Abstract
This article focuses on the development of a psycho-social therapeutic programme (PTP) for police officials attached to the specialised units in the North West province. The objective is to prevent the onset of post-traumatic stress disorder and the development of trauma-related stress symptoms soon after exposure to a traumatic event. The main focus of this article is on the themes and contents of the designed PTP. The themes of the programme are schematically presented, after which it is discussed in detail according to the subject, aim and content
Highlights
Police officials are continuously exposed to job-related trauma and stress such as dealing with unlawful, often dangerous actions of citizens and abusive treatment in the workplace with limited access to psycho-social support
A PTP is recommended for police officials exposed to traumatic events as it builds a set of skills that enable an individual to relax, to remember, to verbalise traumatic events, to be capable of identifying how situations, thoughts and behaviours influence emotions and to improve feelings by changing dysfunctional thoughts and behaviours, to challenge destructive and self-destructive behaviour, to manage trigger events, solve problems, change systems of care, to use systems advocacy for addressing instability in the social environment, and to know how to prevent a relapse
A PTP is recommended for police officials attached to specialised units who are involved in and affected by trauma as a result of their unique working conditions
Summary
Police officials are continuously exposed to job-related trauma and stress such as dealing with unlawful, often dangerous actions of citizens and abusive treatment in the workplace with limited access to psycho-social support. As a result police officials are often confused and uncertain regarding the tactical and operational decisions they have to make, while they are expected to apply good judgment under difficult and dangerous circumstances (Deschamps, Pagnon-Badiner, Marchand & Merle, 2003) Their experience of stress arises from the exposure to specific physical or psycho-social demands at work and the perceived imbalance between those demands and the resources available to meet them. According to Morash, et al (2006), there is evidence that some stress emanates from a lack of support from networks at work and at home It is, necessary for police officials exposed to trauma to receive sufficient and effective support based on their specific needs to prevent the development of trauma-related stress symptoms soon after exposure to a traumatic event
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