Police Stress 101Forensic Psychology and Policy ImplicationsA variety of topics were discussed in this section, and a multitude of policy im-
plications exist for each topic. Police stress is a problem that has existed since
the inception of law enforcement and will certainly not disappear any time in
the near future. Despite this, however, surprisingly few policies have been im-
plemented in order to not only protect the police officer from the detrimental
effects of exposure to stressors, but also to prevent and treat stress-related synd-
romes.
As discussed earlier, police officers' abuse of substances such as drugs and al-
cohol are used as a means to escape the stresses associated with their occupation
and to escape their harsh realities. Therefore, policy implications surrounding the
use/abuse of alcohol and/or drugs within the police force must deal with the very
root of the problem in addition to the abuse of substances itself. In other words,
helping the officer to utilize more effective coping mechanisms and encourag-
ing him or her to discuss more openly his or her concerns will, in effect, reduce
the need to use alcohol or drugs as a means of dealing with these same issues or
problems.
It is also surprising that perhaps the most stressful event one could experience
as a police officer, using a firearm, incorporates virtually no policies to help the
officer cope and deal effectively with the potential psychological trauma associated
with this situation. Aside from the hours of paperwork required of the officer
after the use of a firearm, the officer is left to him- or herself to cope with the
posttraumatic stress associated with this event. Luckily, many police agencies are now
incorporating psychological care to assist the officer in coming to an understanding
of the psychological consequences of their actions. Still, more formal policies need
to be enacted as standard procedure after a police officer uses a firearm to ensure
their psychological well-being.
Many policy implications stem from police officers who have been victims of
assault. McMurray (1990) described a number of useful policy implications associ-
ated with this topic. For instance, he states that supervisors need to be trained to
deal with posttraumatic stress associated with assault, crisis intervention, and "how
to listen." In addition, assaulted police officers should be allowed time off with
pay following an assault until he or she is deemed fit to return to work. Further,
the paperwork associated with the event should be performed by another officer
familiar with the case.
Many officers interviewed in McMurray's (1990) study claim that the police
department only concerns itself with physical, not psychological, injuries. Psycho-
logical screening should become mandatory following an event involving an assault.
Finally, many officers claim that they are not even sure what resources, if any, are
available to them following a traumatic event. This should result in a policy requir-
ing officers to understand at all times what psychological resources are available and
encouraging them to use those resources whenever necessary.