Police Stress

In the speech entitled The Effects of Stress on Police Officers , Dan Goldfarb discusses the factors that cause stress among police officers and how if affects them . As one of the top rated professions for job stress , he reveals in his speech that the very nature and demands of being a police officer are likely to result in incredible stress levels which in turn cause negative effects on the person

Stressors that have been identified to affect police work include killing someone or having your partner killed in the line of duty , lack

br of support from the bosses or the department , the shifting routine and disruption of family time and rituals , and the asshole factor ' On this note , Goldfarb points out that physical danger is surprisingly ranked low on the list of stressors . These stressors can work in combinations and the coping mechanisms of police officers can be maladaptive reactions like alcohol abuse and job burnout . Unfortunately the worst effect of stress on police officers is suicide . An alarming statistic is revealed by one study saying that twice as many police officers die by their own hand compared to those who get killed in the line of duty . Apparently , the common factors relating to suicide are found to be divorce , alcohol , depression and failure to get counseling Relationships gone badly , whether it is with the family or the organization , seem to have a devastating effect on police officers

Attitudinal problems can also result from police work . It has been said that police officers are more prone to cynicism , and as their career progresses , the cynicism gets worse . This general feeling of suspicion hate , envy , impotence , and bitterness can be vented out towards the society or towards the organization . Along with this negative attitude police officers also find it hard to seek counseling and treatment despite the fact that their careers revolve around helping others . Point said , this is where the role of forensic psychologists comes in

Occupational stress in the field of law enforcement can be addressed through psychological intervention . The role of police psychologists requires research , psychotherapy and psychological assessment . They conduct and evaluate research pertaining to occupational stressors in relation to job performance . These officers can also be psychologically assessed so symptoms of psychopathology and other psychological problems can be identified early on . While for those who manifest the said psychological problems as a stress reaction , psychologists can provide psychotherapy . Accordingly , a psychologist 's assessment of a police officer is crucial in determining their fitness for duty . Appropriately termed the Fitness for Duty Evaluation (FFDE , this type of assessment can establish whether the individual 's reaction to stress can negatively impact their level of psychological functioning

The role of psychology in the field of law enforcement initially begins with the police screening process , but their services extend to involvement in psychological support programs such as in-house stress units and during critical incident stress debriefing (CISD . Needless to say , psychology tailored specifically for police work plays a key role...