Pill popping peelers.

[Mr Crowley]

Pill popping peelers are on the rise across the North with coppers suffering from stress after the recent dissident republican killings, a medical source admitted last night.

And the source said GPs were having to see more cops in their daily surgeries worried about their personal security.

The medical source claimed there was a 'who might be next' mentality among bobbies on the beat, concerned that republican dissidents were preparing to launch further murder bids on coppers both on and off duty.

The source confessed: "There has been an alarming increase in the number of police officers seeking medication and counselling in the aftermath of the killings of the two soldiers and the police officer.

"Overall, there is a tremendous anxiety as to who might be next as a target for these terrorists."

The warning from the medical profession about the number of cops popping pills comes as a British intelligence source revealed that Northern security forces were "greatly worried" the next prime target for republican dissidents would be an off-duty Catholic copper.

Newshound: Links to daily newspaper articles about Northern Ireland
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Given the number of PSNI members who have been convicted of possession and supply of class A drugs, this is a troubling development. These people are issued automatic weapons and have plenty of form where controversial shootings are concerned. How long will it be before some drugged-up peeler goes off on one; it's not like it hasn't happened before.

[Aindriu]

FFS Mr Crowley! Anti-depressants are not going to create a situation where a PSNI officer goes berserk with his/her sidearm! You are ex military, you know all about PTSD and are also well aware that it is treatable and that the military tend to retain those who suffer from it these days so less of the scare mongering eh?

[Mr Crowley]

FFS Mr Crowley! Anti-depressants are not going to create a situation where a PSNI officer goes berserk with his/her sidearm! You are ex military, you know all about PTSD and are also well aware that it is treatable and that the military tend to retain those who suffer from it these days so less of the scare mongering eh?

Aindrui, the most common drugs prescribed are benzodiazapenes which work on the same neuroreceptors as alcohol. Combined with alcohol they can cause very severe mood swings and loss of mental control.

RUC personnel have in the past murdered civilians while under the influence of alcohol, and or drugs. Alcohol has been inherent in RUC/PSNI culture from day one and you will still see uniformed cops going into off licenses to buy bottles of spirits and return to the barracks.

Furthermore there have been a number of incidents of PTSD suffering US army personnel murdering their spouses or committing murder-suicides on return from deployments.