The management problem of police suicide

by

Acknowledgement

I would take this opportunity to thank my research supervisor, family and friends for their support and guidance without which this research would not have been possible.

DECLARATION

I, [type your full first names and surname here], declare that the contents of this dissertation/thesis represent my own unaided work, and that the dissertation/thesis has not previously been submitted for academic examination towards any qualification. Furthermore, it represents my own opinions and not necessarily those of the University.

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Abstract

Purpose of this study was to examine relationship between job demands, job resources, and wear, and to examine if burnout could predict both work and results related to health among police officers. Participants were 223 U.S. police officers, and data were collected using the questionnaire. Study was part of the national survey of health care and non health care professionals. Overall level of burnout was low among police officers compared with other groups of proven professionals in United States. Both job demands and job resources were related to exhaustion, especially pressure of work and family was an important predictor for all of three dimensions of burnout. Burnout predict individual outcomes, such as psychosomatic disorders and life satisfaction and work outcomes such as job satisfaction, intention to quit, and organizational commitment. Suggestions for possible interventions to reduce wear and negative individual and organizational consequences are presented.

Table of Contents

ABSTRACT4

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION7

Background7

Purpose of the Study12

Limitations13

Research Problems13

CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE15

Stress15

Frustration and helplessness16

Access to firearms16

Alcohol Abuse17

Fear of separation from police subculture17

Other Factors18

Risk factors for suicide among law enforcement officials19

Existing resources and barriers to seeking treatment21

THE Employee Assistance Programs21

Cop 2 Cop21

Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Services23

PTSD23

Psychological First Aid24

Barriers to seeking treatment25

Survey of Supervisors of Law Enforcement25

Services Used26

Training Availability27

Assistance Programs for Employees27

Workplace problems and stress28

Case Study32

Introduction32

Method32

Results33

Discussion34

CHAPTER III: METHODS37

Participants37

Measures37

Demographic characteristics and work37

Job demands37

Use of resources38

Burnout38

Health outcomes39

Working results39

Procedure40

CHAPTER IV: RESULTS41

Discussion48

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION60

REFERENCES64



Management Problem of Police Suicide

Chapter I: Introduction

Background

Police officers worldwide are exposed to possibility of violence every day of work, however, lays the more dangerous enemy within their own ranks: suicide. Police suicide can devastate morale of all agencies and leave table, with intense feelings of guilt, regret and disappointment.

Under conditions of stress, danger, and availability of firearms, one would expect an increased risk of suicide by police. Research shows that official statistics are killed more than are killed by others. Major epidemiological studies have shown that risk of police suicide is more than three times that of general population, and risk has appeared to increase during last decade. In addition, police suspect that some suicides are purposely misclassified as accidents or undetermined deaths in order to protect victims and survivors of suicide.

experience of workplace stress had been the lot of research over years (see, for example, Cooper, Dewe, and O'Driscoll, 2001), and is now generally accepted that stress time could have the negative impact on individual health ([Mohren et al., 2003] and [Ursin and Eriksen, 2004]), as well as attitudes toward organization ([Cropanzano et al., 2003] and [Lee and Ashforth, ...