Police Fatigue: The Dangers Of Police Officers

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Police officer; a twelve letter occupation that is so much more than simply protecting the community in which they serve. Hundreds of thousands of police officers, both men and women, are employed throughout the United States in both local, state, and federal agencies. While becoming a police officer is seen as both a prestigious and rewarding profession full of honor, there are many hidden dangers that lurk beneath the surface of this title. Young children and college students across the world who “want to be a cop when they grow up” are fascinated by the gun and the police car, but are often unaware of the negative effects that plague all too many police officers today. It is essential to look at the physical and mental dangers, hidden workplace stresses, poor retention rate, and professional burnout rate of men and women officers who are employed within the law enforcement field, as it is time to start putting implications in place to protect those who risk their lives to protect us. Fatigue; a growing issue among careers and demanding occupations, is a huge issue …show more content…

Officers turning to alcohol and drug abuse is a growing concern among the law enforcement field as a study conducted that examined 29 departments found that 23% of police officers suffer from substance abuse in the form of alcohol and that many consider their abuse a “serious issue” (Hurrell et al., 1984; William, 2012). A history of alcohol dependency or out of hand alcohol consumption accounted for 15% of police officers who had tried or want to commit suicide (Kirschman, 2006; William, 2012). In order to prevent this number from increasing, police departments need to implement educational programs and all officers need to receive some type of alcohol training in order to be able spot an officer who may be struggling with substance

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