NCJ Number
198856
Journal
Sheriff Volume: 55 Issue: 1 Dated: January-February 2003 Pages: 20-21
Date Published
January 2003
Length
2 pages
Annotation
This article describes the functions and benefits of a sheriff's office psychologist, along with his/her qualifications, position in the agency, and selection issues.
Abstract
The sheriff's psychologists interviewed for this article particularly cited the importance of their low-profile counseling work with agency employees who are dealing with personal and family issues that may be impeding their work performance. The range of other services by psychologists include entry-level screening and fitness-for-duty evaluations, as well as hostage negotiation, crisis intervention, and threat assessment. One psychologist reported that the use of mental health professionals within her agency has resulted in a significant reduction in employee disability claims. Another psychologist stated that the combination of enhanced screening of applicants and the availability of counseling services has dramatically lowered turnover in the agency. Two divergent structures for the provision of psychological services have been the in-house employment of psychologists and contracting with an outside provider. Larger agencies tend to use an in-house psychologist, and mid-sized and smaller agencies often use external service providers. Each approach has advantages and disadvantages. Most law enforcement agencies prefer to use a psychologist with a background in police work. Many jurisdictions will recruit a psychologist fresh out of the university setting and send him/her to the law enforcement academy. Such familiarity with the world of the law enforcement officer increases the effectiveness of the psychologist's work. This article also discusses the importance of confidentiality in the counseling relationship and issues in selecting and hiring a psychologist.