Police Anger Issues

Almost every week there is a report in the news that a law enforcement office has lost his/her temper and hit a suspect. No one disagrees that the work of a police officer is hard and demanding (Ramsey, 2015). However, in some cases, the police officers just have a bad attitude and get angry even at the slightest infractions. Impulsivity and out of control anger are two major problems with law enforcement that appear to be out of control (Clifford, 2016). Unfortunately, the daily stressors of work in the life of a police officer continue to induce varying emotions that range from anger, anxiety and irritability. There is ample data showing that continual stress is not good for physical or emotional health. Not only are police officers at high …show more content…
Because of the sensitive nature, law enforcement rarely reveals the number of police with anger issues and how many are sent for treatment. It is only when there is a public issue or excessive force used on the public that this problem comes to light. In most cases, the officer is usually assessed initially by an internal therapist. Cops Alive is a support group that offers a proactive approach to anger management (Dilgliani, 2016). This organization encourages all police officers to undertake exercise and relaxation techniques to prevent anger issues. When anger issues are identified, the type of therapy depends on the comorbidity, severity of the problem, any other co–existing mental health disorder and performance at work. The treatment approaches usually include the …show more content…
There are many types of counseling programs for law enforcement that help deal with anger and also with many other mental health disorders. In most cases, this counseling is handled within the police department. Police officers are given a choice to stay within the system or seek external help (Schuder, 2016). Peer counseling is another method of dealing with anger issues. This involves meeting other officers who have been through the same