A former Lincolnshire Police officer who policed the streets of Spalding and lived in Market Deeping has launched a national campaign calling for urgent action over police suicides.

Paul Cooper, who previously served with Lincolnshire Police and Cleveland Police, is the founder of Pocket Sergeant, a UK policing reference app with approximately 21,000 paying subscribers.

His new campaign, It Stops Now, brings together bereaved families, serving and former officers, academics and mental health professionals to address the wider pressures facing police officers, including exposure to trauma, disciplinary investigations, organisational treatment, loss of career and identity.

The campaign follows figures published by the Police Federation of England and Wales in January 2026, which identified more than 100 suicides among police officers and staff between 2022 and 2025. Of the 70 police officer suicides recorded, 47 involved officers under investigation. The Federation also reported 236 attempted suicides, 173 involving officers under investigation.

While the figures do not establish that investigations caused these deaths or attempts, they have raised serious questions about the treatment and protection of officers experiencing psychological distress.

"We need action today. We cannot afford to wait for another review of police accountability, another White Paper or recommendations that could take years to implement. We are losing police officers now," Paul said.

"Reviews and White Papers may help shape the future of policing, but they cannot protect someone who is in crisis today."

For Paul, the campaign was born out of personal loss, following the death of a fellow police officer.

"I couldn't bring myself to attend his funeral. I knew it would have broken me.

"Instead, I sat at home alone, trying to make sense of what had happened. That was when I started mapping out what has now become this campaign."

The campaign wants policing to examine how officers are treated following traumatic incidents, injuries, removal from specialist roles, disciplinary proceedings and the end of their careers.

"Serious wrongdoing must always be investigated, and accountability is essential. But accountability and humanity should never be competing principles," Paul said.

"We cannot keep examining what went wrong after another family has lost someone. We need to start preventing these tragedies before they happen.”

It Stops Now officially launches on Monday 19th October 2026.