Police Stress the American Response
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X7905200309 |
| Published date | 01 July 1979 |
| Author | Dorothy Bracey |
| Date | 01 July 1979 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
Dr
DOROTHY
BRACEY
Director
of
the John Jay Criminal Justice Centre, New York
POLICE STRESS
THE
AMERICAN
RESPONSE
"I have learned first hand that policemen's lives are hectic,
dangerous, frequently unrewarding, filled with unbelievable
monotony, unstable, and prone to development
of
drinking
problems, marital problems,
and
divorce, and to frustration over a
growing community criticism
of
their value
and
effectiveness."
Many police officers will agree with the Detroit, Michigan
psychiatrist who describes police work in these words. Even those
who would criticize it as one-sided and incomplete would agree that
the elements involved exist, although many officers find them
outweighed by the satisfactions they find in their work.
Observers have often noted the stressful nature of police work and
the effects it can have on an officer's personal life. The high rates of
suicide, divorce, gambling, and alcoholism among police have been
studied by a number of authors.>;'
More recently, however, several American police forces have come
to recognize that stress and its results are management problems as
well as personal problems, for they affect the efficiency and
effectiveness of the force itself.
Because psychological stress affects alertness, physical stamina,
and reaction time, it ultimately results in decreased productivity
and/
or deterioration of performance. The magnitude of the
problem makes it incumbent upon the police administrator to
establish sound, humane and effective personnel policies or face
the devastating consequences.'
There are numerous sources of stress for police officers. An
obvious one is the threat of danger and the need to be constantly
alert. In addition, the officer is constantlyfaced with the worst side of
life and may have all too few experiences which promote optimism,
confidence, and trust in human nature. And American police often
feel that courts, the press, and the general public are apathetic or
iOanto, Bruce L., M.D., "Police Suicide", Police Stress. Vol I, I, Fall 1978.
2Kroes, William H., Society's Victim -The Policeman. An Analysis
of
Job Stress in
Policing,.Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, III.
lFriedman, P., "Suicide Among Police; A Study of93 Suicides AmongNew York City
Policemen 1934-1940." In E. S. Shriedman (ed.) Essays in Self-Destruction. New
York: Science House, 1968.
-Caretti, Richard
and
Aubrey E. Green, "Improving Psychological Services to Police
Officers: A Management Problem," Police Stress. Vol. I, I, Fall, 1978, pp. 15-16.
July 1979 263
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