NCJ Number
52372
Date Published
1978
Length
44 pages
Annotation
POLICE MANAGEMENT, PEER RELATIONS, CONTACTS WITH THE COMMUNITY, SELECTION PRACTICES, TRAINING, AND RESPONSE TO OCCUPATIONAL STRESS ARE VIEWED FROM A PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE.
Abstract
THE DISCUSSION OPENS WITH REFERENCE TO THREE TYPES OF ORIENTATION FOUND IN POLICE DEPARTMENTS: LEGAL (ENFORCING THE LAW, ARRESTING VIOLATORS, PREVENTING CRIME); ORDER MAINTENANCE (MINIMIZING PUBLIC DISTURBANCES); AND SERVICE (GIVING DIRECTIONS, OFFERING FIRST AID AND OTHER ASSISTANCE, ETC.). IT IS POINTED OUT THAT, EVEN IF A DEPARTMENT HAS A CLEAR ORIENTATION AND STATED GOALS, THE INDIVIDUAL OFFICER STILL MUST SET PRIORITIES AND PERSONAL GOALS WHEN CONFRONTED WITH AN ACTUAL SITUATION (E.G., DECIDING WHETHER HELPING AN INJURED VICTIM TAKES PRIORITY OVER PURSUING A FLEEING SUSPECT). FRUSTRATIONS EXPERIENCED BY POLICE OFFICERS WHO SOMETIMES FEEL THE OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ARE WORKING AGAINST THEM ARE NOTED, AS IS THE TENDENCY OF INDIVIDUAL OFFICERS AND ENTIRE DEPARTMENTS TO EMPHASIZE ROUTINIZATION OVER GOAL ORIENTATION AND PROTECTION OF WORKER COMFORT AND JOB SECURITY OVER ATTAINMENT OF PROFESSIONAL ENDS. DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY SUPERVISORS, INCLUDING THOSE STEMMING FROM THE MUTUAL DEPENDENCY BETWEEN OFFICERS AND THEIR IMMEDIATE SUPERVISORS, ARE DISCUSSED. PEER RELATIONS IN POLICE WORK, PARTICULARLY THE INSTITUTIONS OF THE PARTNERS AND THE LOCKER ROOM CULTURE, ARE EXAMINED. IT IS POINTED OUT THAT POLICE CHIEFS ENCOUNTER GREAT DIFFICULTY WHEN THEY ATTEMPT TO IMPLEMENT ANY PROGRAM THAT GOES AGAINST THE LOCKER ROOM CULTURE, WITH ITS 'IN' GROUP OF OFFICERS. THE POSSIBILITY THAT THIS MAY BE ONE EXPLANATION FOR THE SHORT TERMS OFTEN SERVED BY POLICE CHIEFS (AN AVERAGE OF 2.8 YEARS IN LARGE CITIES) IS RAISED. RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN BLACK OFFICERS AND WHITE OFFICERS AND BETWEEN MALE AND FEMALE OFFICERS ARE DISCUSSED. REASONS BEHIND THE GENERAL INABILITY OF CIVILIANS TO SUSTAIN CHARGES AGAINST POLICE OFFICERS ARE SUGGESTED. THE OVERALL ISOLATION OF POLICE OFFICERS FROM OTHER GROUPS IS POINTED OUT, AND PROGRAMS THAT TEND TO REDUCE THIS ISOLATION BY INTEGRATING POLICE INTO THE COMMUNITY ARE MENTIONED. POLICE SELECTION PRACTICES ARE REVIEWED, AND A STRATEGY FOR DISCOVERING WHICH PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES ARE RELATED TO GOOD POLICE WORK IS SUGGESTED. IT IS HYPOTHESIZED THAT DECISIONMAKING ABILITY, HUMAN RELATIONS AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS, EMOTIONAL MATURITY, AND PHYSICAL QUALIFICATIONS ARE AMONG THE CHARACTERISTICS THAT SHOULD BE TESTED FOR IN THE SCREENING PROCESS. SUGGESTIONS FOR DEVELOPING TESTS OF OFFICERS CHARACTERISTICS ARE OFFERED. SPECIAL ATTENTION IS DIRECTED TO THE TECHNIQUE OF SITUATIONAL TESTING, IN WHICH THE EVALUATOR OBSERVES THE OFFICER IN ROLE-PLAY EXERCISES. TWO APPROACHES TO TRAINING NEW OFFICERS--THE STRESS APPROACH, IN WHICH INSTRUCTORS TREAT RECRUITS STRICTLY AND FORMALLY AND THE NONSTRESS APPROACH, WHICH IS LESS FORMAL AND DISCIPLINE LADEN--ARE COMPARED, AND THE PROCESS OF SOCIALIZATION THAT TAKES PLACE AT THE POLICE ACADEMY IS EXAMINED. THE EMOTIONAL RESPONSES OF POLICE OFFICERS TO THEIR JOBS ARE CONSIDERED, WITH REFERENCE TO THE EFFECTS OF STRESS AND FEAR AND TO THE ETIOLOGY OF POLICE AGGRESSION. EXAMPLES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICE PROGRAMS THAT ATTEMPT OT HELP OFFICERS DEAL WITH STRESS ARE CITED. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (LKM)