22 [Accessed 12 November 2025].
James, A., Rogers, C., Turner, J. and Silverstone, D. (2025). Helping the police with their inquiries: improving investigator resilience and capacity in England and Wales [online]. Available from: https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/18899/1/Helping%20the%20police%20with%20their%20enquiries.pdf [Accessed 12 November 2025].
Loftus, B. and Holdaway, S. (2013) Police culture in a changing world. Criminology & criminal justice [online]. 13 (1) p.119–120. [Accessed 10 November 2025].
McLean, F., Meakins, A. and White, E. (2022). College of Policing. Conducting effective investigations: Rapid evidence assessment [online]. Available from: https://assets.college.police.uk/s3fs-public/2022-07/Conducting-effective-investigations-rapid-evidence-assessment.pdf [Accessed 11 November 2025].
National Police Chiefs Council. 2025. Wellbeing of investigators toolkit. Available from: [Accessed 6 November 2025].
Police Federation (2020). Detectives in Crisis: Findings from the Police Federation Demand, Capacity and Welfare Survey 2020. Available from: https://www.polfed.org/media/16610/detectives-in-crisis.pdf [Accessed 11 November 2025].
Phythian, R., Birdsall, N., Kirby, S., Cooper, E., Posner, Z., & Boulton, L. (2023). Organisational and individual perspectives of police wellbeing in England and Wales. Police Journal (Chichester), 96(1), pp. 128–152.
Editorial Team
Paul Williamson (Editor-in-Chief); Claudia McCready (Lecturer); Claire Bowers (Senior Lecturer); Eve Smietanko (Joint Programme Leader & Senior Lecturer) and Ian Lowe (Senior Lecturer).
If you would like to be a guest blogger, please contact Police.Blog@uwe.ac.uk
