Chapter 13

Situational Danger

Includes a high‐speed chase in policing, a taxi driver's risk of a traffic accident, or the height at which a person has to work.

Critical-incident debriefing

Includes counseling following an extremely stressful crisis event.

Potential danger

Harm that could exist in a situation.

Suicide prevention training

Includes the recognition of psychological depression, communication skills, conflict resolution, and maintenance of relationships.

According to a study conducted by Violanti and Aron, this was identified as the most stressful situation in policing:

Killing someone in the line of duty

In the 1995 Violanti and Aron study, this was the highest police stressor:

Killing someone in the line of duty..

T/F: A variety of suicide prevention measures for officers exist, including supervisor training.

True

T/F: Both court problems and shift changes were significantly related to stress in personal life but not to work stress.

True

T/F: Examining data over a 10-year period, researchers found that police officers are killed in 1 in every 9.2 million traffic stops.

True

T/F: In terms of mortality rates, police officers are not even in the top 25 occupations.

True

T/F: Most of the incidents that led to police officers being killed were initiated by the officers themselves.

True

T/F: Suicide has become the most dreaded result of a police officer under stress.

True

T/F: There have been instances of violent police behavior associated with the use of anabolic steroids.

True

T/F:In a study on alcohol consumption, researchers found that 25 percent of the sample admitted to drinking alcohol while on duty.

True

In this year the fewest number of police officers were killed in the line of duty over the past 30 years:

2008

In dealing with critical incidents, research has found that officers experience the most stress reactions within ________ after the event.

3 Days

Chronic Stress

A form of low‐level, cumulative distress that includes the day‐to‐day routine of the job.

Which of the following is one of the distinct categories of police stressors?

All of the above

Which of the following is not considered a police stressor?

All of the above are police stressors

Emotional reactions to stress in policing

Anxiety, anger, guilt.

For police officers feloniously killed in the line of duty, which of the following was the primary circumstance?

Arrest situation

Primary circumstance for officers being killed in the line of duty

Arrest situations

In situations involving an accidental death of a police officer between 1999 and 2008, this was the leading circumstance of accidental death:

Automoblie accidents

Character flaw theory

Calls for the dismissal of officers with an alcohol problem because this will reflect badly on the department.

Physiological stress is that which __________.

Deals with the biological effects on the individual, including such factors as increased heart disease, high blood pressure, and ulcer

Chronic stress is that which __________.

Deals with the low-level, gradual stress that includes the day-to-day routine of the job..

These common types of reaction to stress in policing include fear, guilt, anger, and sadness:

Emotional Reactions

T/F: In policing, males experience higher levels of stress than female officers.

False

T/F: Most research does not support the belief that police have a high rate of alcohol consumption.

False

T/F: Police officers are more likely to be injured during an assault if the assailant is intoxicated.

False

T/F: Research indicates that policing is the most dangerous profession.

False

T/F: The stressor-outcome model and the social-diversion model are the two perspectives that have guided almost all research on police stress.

False

T/F: There are various consequences of stress for police, including alcohol use, but suicide and drug use are not examples of those consequences.

False

T/F: Under the common reactions to stress in policing, feeling lost and unappreciated is a cognitive reaction.

False

Distress

Negative stress.

According to the data, in what events are the police most likely to be accidently killed?

Operating a police vehicle and engaging traffic enforcement..

Danger in police work may be considered from three perspectives. This perspective relates to the media coverage, television, movies, and books discussing how dangerous policing may be:

Perceived danger

Anabolic steroids

Potential adverse effects include increased aggression, increased risk of heart disease, acne, liver damage, and psychological dependency.

Physiological stress

Resulting from physical, chemical, or emotional factors that can cause biological disease.

Almost all research on police stress has been based on what type of model?

Stress outcome model

Stressor outcome model

Stressful circumstances lead directly to a negative result, such as psychological stress of a physical ailment.

Actual danger

Strong likelihood of harm in dangerous situations.

Social supports model

Suggests that an individual may be more or less insulated against the effects of stressors depending on whether he or she has friends, coworkers, and family members in place.

Which of the following statements is true?

The preponderance of the empirical research has indicated that the divorce rates for police are no higher than for many other occupations..

Sensitization training

This would increase empathy for crime victims and help officers cope with their own reactions to stress.