Stress Management Among Law Enforcement 2
Abstract
There are different emotional challenges that police officers face in the line of duty. That
stress goes home with them and affects their relationship. There are impact psychological factors
that affect police officers with the stress the job brings. There have been studies to show stress
that is hard to understand. Stress has an impact that must have an approach of a therapeutic
framework among law enforcement agencies. The critical types of incidents that law
enforcement experience stressors in the line of duty. Exploring the different approaches to help
achieve the appropriate way to fix the issues of the stress police officers face. There are
challenging situations that affect police officers. There are critical interventions,
psychotherapeutic strategies, and the ways officers may cope with their stress.
Stress Management Among Law Enforcement 3
Police Stress
Experiences vary among police officers with various stressful and traumatizing events in
the line of duty. There are effects like physical and psychological health that affect the officers.
Officers strive to keep us safe while dealing with tough call-in life or death situations. There are
times when deterioration of psychological health does go unnoticed. There is a fear of being
weak within the law enforcement profession. They do not acknowledge the stress that is
happening. They portray a strong character while their health gets worse.
Within our society, stress is every day. Among Law enforcement, it is a big issue that they
face daily. Police officers see traumatic events like dead bodies, domestic violence, and
shootings throughout their careers. Working long hours in a busy environment can cause
physical, mental, and emotional stress. Police officers are always on alert due to not knowing
what they will respond to during their shifts. Officers are given space. It is important to
remember that they do not seek help and when they do, it needs to be easy.
Researching police stress allows exploring the Stress and the management of that Stress
in law enforcement agencies. There are various sources of stress alongside ways to reduce that
stress. There need to be more options for officers to get help. Research can help understand a
safe and health-oriented environment that can help an officer bounce back to fitness after a
traumatic event—exploring the aspects of stress management among law enforcement officers. It
is about the environment and changing the aspects of the treatment and the stigma.
Stress is a constant in the life of police officers, which can lead to the loss of officers and
innocent lives. Stress is faced daily within law enforcement. When called on, the type of calls
and scenes they report daily cause trauma to their mental health. Many law enforcement
professionals are in denial about the mental health issues they may face. Officers need a place
Stress Management Among Law Enforcement 4
they can seek help freely without fear of condemnation. The law enforcement agencies face
stress all day, which affects their health, family issues, marriage issues, and possible suicide.
Post-traumatic stress disorder is common among officers; however, many will not be seen
to know if they are suffering due to the stigma among officers and mental health issues.
However, post-traumatic stress disorder is becoming more common within our law enforcement
officers and agencies. A high risk of having post-traumatic stress disorder is present for police
officers (Papzoglou & Tuttle, 2018). Law enforcement officers have the hardest and risky jobs.
Law and order are to be maintained by police officers. There is pressure among law enforcement
to make sure they perform their duties. Police officers have mental illness from all the pressure
and Stress (Tsai et al., 2018). The work police officers do demanding and traumatic. The officers
are killed or injured in the line of duty in return that affects them and their families.
Research Questions
What stress do police officers face from the job?
What can help officers overcome and deal with stress?
How do we change the environment among law enforcement agencies to allow officers to
get the help they need?
How does the stress on officers affect their families?
Literature Review
Emergency results in people calling 911 to have their emergency handled by
professionals with proficiency Emergency are dispatched to police and firefighter; they will
show to handle the situation. Many people take emergency services for granted. Police officers
have dedicated their time and answered a calling to help people. People think about the job's toll
Stress Management Among Law Enforcement 5
on a police officer when responding to their calls. Male and Female officers respond differently
to stress. Job stress is due to their situations, which can affect their attitude, character, and
training (Paton & Violanti, 2012). Being a police officer means there has to be some
determination among the people. The stress that comes from the job is overwhelming at times,
but it is about making a work environment that has regular responsibility that helps others.
Police officers get nothing in return but to handle the job's stress after they leave their
shifts. Police officers are exposed to stressful situations that are hard to handle and deal with.
Coping with stress can be a struggle if officers are not getting the help they need. There are
psychosomatic services available to officers, but it is about finding the right fit. Police officers
are them to help in any situation. However, they still deal with the prolonged stress of situations.
The stress can impact the job they do if they are not learning to cope with it. An officer's mental
state can be impacted by many factors, whether that be what he saw or experienced during a
shift. The situations police officers face are serious, stressful, and may require an officer to have
professional help.
Police officers put themselves in the line of duty to deal with impulsive, violent, and
vulture members of society. Due to the judicial and adversarial system, police officers are under
scrutiny for trying to do their jobs (Blau, 2012). Police officers are sworn to duty and to protect
and serve. By being a sworn officer, some duties come with diligence and courage, alongside
stress that comes with the job (Miller, 2017). Officers experience traumatic experiences like
homicide, suicide, shootings, and murder (Miller, 2017). Officers can struggle mentally and
emotionally with the stress that causes more issues in their life and job. Trauma is what stress can
lead to, and it can cause issues with an officer's physical, mental, emotional, and psychological
health.
Stress Management Among Law Enforcement 6
Police officers are public servants called to solve the case and catch perpetrators and
safeguard public rights. Police officers can face a shock when dealing with murder scenes which
can cause issues with an officer's coping ability to process what they have seen (Miller, 2017).
The effects of the shock can cause an officer to be obsessed with catching a killer. Officers can
face fatigue, no sleep, and impaired decisions (Miller, 2017). Officers are faced with tough
decisions daily. Officers could have to take another's life which can cause many stressors (Miller,
2017). Officers are trained how to fight, shoot, and protect people in society. Officers have
training that helps them with the different times. However, officers have a stigma around the
mental health side of things where they will not get the needed help.
Officers can go through training after training, but they are still human. Officers still have
personal feelings and instincts. Everyone, including officers, have that fight or flight response.
Officers must learn how to handle the stressors and the mental effects of the job while on duty.
That effect, however, does roll over into their personal lives. Officers are to make victims,
accidents, and families of those killed are doing well and get the answers they need by putting
stressors aide which ends up in return going home with them or impacting their job later (Miller,
2017).
Hickman, Fricas, Strom, and Pope (2011) researched police stress to understand what
happens to a police officer. Hickman et al. (2011) used an inventive approach to research by
looking at police stress and the restrictions that someone may go through. Studies have been
limited to, and officers understand what the officer can and can not control. The officer who
allows time and space from that work better handles the stress of the job better. Police officers
must face limitations and stress to ensure they are at their best while doing their jobs.
Stress Management Among Law Enforcement 7
Papazoglou and Tuttle (2018) studied job satisfaction, work stress, work stress,
organizational fatigue, and the involvement of Swiss frontline employees in using force.
Papazoglou and Tuttle (2018) found that depression is related to police abuse, fatigue, no
commitment, and unhappiness at work. There was an analysis of force and stress at work. Police
officers must face violence regularly in the line of duty. The use of force is not just the only
contribution to the stress an officer has. Officers face occupational and institutional stress
because of the type of job. Some factors that help contribute to an officer's stress, like fatigue,
dissatisfaction, and lack of commitment, have nothing to do with using force (Papazoglou &
Tuttle, 2018).
The stress from work alongside the institutional stress can often affect work regarding
commitment and job satisfaction. There has been research that is related to stress that the job
brings and the correlation of satisfaction. There is pressure piled on police officers from their
senior staff to do their job and make an arrest. The stratification of being a police officer has
come from the stress and trauma related to the job. There has been an increase in violence,
resulting in higher use of force because of the nature of the crimes and jobs. Police officers have
to do their job even with the stress and use of force they may not always agree with. The
discussion of stress to job stratification is essential and shows how to prevent stress on officers.
Kirschman (2017), policing is good overall even with the wrong side of it. Activities
within policing are stressful, which will always have to be considered (Bell and PalmerConn,
2018). Police officers' scrutiny is because there needs to be a way to show what they deal with
daily. Having a work-based curriculum can help with serval advantages. There is pressure from
the institution of working in an agency that comes into play with stress. Among the research
factors of poor management, management, democratization, bureaucracy, labor, bureaucratic
Stress Management Among Law Enforcement 8
processes, and restructuring are most stressful (Ellrich & Baier, 2017). With research, there
tends to be more of the study of the negative than positives.
Police officers have pressure but do not always work under it. Police officers are given
the time to recover when there is a traumatic event. There have been shortfalls between citizens
and police officers on the stressors of the job. There is a police culture that happens and curbs
the emotional problems within police operations; due to this, police officers do not get emotional
in their work. Police agencies have created collaborative work relationships with team members,
which helps measure satisfaction and effectiveness (Ellrich, & Baier, 2017). Having a framework
can help develop the shift that is needed to help change. Police work long hours and need to
remember they have families as well. It is about learning what works and how to better every
officer.
McCord (2015), police officers face psychological effects because of the media and
digital age. Criminals have begun to commit crimes on the internet. For example, with ISIS,
there have been things video and posted online or shot live as they are killing people and
soldiers. Officers face trauma from the events they see. Some situations have traumatized
officers. Taking care of that officer that has been traumatized is essential. Being there for the
officers and giving them the help they need is something that needs to happen. As research
shows, factors like age, gender, and social status do not have a link between who gets more
stressed plus the impact on their job (Ellrich & Baier, 2017). There need to be coping strategies
in place to help with the stress from the job.
Many police administrators believe that the stress among officers is because of the work.
The habit of experiencing anxieties, insecurity, and negative attitudes is neuroticism. Cole et al.
(2015), police officers have been given a bad image. Therefore, there has been police
Your text here 2Your text here 3
Stress Management Among Law Enforcement 9
stereotyping among officers. Officers that have been stereotyped have developed negative
attitudes towards each other. Police officers are constantly fighting drug cartels and criminals.
They must know their biases to make sure they are not overreacting to situations. There are
stressors that officers face that tend to be created by no common sense, potential criminals, and
that how people perceive the people (Violanti, 2014).
Within society, there are police officers that have their authority, but some tend to misuse
it. These types of officers are what give police officers bad names within the communities they
serve. Territo & Sewell (2019), due to the stress of being a police officer, there are consequences
of alcohol abuse that result from the stress of the job. "The Relationship Between Police Stress
and Alcohol Use: Impact on Practice" was a 2013 study indicating that "the results of the
analysis demonstrate a clear and significant link between alcohol consumption and a disorder.
Subjective alcohol-related trauma" (Territo & Sewell, 2019). "Among police officers, there is
alcohol abuse that has been proven to be one of the four leading causes of death in the United
States" (Territo & Swell, 2019).
There are health effects that come from an addiction to alcohol among police officers. By
drinking alcohol so much, some effects can work performance because of the effects on memory.
Territo & Swell (2019) talks about the relevance of alcohol addition among officers to cope with
the stress of the job. There is a significant impact of alcohol abuse and stressors on police
officers and the communities they serve (Chopko et al., 2016). Police officers must learn to
reduce their stress alongside a healthy way of coping. The lack of control over stress with alcohol
abuse can affect the officers physically and cause more problems when saving people's lives.
Police officers put their lives in danger every day they put on that uniform. Officers have
pressure for their jobs, media, and communities. Tsai et al. (2018), there is pressure among
Stress Management Among Law Enforcement 10
officers to do what is right, protect themselves, and carry the anxiety and emotional distress that
protecting the communities comes with. Police officers receive training, but that is not enough to
help when they are vulnerable and the possibility of the lousy decision within eh line of duty.
Decisions that mentally affect officers and their families may experience distress (Papazoglou &
Tuttle, 2018). A police officer's job description within the United States must manage general
security, respond to domestic violence calls, any wrongdoings, help other first responders, and
deal with aggressive behavior (Tsai et al., 2018).
There are mistakes made in the line of duty because officers are in risky situations and
are fatigued (Tsai et al., 2018). Police subculture causes issues within police officers and
families. The subculture of policing adds extra pressure. The pressure affects relationships within
their families (Tuttle et al., 2018). There is not much help for the officer being under pressure.
There are severe issues and interests of society that affect it. Officers must remember they do a
stressful job, but they have families at home—the high-stress levels. The risks officers take daily
are stressful, then their spouse is worried about them as well. The stress forms the job easily
transfers to home life. Police officers have a job full of uncertainties and not knowing what will
happen (Tuttle et al., 2018). There is stress on the officer to stay safe and the stress of the spouse
getting that phone call with news or concern. Officers need the advice of professionals to make
sure they are coping with the stress alongside the spouse to make sure they are handling
everything well (Papazoglou & Tuttle, 2018).
Biblical Worldview
Proverbs 24:11, “Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who
are stumbling to the slaughter" (Authors, 2001). Police officers have the most stressful job and
suffer from mental health issues. God calls us to lean on him and lay things down at his feet.
Stress Management Among Law Enforcement 11
Psalm 18:37-43, “I pursued my enemies and overtook them, and did not turn back till they were
consumed. I thrust them through so that they were not able to rise; they fell under my feet. For
you equipped me with strength for the battle; you made those who rise against me sink under me.
You made my enemies turn their backs to me, and those who hated me I destroyed. They cried
for help, but there was none to save; they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them. ..."
(Authors, 2001). As Christians leaning on God is the best because he has a plan. No matter what
you are going through, he can help.
Conclusion
Police officers have a stressful job by using actions that most do not have to when in the
line of duty. It is about learning to understand the situation that police officers are in. Police
officers face mental illness but suffer in silence. There needs to be help there for them. More
open conversation about mental health and the toll it takes on them. Even though times may be
thought there are not acceptable even from police officers. Police officers take the stresses home,
and sometimes that comes out on their spouses. Families care and love each other, but they have
realized in time that there may be a need for professional help. Officers need more training on
what professional help is out there. The stigma also needs to be taken out so officers receive the
help they need when stressful events occur.
References
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders
(5 th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
Authors, V. (2001). The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Wheaton, IL: Good News
Publishing.
Stress Management Among Law Enforcement 12
Bell, S., & Palmer-Conn, S. (2018). Suspicious minds: Police Attitudes to Mental Ill Health.
International Journal of Law and Public Administration, 1(2), 25-40.
