Stress and Police in Kansas
| Date | 01 March 2002 |
| Author | Lisa Harbour,Suzanne Klaus,Deon Brock,Tammy Nash |
| Published date | 01 March 2002 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X0207500104 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
DEON BROCK
University
of
Texas
at Brownsville
and
Texas Southmost College
SUZANNE KLAUS
LISA HARBOUR
TAMMY NASH
Fort Hays State University
STRESS AND POLICE IN KANSAS
This study examines law enforcement-related stress for the officers of
one county in southwestern Kansas. The authors intend to uncover the
potential sources of officer and/or family stress and identify how this
might impact on overall family lifelharmony. We intend to discover
which independent variables (shift work, crowd control, press prob-
lems, etc.) exhibit the strongest relationship with the officer's percep-
tion of stress and hislher perception of its association with family
stress. All officers of all law enforcement agencies of the county will
be provided a survey.
Introduction
Traditionally, policing has been a stressful occupation for a number of
reasons. The stress that officers are subject to is large-scale. Unpopular
tasks associated with less than desirable working conditions contribute
most to the level of officer stress. Officers are required toperform a host
of undesirable duties such as handling domestic disturbances, testifying
in court and investigating deaths (Anderson, Swenson & Clay, 1995;
Sewell, 1983; Territo &Vetter, 1981). While doing their job, officers
must endure the irritation brought on by such occupational conditions as
shift work, role conflict (More & Wegener, 1992; Sewell, 1983; Territo
&Vetter, 1981) and working with an often dissatisfied community.
While there are different definitions of stress (Brallier, 1982;
Higgins, 1982; Quick &Quick, 1984; Selye, 1974 ; Basowitz et al.,
1955), for the present analysis we prefer to examine stress from the
perspective provided by Hans Selye wherein stress is presented as both
positive and negative (eustress and distress);' the rationale being that
one can make the argument that the task of policing provides both for
law-enforcement personnel. Some of the tasks associated with policing
can be invigorating, providing 'eustress' (positive stress) (Anderson,
Swenson &Clay, 1995). Even so, policing has for the most part been
regarded as an occupation wherein the stress is predominantly of the
negative type.
Stress and the Family
Many officers manage all of the aforementioned in the context of a
family atmosphere wherein such problems do not only affect the
officer, but also impact on hislher family (Maynard & Maynard, 1982).
The Police Journal, Volume 75 (2002) 31
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