Due to the potentially intense nature of Police work, many officers experience stress-related psychological health problems. Police Department culture, perceived stigma, and concerns about the effect of seeking treatment career advancement may inhibit Police officers from seeking treatment.
Police Culture some evidence suggests certain Police subcultures value toughness and resilience, which may contribute to officers’ aversions to seeking support or treatment. Male officers may face organisational perceptions that expressing emotional problems is not masculine, while women officers may feel pressure to avoid gender stereotypes that characterise them as weaker or more emotional than men.
Police stress in Italy
In a research article published in an occupational medicine journal, Universita di Tornio, researchers studied Police stress, anxiety, and coping strategies. The researchers concluded that proper training and support are crucial for Police officers to manage their work demands effectively. Furthermore, they highlighted that factors like gender, position, and assignment play a role in the specific stressors encountered by officers in the field.
Resiliency in Canada
The study found that exposure to stress could lead to trauma for officers, with potential physical and psychological consequences. To address this issue effectively, the researchers emphasised the importance of a proactive approach in dealing with potential stress. They highlighted that promoting mental preparedness before stress occurs is more effective than treating its effects afterward. By investing in mental preparedness techniques and adopting a proactive approach, law enforcement agencies can enhance officers’ resilience, promote their overall well-being, and better manage stress in their profession.
Coping in New York
The study revealed that various variables, including demographics, education level, rank, tenure, and internal and external factors, influenced occupational stress in Police officers. Additionally, the presence of support systems and accumulated stress over time were significant factors. Moreover, researchers discovered that pre-existing physical, mental, and emotional conditions and a lack of a support system impacted stress levels.
To prevent stressors that come from organisational issues, researchers recommend:
• Training managers in active listening.
• Decentralising the management structure, where possible.
• Empowering employees, involving them in making decisions, and explaining reasoning behind decision-making.
Critical Incident Stress Debriefing
One study found that officers were more negatively impacted by the lack of follow-up after a critical incident than the trauma from the incident itself. To alleviate the impact of trauma on first responders, many departments have implemented critical incident stress debriefing (CISD).
Police Departments should provide training and information, particularly to supervisors, on identifying possible warning signs associated with stress-related issues. Some departments employ training programmes to educate officers and promote awareness of mental health issues and available services.
Organisational Culture Officers who feel supported by their organisations are more likely to engage in services and programming to reduce the negative impacts of stress. Improving organisational justice may be another way to reduce stress among Police officers. Research suggests that organisational injustice may be a source of stress and has been linked to officer misconduct.
Employee Assistance Programmes
Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) offer free services that address issues affecting work performance, such as mental health concerns, substance misuse, family problems, legal issues, and financial difficulties. EAPs can be shared among departments and facilitated by an external organisation to serve a broader jurisdiction.
Trauma affects individuals differently and no one program is best for all officers. Experts emphasize the importance of offering a variety of programming and multiple avenues for seeking support.
Modern-day Police leaders must recognise the importance of mitigating occupational stress among their officers. Establishing effective wellness programs can provide officers with the necessary tools and support to cope with the stressors of their profession, leading to a healthier and more resilient workforce that can better serve and protect their communities. Balancing the cost considerations with the commitment to officer well-being and public safety remains a critical responsibility for Police leaders as they strive to create a positive and supportive work environment for their personnel.
Mitigating occupational stress in law enforcement is of paramount importance for several compelling reasons:
Officer Well-being: Police officers face unique stressors and challenges, which can affect their mental and physical well-being. By addressing and reducing occupational stress, law enforcement agencies can promote their officers’ overall health and resilience, ensuring they are better equipped to handle the demands of their job .
Performance and Effectiveness: High-stress levels can impair an officer’s decision-making abilities, critical thinking skills, and overall performance. By mitigating stress, law enforcement agencies can improve the effectiveness of their officers in carrying out their duties, leading to better outcomes in various situations.
Public Safety: Stressful situations can influence officers’ behaviors and reactions, potentially affecting their interactions with the public. By managing occupational stress, law enforcement agencies can enhance community relations and ensure officers respond to incidents with a clear and composed mind-set, ultimately improving public safety.
Reducing Burnout and Turnover: Excessive occupational stress can contribute to burnout and job dissatisfaction among police officers. Proactively addressing stress can help retain experienced officers, reducing turnover rates and ensuring a more stable and experienced workforce.
Mental Health and Resilience: Police work exposes officers to traumatic incidents, leading to the risk of developing mental health conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). By implementing stress mitigation strategies, law enforcement agencies can build resilience in their officers and provide support to cope with the emotional toll of their profession.
Workforce Morale: A work environment that addresses occupational stress and prioritizes officer well-being fosters higher morale among officers. This positive atmosphere can increase job satisfaction and create a more cohesive and supportive team.
Legal and Ethical Implications: High stress levels can impact an officer’s ability to uphold legal and ethical standards. By managing stress effectively, law enforcement agencies can ensure that their officers maintain the highest professionalism and adherence to the law.
Based on the existing literature and several research-based strategies appear to be beneficial for Police leaders to consider implementing to reduce officer stressors in the workplace:
Formal Fitness and Wellness Programmes: Implementing structured physical fitness and wellness programmes can significantly decrease the risk of job-related physical and mental health issues for first responders, including Police officers. Studies have shown that organisations with such programmes achieve better health-related outcomes than those without them, as evidenced by a systematic review of health promotion intervention studies in law enforcement.
Wellness Policies: Enacting wellness and self-care policies that address social support and promote healthy lifestyles is critical to fostering an effective and healthy workforce. Quantitative and qualitative studies have demonstrated that wellness policies can reduce occupational risk, stress, and unhealthy behaviors among Police officers. Thus, incorporating wellness policies throughout the law enforcement community is a promising strategy to mitigate officer stress.
Family Support: Acknowledging family members’ crucial role in stress management for Police officers is vital. Unstable family support can lead to work-family conflicts, negatively impacting an officer’s physical and mental well-being. While officers are trained to handle such situations, research indicates that strong familial support can alleviate conflicts between work and family life. Therefore, it is reasonable for law enforcement leaders to develop policies and programmes that incorporate familial support to help improve officer stress.
By implementing these research-based strategies, law enforcement leaders can foster a healthier and more resilient workforce, thereby reducing the adverse effects of occupational stress on their officers and enhancing overall well-being and effectiveness within the law enforcement community.
Jeevan Thiagarajah