Traumatized cops cost Dutch police millions a year

Every year the Dutch police pay over 10 million euros to traumatized cops, NRC reports based on figures requested from the police. Since 2014, officers who suffered a trauma during the course of their duties can claim compensation from a national reporting point.

The height of the compensation depends on the degree of the trauma and how long it left the affected police officer unable to work. Over the past three and a half years, the police paid more than 39 million euros on this compensation, according to the newspaper.

The figures show that in 14 cases the costs were extra high due to negligent treatment. These 14 traumatized officers each received an average of 200 thousand euros because they missed income and received insufficient care after suffering the trauma.

Between 2014 and 2016 the police identified 838 police officers that were traumatized by police work. Just over half of traumatized police officers return to the workplace after treatment, according to NRC.

Over the past few years the police have turned their attention to protecting employees from trauma. For example, they've employed a corps psychologist with a team of six psychologists to look after the mental health of police employees.