Effective policing is essential for reducing crime and ensuring public safety. As part of their role police officers are regularly exposed to traumatic incidents. Without adequate support, prolonged exposure to such events can lead to a deterioration in a police officer’s mental health. As a result of police culture, more specifically the negative attitudes towards seeking help for mental ill-health, many police officers suffer in isolation. This can lead to serious mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We interviewed 12 former police officers with an average of 26 years in service, regarding their experiences of police culture and how this relates to mental health. We found that although a macho culture (and stigma) exist within policing, attitudes towards mental health appear to be slowly changing. The role of policing has changed in recent years due to increased awareness of mental ill-health. We discuss how this impacts the general wellbeing of police officers, and what this might mean for the future of policing.

The asymmetric information management (AIM) technique enhances verbal lie‐detection by encouraging truth tellers (but not liars) to be forthcoming with information. We examined the AIM technique's utility for correctly distinguishing genuine and fabricated statements reported during a virtual interview. Truth tellers (n = 85) honestly reported their recollection of a 30‐minute walk. Liars pretended to have engaged in a similar activity (n = 86). Participants were randomly assigned to either the AIM or Control condition and provided either a verbal or written statement. Truth tellers in the AIM condition reported more detailed statements (vs. the Control condition). Liars in the AIM condition reported less detailed statements (vs. the Control condition). More genuine and fabricated statements were correctly classified in the AIM condition (72% accuracy) compared to the Control condition (59% accuracy). No differences between disclosure type emerged. Results support the use of the AIM technique for facilitating verbal lie‐detection.