The Issue of Stress in Law Enforcement

Introduction 

Law enforcement officers face a lot of challenges while discharging their duties. They respond to and witness some of the most traumatizing events that happen in the communities they serve. The stress associated with their job has a negative impact on their physical and mental wellbeing ( Korre et al., 2014). On-the-job stress may accumulate over the course of their career. Stressed law enforcement officers often struggle with suicidal thoughts, alcohol abuse, depression, and PTSD ( Avdija, 2014 ). It is estimated that one in every four officers has suicidal thoughts in their life. This implies that some of the law enforcement officers are overwhelmed by the stressors that characterize their profession. Moreover, the suicide rate for law enforcement officers is four times higher compared to that of fire fighters ( Chopko et al., 2014). Worse still, more law enforcement personnel die by suicide than in the line of duty, raising significant questions regarding their mental health. The pressures of law enforcement expose officers to serious physical and mental health problems. It is important to establish the various causes of stress for law enforcement officers in order to develop effective strategies for reducing stress. Determining the various impacts of stress on the officers can also help in identifying those that require attention. 

The Major Causes of Stress 

Stress among law enforcement officers comes from a variety of sources. It is important to identify the sources in order to effectively deal with the menace. The stressors have a negative impact on the physical and mental wellbeing of the officers. The various causes of stress for law enforcement personnel include autonomic arousal, traumatizing events, risky situations, organizational stress, and shift work. 

Autonomic Arousal 

There are some natural body functions that lead to stress among law enforcement officers. At times, stress and adverse emotions produce some hormones that may increase muscle tension, heart rate, as well as respiration. As such, it does not have to take a traumatic event for law enforcement personnel to get stressed up. This is because the autonomic arousal can be triggered by even routine stress, making it difficult for the officers to solve problems and think properly ( Chopko et al., 2014). The issues surrounding problem solving and thinking properly may significantly present significant dangers to the officers when they are performing their duties ( Korre et al., 2014). This is because efficient problem solving is critical for ensuring the general safety of the officers. The autonomic arousal can have a negative impact on both the officers’ professional and personal lives in subtle ways. Therefore, it is important to develop effective programs aimed at honing the problems solving skills of the officers so that they can overcome internal stressors. 

Traumatizing Events 

Law enforcement officers are constantly exposed to traumatizing events based on the nature of their work. The officers are often called to disturbing crime scenes where they see a lot of horrific images. As such, the law enforcement officers are more exposed to traumatic images, compared to the average citizen, exposing them to significant stress ( Korre et al., 2014). The images that characterize horrific crime scenes tend to linger in the minds of the officers, subjecting them to constant mental stress. Additionally, officers are often the first responders in cases of emergencies. As such, they are often the first people to arrive on scene. Those who are at the scene usually look up the officers for help and leadership amidst chaos. These events demand a lot of the officers and they have to learn to control their emotions in order serve effectively ( Avdija, 2014 ). Unfortunately, the repressing of emotions may have detrimental effects on the wellbeing of officers as they cause stress. For instance, repressing of emotions may cause disorders related to stress. 

Risky Situations 

Law enforcement personnel often put themselves in risky situations, given the nature of their work ( Price, 2017 ). For instance, traffic stops can turn into a struggle for one’s life. Additionally, the officers often confront dangerous individuals who pose a significant threat not only to their lives, but also those of the public. Officers often find it difficult to predict the actions of the arrestees, as a docile individual may turn out to be a real beast. Thus, the lives of law enforcement personnel are constantly hanging on a balance. Such work pressures lead to immense stress, particular when they involve life and death situations. 

Organizational Stress 

Organizational dynamics can also cause stress among law enforcement officers. There are several organizational stressors that can affect the wellbeing of officers. For instance, poor communication in decision making, work schedule desires, and the need for promotions are some of the most significant organizational stressors affecting law enforcement officers ( Korre et al., 2014). When an organization gets too centralized, communication problems arise, exerting more stress on the officers. Some of the officers may also desire promotion, particularly after spending several years in the field. Essentially, officers expect to be promoted as they age. Lack of promotions may lead to a lot of stress. Work schedules are also a significant source of stress for law enforcement officers. For instance, some officers may need to spend time with their families. However, when their work schedules do not allow them to have some time with family, they may get stressed. Families form an important part of an individual’s life, and the law enforcement officers are not an exception. 

