NCJ Number
124616
Journal
National F.O.P. Journal Volume: 19 Issue: 2 Dated: (Spring 1990) Pages: 10-11,57-58
Date Published
1990
Length
4 pages
Annotation
Police work involves many kinds of stress, and police officers need to recognize the signs of stress and seek counseling and other forms of help to deal with it.
Abstract
Sources of stress include the military-style training, public visibility and constant accountability, lack of support for problems, constant criticism, and the need to make rapid decisions involving life and death. Police officers need to recognize that constant fatigue, loneliness, feelings of inadequacy, family tension, conflicts at work, the inability to relax, and rapid mood changes are all signs of stress. Methods of managing stress include proper exercise, diet, and sleep; counseling; setting realistic goals for the day; using biofeedback to control physical reactions to stress; and avoiding using drugs for help. Police agencies are also increasingly recognizing that critical incidents such as shootings can result in both immediate and delayed stress reactions and require the availability of counseling and support programs for the officers involved. Alcoholism is also a major problem among police officers seeking relief from stress and requires rehabilitative efforts that recognize the job stress that police officers face. Families of police officers are also affected by police job stress and need support.