NCJ Number
179754
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 47 Issue: 10 Dated: October 1999 Pages: 155-158
Date Published
1999
Length
4 pages
Annotation
A recent Canadian study revealed the physical and emotional problems associated with critical incident stress and experienced by 18 police officers who had been involved in fatal shootings.
Abstract
All participants reported physiological and psychological effects. The most commonly cited physiological problems included distortions in vision, sounds, and perceptions of time. The majority reported a loss of fine motor coordination after the encounter in the form of hand shakes or leg spasms. Subsequent physical effects included a loss in appetite, sleeping pattern changes, and a marked reduction in sex drive. Psychological effects included depression, guilt, nightmares, flashbacks, a heightened sense of danger, and fear. The media was a major source of stress. Officers' peers occasionally added to the stress. Some officers reported breakdowns in marriages or other relationships, while others spoke highly of their spouses and significant others. Several officers stated that their spouse or children also suffered as a result of the incident. Several officers reported becoming drug abusers; some deliberately worked long hours and applied for stressful assignments as a means. Some changed their diet. Most reported continuing personal upheaval and tragedy several years after the shooting. Findings demonstrated that police training must address the significant issue of stress management, that officers involved in fatal shootings often require psychological counseling and support if they are to remain productive, and that their families need to be included in this process. Photograph