ipl-logo

Police Stress In Law Enforcement

265 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Job stress among police officers

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to identify the main sources of stress for law enforcement professionals and the effects that these stressors may have. In researching several studies that have been done, on the topic of police stress in recent years, three main categories of stress and several physiological and psychological health consequences were found to be prevalent in policing. Stressors faced by police officers can be either intra-interpersonal, occupational, or organizational. Law enforcement professionals are more likely to have poor health and be at higher risk of a cardiovascular event than the general population. The effects of the various stressors also may carry over into the personal lives of police officers. Just as in any field of work, policing uses many stress prevention methods. Measures from all three levels of preventive stress management; primary, secondary, and tertiary; are utilized in most law enforcement agencies today to help police officers cope with the inevitable stress they will face in their work and to avoid distress as best as possible. …show more content…

Categories of Police Stress A detailed examination of the police stress literature reveals that it can be compartmentalized into essentially four main categories. The four categories discussed in the research of police stress are intra-interpersonal stressors, occupational stressors, organizational stressors, and health

Show More
Related
1271 Words | 6 Pages

This can be applied to interactions within the department—i.e. loyalties, writing off bad behavior, etc—and interactions with residents on a case-by-case basis. It is important to prioritize justice and integrity over an individual officer. Though a historically complex issue, department loyalties can be paralleled with snitch culture within communities of color: both promote silence of victims and an us against them mentality. Writing off bad behavior goes hand-in-hand with the allowance of too much police discretion. Also, unrelated to changes in attitude, the police should always call for medical help when asked for by a suspect in custody or if a suspect appears to be injured/incapacitated.

Read More
715 Words | 3 Pages

Instead, the biological rollercoaster of hypervigilance takes the officer time away from families and damage the fabric of their lives. When the officers are on duty, they feel alive, engaged, and excited. It is what drives them to do more, be more, and get more. But, an off-duty cop, it’s completely the opposite for him or her.

Read More
1092 Words | 5 Pages

The SOA/DOC has created a very Hazardous Condition within its facilities that increase the risks of serious injury and death to both inmates and staff. This is in direct conflict of DOC Mission statements: According to the State of Alaska, Department of Corrections, the Mission & Vision is: The Alaska Department of Corrections provides secure confinement, reformative programs, and a process of supervised community reintegration to enhance the safety of our communities (Corrections, Alaska Department of Corrections, 2017). We are trained professionals committed to a safe, open and respectful organization. We are dedicated to public safety and will always respect the rights and dignity of victims of crime.

Read More
182 Words | 1 Pages

Being in Law Enforcement is a 24/7/365 lifestyle that not only affects the officer by never being able to put down his guard (except maybe for when they are at home), but their family as well. It affects everything from missed holidays, anniversaries to birthday celebrations and can even affect the simplest thing as holding hands with your significant other in public (that gun hand has to stay empty at all times). An officer continuously checks his surroundings for danger, which affects where you can sit in a restaurant, where you park your car, how you dress, and where you shop. What most people do not understand is “the job” affects every single second of a police officer’s and their family’s life. They have to plan everything around

Read More
2250 Words | 9 Pages

Introduction Within the police force, there are many issues that can be brought to attention because of a lack of training for the officers. The lack of adequate police training can manifest in several ways. Firstly, without proper training in de-escalation techniques and conflict resolution, the officers may resort to excessive force in tense situations. This can result in unnecessary harm or even fatalities. Additionally, inadequate training fails to address implicit biases that can influence officers' decision-making.

Read More
435 Words | 2 Pages

Working in a culturally diverse city, police officers are expected to interact with citizens in a professional manner which includes understanding various backgrounds, cultures, religions, and ethnicities. Misunderstanding an ethnic culture occurs when officers are not educated or aware of differing ethnic groups and cultural standards. If police officers are knowledgeable in various ethnic groups, they will not only avoid conflicts, criminal litigations against themselves, but also prevent violent riots and further distrust that ethnic groups already have with law enforcement

Read More
1304 Words | 6 Pages

In 2014, the UN Committee against Torture reprobated police brutality and inordinate use of force by law enforcement in the US, and highlighted the "steady and recurrent police shootings or fatal pursuits of unarmed black individuals. “According to a 2016 report by the United Nations ' Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent, "contemporary police killings and the trauma that they create are evocative of the past racial terror of murder. There are many reasons as to why police officers can sometimes be overly combative. It is thought that some personality traits make some officers more predisposed to the use of excessive force than others. In one study, police psychologists were surveyed on officers who had used excessive force.

