Essay On Police Stress

Stress is a part of everyone’s life and is also often a part of everyone’s job. For those in law enforcement, however, the stress is often more frequent and more intense. Officers often deal with the negative side of humanity and therefore face a lot of negative stress every day. In addition, the sometimes crazy work hours and shift changes as well as long periods of inactivity and boredom add additional stress. Add all of this together and throw it at a person on a daily basis, and the potential for health problems is quite high. If an officer doesn’t make an effort to effectively deal with these stressors, it can lead to high blood pressure, digestive disorders, ulcers, and other severe physical ailments. However, the stress can also take a mental and emotional toll. Many studies show higher rates of suicide and alcoholism among officers. Though there are claims of exaggerated divorce rates, there is still evidence showing that police stress at the very least reduces the quality of life at home (Police stress, n.d.). The social interaction that often serves as stress relief is difficult to maintain when …show more content…
Besides losing someone that they worked with and were likely very close with, it drives home the point that it could happen to anybody in the department. Some are able to handle this stress in a healthy way. Others, not so much. Officers will surely be in shock and disbelief for quite some time afterwards. It will take a while to get used to not seeing their friend at their desk or in their patrol car. Some may try to ignore it as if it never happened. In addition, the very nature of police work does not allow for much time to grieve and come to terms with the situation. Then there is all the work involved in putting together the funeral and procession. All of this adds up to a sudden and unexpected stressor that can really take its toll on the entire