NCJ Number
50045
Journal
Trooper Volume: 3 Issue: 4 Dated: (JULY-AUGUST 1978) Pages: 68,69,71,73
Date Published
1978
Length
4 pages
Annotation
OCCUPATIONAL STRESS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT OFTEN RESULTS IN FAMILY PROBLEMS. AN ORLANDO (FLA.) POLICE DEPARTMENT PROGRAM AIMED AT SOLVING THESE PROBLEMS IS DESCRIBED.
Abstract
FOUR CASES ARE PRESENTED TO ILLUSTRATE THE STRESS FACTOR IN POLICE WORK AND ITS EFFECT ON THE PERSONALITY OF THE OFFICER AND ON THE OFFICER'S FAMILY LIFE. POLICE OFFICERS, WITHIN THE FIRST FEW YEARS OF OCCUPATIONAL LIFE, HAVE AN EXTRAORDINARILY HIGH DIVORCE RATE, AND ACCORDING TO THE POLICE FOUNDATION'S RESEARCH, 30 PERCENT OF THE DIVORCES ARE DIRECTLY TRACEABLE TO JOB-RELATED PROBLEMS AND PRESSURES. THERE IS AN INCREASING TREND FOR PERSONS ARRESTED OR BEING INVESTIGATED BY A POLICE OFFICER TO THREATEN THE OFFICER. POLICE OFFICERS SUFFER FROM A HIGH ALCOHOLISM AND SUICIDE RATE. THEY TEND TO BE STRICT IN DEALING WITH THEIR CHILDREN AND NOT COMPASSIONATE TOWARDS THEIR FAMILY. IN ORLANDO, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS DEVELOPED A PROGRAM TO DEAL WITH POLICE-RELATED FAMILY PROBLEMS. ITS OBJECTIVE IS TO EDUCATE POLICE SPOUSES CONCERNING THE STRESS INVOLVED IN POLICE WORK AND TO PROVIDE ENCOUNTER-GROUP THERAPY TO ALLOW SPOUSES TO SHARE CONCERNS AND METHODS OF DEALING WITH PROBLEMS. A RIDE-ALONG PROGRAM IS ALSO IN OPERATION, PERMITTING A POLICE SPOUSE TO OBSERVE FIRSTHAND THE DAILY EXPERIENCES OF THE POLICE OFFICER. OFFICERS AND SPOUSES WATCH TRAINING FILMS AND FILMS ON SOCIAL AND PERSONAL ISSUES AND DISCUSS THEM TOGETHER FOLLOWING THE VIEWING. THE DISCUSSIONS SHOW THAT MOST POLICE OFFICER FAMILY PROBLEMS ARE TYPICAL AND THAT MOST DIFFICULTIES RESULT FROM SHIFT WORK. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS INITIATED SOME EXPERIMENTAL SHIFTING OF WORK SCHEDULES IN RESPONSE TO THIS FINDING AND IS PREPARING TO IMPLEMENT TEAM POLICING IN AN ATTEMPT TO PROVIDE OFFICERS WITH POSITIVE HUMAN ENCOUNTERS WHILE ON DUTY. (DAG)