Read More
586 Words | 3 Pages

Either way, law enforcement officers are demanded to put themselves at risk to keep the general population safe. However, this does not keep this career from having its flaws, specifically the threat of death and/or injury, increased rates of depression or suicidal tendencies, and the mental strain of required duties. Methods Castaneda, L. W., & Ridgeway, G. (2010). Perceived Pros and Cons of Law Enforcement Careers. In Today’s Police and Sheriff Recruits: Insights from the Newest Members of America’s Law Enforcement Community (pp. 15–40).

Read More
1432 Words | 6 Pages

The 2008 National Geographic documentary, Stress, Portrait of a Killer, explains stress in many different perspectives. The film discusses its history, who has the most of it, it's mental and physical damages to the body, and how we can reverse its effects. Few are aware of the lasting damages stress has on one’s body; this includes

Read More
744 Words | 3 Pages

However, though most of the police personnel are exposed to the same external occupational and organizational stressors, all of them do not develop psychological morbidity. This is because a person's vulnerability to stress is also based on an individual's appraisal and response to difficult situations. Personality and coping both play an interactive and independent role in influencing adjustment to stress. Cabarkapa, in a study on military aviation crew, found neuroticism as a personality trait in correlation to job-related stress and concluded that stress evaluation and examination of certain personality characteristics can be used for development of basic anti-stress programs and measures. (Cabarakap, 2009)

Read More
2221 Words | 9 Pages

The latter of that list, work or our professions, has seen extreme changes in the last few decades due to technologic advancements made here in the United States. These dramatic advancements have forever changed the way some workers perform their duties. Law enforcement is no exemption to those changes. The world of law enforcement has gone from literally a badge and a gun, to one of the most technological advanced professions found in the entire country. In particular, the most recent trending technology

Read More
1162 Words | 5 Pages

This can affect how they perform their job and the outcomes of cases. The ultimate objective for law enforcements are to assist the public. From the research done by Brenner (1947) he states, “Police use of deadly force and the issues surrounding it are of primary concern to all, but the problem is particularly acute for black, Hispanic, and Native Americans”. He goes on to state that “because of alleged misuse of deadly force, police departments across the country have experienced strong criticism and even violent protests” (Brenner, 1947). Police officers having experienced this strong criticism and violent protests are being put into violent and dangerous situations which can cause them to react to the heat of the

Read More
1040 Words | 5 Pages

Male officers have also stated negative remarks about female officers who work in Law Enforcement. These barriers have caused female police officers to resign from their positions to avoid any issues and because gender discrimination and the other complaints aren’t taken seriously in Law enforcement. By the females constantly compared to the male police officers has caused stress on them. It’s much harder for woman to advance in Law enforcement than men and when interviewers make their decisions they are more than likely choose men over women. It is important to think critically when dealing with the barriers discussed above because it can be challenging and cause someone to give up and quit.

Read More
2236 Words | 9 Pages

Combating Police Suicide Caused by Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Post-traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD is very dangerous because it can warp a person’s perception into something as drastic as extreme fear or extreme guilt. The fear and guilt combination can result in paranoia and, as a result, violent and depressive tendencies. The impact of PTSD on the police is a very sensitive topic because PTSD can affect the police officer’s performance, which can eventually lead to worsening of their condition that may or may not reach eventual suicide. According to Stanley, Hom, and Joiner (2016), first responders, which include firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical technicians, tend to exhibit psychiatric consequences after they have

Read More
2169 Words | 9 Pages

LICEING THE 21ST CENTURY The police are the public and the public are the police - Robert peel When we talk about the criminal justice system the public at large plays a very important role right from the prevention to reporting to the investigation of the case. The criminal justice system cannot achieve its goal without the active participation of the general public. If we take a look at the ancient police setup in medivial and ancient india we come across that there were various provisions for the participation of the public working with the police. The word police, inspires confidence inspires a sense of truse, security, commitment, and public service.

Read More

More about Police Stress In Law Enforcement

Open Document