Surviving Law Enforcement: Not All Danger is on the Street

• NCJ Number: 230116
• Journal: Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 37 Issue: 2 Dated: February 2010 Pages: 26,28,33
• Author(s): Douglas Page
• Date Published: February 2010
• Length: 7 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article reports on research that has examined the factors related to police occupational stress and its effects on officers' mental and physical health.

Abstract

One study, called the Buffalo Cardio-Metabolic Occupational Police Stress study (BCOPS), used measures of cortisol, also called the "stress hormone," to determine how stress is associated with physiological risk factors that can lead to serious health problems, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. BCOPS' two most recent segments report on the effect of shift work on stress and suicide risk in police, as well as on male/female differences in stress and signs of cardiovascular disease. Overall, the BCOPS results showed that police work was associated with increased subclinical cardiovascular disease. Arterial plaque buildup among police was greater than the civilian population. Another study by Kansas State University sociologist Don Kurtz examined how male and female police officers manage stress. In this study women officers, both White and African-American, reported higher levels of stress than White male officers; however, African-American male officers reported lower levels of stress than White male officers. The same study found that family support tended to mitigate the effects of stress and job burnout to a greater degree than administrative support. Research makes it clear that police officers in general are at higher risk than the general public for job-related stress that can impair physical and mental health. The article advises that "police need to learn how to relax and think differently about things they experience on the street." This is undermined by the male-dominated police subculture in its emphasis on being tough and relying on unassisted coping with emotional issues. Finding ways for officers to openly discuss stress issues without stigma may prevent negative outcomes from police occupational stress.