NCJ Number
54821
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 55 Issue: 4 Dated: (APRIL 1978) Pages: 21-23
Date Published
1978
Length
3 pages
Annotation
THE FUNCTIONS, PROBLEMS, AND PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF POLICE DEPARTMENT PSYCHOLOGISTS ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
POLICE OFFICERS WORK UNDER CONDITIONS OF EXTRAORDINARY STRESS AND UNPREDICTABILITY. SOMETIMES THESE CONDITIONS, TOGETHER WITH THE DEFENSES CREATED TO HANDLE THEM, BRING ON EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL PROBLEMS THAT REQUIRE THE SERVICES OF A PSYCHOLOGIST. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PSYCHOLOGIST'S FUNCTION AS DIAGNOSTICIAN INCLUDES EVALUATION OF APPLICANTS FOR EMOTIONAL STABILITY AND INTELLECTUAL AND INTERPERSONAL SKILLS, IDENTIFICATION OF EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS IN OFFICERS WHOSE POOR PERFORMANCE INDICATES THE PRESENCE OF SUCH PROBLEMS, AND DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES FOR OFFICERS WHO SEEK COUNSELING. OTHER FUNCTIONS PERFORMED BY THE POLICE PSYCHOLOGIST INCLUDE COUNSELING, RESEARCH, TEACHING (E.G., CRISIS INTERVENTION TRAINING), CONSULTATION (E.G., IN CRIME DETECTION), AND EMERGENCY SERVICES (E.G., FOR OFFICERS WHO HAVE SHOT SOMEONE). POLICE PSYCHOLOGISTS MUST DEAL WITH PROBLEMS OF CONFIDENTIALITY THAT WOULD NOT ARISE IN AN ORDINARY PRACTICE, SUCH AS THE NEED TO REPORT OFFICERS WHO PRESENT A THREAT EITHER TO THEMSELVES OR TO OTHERS. OTHER PROBLEMS FACING POLICE PSYCHOLOGISTS INCLUDE INITIAL DISTRUST ON THE PART OF POLICE, NEGATIVE REACTIONS FROM PROFESSIONAL PEERS, AND THE NEED TO BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO WORKING WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE ARMED AND WHO OFTEN EXPRESS THEMSELVES VERY STRAIGHTFORWARDLY. POLICE PSYCHOLOGISTS SHOULD BE PEOPLE WHO FIND CHALLENGE IN A ROLE THAT HAS YET TO BE CLEARLY DEFINED, WHO ARE GENERALISTS ABLE TO PERFORM A VARIETY OF FUNCTIONS, AND WHO ARE WILLING TO TAKE THE TIME TO UNDERSTAND POLICING AND POLICE ORGANIZATION. IDEALLY THE POLICE PSYCHOLOGIST WORKS EXCLUSIVELY IN THE DEPARTMENT (NO PRIVATE PRACTICE) AND IS ON CALL 24 HOURS A DAY. (LKM)