Blog post 5: Police burnout

-Feel the burn

          Throughout history, the impact of occupational stress on law enforcement officers has led many to burnout and often times commit suicide.  Police work can be an exciting and fulfilling profession for officer’s first starting out; however, the novelty soon fades and the reality of police work sets in. Dealing with lowest members of society on a daily basis can prove to be mentally and physically draining. In fact, it is not uncommon for a lot of officers to bring home some of the hostility acquired though their profession. In addition, it has been documented on numerous occasions that police officers suffer from higher rates of job dissatisfaction, substance abuse, divorce, suicide, cynicism, and burnout compared to any other profession (Schaible, 2010). However, other officers will attempt to mask their anguish which in many cases leads to police. According to author Don Ivie, the process of burnout occurs when a negative overgrowth of ill-managed stress overwhelms an officer and interferes with their occupational duties (Ivie, 2011)”.

Many factors associated with police burnout can have tremendous impact on officers. For instance, police officers are under constant scrutiny by the public. The media recognizes this and as a result can directly impact the opinions of the public on the effectiveness of law enforcement. Often times, news media is the primary, if not only source for citizens to develop their perceptions of the police (Chermak, 2006). In addition, many members of the community expect police officer to enforce laws and maintain order, but often resent them for doing so. According to Webster and Webster (2005), the levels of police satisfaction among low income communities remains  low  because the majority of policing takes place within these communities (Webster, 2005). Furthermore, additional research also indicates that minorities in low income communities are far more likely to watch mass media coverage of police incidents which directly results in the development of negative perceptions of the police (Chermak, 2006). Many officers find it difficult to except that they are often times viewed negatively by members of the communities in which they serve. As a result, this can lead to some of the factors consistent with burnout among police officers.

To try and combat increasing levels of police turnover, many law enforcement agencies turn to the recruitment process. Many agencies believe that by recruiting individuals with military experience, individuals will be better suited for the rigorous demands of police work (Garland, 2011). However, more recent studies indicate that levels of stress and burnout in officers where similar regardless of one’s military background (Garland, 2011). The reality is that no matter what an officer’s background entails or how much training an officer receives, nothing will prepare them for the horrors they will experience while on duty. Consequently, many officers are unable cope with some of these experiences and often times succumb to the occupation stress of their profession.

While some officers choose to cut their careers short by leaving the force, others tragically do so by their own hand.  Officer’s are around death on a regular basis and as a result, view death differently from the rest of us.  According to author of Understanding Police Suicide, “approximately every 17 hours, a peace officer ends his or her own life (Larned, 2010)”. Sadly, these suicides are a direct result of the precursors associated with occupation stresses of policing. Moreover, alcohol consumption is synonymous with police work. In fact, many officers will turn to alcohol as a form of self-medication as means of coping with the stress acquired from the job (Larned, 2010).  Often times, alcohol can produce serious adverse effects on officers and ultimately cloud their judgment only further exasperating the precursors of police burnout. As a result, studies indicate that alcohol is shown to be present in nearly 95% of all police suicides (Larned, 2010).

Occupation stress and the correlation to police burnout is a serious threat facing anyone in law enforce or considering entering law enforcement. Moreover, the presents of stress is a part of policing and always will be (McDonough, 2008). However, there are many resources available to officers which effectively reduce the chances for an onset of police burnout. For example, many officers are able to reduce their chances of developing the precursors of police burnout by  maintaining relationships with other officers. Support groups are essential for officers to cope with the acute stresses of their occupation (Larned, 2010). In addition, it is absolutely imperative that officers reframe from alcohol use as a way coping with their occupational stress (Larned, 2010). Moreover, officer must be aware of what’s ahead of them as well as recognize many of the signs synonymous with police burnout in order to effetely eliminate their chances of falling victim to feeling the burn of policing.

References

Larned, J.. (2010). UNDERSTANDING POLICE SUICIDE. Forensic Examiner, 19(3), 64-71,125.  Retrieved May 6, 2011, from Criminal Justice Periodicals.

McDonough, T.. (2008, January 17). Stressed-Out Cops. Salt Lake City Weekly,p. 18.  Retrieved May 6, 2011, from Alt-Press Watch (APW).

Don Ivie, & Brett Garland. (2011). Stress and burnout in policing: does military experience matter? Policing, 34(1), 49-66.

Schaible, L., & Gecas, V.. (2010). The Impact of Emotional Labor and Value Dissonance on Burnout Among Police Officers. Police Quarterly, 13(3), 316.

Brandon K Webster, & Jennifer Webster. (2005). Perspectives on policing. Policing, 28(3), 567-571.

Patrik Manzoni, & Manuel Eisner. (2006). VIOLENCE BETWEEN THE POLICE AND THE PUBLIC: Influences of Work-Related Stress, Job Satisfaction, Burnout, and Situational Factors. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 33(5), 613-645. 

Steven Chermak, Edmund McGarrell, & Jeff Gruenewald. (2006). Media coverage of police misconduct and attitudes toward police. Policing, 29(2), 261-281.

Larned, J.. (2010). UNDERSTANDING POLICE SUICIDE. Forensic Examiner, 19(3), 64-71,125.

