When asked the question, “Why did you want to become a police officer?” some people might respond that they look forward to the excitement of the job or they want to help people. The reality is that day-to-day police work is often uneventful and does not involve high-speed chases or breaking down doors to serve a warrant or make an arrest. Some calls are noncriminal, such as calls about handling neighborhood nuisances or assistance with getting keys out of a locked vehicle. Some calls also involve violent or gruesome cases, including child victims. Patrol officers also respond to car crashes involving fatal injuries. Dealing with the most violent acts in society can have an impact on an officer’s mental health and personal relationships.

Read the following article. For your written assignment this week, in 2-3 pages, identify some of the unique aspects of stress for police officers. For example, identify at least two (2) sources of stress for police officers. Next, describe how police stress can have an impact on an officer’s physical and mental health and on an officer’s relationships by including specific examples. Finally, identify two strategies officers can use to maintain physical and mental health. Support your comments with research.

Finn, P. (2000, January). On-the-job stress in policing – reducing it, preventing it.
National

Institute of Justice Journal, 18-24. Retrieved from

http://www.ncjrs.gov/App/Publications/abstract.aspx?ID=180079

Please be sure to prepare your assignment following APA citation and format requirements. You must include proper citations to any source you relied on for information that you include in your paper.