Stress in the Police Service

US Research Confirms....

Police officers have one of the highest suicide rates, high divorce rate and they are problem drinkers. These facts are warning signals for unseen problems that are not being handled. Researchers use suicide, divorce and alcoholism rates as three key indexes of stress in a group of people. Police officials need to recognize the importance of these facts and provide policies and programs to reduce stress in these areas.Police officers encounter stressors in call after call which sap their strength. Police work lacks balance. Most jobs have a healthy balance; the good things are mixed with the bad one. Not so in police work. In call after call, officers only see criminals or people making fool of themselves. For more information on "police officer stress"

Understanding the stressors and having relevant information on stress reduction are of prime importance in identifying your problem. Effective stress management is possible only after you have passed through the identification step.

Certain stress management tools, stress management games and stress management course are also available to come to your rescue.Officers and supervisors should be taught about the symptoms of stress, personal stress management and effects of job stress.

Proactive stress management training helps ward off stress when officers encounter it. Family life can be helped in several ways. Counseling through the psychologist and chaplain should be available for family members. Orientation seminars for spouses will let them learn about the department, first hand. They give officers and their families a chance to sit down in a congenial atmosphere with the people who appreciate them.Chronic stress causes people to regress and numbs people's sensitivity. They must stop feeling or they won't survive. If they keep their normal sensitivity, they would fall apart.

Police officials should stop distinguishing between personal problems and workplace stress. All police officer stress needs to be defined and combated, not just a few obvious ones.

This is an American Article sent to me in order to continue to highlight the very really need for the Irish Police Service to be afforded a stand alone Garda Confidential Therapeutic Support Service, run by non member professionals providing a high level of therapeutic support and care to both members of the force and their families.

LINK TO PTSD ARTICLE