Stress of Police Officers
Police officers often face stress in their work, there is the frequent and ongoing stress, as mention in
chapter two, while observing the police-public relationship, it is observed that public disapprove the police, for the work they are doing, there is the certain , image, stereotyping involved with this profession, which leads them to face stress. However, they may have the negative image in the society, because nobody can ever be happy, seeing a police officers, there are the negative press coverage a and citizens always have negative feeling for them, consequently, police officers may suffer stress problems, related to the anxiety, marital problems, substance abuse, depression etc.
Sources of stress
Being police officers, there may be many sources of the stress, they have the exposure to violence, they can suffer death etc. However, on the daily basis, on the job, they have to face the risk, in the public opinion, they are unfavorable to them, and there are so many sources, which can be seen as worse. Moreover, the rotating shift or working for the long hour, not getting the respect they deserve may be the main causes, from which police officers can face stress; police officers have so many responsible. However, the unrest can affect their mind and duty, they can have the psychological problems, they may have to suffer cardiovascular diseases, there may be the increase in suicide rate etc.
Moreover, the responsibilities they have are too much, as they have to take care of the citizens, they have to deal with them, they have to notice the crimes around them, the threat of safety and health etc. The main causes that I consider, that can affect the police officers performance are inadequate to support and excess workload, personal and occupational stressors.
Inadequate Support and Excess Workload
Inadequate support and the excess workload are main cause, which leads the police officers to face stress, the general public is not good to them, the stereotyping is associated with the police profession, people have the bad image in the mind. However, policeman can place fine on you, they notice you, they notice the even small thing, which sometimes you don’t know, this is the reason that people do not like the policeman, and do not value them, even they are protecting you and facing so many hardships for you.
Organizational culture and the workload can be the main issues, as in organization, there is always talks about the rules and regulation, there are talks about the criminals, sometimes the criminals are very dangerous, and can often deceive them. The long hours and so much pressure on them, make the condition stressful for them, they do not have the time for the family, there is work in their lives, they do not have the holidays; they are working all the tomes, but getting nothing in response.
The long period of facing stress can lead them to face stress disorders, which may affect on their mind, and they may not able to do their work properly. However the Public practices often hurt them, because citizens do not care, there are the psychological conditions or sufferings, example, inability to sleep, poor management, excessive overtime, the frequency in rotating shift etc.
Personal and Occupational Stressors
Personal and occupational stress can affect the work of the police officer; their occupation is based on facing and handling so many things at the same time. They have to suffer constant pain because they are committed to the victim of the crime, spending their most of the time, in dealing with eth high level of distress can affect their emotional state. Safety and health are another stress issue, as the increasing in higher crime rate giving them stress, and they are more vulnerable to get diseases and death, however, being injured while running after the criminal, there are the physical dangers, they have to face the worst conditions.
The responsibility of protecting the citizen, or the life of the citizen, is another burden that a police officer may feel, strength and stability are important for them, to protect the people is not the easy task, however, they do the continuous efforts, to protect the citizens. They have to stay alerted all the time, so the people do not face the problems, they are always there to help the people, and their job is tiring. They have the responsibilities of holding or owning the firearms, the weight of eth firearms is heavy; officers can face anxiety and stress, of being responsible, because their job is based on responsibilities.
Many of the officers are killed by the criminals. However, doing so much for the citizens, staying alert and responsible, can give them, nothing but stress, which are related to psychological or physical health conditions, as the environment, including people and institution are not favorable to them, thus they have to face stress.
Conclusion
There are so many reasons from which the police officer may face the stress; the environment or public is not favorable to them. However, there may be an inability in their work, due to facing stress. Consequently, as a citizen, it is our responsibility, to take care of the police officer, because they are there for us, they are protecting us, we need to value them and should cooperate with them.