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Causes of Police Stress

While police officers are often recognized as heroes, many people are unaware of the magnitude of stress that police officers face. Everyone faces stress on the job, yet police stress is truly unlike other types of job stress. Long-term police stress can result in high blood pressure, heart disease, ulcers, headaches and digestive disorders, and it can even impair an officer's mental health. Here are the top causes of police stress.

  1. Human Indecency and Pain

    • Putting aside personal feelings and dealing with criminals and their victims can be challenging. Many police officers see examples of human indecency and pain on a day-to-day basis. Seeing people, particularly the elderly and children, who are the victims of murder, beatings, robberies, rapes and sex crimes can take a toll on the mental health of officers. Criminal profiling and getting inside the minds of criminals who perpetrate these types of crimes can also cause mental stress.

    Internal and Personal Stressors

    • Police officers often work different shifts, sometimes on monthly rotations. Continual body rhythm alterations, such as changing from a day shift to a graveyard shift or being on call 24/7, requires biological adjustment. These continual changes in work hours not only cause body stress, but they can cause personal stress as well, as officers make adjustments in how they interact with their spouses, children, parents, extended family members and friends. Just as a pattern is established in personal relationships, changes in work shifts can upset these routines and relationships.

    Criminal Justice System

    • Working with the different agencies within the criminal justice system can cause stress. Having to appear in court may interfere with an officer's sleep, personal time and current work assignments. Battles between agencies and the court's decision to release offenders can also cause stress. The perceived ineffectiveness of agencies that victims are often referred to by police officers can also cause stress. It can make officers feel they are unable to truly help crime victims, and they may never feel they have closure on a case.

    Safety

    • Police work is a dangerous job. Officers never know when they show up for work if they'll return home that evening. Maintaining the ability to control their emotions and protect the lives of others even when their safety is threatened is a big challenge. An officer's day may fluctuate from slow boredom to a sudden mobilization of energy. This creates both physical and mental stress. Carrying a gun can also cause stress for officers.

    Administrative Stressors

    • In addition to working out in the public, a lot goes on inside a police department. Dealing with administrative issues, paperwork and internal investigations can all cause stress. Officers may feel they are the ones being watched and that even their off-time is being monitored. Lack of recognition and training can also contribute to police stress. Female officers may feel even more stress as they may feel challenged to constantly be proving themselves to male officers.

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