MANAGEMENT OF JOB RELATED STRESS (FROM POLICE YEARBOOK, 1978 - SEE NCJ-58283)

• NCJ Number: 58302
• Author(s): M REISER; D ROSSI; J SEITZINGER
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 12 pages
• Corporate Author: International Assoc of Chiefs of Police
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: CORIN MCGRATH WAS THE MODERATOR

Annotation

THREE PANELISTS PARTICIPATING IN A TRAINING SESSION HELD DURING A CONFERENCE OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE DISCUSS THE MANAGEMENT OF JOB-RELATED STRESS IN POLICE PERSONNEL.

Abstract

THE LOS ANGELES, CALIF., POLICE DEPARTMENT STAFF PSYCHOLOGIST NOTES SOURCES OF STRESS FOR LINE OFFICERS, MID-LEVEL MANAGERS, AND TOP-LEVEL EXECUTIVES. AMONG THESE SOURCES ARE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE POLICE ORGANIZATION ITSELF, TENSIONS BETWEEN PATROL OFFICERS AND THE COMMUNITY, POLICE DISCIPLINARY PRACTICES, AND THE SPECIAL PROBLEMS OF FEMALE AND ETHNIC MINORITY OFFICERS. THE LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT'S PILOT TRAINING PROGRAM IN STRESS MANAGEMENT FOR TOP-LEVEL EXECUTIVES IS DESCRIBED, AS ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF TRAINING SUPERVISORS TO RECOGNIZE THE EARLY WARNINGS OF STRESS PROBLEMS IN LINE OFFICERS. THE SECOND PANELIST DESCRIBES THE DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT, IMPLEMENTATION, AND CONTENT OF STRESS MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS FOR THE MICHIGAN STATE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE FLINT, MICH., POLICE DEPARTMENT. THE PROGRAMS EMPHASIZED STRESS-MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES AIMED AT REDUCING THE FREQUENCY OF TENSION-PRODUCING ALARM AND ACTIVATION SIGNALS TO THE BODY. SEMINARS ON PERCEPTION OF ONESELF AND OTHERS, COPING WITH STRESS, DECISIONMAKING, TEAM BUILDING, AND SELF-DISCLOSURE WERE INCLUDED. THE DIRECTOR OF THE GREATER ST. LOUIS. MO., POLICE ACADEMY REVIEWS RESEARCH FINDINGS ON POLICE STRESS, SUGGESTS DIRECTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH, AND SUMMARIZES THE FINDINGS OF THE ACADEMY'S STUDIES OF STRESS FACTORS IN THE DAY-TO-DAY ACTIVITIES OF PATROL OFFICERS. THE ACADEMY'S RESEARCH POINTS TO FOUR AREAS IN NEED OF IMMEDIATE ATTENTION: (1) BETTER SKILLS TRAINING FOR NEW OFFICERS; (2) BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROCESS OF POLICE SOCIALIZATION; (3) APPRECIATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LEVELS OF STRESS AND THE FREQUENCY WITH WHICH OFFICERS HANDLE ASSIGNMENTS INVOLVING INTENSE INTERPERSONAL SITUATIONS; AND (4) RECOGNITION OF OFFICERS' NEED TO FEEL THAT PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DAILY ASSIGNMENTS CONTRIBUTES TO A WORTHWHILE GOAL. (LKM)