Stress Recognition In Law Enforcement Organizations

Abstract

The study identified more critically the role of organizational stressors and impacts on police officer functions while on duty. Those aspects of stress-related responses were shown to be associated with agency managerial, administrative, and procedural responsibilities. Even so, while there appears to be some level of trepidation on a managerial level, the administrator has yet to effectively address problematic policies and procedures regarding stress recognition and supervisory accountability. In the study, the determinants of decision characteristics, perception characteristics, and motor act characteristics correlate with an officer’s control of complex tasks (Violanti 1995). The focus of this study was to measure an officer’s ability in stressful environments utilizing the Polar heart rate monitor during specific police activities. The highlighted areas of the study consisted of a physical agility test, firearm training, emergency vehicle operation, and voluntary exposure to taser deployment. The data collected were used for general observation into an officer’s optimal performance in both low and high stress incidents.