Critical Stress Management Team contacted police officer after fatal accidents

Senior Constable Elizabeth Jenny Carlisle told the police suicides inquest on Thursday that Tasmania Police needed to get better at providing assistance in respect of trauma and prevention of PTSD, and suggested mandatory psychological assistance after traumatic events.

In 2019 she attended three fatal car accidents in four months and said did not receive any calls of assistance from Tasmania Police.

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"We need to get better at recognising [trauma and PTSD] earlier, and I don't know whether there can be...some way of catching the number of events that you go to and categorising them for trauma, because the current Critical Incident Stress Management Program doesn't work, and isn't working," she told the inquest.

On Friday, Tasmania Police Inspector Matthew Richman, who is the current wellbeing support director, told the inquest that he had checked records which found that Constable Carlisle had been contacted by Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) regarding the three fatal accidents.

He said after the first accident there was no response from Constable Carlisle regarding a phone call made and text message sent her, and after the second incident she was contacted and did not want assistance but was aware of CISM.

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Inspector Richman said at the third incident, Constable Carlisle responded to a call by text and said that she had spoken with CSIM and as "all good".

He said between 2003 and 2012 three other contacts were made regarding three more serious incidents.

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