CJUS 630 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY Final Research Paper _ESSAY_2024.pdf

Final Research Paper

Final Research Paper

Alexis Vick

CJUS630

12/11/2023

Final Research Paper

Abstract

Law enforcement officers, both police officers and correctional officers, often face difficult and

stressful situations that can seriously impact their physical and mental health. This often

aware of the warning signs and symptoms of stress. It is also important to provide prevention,

intervention, and treatment to police officers to ensure they receive the support they need. This

article examines the stressors police officers face and the consequences of not seeking

professional help. It also examines current programs and intervention techniques available to law

enforcement agencies.

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Mental Health in Police Officers

In law enforcement, both police officers and correctional officers deal with difficult and

stressful situations, ranging from on-duty situations to organizational and even personal

challenges. In recent years, it has been documented that police officers are susceptible to a range

of mental and physical disorders, from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety to

musculoskeletal disorders and cardiovascular disease (Leeds). Police officers are at increased

to worsen, which can lead to poor mental health and ultimately suicide. Many departments are

beginning to ensure that officers have the support and outside resources they need when seeking

help. This helps police officers find healthy solutions and allows them to continue their careers

while remaining fit for duty. In addition to the availability of resources, understanding how

police officers respond to traumatic events can also help authorities. Government agencies need

to understand the triggers and symptoms of disorders such as PTSD to ensure that mental health

disorders do not go untreated or undiagnosed and provide appropriate training, coping skills, and

staff support.

Stress

According to the World Health Organization, stress can be defined as a state of anxiety or

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experiences it to some degree. Stress affects both the mind and body, but a little stress can help

you cope with daily life. There are mainly two types of stress. Acute stress is caused by a sudden

event but resolves on its own after a short period. These events are things we experience every

day and are easily manageable, even if we are feeling overwhelmed right now (Anderson et al.,

This type of stress can be observed in police officers' daily activities, such as responding to

Working as a first responder has quickly emerged as one of the few professions where

people are constantly placed in high-stress, high-risk situations. Police officers constantly

encounter dangerous situations and risk their lives to do their jobs (Velazquez & Hernandez,

2019). One form of stress experienced by police officers is vicarious stress, or the stress

associated with vicariously experiencing another person's crisis (Harmening, 2014). We humans

are biologically programmed to experience the emotions of others through compassionate

responses, and police officers are no exception. When responding to a crisis, we may experience

fear, hopelessness, hopelessness, and a variety of other stress-inducing emotions (Harmening,

2014). However, vicarious stress is just one form of stress that police officers experience.

The stresses that police officers face daily can be divided into two main categories:

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jobs such as experiencing long working hours, shift work, overtime, and traumatic events

(Vadvilvicius et al., 2023). Organizational stressors are associated with law enforcement and are

often beyond the control of officers (Vadvilvicius et al., 2023).

Operational Stress

According to Harmening (2014), this type of stress is associated with always preserving

hypervigilant behavior in preparation for violence against police officers and other police

Organizational Stress

This stress often arises from the interaction with an organization`s bureaucratic and

hierarchical structure, excessive regulations, insufficient support, lack of advancement

opportunities, and conflicting work demands (Wu & Wen, 2020). As a result, executives often

have negative attitudes toward their departments and the people they work with, which reduces

job satisfaction, negatively impacts performance, and even affects their personal lives. When

organizational stress begins to affect personal life, additional stress can occur, further impacting

performance and causing further tension.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental illness that occurs in people who have

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(American Psychiatric Association, date unknown). Police officers are constantly exposed to or

witness traumatic events such as traffic accidents, assaults, substance abuse, and even death.

Both incidents can take a toll on a police officer's mental health. Chopko et al. (2018) stated that

many of the traumatic events experienced by police officers can be classified into two categories.

One for the threats against police officers and one for witnessing the injury or death of others.

Various studies have been conducted over the years to document PTSD within law enforcement

dreams are often difficult for individuals to block and can lead to increased stress. These

thoughts are usually intrusive and distorting, ultimately affecting a person's perception of the

event. When symptoms return, it may be difficult for people around you to notice that they are

occurring. If the affected person is in a situation like a traumatic event, they may have trouble

sleeping and frostbite. However, bosses, co-workers, and even family members are more likely

to notice when someone is experiencing symptoms of avoidance or hyperarousal. Symptoms of

avoidance typically include officers' isolation from others, disinterest in their work, cutting

corners, and often a disheveled appearance (Harmening, 2014). At the other end of the spectrum

are symptoms of hyperarousal. These symptoms typically include officers refusing to do their

jobs, insulting others, not following procedures, and being constantly nervous. Unlike police

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officers who experience avoidant symptoms, individuals with hyperarousal tend to be more

sociable and often consume large amounts of alcohol (Harmening, 2014).

Here we introduce various coping mechanisms used to manage stress and PTSD.

Unfortunately, many people develop avoidant coping strategies. Avoidable coping strategies

involve a person shifting their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors away from unpleasant

Yanos, 2018). Unfortunately, the use of strategies such as substance abuse can lead to high rates

of suicidal ideation (Soomro & Yanos, 2018). At this point, it becomes even more important for

the officer to get help. Unfortunately, several barriers prevent many police officers from seeking

help.

According to Harmening (2014), several significant barriers prevent police officers from

seeking help. Two of the biggest barriers are a police culture that emphasizes strength and the

stigma associated with seeking internal and external help. When officers are in crisis due to their

mental health, these barriers only reinforce maladaptive behaviors and force officers to solve the

problem on their own without getting the help they need.

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Police culture can be simply summarized as the behavioral expectations placed on police

officers by their colleagues (Harmening, 2014). Expectations from peers often force people to

adopt a particular identity with little room for deviation. This identity requires police officers to

present themselves with authority, irony, solidarity, and masculinity. People who follow police

culture often exhibit aggressive personalities, which leads police officers to engage in

“masculine” activities such as heavy drinking (Hakik & Langlois, 2022). This culture creates

of officers and provide support services (Velazquez & Hernandez, 2019). In most cases, many of

these values are instilled in officers at a young age and during training. Through training and

early in their careers, they are taught to show strength rather than emotion. Otherwise, other

police officers may view them as “weak” (Velazquez & Hernandez, 2019). Additionally, many

people worry that asking for help will not only make them look weak but also make them unfit to

be served by their superiors. As a result, young officers have unknowingly learned to internalize

their emotions rather than deal with them to secure their careers. These values also reinforce the

stigma against seeking mental health help. Police culture not only influences people who seek

help but also societal attitudes toward police officers. Police officers are often portrayed as

superheroes rather than ordinary people. This causes them to exhibit unrealistic traits like a sense

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The Stigma of Seeking Mental Health

According to an article by Velazquez & Hernandez (2019), stigma is one of the main

reasons people do not seek mental health care or are not committed to the process. Public stigma

refers to people who have negative attitudes and beliefs about people with mental disorders. This

is common due to the nature of the calls that law enforcement frequently responds to. They often

deal with people who suffer from mental health problems, which can lead to them being avoided,

help and lead to an increased incidence of mental disorders (Velazquez & Hernandez, 2019).

In recent years, there has been a movement to raise awareness of the traumatic events that police

officers face daily. The passage of the Law Enforcement and Mental Health and Welfare Act of

2017 helped emphasize the importance of providing additional support to police officers in

managing work-related mental illnesses and symptoms (Velazquez & Hernandez, 2019). This

law was enacted to combat illnesses such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and

depression, with a focus on treatment and prevention. The legislation also highlighted current

programs and helped law enforcement agencies encourage officers to utilize these services.

Critical Incident Stress Debriefing