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.
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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
The great Criminal Justice system in this country is comprised of a great many number of agencies that can operate both dependent or independent of each other. However, within each larger agency are divisions that provide supporting roles and sections that each agency is reliant on in order to run smoothly and accomplish its larger goals. The purpose of this assessment is to examine how the City of San Diego Human Resource (HR) section manages to accomplish its goals, while enabling the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) with high quality men and women, to achieve its objectives. In studying how, a single section can influence an entire department, one can better understand the inner workings of a large agency intended to provide a needed service
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.
Emotional Survival Reaction Emotional Survival For Law Enforcement is a book written by Kevin M. Gilmartin, Ph.D. His purpose of this book was to help keep the officers healthy, by providing skill sets physically and emotionally, to survive the career. Also, by not losing one’s identity to only being a cop, while remaining committed, engaged and productive on and off-duty. Gilmartin went on to use personal experiences and other real-life stories effectively so that many law enforcement officers can relate and connect with the topic of the book. Cops faced a set of unknowns on every day shift. These unknowns can either be harmless or life threatening.
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.
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
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
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.
Along with this, police use of deadly force is conducted with the daily work environment for police officers put them on the front line for potential harm and vulnerable situations (Ross, 2015, p. 244). Violence which is sometimes the only necessary means for police, is said to be “situational in nature” (Parent, 1998). This violence which is situational in nature can be revolved around the personality, stress and danger that a policeman are put into. With this in mind, it can be a controversial topic when it comes to explaining that police officers are put into certain situations needing them to act within seconds. During this alteration, it can change the outcome of the situation and transform the aftermath of the
In women, scrutiny and tokenism play the reason for the lack of women on the police force. Male police officers feel their female counterparts are mentally soft, physically weak, and are unable for the rigors of the job. More than half of this country’s police department has no women in their highest rank and less than one percent of the
14 Oct. 2015. Ellison, Katherine W. Stress and the Police Officer. 2nd ed. Springfield: Thomas, 2004. Print.
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
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).
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.
For instance, stress could lead to stress-induced gastrointestinal problems, irritable bowel syndrome, acidity, acid reflux, insomnia, depression, heart disease. Moreover, stress could push the victim toward high risk behaviour such as smoking, drinking, and substance abuse. Stress-related illness led to increase in absenteeism and attrition affecting the profitability of the organizations. (Kumar & Rooprai, 2009) Stress can be triggered by the pressures of everyday responsibilities at work and at home. Traumatic stress, brought on by war, disaster, or a violent attack, can keep your body’s stress levels elevated far longer than is necessary for survival.
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.