Blog post 4: The side effects of policing

         It is widely known that law enforcement officers aren’t quite the healthiest individuals. For example, many people conjure images of police officers with a cup of coffee in one hand and a donut in the other. Though this sort of depiction of our local law enforcement officers may be comical, the reality is that officer health is a serious matter. In addition to poor diets and doughy physics, officers are also known for having numerous health complications in direct correlation with the stress of their occupation. As a Criminal Justice major, I have always been fascinated by the notion that police officers are at s risk for developing a plethora of health condition as a result of their day to day shift work. Additionally, officers are also believed to live a shorter lifespan resulting from a career spent policing our communities. A recent 40-year study concluded that the average age of death for police officers were 66 years which is a full 10 years sooner than the national average which is around 77 years (Vila, 2009). Law enforcement officers are routinely exposed to acute stress which surpasses the realm of any normal human experience (Gregory, 2002). In addition, policing has been recognized as being one of the top five most stressful occupations in the world (Noblet, 2009).

            The majority of criminal activity occurs during late night hours; therefore, officers must work shifts to combat such criminal behavior. As a result of working these long and late shifts, officers often become sleep deprived.  According to Bryan Vila, author of Sleep Deprivation, “Sleep deprivation is dangerous on any level and can have tremendous adverse effects on the health of officers (Vila, 2009)”. In addition, fatigue and health related issues cost the U.S. economy a total of $136 billion dollars annually (Vila, 2009). Moreover, new studies indicate that more than half of all officers fail to get the sufficient amount rest necessary to maintain adequate job performance (Vila, 2009). Compared to the general public, police officers are also shown to have 44% higher levels of obstructive sleep apnea induced by the very nature of their occupation (Vila, 2009). The fact is that officers are needed in our communities on a 24 hour basis in order to maintain peace and balance the needs of our communities. Officers often work long and strenuous shifts only to return home and attempt to maintain a normal lifestyle on minimal amounts of sleep.

             When officers begin the long road of sleep deprivation certain acute health implication begin to arise. For instance, studies reveal a direct correlation between small durations of sleep and the onset of obesity in police officers (National Sleep Foundation, 2005). In addition, decreasing amounts of sleep is also associated with increased risks for hypertension and heart disease (Luenda, 2007). However, the reality is not every police officer is overweight and out of shape. Many officers refuse to partake in fast food diets and effectively neglecting their overall health. Many officers, especially young male officers recognize the importance of their appearance and how it dictates their perception by the public. Some officers believe that by displaying a more intimidating appearance it will reduce their venerability to bigger more aggressive criminals (Humphrey, 2008). New studies are showing that many officers looking for such advantages will often resort to the use of anabolic steroids. Although traditionally used to improve athletic performance, anabolic steroids often appeal to officers looking for an intimidating appearance as well as an improvement in job performance (Humphrey, 2008). However, abuse of the performance enhancing substances can often produce serious adverse health effects that will resonate with officers long after their careers have ended (Humphrey, 2008). 

            In order to reduce many of the health concerns associated with police officer’s, many changes need to occur regarding department policies for officer fitness. One way to effectively reduce obesity rates in police officers is to regularly test their physical abilities. Another simple method for reducing many of the fatigue related issues is by simply encouraging officers to get more sleep (Vila, 2009). As easy as it sounds, the task of acquiring more quality sleep for officers proves to very difficult (Vila, 2009). According to Murtagh C, author of Police stress and alcohol abuse, “Police officers are twice as likely as the rest of us to suffer heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular disease (Murtagh, PhD)”. Furthermore, police agencies need to promote healthier occupational environments. Although law enforcement work undoubtedly transfers into a way of life, the side effects of policing is an aspect that all officers could do without. By encouraging officers to maintain healthier lifestyle in conjunction with health conscious stress coping skills, officers will be better suited to survive law enforcement and live longer, fuller lives.

References

Mattos, D.. (2010, October). The Need to Promote Career-Long Vitality and Wellness in the Police Profession. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, 79(10), 18-25. 

Gregory S Anderson, Robin Litzenberger, & Darryl Plecas. (2002). Physical evidence of police officer stress. Policing, 25(2), 399. 

Humphrey, K., Decker, K., Goldberg, L., Pope, H., Gutman, J., & Green, G.. (2008, June). Anabolic Steroid Use and Abuse by Police Officers: POLICY & PREVENTION. The Police Chief, 75(6), 66.  Retrieved May 2, 2011, from Criminal Justice Periodicals. (Document ID: 1506258521).

Murtagh, C.. Police stress & alcohol abuse. Ph.D. dissertation, Brandeis University, The Heller School for Social Policy and Management, United States -- Massachusetts.

A.J. Noblet, J.J. Rodwell, & A.F. Allisey. (2009). Police stress: the role of the psychological contract and perceptions of fairness. Policing, 32(4), 613-630.

Vila, B.. (2009, July). SLEEP DEPRIVATION: What Does It Mean for Public Safety Officers? Corrections Forum, 18(4), 54,56.

Luenda E. Charles, York University, Canada, Cecil M. Burchfiel, York University, Canada, Desta Fekedulegn, York University, Canada, Michael E. Andrew, York University, Canada, John M. Violanti, York University, Canada, & Bryan Vila, York University, Canada. (2007). Obesity and sleep: the Buffalo Police health study. Policing, 30(2), 203-214.