Stress in Law Enforcement and the Supervisory/Management Response

Introduction

Stress is a common factor among all law enforcement and corrections officers, with more than a quarter of all officers reporting some form of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of their occupation (Spinaris, Denhof & Kellaway, 2012). What makes the problem even worse is the fact that there is a general taboo regarding seeking mental health support: needing help coping with stress is not something officers like to talk about as, Kirschman (2017) reportsCops are often reluctant to seek help, fearing it will jeopardize their jobs and/or make them look weak. Overcoming the taboo of managing stress in a healthy and effective manner is just one area that needs to be addressed. Another is actually providing an effective management response that does provide officers with the tools to manage stress so that they do not end up suffering from PTSD. This paper will examine how stress negatively impacts officers and their families; what the obstacles to dealing with stress are, and what the supervisory/management response should be to help reduce stress before it becomes a serious problem for law enforcement officers.

Effects of Stress

Some of the most common effects of stress among police officers include the loss of motivation, effort and performance in the execution of their role; difficulty in maintaining healthy relationships with others; and a rise in on-duty violence (Chopko & Schwartz, 2012). Unable to process and manage stress, officers can become overwhelmed by negative thoughts, feelings and an insistent pressure that is both psychologically and physiologically experienced. If left untreatedand it often isstress can build to the point where it causes severe mental disturbances and disorders. Stress disorders and even PTSD can result. An officer struggling with PTSD will show signs, such as intrusive re-experiencing of the trauma, avoidance of trauma-related stimuli, and alterations in cognition, mood, arousal, and reactivity (Christova et al., 2015, p. 2695). The longer this disorder goes on, the more difficult it is for the individual to seek help. Often, the person experiencing this level of stress disorder will attempt to self-medicate, either through drugs or alcohol, only making matters worse for himself and for his family (Chopko, Palmieri & Adams, 2018).

The police supervisor or administrator plays an important role both in identifying signs of stress in officers and in helping them to cope with stress in a positive and healthy manner (Romosiou, Brouzos & Vassilopoulos, 2019). One way supervisors can help in this respect is through resiliency and mindfulness training (McCanlies et al., 2017). Resiliency is one of the key characteristics of people who are able to reduce stress on the job (Reivich, Seligman & McBride, 2011). It is even recommended by the US Army in its Master Resiliency Training (MRT) program that teachers leaders how to help soldiers cope with stress more effectively. As General Casey (2011) notes, the Army is leveraging the science of psychology in order to improve our forces resilience (p. 1). This same approach can be used by supervisors in law enforcement to help officers be more mindful of their own stress on the job and how to process and manage it in a healthy way.

Resiliency Training

Resiliency has been identified in positive psychology as an expression of the character to adversity: it describes the persons ability to bounce back in the face of obstacles and to demonstrate grit and determination when difficulties arise. Individuals who have cultivated resilience are able to cope with stress more meaningfully, because they understand it and know how to respond to it. Those who do not possess resiliency tend to experience depression, anger and...

…expects people to be. Because toughness of mind and character is often associated with being a law enforcement officer, officers are likely to be reluctant to talk about their feelings, to seek help for feeling stressed, or to admit that they may be dealing with PTSD (Chopko et al., 2018).

Supervisors should focus on developing a climate and environment in the workplace in which officers feel that it is okay to talk about stress, to seek advice for stress, and to learn how to cope with stress. Supervisors should remove the taboo associated with mental health treatment. As Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers showed, even highly-paid NBA stars can experience mental health issuesso it is not something one should feel ashamed of. Maintaining mental health is just as important and necessary as maintaining ones physical or spiritual health. No one is ever ashamed of going to the gym for health purposes; neither should an officerfeel ashamed of seeking mental health counseling to help him deal with stress. Some officers will need this type of support, while others will benefit from simple stress reduction exercises like the mindfulness and resiliency training.

Conclusion

Stress is common among law enforcement officers and its effect on officers and family can be devastating. Officers may lose morale, incentive to work, and may become more volatile while on the job, potentially risking getting engaged in a hostile escalation or violent interaction with someone from the community. Stress can impact marriages and families, and if the situation at home deteriorates it can worsen an officers ability to manage stress while on-duty. It is important therefore that supervisors understand how to help officers manage stress most effectively. Resiliency training and mindfulness can help in this regard, but so too can supervisors who aim to improve the culture of the workplace…