JOB STRESS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT - A TREATMENT AND PREVENTION PROGRAM (FROM JOB STRESS AND THE POLICE OFFICER - PROCEEDINGS OF SYMPOSIUM, 1975 BY W H KROES, AND J J HURRELL, JR - SEE NCJ-43642)

• NCJ Number: 43660
• Author(s): M D ROBERTS
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 8 pages
• Corporate Author: Superintendent of Documents, GPO
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: THE SYMPOSIUM WAS HELD IN CINCINNATI, OHIO ON MAY 8 & 9, 1975, AND CHAIRED BY DR W H KROES

Annotation

THE ACTIVITIES OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES UNIT OF THE SAN JOSE, CALIF., POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE DESCRIBED.

Abstract

THE SAN JOSE PROGRAM, BEGUN IN 1971, PSYCHOLOGICALLY SCREENS ENTRY-LEVEL RECRUITS, PARTICIPATES IN FIELD TRAINING AND EVALUATION FOR NEW OFFICERS, AND PROVIDES FREE, VOLUNTARY PSYCHOTHERAPY SERVICES FOR ALL OFFICERS AND THEIR FAMILIES. A TWO-STATE VALIDATION OF PREEMPLOYMENT SELECTION CRITERIA HAS SHOWN THAT CERTAIN CRITERIA, PARTICULARLY INDEXES OF COGNITIVE SKILL AND EMOTIONAL STABILITY, ARE OF USE IN SELECTING OUT APPLICANTS WHO WOULD BE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO JOB STRESS IN POLICE WORK. IN ITS PREEMPLOYMENT PSYCHOLOGICAL SCREENING, THE UNIT USES A MULTIMETHOD FORMAT THAT INCLUDES A PSYCHOLOGICAL TEST BATTERY, GROUP STRESS INTERVIEW, PERSONAL INTERVIEW, AND REVIEW OF BACKGROUND INFORMATION. EXPERIENCED POLICE OFFICERS TRAINED AS RATERS AND ROLE PLAYERS PARTICIPATE IN THE GROUP STRESS INTERVIEWS. THE UNIT HAS DEVELOPED A TASK-ORIENTED APPROACH TO FIELD TRAINING THAT ADDRESSES A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS INHERENT IN THE USE OF TRAINING OFFICERS TO ORIENT NEW PERSONNEL. THE UNIT EVALUATES OFFICERS AS THEY GO THROUGH THE ACADEMY TRAINING PROGRAM, AGAIN AFTER THEIR FIRST YEAR OF DUTY, AND PRIOR TO ANY SPECIAL UNIT ASSIGNMENT. UNIT PERSONNEL ALSO CONDUCT SESSIONS ON THE EFFECTS OF JOB STRESS FOR EACH OF THE DEPARTMENT'S TRAINING PROGRAMS. SINCE 1971, OVER 30 PERCENT OF THE DEPARTMENT'S SWORN OFFICERS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN PSYCHOTHERAPY. COMMON PRESENTING PROBLEMS INCLUDE MARITAL DIFFICULTIES, EMOTIONAL DISRUPTIONS FOLLOWING POLICE KILLINGS, CONFLICTS WITH SUPERIORS, PROBLEMS WITH MOTIVATION, AND EXCESSIVE AGGRESSION. APPROXIMATELY 10 PERCENT OF THE PSYCHOTHERAPY CLIENTS HAVE REQUIRED TEMPORARY REASSIGNMENT. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED.