Retiring from the "Thin Blue Line": A Need for Formal Preretirement Training

• NCJ Number: 228819
• Journal: FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Volume: 78 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2009 Pages: 1-7
• Author(s): Carl B. Caudill, M.A.; Kenneth J. Peak, Ph.D.
• Date Published: October 2009
• Length: 7 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: For part 2 of this article see NCJ-228914

Annotation

This first of two articles on retirement for police officers identifies some of the challenges and features of retirement in general and retirement for police officers in particular, based on research findings.

Abstract

The authors argue that retirement for police officers will probably be distinctively different from that of their civilian counterparts, due to the nature of the work from which they are retiring, the fact that officers typically retire at a relatively young age, and lack of preparation for retirement through a preretirement program. Ending a career in law enforcement has the potential for being significantly more psychologically debilitating than for those who retire from civilian occupations. Over the course of a law enforcement career, a strong bond has typically developed between officers and their coworkers, as they have shared the dangers, successes, and frustrations inherent in policing. Police officers have also developed an identity and self-esteem rooted in the prestige, authority, and status that society accords police officers. Retirement for police officers can involve a loss of familiar identity, responsibilities, and social interactions that can lead to instability and depression, as well as a deterioration of physical health. Difficulties in mental health can in turn threaten marriages. In addition, researchers have found that the incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression increased for officers between the ages of 40 to 49, a period when many begin to think about retirement. Deteriorating mental health may therefore be carried over into the retirement years, during which it may worsen. On the other hand, studies have shown that officers in good health upon entering retirement had no more adverse psychological health in retirement than civilian retirees as a whole. Part two of this article will focus on the development of a preretirement program for police officers. 35 notes