The number of police officers taking time out from the frontlines because of poor mental health continues to increase.
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The latest figures show 12.7 per cent of the workforce have an open workers compensation claim.
Of those 190 claims, 119 are mental health related compared with 71 due to physical health. Out of a total 86 members fully incapacitated for work at June 30, 77 were due to mental health claims.
![Generic photo of Tasmania Police, as statistics show more claiming workers compensation. Picture by Paul Scambler Generic photo of Tasmania Police, as statistics show more claiming workers compensation. Picture by Paul Scambler](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/117466170/98914d15-c5a1-4493-a556-a18a0fd81093.jpg/r0_0_8256_5497_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Police Association of Tasmania president Shane Tilley said one of the primary reasons was their members were being asked to do the work of two or three officers due to absences from the workplace and the inability to replace them.
"Police can only do so much," Mr Tilley said.
"Doing the work of those absent from the workplace forms a very relevant part of why the workers compensation figures are so high."
Multiple reviews have stated the need to establish relief pools of casual and part-time staff to fill the gaps, he said.
He claimed the government hadn't proactively recruited higher than the current establishment level, however says Tasmania Police Commissioner Donna Adams has committed to continue to recruit.
"Any relief pool would need to come from a higher establishment level to allow backfilling to occur," he said.
In September, Police, Fire and Emergency Minister Felix said there had never been more police in Tasmania than now and that they were committed to increase numbers to 1454 by July 2026.
Doing the work of those absent from the workplace forms a very relevant part of why the workers compensation figures are so high.
- Police Association of Tasmania president Shane Tilley
Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Management wellbeing support director Matthew Richman said they were committed to supporting the mental and physical health of officers.
Mr Richman listed the wellbeing support, critical incident stress management program and a soon-to-be rolled out fatigue management framework trial as support measures to assist the mental health of officers.
Mr Tilley said those initiatives had helped officers.
"Physical workers compensation matters in policing will always happen. There is a clear gap between workers compensation with regard to mental health and physical," he said.
"The government needs to look at the work police are doing for external agencies on a daily basis, which falls outside of core business."
The latest police workforce statistics were released after a question raised by the Tasmanian Labor party.
Opposition Police, Fire and Emergency Management Michelle O'Byrne said the workers compensation figure was shockingly high.
"It's clear far more needs to be done to understand why so many of the police workforce are ending up on workers compensation claims and why we're seeing more and more claims relating to mental health," Ms O'Byrne said.
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