The former head of Tasmania Police has told an inquest the force had one welfare officer when he started in the top job but "significant" improvements have been made since.
A coronial inquest, which concluded hearings on Friday, is examining the suicide deaths of four policemen between 2016 and 2020.
Darren Hine, who retired in October after some 12 years as state police commissioner, said the deaths had a tragic ripple through the organisation.
He said the police force had progressively learned about welfare and he had successfully campaigned for greater government funding for officer support services.
"Since taking over, we had one welfare officer and then I saw the need to have a second welfare officer in the north of the state," Mr Hine told the inquest.
"I could see there was even a greater need in this area. We have developed significantly over the years."
The inquest has heard much-loved Sergeant Robert Cooke, 49, battled post-traumatic stress disorder and was worried about whether he could return to work before he died in 2020.
It has also examined the 2019 suicide of Constable Simon Darke, who worked 23 hours of overtime over three consecutive days responding to bushfires in the lead-up to his death.
Const Darke's former partner previously told the inquest he was worried about being judged if he sought help for his mental health.
Mr Hine said Tasmania Police should continue to learn about mental health.
"This is an area that will never be finished and should never be finished," he said.
"It is a growing body of knowledge and something that we should never take for granted."
Mr Hine said officers needed greater preparation for retirement, as well as support to leave the force with dignity if ruled unfit to work on medical grounds.
Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Management wellbeing support director, Matthew Richman, said Const Darke's death came out of the blue.
Mr Richman said the worker's compensation claim process had gone "back to basics" following the death of Sgt Cooke to make sure it was as trauma informed as possible.
Coroner Simon Cooper will hand down a report at a date to be determined.
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