Page 22 - Top Cover Issue 18

22 TOP COVER SUMMER 2023

THE PATH FROM THE UNICORN BEDROOM

TO REWILDING AND RECOVERY

When repeated exposure to trauma left police officer Kevin Borrett in a dark
place, it was surfing and bushcraft which proved the road to recovery

My name is Kev and I’m currently As we drove into the backyard of thriving in the high-pressure
with Norfolk Constabulary. I’m the police station, I saw a pile of environment. Due to the demands
45 years old, married with two bodies stacked three high and 12 on us we were often moving from
children, and I’ve spent the last 20 long. I asked my sergeant what deployment
years in frontline policing. This is had happened. He replied: “Looks to deployment
my story. like they’ve had a quiet weekend.” with very little
I started my policing career in After moving to the UK in time to process
the South African Police at the age 2001, I joined the Met Police, and debrief
of 19, best described as policing and successfully applied for a what had
in a challenging environment. I position on the Territorial Support happened.
quickly became accustomed to Group. As well as specialising in
dealing with murders, shootings level 1 Public Order we would A state of
and traumatic incidents on a be deployed to the busiest parts hypervigilance
daily basis. In that environment of London often to deal with of 2021, I began
Towards the end
“ I was often unhappy and short tempered. experiencing intrusive

thoughts, flashbacks and
I began withdrawing more and more, not
night terrors. I was having
wanting to get involved with family activities
work, replaying incidents
and seeing friends. I was using alcohol as a trouble falling asleep after
over in my mind. I often
coping mechanism which was not helping and woke during the night
drenched in sweat with
making me feel progressively worse. my heart racing and

gasping for air. The
there was no system in place to gang violence. Incidents that we cumulative effect of
debrief or process jobs. Police were regularly deployed to were this meant I often was
shootings were just resolved by a some of the most challenging operating with very
chat with the duty Warrant Officer a uniformed officer could face. little sleep. I was short
(Inspector) and a quick statement, During my time there I also dealt with my colleagues and
then back to the station to reload. with the London bombings on reacting negatively to
Picture © Paul Schlemmer / Shutterstock police station in a township just was also surveillance trained and was prescribed sleeping
7th of July 2005, and subsequent
I remember clearly like it was
changes at work.
yesterday, a trip to Gugulethu
I spoke to my GP and
counter-terrorism operations. I
outside Cape Town. It was early
loved this aspect of police work,
tablets. I felt like I couldn’t
on a hot Monday morning, we
switch off and I was in a
primarily working on serious
organised crime.
had been tasked with collecting
state of hypervigilance.
a suspect wanted for numerous
Simple things like
I transferred to Norfolk in
armed robberies, hijackings and
murders and take him to court.
officer; I really took to the role,
family meal was
WWW.PFOA.CO.UK 2013 and qualified as an ARV going out for a