What Law Enforcement Leaders Can Do To Mitigate Occupational Stress

Abstract

This chapter synthesizes the peer-reviewed literature and practitioner perspectives on how law enforcement occupational stressors significantly impact individual officers, their agencies, and the communities they serve. There is a clear connection between officer well-being and public safety, with both police agencies and communities benefitting from having healthy officers. Modern-day police leaders recognize the importance of maintaining a physically and mentally healthy workforce and feel ethically responsible for addressing occupational stress among their staff. A systematic literature search was conducted using Google Scholar, ERIC, and the ProQuest Criminal Justice Database. This chapter shows how organizational, operational, and personal factors, such as the work environment and external support systems, play a role in contributing to or worsening occupational stress in law enforcement. In addition, the chapter includes a discussion on research-based strategies that police leaders might find beneficial to reduce officer stressors in the workplace. By implementing these research-based strategies, law enforcement leaders can foster a healthier and more resilient workforce, thereby reducing the adverse effects of occupational stress on their officers and enhancing overall well-being and effectiveness within the law enforcement community. Understanding the root cause of workplace stressors may help promote a healthier workforce.