Blau, T.H. (2012). Psychological Services for Law Enforcement. New York: Wiley.
Burchfiel, C. M. (2015). Shift work and occupational stress in police officers. Safety and health
at work, 6(1), 25-29.
Burke, R. J. (Ed.). (2016). Stress in policing: Sources, consequences, and interventions.
Routledge.
Cole George F., Smith Christopher E., and DeJong, Christina, (2015). The American System of
Criminal Justice. (14th ed.). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.
Chopko, B. A., Facemire, V. C., Palmieri, P. A., & Schwartz, R. C. (2016). Spirituality and health
outcomes among police officers: Empirical evidence supporting a paradigm shift.
Criminal Justice Studies, 29(4), 363-377.
Devylder, J. E. (2018). Psychotic experiences among police officers working in high-stress
situations. Schizophrenia Research, 197, 613–614. DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2018.02.022
Ellrich, K., & Baier, D. (2017). Post-traumatic stress symptoms in police officers following
violent assaults: a study on general and Police-specific risks and protective factors.
Journal of interpersonal violence, 32(3), 331-356.
Griffin, J. D., & Sun, I. Y. (2018). Do work-family conflict and resiliency mediate police stress
and burnout: A study of state police officers. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 43(2),
354-370.
Stress Management Among Law Enforcement 13
Hurrell, A., Draycott, S., & Andrews, L. (2018). Secondary traumatic stress in police officers
investigating childhood sexual abuse. Policing: An International Journal, 41(5), 636-
650.doi:10.1108/PIJPSM
Islam, T., Ahmad, R., Ahmed, I., & Ahmer, Z. (2019). Police work-family nexus, work
engagement and turnover intention. Policing: An International Journal.
Klimley, K. E., Van Hasselt, V. B., & Stripling, A. M. (2018). Post-traumatic stress disorder in
police, firefighters, and emergency dispatchers. Aggression & Violent Behavior, 43, 33–
44. https://doi-org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.1016/j.avb.2018.08.005
Kirschman, E. (2017). Cops and PTSD. Retrieved from
https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/cop-doc/201706/cops-and-ptsd-0
Martin, T. K., & Martin, R. H. (2017). Police suicide and PTSD: Connection, prevention, and
trends. Law Enforcement Executive Forum, 17(2), 27–42. Retrieved from
https://searchebscohost-com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=i3h&AN=125979944&site=ehost-live&scope=site
McCafferty, F.L., Domingo, G.D., & McCafferty, M.J. (2006). Understanding post-traumatic
stress disorder. The Police Chief, 56(2), 22-24.
McCord, J. S. (2015). Suicide and Homicide-suicide Among Police. Omega: Journal of Death &
Dying, 71(4), 367-369. doi:10.1177/0030222815572612
Miller, L. (2017). Law Enforcement Traumatic Stress: Clinical Syndromes and Intervention
Strategies. Springfield: Charles C Thomas Publisher.
Stress Management Among Law Enforcement 14
Papazoglou, K., & Tuttle, B. M. (2018). Fighting police trauma: Practical approaches to
addressing psychological needs of officers. Sage Open, 8(3), 2158244018794794.
Rineer, J. (2018). Stress Reduction Programs for Police Officers: What Needs to Change.
POLICE STRESS 12 Retrieved from https://www.rti.org/insights/stress-reduction-
programs-police-officerswhat-needs-change
Soomro, S., & Yanos, P. T. (2019). Predictors of mental health stigma among police officers: The
role of trauma and PTSD. Journal of Police & Criminal Psychology, 34(2), 175–183.
https://doi-org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.1007/s11896-018-9285-x
Stogner, J., Miller, B. L., & McLean, K. (2020). Police stress, mental health, and resiliency
during the COVID-19 pandemic. American journal of criminal justice, 45(4), 718-730.
Tsai, L. C. F., Nolasco, C. A. R., & Vaughn, M. S. (2018). Modeling job stress among police
officers: interplay of work environment, counseling support, and family discussion with
coworkers. Police Practice and Research, 19(3), 253-269.
Territo, L., & Sewell, J.D. (2019). Stress management in law enforcement.
Territo, Leonard. And Sewell, James (2013). Stress Management in Law Enforcement. (3rd ed.).
Durham, NC: Carolina Academic Press
Trimble, M.R. (2010). Post-traumatic stress disorder: History of a concept. In C.R. Figley (Ed.),
Trauma and its wake, volume I: The study and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder
(pp. 5-14). New York: Brunner/Mazel.
Stress Management Among Law Enforcement 15
Tuttle, B. M., Giano, Z., & Merten, M. J. (2018). Stress spillover in policing and negative
relationships is functioning for law enforcement marriages. The Family Journal, 26(2),
246-252
Violanti, J. M. (2014). Dying for the job: Police work exposure and health. Charles C Thomas
Publisher.
