Question

What are three new sources of stress for today’s police officers. What are some healthy coping strategies that officers can employ and how law enforcement leaders/agencies can assist.

Answer 1

Policing is a line of work which can be a appreciated job, but at times it is a very nerve-racking job. Policing is one of the fewer professions where individuals deal with numerous stressors

However there is no definite means to eradicate stress but there are few ways through which the law enforcement agencies can help its officers to forbid stress from aggravating and making it more directed.

There are mainly two types of causes of stress in law enforcement officers

External causes - It includes perils, menace, and decreasing honor from the public when on patrolling.

Internal causes. - antagonistic mental attitude toward higher management like notion of

deficiency of assistance from the management, stringent work, lack of processed job descriptions, skimpy recognition for a job well-done

According to researchers, new sources of stress for police have been found.These are:-

Negative media coverage about them in certain encounters.

Coming into contact with diseases, which includes diseases like hepatitis, cancer and AIDS.

Shooting someone or being shot may lead to psychological stress is posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) .

Steps to be taken by the Law Enforcement agencies to help its officers to minimize stress:-

Encourage a supportive work culture inside the agency - officers have good working relationships with administration tend to be less stressful as compared to the officers who does not have good working relationships with the administration.

Counseling and employee assistance programs (EAP) can assist those who have been struck by stress.

Initiating support groups and programs like peer-counseling, as well as physical fitness can help decrease the level of stress in the officers.