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OFFICERS AT RISKDec 11 '01 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line OFFICERS AT RISK: How to identify and cope with stress. Written for cops, by a cop. If you are a cop or love one, read this book.
OFFICERS AT RISK is an important book for police and correctional officers and, more importantly for their families. The stresses involved with law enforcement can be enormous and costly to everyone. The authors are Dennis Conroy and Karen Hess. Dr. Hess is an author and teacher in the field of law enforcement communication. Dr. Conroy has a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, has a private practice and consulting business, and also is a Sergeant with the St. Paul Police Department. A 30 year police veteran, today he is the director of the department´s Employee Assistance Program. OFFICERS AT RISK is written in 4 parts comprising 18 chapters: PART I: OVERVIEW OF OFFICERS AND STRESS PART II: INDIVIDUAL MEANINGS PART III: IMPLICATIONS PART IV: PROGRAMS TO REDUCE BURNOUT PART I discusses the different ways psychological stress affects officers, e.g., drinking and promiscuity; reclusiveness; loss of interest in work; depression; related physical ailments; and suicide. Four career stages are identified: - Alarm (0-5 years). - Disenchantment (6-13 years). - Personalization (14-20 years). - Introspection (20 years and longer). An officers reaction to and ability to cope with various stressors change with time and experience. This is all explained in the first part. Quotes from officers are used effectively in the book to put a human face on the information. Cartoons by Joe Guy are scattered throughout. They are fitting and funny. A chapter is devoted to Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Many people associate the disorder mainly with Viet Nam vets and victims of terrorism, but it is not an uncommon problem in the police world. I can speak from experience on this and this book really speaks to me. Part of the problem is that the police are fighting a never-ending battle against an often unknown or undefined enemy. One response is to fool yourself into thinking that everyone is your enemy. This puts you in a state of constant alert. The threat of violence is always lingering over you, even in your dreams. You trust just a handful of people and no one understands what you live with on a daily basis. You begin to deteriate both mentally and physically, at home and on the job. You have a great deal of power over others, but you feel powerless. The info in the PTSD chapter is priceless if read and understood by anyone subjected to the situation. It is focused on the unique difficulties and frustrations that come with police work. I have not seen anything that can compare in importance in this specific field. I first read the book several years ago, before I was willing to admit that I was screwed up. I survived 17 years. Today I can relate with everything in this book. If only there was a way to convince the young officers of the potential dangers and alert their families. Young cops usually have type-A personalities. They thrive on the excitement and constant threat of same. They feel almost immortal when they succeed on the job and keep looking for more. There is a glossary at the end of the book that defines several terms dealing with both psychology and law enforcement. This allows family members a greater understanding of what their loved one is learning in the classroom and on the street. OFFICERS AT RISK should be required reading for anyone training for a career in law enforcement and also for department administrators. The last two chapters explain how individuals, and then departments can identify and manage stress related problems. For the individual, it should speak for itself. For police departments and correctional institutions, it can deter many potential problems from poor performance to costly and embarrassing lawsuits to suicides. I thank God that I was part of a department that in many ways pioneered employee assistance in law enforcement, and in a state that recognizes the long-term effects that can occur. Denny, I thank you for all that you´ve done for all of us. OFFICERS AT RISK: HOW TO IDENTIFY AND COPE WITH STRESS. DENNIS L. CONROY-KAREN M. HESS CUSTOM PUBLISHING ISBN 942728-48-3 Thanks for reading. BTW: Sorry if you´ve seen this before. I am having big-time problems publishing and deleting.  |
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