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Promoting Positive Coping Strategies in Law Enforcement: Emerging Issues and Recommendations

NCJ Number
255890
Author(s)
Kelly D. Bradley
Date Published
March 2020
Length
40 pages
Annotation

This is a report on the July 2019 meeting of the Officer Safety and Wellness (OSW) Group, which focused on the identification and analysis of potentially harmful coping strategies that officers may use to relieve daily stressors that can erode mental, physical, and emotional health.

Abstract

In addressing this issue, the meeting dealt specifically with alcohol and substance abuse disorders among law enforcement officers. Recommendations were developed for the design and development of tools that can assist officers in dealing constructively with job-related stress. The OSW developed recommendations for future research and changes in policy and programs that can promote officer health. The meeting emphasized the importance of agencies developing training and support resources that encourage officer attentiveness to personal mental health and resiliency, as well as how adverse coping strategies can impact their families. 31 references