What’s so strict about being a Cop?
Police officers play a vital role in society after going through tough training in the police academy. Being a police officer requires physical and mental stability because they are highly prone to stress and physical injuries during their work. Working as a cop comes with different feelings, for instance, sadness, loneliness, fulfillment as well as rewarding, according to (Griffin, et, al., 354-370). Police officers are paid well but face a new experience each day. The paper explores the stress factors that implicate the daily life of an on-the-street police officer.
Stress is brought about by environmental and psychological stimuli where police officers deal with stress, for instance, choosing a life or death decision and community responsibilities. First and foremost, the police working environment includes the working schedule and organizational stressors, such as the relationship with the head office or colleagues (Santa Maria and Andreas, 109-134).
Police officers are affected psychologically on the view of life caused by the day to day death and human struggles. Destruction of the human becomes traumatic to a police officer leading mental instability and suicidal thoughts. Police officers do not get enough sleep due to different shifts and emergency calls. Sometimes cops are forced to report to work daily even on off day or leave, especially in cases of standby. Working on different shifts affect the social life of police officers where most don’t get time for family and friends.
Police officers go through stressful or traumatic events that affect them psychologically, leading to chronic stress, for instance, fatal accidents on the road. Stressful events lead to alteration of brain structure, which is risky, leading to a reduced amount of grey matter (Santa Maria and Andreas, 109-134). Police officers who have gone through traumatic events tend to be mean and more robust compared to those who have undergone none.
Police officers are stressed by criminal justice, where the court disrupts police schedule, especially in running an investigation or collection of evidence. The societal attitude towards police officers creates tress from a feeling of appreciation as well as rejection (Santa Maria and Andreas, 109-134). Most of the time, police officers are nor rewarded for their excellent work apart from the standard salaries, for instance, appreciation, give bonuses or trips most of the time they are on duty working very hard.
The stress factors is a threat to general police health where some end up being sick from depression, high blood pressure while others are committing suicide. Police officers are expected to be emotionally stable at all-time, which is difficult; for instance, they are expected to stay calm on provoking emotional situations. Continuous exposure to human suffering and pain daily affects them as well as carrying heavy guns everywhere at all times, even during off-duties.
According to research done, cop commit suicide, divorce, and alcoholism more often compared to other professions due to work stress. Women police officers experience double stress due to societal views and expectations. Women are discouraged from getting into the job from friends and families, which ends up affecting their esteem and self-confidence (Griffin, et, al., 354-370). Organizational stress in the police department causes mental health problems, for instance, internal conflict, and working with low-quality materials, job demand leading to burnout and physical –diagnosed morbidity.
Police officers are among the most crucial part of society because they take community responsibilities on their hands. Police officers, including the on-the-street police, experience work stress contributed by internal and external factors. Internal factors include organizational pressure from high work demand, co-workers relationships, and so on. Anxiety also originates from families due to the need for attention, society as well as the traumatic events experienced daily. Stress impacts the police officer, a family organization, as well as the community. Poor performance, mental health problems, physical injuries, family conflicts, alcoholism, and burnouts are some of the impacts of stress.
Work cited
Griffin, Jennifer D., and Ivan Y. Sun. “Do work-family conflict and resiliency mediate police stress and burnout: A study of state police officers.” American Journal of Criminal Justice 43.2 (2018): 354-370.
Santa Maria, Andreas, et al. “The role of job demands and job resources in the development of emotional exhaustion, depression, and anxiety among police officers.” Police Quarterly 21.1 (2018): 109-134.
