Stress in the Police Service, Part 1

• NCJ Number: 80397
• Journal: Police Review Volume: 89 Issue: 4633 Dated: (November 20, 1981) Pages: 2254-2259
• Author(s): P Robinson
• Editor(s): B Barber
• Date Published: 1981
• Length: 6 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom
• Note: Part 1 of a 4-part series by the author

Annotation

The first of a four-part series, this article describes the methodology and results of an investigation into police occupational stress based on responses to questionnaires from 191 supervisors in the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) in England.

Abstract

Research in Great Britain about police stress has been slight, and studies conducted in the United States have focused on nonsupervisory personnel. This project examined the effect of numerous policing stressors on the physical and mental health of junior, middle, and senior supervisors. A three-part questionnaire asked supervisors to rank nearly 100 potential job stressors and answer questions which are commonly accepted indicators of cardiovascular well-being, namely Type A and Type B behavior patterning. The final segment contained items to measure psychological well-being and mental health. Questionnaires distributed randomly to GMP sergeants, inspectors, and superintendents were returned by about 66 percent, or 191 persons. A discussion of the study's statistical techniques notes that consistent zero scores indicated a reluctance among some police officers to admit high stress levels and thus the study's findings could be understated. The most frequently cited stressor was an autocratic management style. Also among the highest stressors were failure of senior officers to consult other professionals before making decisions, inadequate equipment and manpower, too much emphasis on administration at the expense of operations, and having responsibility for a major investigation or incident. Stressors which measured the relationship between family life problems and stress received relatively low ratings. Responses to the issue of having to supervise persons of the opposite sex showed that men scored a higher stress rate than women. Inadequate training fell within the lowest dozen of potential job stressors, suggesting that supervisors were generally satisfied with this area. A diagram of a model for police stress research is presented, and a table details the demographic characteristics of the sample. Other tables rank the work environment stressors.