Police seek retrospective trauma compo

A retrospective workers compensation scheme for injured or traumatised officers is a focus of the WA Police Union's annual conference this week.

WA is the only State without such a scheme and union president George Tilbury urged the Government and WA Police to work with the union to create a fairer system for medically retired officers.

Stab vests to protect officers amid the high-terror alert and increased risk of "lone wolf" attacks, mandatory life jail for anyone convicted of murdering an officer and upgraded CCTV at police facilities were also to be discussed at the conference yesterday and today.

The union yesterday launched its two-year research report, Project Recompense, which it said advocated for a fair and sustainable process to compensate medically retired members without the need for ad hoc ex gratia payment applications.

A survey of almost 900 current and former officers found 75 per cent suffer, or suffered, from a physical or psychological condition arising from their duties.

But the report also found officers were reluctant to admit medical problems for fear of jeopardising their career prospects or being labelled a malingerer.

Though entitled to claim all work-related medical expenses through WA Police, the union said some members paid their own bills because of concerns about the perceptions of superiors and colleagues.

Union vice-president Brandon Shortland said a "toughen up, princess" culture still existed within WA Police and officers feared management would regard them as damaged goods if they admitted mental or physical vulnerabilities.

Some officers surveyed said that WA Police medical practitioners appeared more concerned with costs to the agency than the treatment of injured officers.

Project Recompense also recommends setting up an independent support agency for current and retired WA officers.

Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan said to pay for a compensation scheme the union must agree to "normalise" officers' paid sick leave entitlements - currently 168 days a year - in line with the rest of the public sector.

In 2011-12, WA Police officers took more than 68,000 days sick leave - or 11.7 days per officer.