Work Shift 

Generally, most law enforcement personnel work unusual shifts that lead to stress. For instance, junior officers tend to be assigned less desirable shifts that constantly change ( Korre et al., 2014). The shifts may render the officers unable to maintain a favorable work-life balance. The changing shifts may also lead to health problems. The health problems may further exacerbate the impact of stress on the officers. 

Impact of Stress on Professional Life 

Stress impacts the professional lives of law enforcement officers in a variety of ways. Law enforcement officers dealing with stress tend to use more sick time. Stress also leads to time management issues among law enforcement officers ( Price, 2017 ). Officers dealing with stress are more likely to report to work late. Lateness has a negative impact on the performance of the officers. Additionally, poor time managers are less likely to get promotions at work. As such, stressed officers are less likely to grow professionally. 

Stressed officers tend to make mistakes on court and departmental paperwork, leading to errors in service delivery. The lack of focus on work leads to mistakes. Essentially, stress impacts the concentration of officers negatively. Stressed officers are less likely to pay attention to what they are doing ( Avdija, 2014) . For instance, some of the stressed officers may daydream. Moreover, stress leads to sleep deprivation, something that has a negative impact on one’s mental health. 

Stress among law enforcement officers also leads to higher rates citizen complaints. Stressed officers are more likely to engage in misconduct. This is because such officers tend to abuse such substances as alcohol and other drugs ( Avdija, 2014 ). As such, they may illegally obtain money to finance their addictions. Basically, officers that engage in misconduct are less likely to succeed professional due to the limited opportunities for growth. Additionally, stress leads to poor communication among the affected officers. For instance, stressed officers often have a lot of problems communicating with their seniors. This may lead to disciplinary actions against them, further contributing to their stress. Thus, stress has significant negative impacts on the professional growth of law enforcement officers. 

Impact of Stress on Personal Life 

There are several impacts of stress on the personal life of law enforcement officers. The various impacts include the inability to control emotions, depression, and PTSD. Stress greatly impedes an individual’s ability to effectively regulate emotions. This is because the officers’ duties may lead to emotional exhaustion, particularly when they spend many hours handling traumatizing situations ( Korre et al., 2014). An officer’s day maybe characterized by a variety of challenges ranging from armed suspects, unethical partners, arrogant seniors, to large amounts of paperwork. Stress may also cause negative emotions such as despair, anxiety, and depression. 

Stress may also be rooted in interpersonal conflicts, leading to depression. Depression is one of the major causes of disease among the law enforcement officers. Apart from affecting the health of officers, depression also affects performance. The necessity of constant vigilance, along with the pressure to seek promotion is some of the major drivers of depression among the officers ( Avdija, 2014) . Additionally, high job stress may also lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among the officers. PTSD has negative impact on health and it is associated with a variety of symptoms. The symptoms include marked increase in awareness, irritability, and bad sleep patterns ( Price, 2017) . The victims may have issues remembering the traumatic events in the course of their work. Thus, stress is a significant contributor to poor health among law enforcement officers and there is need for effective strategies that can help in limiting the adverse impacts of stress. 

Conclusion 

In conclusion, stress is a major contributor to declining wellbeing of law enforcement officers exposed to traumatic situations in their day to day life. There are several causes of stress for law enforcement officers. The causes include autonomic arousal, traumatizing events, risky situations, organizational stress, and shift work. It is important to understand such causes in order to develop the best strategies for combating stress among law enforcement officers. 

References 

Korre, M., Farioli, A., Varvarigou, V., Sato, S., & Kales, S. N. (2014). A survey of stress levels and time spent across law enforcement duties: Police chief and officer agreement.  Policing: a journal of policy and practice ,  8 (2), 109-122.

Price, M. (2017). Psychiatric disability in law enforcement officers.  Behavioral sciences & the law ,  35 (2), 113-123.

Chopko, B. A., Palmieri, P. A., & Facemire, V. C. (2014). Prevalence and predictors of suicidal ideation among US law enforcement officers.  Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology ,  29 (1), 1-9.

Avdija, A. S. (2014). Stress and law enforcers: testing the relationship between law enforcement work stressors and health-related issues.  Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine: an Open Access Journal ,  2 (1), 100-110.