"The 408 officers account for 4.1 percent of the 9,847 officers involved in post-disaster police operations."
Police facing post-quake blues / Over 400 officers believed to have disaster-related stress conditions
More than 400 police officers in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures appear to be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related to their duties in areas hit hard by last year's Great East Japan Earthquake, according to a National Police Agency survey.
The 408 officers account for 4.1 percent of the 9,847 officers involved in post-disaster police operations.
People who work in difficult situations such as major disasters or accidents are prone to developing an array of physical and mental disorders.
The NPA conducted the survey, released Thursday, on all police officers and staff in the three prefectural police forces in January and February.
The survey was the second of its kind, following one conducted in April and May last year, in which 7.6 percent were believed to have PTSD.
A number of medical workers and volunteers reported suffering from PTSD in the aftermath of last year's disaster. In many cases, the victims said they felt unable to fulfill their responsibilities because of their conditions.
Some police officers described experiencing strong feelings of anxiety, insomnia and flashbacks of horrible situations from the disaster.
In response to the survey, the three prefectures' police forces said they will provide professional counseling to officers who need it.
An expert organization analyzed the responses to the survey's 32 questions. Many officers reported "dreaming about disaster-stricken areas," "feeling irritated by trivial matters," and "being uninterested in things."
Although it was believed after the first survey that many of the officers' conditions were temporary, the latest survey indicated symptoms in some had persisted.
The experts who analyzed the data said the latest survey's results may include cases of delayed-onset PTSD, the symptoms of which develop six months or more after its cause.
Many of the survey's respondents said they had trouble sleeping and often woke up; felt grief over whether they could perform their duties; and experienced anxiety constantly.
The results also showed that the rate of PTSD was higher among people who suffered directly from the disaster, those whose family members were affected, and those who felt their work burdens became heavier after the disaster.
By prefecture, 199 officers, or 5 percent of Miyagi prefecture's police, reported symptoms consistent with PTSD. Another 145, or 4 percent of Fukushima prefecture's police, are suspected of having the condition; and 64, or 2.9 percent of Iwate prefecture's police.
For Fukushima prefectural police personnel, data was compiled by region. Results showed 7.1 percent of officers in the Hamadori region, home of the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant, were believed to have PTSD. Another 3.7 percent and 3.3 percent in the Aizu and Nakadori regions, respectively, are believed to have the condition.
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Hopelessness and nausea
About 3,800 police officers of the Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectural police forces are still conducting search operations for missing people in the disaster-hit areas.
In Miyagi Prefecture, 1,581 people are still reported as missing. The prefectural police had 850 police officers conduct the search, but nobody has been found since April 2.
Haruhiko Aso, 51, chief of the prefectural police's post-disaster measures office, said: "Police officers working at these sites tend to feel a sense of hopelessness. I'm worried about the effects of the accumulated stress that may go unnoticed."
Just after the disaster, only a few officers complained about stress or anxiety. But recently, more officers report feeling nauseous when they see images of the disaster on television.
Many members of the Fukushima prefectural police had their families evacuated to other prefectures after the outbreak of the crisis at the Fukushima plant.
"I tend to get depressed because I am living separately from my family," one police officer said.
Katsunori Tsuda, 54, vice chief of Ofunato Police Station in Iwate Prefecture, said, "I'm worried that officers in my police station with a strong sense of responsibility may have taken on a great deal of stress."
Hirotada Hirose, an expert in disaster-related psychology and professor emeritus at Japan Women's University, said: "Police officers, who follow a strict ethical code, tend to fulfill their duties even in extremely tough situations because of their sense of a mission.
"Measures need to be taken for them, such as having them regularly talk to one another about their worries."
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