POLICE
Resources for Public Officers of Law, Intelligence, Crime and Emergency Services and their families.
Critical Incidents: Responding to Police Officer Trauma
Author: Sgt Chris Moad
Date: November 9, 2011
Responding to the immediate and intense stress of a singular traumatic event by identifying how critical incidents affect police officers, and what administrators and supervisors can do to help officers who are involved in these types of incidents.
Emotional Labour and Policing from the Perspective of Retired Officers: A Preliminary Study
Author: Dr David Lloyd
Date: November, 2011
A study based on interviews with 6 retired police officers, investigating the emotional labour as experienced by law enforcement officers, and the coping mechanisms they used while on the job.
Family Support for Police Officers
Author: Western Australian Police Union
The families of our police officers can play a very important role to ensure that their loved one, who has been physically or psychologically injured on duty can recover, and ultimately return to work.
Management of Stress and Burnout of Police Personnel
Author: Randhir Singh & Anup Sud
Date: January, 2008
Every human being has to deal with stress and there is considerable evidence that law enforcement officers are killed by more job-related stress than they are by criminals. This article explores the prevalence of stress and burnout on police personnel, and techniques for intervention.
Police Officer Alcohol Use and Trauma Symptoms: Associations with Critical Incidents, Coping, and Social Stressors
Author: Kim S. Menard & Michael L. Arter
Date: January 21, 2013
Police officers are routinely exposed to critical incidents, often with limited support from management and peers. Further working irregular hours, and limiting social support from friends and family may lead to increased alcohol use and unhealthy coping mechanisms.
Line-of-Duty Death: Psychological Treatment of Traumatic Bereavement in Law Enforcement
Author: Laurence Miller
Date: 2007
In the world of law enforcement critical incidents there are few events more traumatic to officers than the the death of a comrade, or line-of-duty death. This article describes some of the unique features of line-of-duty death bereavement on both officers and their families.
Officer Safety and Wellness: An Overview of the Issues
Author: Mora L. Fiedler
More than ever officers need to be able to think and perform with ease and accuracy. Maintaining and investing in officer safety, health and wellness is one of the most critical actions an agency can take. In times of economic uncertainty, officers have more demands that ever to perform in an ever changing environment.
Predictors of Posttraumatic Stress Disorders in Police Officers
Author: Andre Marchand, Richard Boyer, Celine Nadeau & Melissa Martin
Date: 2013
An examination of the development of posttraumatic stress disorder following a work-related accident by studying the associated risks and protective factors. A unique study which incorporates pre-, peri- and posttraumatic factors.
Police Officer Suicide: Frequency and Officer Profiles
Author: Michael G. Aamodt & Nicole A. Stalnaker
Date: 1999
A sobering study of police officer suicide, and the factors and profiles of officers who complete suicide.
Police Stress
Author: Trauma Centre & Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance
Police officers experience frequent and ongoing stressors ranging from cumulative stress to critical incidents. This quick reference guide is designed to help you identify if you or a loved one are experiencing signs of psychological stress.
Police Suicide: Understanding Grief & Loss
Author: Beverly J. Anderson
Date: 2002
Law enforcement is an emotionally and physically dangerous job. Police routinely face murder, violence, accidents and disaster. Rotating shifts, long hours and exposure to tragedy can take a heavy toll. In this article the author explores the sometimes irrational and often destructive responses to police suicide.
Police Work and Its Effects on the Family
Author: Donna Fratesi
Police work and how it effects the family is an extremely complex subject. The intricacies of the police role in society can cause incredible stress on not only officers, but also their families, especially when they are not given training in effective techniques to manage or handle stress.
Preparing for the Unimaginable
Author: Laura Usher, Stefanie Friedhoff, Maj. Sam Cochran & Anand Pandya
Date: Nov 9, 2011
It’s difficult to imagine the reality of a mass casualty event, and yet this is a reality police may face with little preparation for the psychological fallout. Tragic events can have a profound effect on first responders, and this guide offers expert advice and practical tips from case studies by supervisors, officers and mental health professionals who have lived through these traumatic events.
Prevention and Management of Stress in Policing: A review of the Literature
Author: Portland State University Criminology
Date: 2014
Although there is no way to eliminate stress and the burnout it can cause, there are methods law enforcement agencies can utilise to help officers prevent stress from worsening and to make it more manageable. This literature review contains information to help police agencies train officers about prevention and management of stress in the workplace.
Suicide and Law Enforcement
Author: Donald C. Sheehan & Janet I. Warren
Date: 2001
Among the many enemies faced by law enforcement officers, suicide stands as one of the most constant, but least identifiable of our foes. We often mask the desire to do ourselves harm behind feelings of denial and shame. In this study, the authors challenge the assumption that statistics outweigh facts, and challenge the attitudes towards police suicide.
Suicidal Ideation in Police Officers: Exploring an Additional Measure
Author: John M. Violanti, Anna Mnatsakanove, Michael E. Andrew
Date: July 11, 2013
Police officers are at an increased risk for suicide. Hesitancy by this high risk population to seek help makes it essential to detect suicidal ideation on a different level than self-reports. This pilot study explores alternative methods of measuring suicidal ideation in police officers.
The Mystery Within: Understanding Police Suicide
Author: John M. Violanti
Date: February, 1995
Mounting evidence suggests that self-inflicted deaths within the law enforcement profession began an upward trend from the 1980s. In this article, the author examines the possible reasons for this trend, and the inevitable difficulties faced by researchers attempting to gather reliable information on such a taboo subject.
What Helps and Hinders the Decision to Access Psychological Services in a Police Population: A Critical Incident Study
Author: Carolyn M. Burns
Date: May, 2014
The police culture exerts a pronounced influence on officers, preventing some from asking for or receiving the assistance they require. In this study the author examines the barriers to seeking help following work-related trauma, and the culture that enforces this stigma.
The Effects of Hypervigilance on Decision-Making During Critical Incidents
Author: Paul M. Junger
Date: September, 2018
A study of the effects of anxiety, fear and acute stress on the decision making process of law enforcement agents, and suggests new way to approach training on hypervigilance.