108 4 Police and Law Enforcement—Family Frole in recognizing the effect of law enforcement on families and in providing viable
interventions and support services for the family members to utilize.
As stated earlier, families of police officers must manage many difficult stres-
sors. Without appropriate resources such as good communication and problem-
solving techniques, psychological services, and organizational training and sup-
port systems, many families find it difficult to adapt to the demands of the police
profession.
Suggestions for Future ResearchIt is evident that stress associated with police work can and does manifest itself
within the family arena, resulting in poor interpersonal relationships with spouses
and children, divorce, domestic violence, and emotional consequences. There is
an abundance of research which examines the adverse reactions police officers
endure because of their jobs, yet there is a paucity of information which specifically
examines the relationship between police work and family stress.
As with the case illustration presented at the beginning of this chapter, this situ-
ation exemplifies the most severe form of stress a law enforcement family can expe-
rience. In order to have a conceptual understanding of the effects of occupational
stress upon the family, future research needs to further examine the aforementioned
stressors including the direct physical and psychological effects of police work. Law
enforcement agencies need to be responsible for program implementation as well
as evaluation to gauge the effectiveness of specific programs which address this
issue.
HOMOSEXUAL POLICE OFFICERS
Introduction
The face of law enforcement has changed dramatically in the past 4 decades. The
late 1960s saw the rise of African American males in the police force followed by
women in the 1970s and the 1980s (Leinen, 1993). In the 1990s, lesbian women and
gay men have attempted to become police officers. Some acting police officers are
coming out, while many more are suspected of hiding their true sexual orientation.
Lesbian and gay officers face ridicule by other officers as well as by the gay
community. According to Buhrke (1996), these individuals are sometimes labeled
as "fags" or "dykes" by homophobic officers. He further explains that the gay-
community can also hold great disdain for police officers, who have historically
oppressed and harassed them. Some argue that these officers are subject to additional
stressors from either hiding or disclosing their sexual orientation.