Roles of a Police Psychologist in an Investigation
The following paper describes the roles played by a police psychologist in an investigation of a situation in which a former police officer has been killed. The police force constantly takes risks to save the lives and belongings of the people they serve. This force is known for its bravery and courage but when a situation involves the homicide of a former member of their own group, they are faced with extra trouble as their own safety becomes a concern for them. In addition to that, the pressure from media exacerbates the problem for the police force. In this case, the police force needs psychological support which is given to them by a police psychologist.
Introduction
Police offers face severe stress in their day-to-day routine. They risk their lives and their families in order to fulfill the duty assigned to them. Their bravery is tested every day, but on an occasion, where an ex-police officer is murdered, the bravery of the police officers is tested to its limits. The homicide of the mayor, who was an ex-policeman, further exacerbates the situation as the mayor is a public figure and the story are televised many times. This pressure of media also has an effect on the police force. Keeping in mind the amount of stress that a police officer is faced with, the police psychologist has a critical role in supporting the police officers in this investigation. (Mayhew, 2001)
Roles played by a Police Psychologist
Some of the roles played by the psychiatrist in this type of investigation are:
1. Help the police force in recovering from the post-traumatic stress.
2. Help the police officers in regaining the sense of security in their jobs.
3. Conducting a psychological autopsy. (Scrivner, 1994)
A police psychiatrist is needed in a situation which gives a shock to the police force. The first role of the psychologist is to strive to make the police officers feel normal again. As the murder of one of their own officers would have been a shock to them, the police officers would feel a little insecure about the security of themselves and their family members. The police officers may get PSTD as a result of this incident and thus the police psychiatrist has to intervene using incident debriefing. This method uses a group session of those officers who are affected by the incident. These officers might be showing signs of distress, and thus they are helped by the police psychologist. The police psychologist plays a vital role here as the police officers who are faced with distress, may also abuse or harm the police force and thus the psychologist's help is very important here. (Scrivner, 1994) (Mitchell, n.d.)
In addition to helping the police officers with stress, the police psychologist also has to help the police officers in regaining their confidence back. As this case involves the homicide of a public figure, who was previously a police officer, the police officers tend to lose confidence in their jobs. The thought of their and their family's security naturally overcomes their effort to control themselves and continue with their jobs normally. In some extreme cases, this thought triggers the notion of changing their jobs. This behavior is not normal as the police officers are normally perceived as being brave. The normal psychological training of the police officers is overwhelmed by these fears. The psychologist's duty here is to make sure that instead of surrendering to their fears, the police officers should fight their way out of them. The psychologist can advise the police officers and can also use humor as an instrument to fend off the fear that has prevailed in them. The police psychologist may also use some rituals to strengthen the resolve of the police officers. (Scrivner, 1994)
Another role of the psychologist is to perform a psychological autopsy. A psychological autopsy becomes very important when investigating the murder of a public figure. In the mayor's case, there can be several reasons that might cause the witnesses to give false information. The information given by the witnesses and the statements of the medical examiner have a direct impact on things such as insurance, media perception and the overall reputation of the mayor and the police department. (Scrivner, 1994)
Purpose and Use of a Psychological Autopsy
Psychological autopsy can be a useful aid in determining the causes of the death of a person in detail. The psychological autopsy can be used to help the medical investigator to draw medical statements about a suicide and even a homicide which is ambiguous. The investigator can then use this autopsy to check whether...
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