Cognitive and Utilitarian Aspects of Psychological Support for Police Officers

Abstract

Psychological support for police officers and civilian police staff is among key factors capable of preventing negative effects of work-related stress. The need for such support is especially significant in crisis situations, when psychological assistance is provided to police officers and civilian police staff. Comprehensive psychological support is offered by police psychologists, who are responsible for psychological care and psychoeducation, psychology of human resources management and applied police psychology. This paper presents statistical figures as regards forms of psychological assistance provided by psychologists in 2016. As the most common of psychological specialisations, psychological care involves providing psychological assistance or emotional first aid to police officers and civilian police staff; doing psychotherapy; offering psychoeducation to a police officer or a civilian employee; preparing a psychological analysis of suicide or a suicide attempt by a police officer or civilian police worker. In 2016 police psychologists specialising in psychological care and psychoeducation targeted for assistance almost 2,000 police officers and civilian police staff and provided nearly 3,500 pieces of psychological advice. In addition, the psychologists’ work consisted in offering psychotherapy to individuals and support groups. The vast majority of therapeutic activities were targeted at police officers and civilian police staff in crisis situations. An important aspect of psychological support is broadly understood psychoeducation, which makes it possible to cope with mental stress. Police officers cannot avoid work-related stress or traumatic experiences when performing their official duties, but they can and should take advantage of police psychologists’ professional assistance. Statistical data quoted in the report summarising police psychologists’ activity in 2016 clearly shows that their work is necessary.