Psychological Risks of Police Work

To prepare for this Discussion:

• Review Chapter 8 from your course text, Psychology and Policing. Think about the various stressors police professionals encounter and consider their impact. Focus on interventions (e.g., services, consultations, assistance) that forensic psychology professionals could use to mitigate these stressors.

• Review the article, “Acute Stress and Performance in Police Recruits.” Consider interventions that forensic psychology professionals could provide police professionals early in their careers to reduce psychological risk.

• Review the interactive time line depicting the lifespan of Officer Richard Walker, and consider the psychological risks that are present throughout his lifespan. Think about the points in this lifespan when interventions by forensic psychology professionals could make a difference or impact the outcome of Walker’s reaction to psychological risks.

• Select two points of time in Officer Walker’s lifespan when psychological risks are present or possible. Consider the interventions that forensic psychology professionals could use that would impact the outcomes of these stressors and produce a result different from what transpired in the lifespan time line.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 3 a brief description of the two points in Officer Walker’s lifespan when he may be vulnerable to psychological risk. Analyze and explain why you think these points are risks. Then, analyze the interventions that forensic psychology professionals could use to make a difference in the outcome of Walker’s reactions to these stressors and what these differences could be. Support your analysis with references to the Learning Resources.

Learning Resources

Readings

• Course Text: Psychology and Policing

  Chapter 8, “Stress and Policing”

• Article: Chopko, B. A., & Schwartz, R. C. (2009). The relation between mindfulness and posttraumatic growth: A study of first responders to trauma-inducing incidents. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 31(4), 363–376. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
• Article: Cross, C. L., & Ashley, L. (2004). Police trauma and addiction. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, 73(10), 24–32. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
• Article: Hennig-Fast, K., Werner, N. S., Lermer, R., Latscha, K., Meister, F., Reiser, M., … Meindl, T. (2009). After facing traumatic stress: Brain activation, cognition and stress coping in policemen. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 43(14), 1146–1155. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
• Article: Regehr, C., LeBlanc, V., Blake Jelley, R., & Barath, I. (2008). Acute stress and performance in police recruits. Stress and Health, 24(4), 295–303. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
• Article: Violanti, J. M. (2004). Predictors of police suicide ideation. Suicide & Life-Threatening Behavior, 34(3), 277–283. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.