NCJ Number
100982
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 53 Issue: 2 Dated: (February 1986) Pages: 26-44
Date Published
1986
Length
16 pages
Annotation
Five articles on police psychological services address relief for occupational stress, psychological screening in personnel selection, procedures for the fitness-for-duty evaluation, and a support network for police widows.
Abstract
One article describes the development of inhouse psychological services as part of health services for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and reviews the general development of police psychology to help police deal with occupational stress. Another article portrays the psychologist's role in the selection of police recruits for the Montclair Police Department (New Jersey). The role is as designer, coordinator, and evaluator of the screening and selection process as well as a member of the orals board. The development and testing of instruments to identify personality and behavioral attributes that impair or enhance police job performance are covered in a third article. The fourth article describes policy and procedures for a fitness-for-duty evaluation. This includes the selection of an appropriate professional to conduct the evaluation prior to an incident. The final article outlines the grieving process when a family member dies and describes a police widows' support program that has been very beneficial to spouses and family members of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and other local agencies.