SELF-ESTEEM AND STRESS IN POLICE WORK (FROM JOB STRESS AND THE POLICE OFFICER - IDENTIFYING STRESS REDUCTION TECHNIQUES - PROCEEDINGS OF SYMPOSIUM, 1975 BY W H KROES, J J HURRELL, JR - SEE NCJ-43642)

• NCJ Number: 43643
• Author(s): E SCOTLAND
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 14 pages
• Corporate Author: Superintendent of Documents, GPO
• Sale Source: Superintendent of Documents, GPO; 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 WILLIAM H KROES

Annotation

METHODS OF ORGANIZING AND ADMINISTERING POLICE DEPARTMENTS SO THAT POLICE OFFICERS' PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR OWN EFFECTIVENESS WILL BE ENHANCED ARE DISCUSSED.

Abstract

RESEARCH HAS ESTABLISHED THAT PEOPLE WITH HIGH SELF-ESTEEM ARE RELATIVELY IMMUNE TO SOME STRESSES. A GENERALLY HIGH LEVEL OF SELF-ESTEEM IS RELATED TO THE ABILITY TO COPE CONSTRUCTIVELY WITH FRUSTRATIONS AND THREATS. IN GENERAL, AN INCREASED EMPHASIS ON PROFESSIONALISM CAN CONTRIBUTE TO POLICE OFFICERS' SELF-ESTEEM. THE OFFICERS' SENSE OF COMPETENCE WITH REGARD TO ANTI-CRIME EFFORTS CAN BE ENHANCED BY INCREASING THE NUMBER AND VARIETY OF CRIMINALS AGAINST WHOM THE POLICE CAN MOVE, BY REGARDING PATROLMEN AS GENERALISTS, BY ENCOURAGING OFFICERS TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON CASES, AND BY PROVIDING OFFICERS WITH FEEDBACK ON THEIR EFFORTS THROUGH VICTIMIZATION STUDIES. OFFICERS' SENSE OF COMPETENCE WITH REGARD TO NONCRIMINAL ACTIVITIES CAN BE ENHANCED BY INCREASING PRESERVICE AND INSERVICE TRAINING IN NONCRIMINAL INCIDENTS AND BY PROVIDING FEEDBACK ON THE OUTCOMES OF SUCH ACTIVITIES AS INTERVENING IN FAMILY DISPUTES. ANOTHER APPROACH TO INCREASING SELF-CONFIDENCE IS TO PROVIDE OFFICERS WITH MORE INFORMATION, PERHAPS BY REPLAYING TELEPHONE CALLS FOR ASSISTANCE TO THE OFFICERS ASSIGNED TO RESPOND OR BY CREATING AN INFORMATION BUREAU WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. TRAINING FOR COMPETENCE IN STRESS SITUATIONS MAY INCLUDE SIMULATION EXERCISES IN POLICE ACADEMIES AND INSERVICE PEER FEEDBACK. THE PATROL OFFICER'S STATUS IN THE DEPARTMENT CAN BE ENHANCED BY MINIMIZING THE NUMBER OF STATUS DIFFERENTIATIONS IN THE DEPARTMENT AND BY INTRODUCING NONMILITARY RANKS. AN ATMOSPHERE OF MUTUAL RESPECT BETWEEN PATROL OFFICERS AND THE COMMUNITY CAN BE PROMOTED THROUGH COOPERATIVE ACTIVITIES INVOLVING THE POLICE AND THE COMMUNITY, SURVEYS OF COMMUNITY ATTITUDES TOWARD THE POLICE, AND ELIMINATION OF THE OFF-DUTY ARREST POWERS OF THE POLICE. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED.