Humor is an integral part of our everyday lives providing us with laughter, enjoyment, relaxation and a sense of relief. Today, the concepts of humor and laughter are universally accepted; however, not all types of humor are treated equally, leaving room for interpretation of what is considered funny. Early theories focused on the negative aspects of humor, but the development of new theories suggest that humor was more complex than initially thought. As the understanding of humor greatly expanded, new theories seek to explain how humor effects humans psychologically, as well as how humor is integrated into our everyday lives. The profession of law enforcement is one of the few occupations that create a unique environment for its employees.
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With law enforcement officers enforcing the letter of the law, humor often takes the back seat when interacting with citizens. Humor and laughter are generally viewed as a socially acceptable behavior; however, given the seriousness of the profession, humor and laughter can ultimately be viewed as unacceptable behavior (Martin, 2007). Compared to other professions, law enforcement officers often see people at their worst or at their most vulnerable state and by expressing any other emotion besides empathy or concern may result in corrosive ramifications affecting the relationship between law enforcement and the public. Laughing at the wrong time or at the wrong thing is not in the best interest of law enforcement. However, while humor in these types of settings may be considered ethically wrong, if used correctly, humor can effectively be used in the law enforcement profession when interacting with the public.
Depending on the circumstances at hand, a law enforcement officer may be able to successfully implement humor in order to help someone who just experienced a traumatic event to calm down or relax. Additionally, law enforcement agencies have been using humor in order to catch suspects. For instance, the New Jersey police recently used a humorous profile description on their Facebook page to help identify a robbery suspect, which
With law enforcement officers enforcing the letter of the law, humor often takes the back seat when interacting with citizens. Humor and laughter are generally viewed as a socially acceptable behavior; however, given the seriousness of the profession, humor and laughter can ultimately be viewed as unacceptable behavior (Martin, 2007). Compared to other professions, law enforcement officers often see people at their worst or at their most vulnerable state and by expressing any other emotion besides empathy or concern may result in corrosive ramifications affecting the relationship between law enforcement and the public. Laughing at the wrong time or at the wrong thing is not in the best interest of law enforcement. However, while humor in these types of settings may be considered ethically wrong, if used correctly, humor can effectively be used in the law enforcement profession when interacting with the public.
Depending on the circumstances at hand, a law enforcement officer may be able to successfully implement humor in order to help someone who just experienced a traumatic event to calm down or relax. Additionally, law enforcement agencies have been using humor in order to catch suspects. For instance, the New Jersey police recently used a humorous profile description on their Facebook page to help identify a robbery suspect, which