Did you know that Policemen have the highest rate of alcoholism and spousal abuse than any other occupation?

Question

I have a BS degree in Social Science and minor in Criminal Justice. And currently finishing my Masters in Behavioral Science. It's a fact. What do you think? And please, don't give me an answer, that their jobs are so hard. Lame excuse...

I am currently in lawenforcement. Geeeeeeeezzzzzzzzz. I see it and work with it. So if you can't hack the truth, don't read or don't reply!

I just love the people who trash and they won't let anyone email them. Chicken!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just love the people who trash and they won't let anyone email them. Chicken!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 1

Your background and mine are similar. I know of a lot of abused and neglected little boys who grow up to be cops so they can help other people. This alone increases their chance of alcohol and drug abuse and relationship problems. Other professions see bad stuff, look at child protective services workers. But they don't have the stats on drinking and divorce that cops do. People who need to be in control become cops. Often they feel they are even the best person or the chosen one to be in control. This makes the marriage ripe for domestic abuse. Cops are great people and I love hundreds of them, but they are a high risk group for a lot of problems including suicide which really breaks my heart. Denying these issues does not help the cop. There is help for these problems and their lives don't have to be this way.

Answer 2

You can have degree's coming out your ears but until you've walked in someone Else's shoes you have no idea. All the schooling in the world is not as good as hands on experience.
Did all your degree's teach you there are:
Good cops...Bad cops
Good lawyers...Bad Lawyers
Good doctors...Bad doctors
Phony people...Sincere People
Doesn't matter what occupation you are in, there are people that are very good at what they do and people that should be run out.
And never but never get the big head, because there is always someone a little better then you.
I personally have know some real dirt ball cops and I have known some excellent cops.

Answer 3

OK really don't disagree with alcoholism statement. As for domestic abuse, it is widely known by LE that a claim of spousal abuse is the easiest way to end an officers career. My assumption is that due to the high divorce rate caused by the job, what easier way to ruin a cop's career than for a disgruntled ex to initiate a confrontation or simply file a false charge. Just an opinion.

Answer 4

Honey, I couldn’t believe a word you say, not with that attitude. All you’re asking is who out here agrees with your prejudiced view.

The MAJORITY of police officers help our society, they risk death every single day they go to work, they cope with partners and friends getting killed, and they watch the lowest denominators of the human race punished with a slap on the hand. They see good people die and criminals live and thrive. I would expect a few men in blue to go mad once and a while trying to cope with those truths.

Instead of condemning the few in a public forum (viewed by millions on two continents I might add) you would increase your credibility by offering some solutions to the problem and asking for our ideas on how to help them, rather than presenting a superiority over the matter that only reveals your vanity.

I can tell, you haven’t experienced being rescued or even consoled by a police officer in a life crises, if you had, you would have more respect for the profession you claim to serve in and never have ask so devious a question.

Answer 5

Looks like another cop hater, congrats, you are a member of an elite group.. NOT! I like Steven D's post because most people realize there is no real background check for police. All you do is sign up and get a gun, badge and cruiser.
I guess all the stuff I went thru to get on a police dept. 21 years ago has fallen by the wayside. The fact that cops are under constant public scrutiny for actions taken under the heat of the moment, then argued for years by lawyers.
Try asking a district attorney what you should do in a legal case. What a hoot, they tell you "I can't give you legal advice", really? You're there to Monday morning quarterback it later, give me advice now and help me avoid a mistake.
Here's an interesting tidbit in the state where I was a police officer, we were the only people allowed absent a court order to remove a child from the home. No social workers were EVER allowed to do this, guess we're just better guessers on what constitutes abuse huh? Or maybe the courts realize that social workers for all their high hopes in saving humanity don't have a realistic grounded view of what is going on o there?
Keep slamming cops, they will go on and do their job anyway, despite danger, generally low pay and a public demand for perfection in their work that is only asked of other occupations like surgeons that get paid a hell of a lot more.

Answer 6

Sorry to dissapoint you But (Honest) police do have a hard job!For alot of them its also a lonley job.How many friends do they really have outside the police department?
Thats no excuse or reason to abuse anyone.
Alcohoism does not discriminate.It doesnt matter if you are the law,above the law or below the law.It doesnt matter if you come from yale or jail.It doesnt matter if your rich,poor,young ,old,black or white...alcohol can get ya when you least expect it!!
Alcohol causes disease,magnafies anger,depression,promisquiety,It causes famlies to break up,causes people to lose their jobs,Lie,cheat and steal.Drink and drive,kill and maim.
Even police officers need help!Alcoholics anonamous,anger management classes,councling for spouses and children.Alanon and or alateen for family members.

Answer 7

okay if its such a lame excuse then u should try dealing with the **** they deal with on a regular basis. dead bodies, drug addicts and any kinda criminals really does something to how you look at life. and also you are flat out wrong anyway. cops have the lowest drug use of any career and are one of the lowest for alchohol abuse. its true that they have slightly higher divorce rates than some, key word, some occupations, but is just as high as other government jobs. where did you get your facts, i googled it and in five minutes i have debased your arguement, stereotypes arnt facts, would you say that black people are more likely to commit crime? no then dont say that cops are more likely to be alchoholics and wife beaters, i know lots of cops and they are some of the best friends i could have. and yes you do have a bs degree from a bs college. get a real education and learn how to research before coming on Y!A to burn on cops. most cops have a better education than you do anyway.

Answer 8

I am not surprised, and its not a lame excuse, but get your a s s out there and deal with domestic violence, punks, robbers, terrorists, gangs, murderers, rapist, child molesters, and the list can go on and on, and the screwed up justice system that lets many of these dirtbags back out into the streets. Cops of all levels, deal with the scum of society, and many do this without any thanks. I am not justifing the domestic abuse and alcoholism, but sometimes when you work and deal with only vermin, sometimes its gets to you and you screw up.

Answer 9

They have to deal with the worst that society has to offer.
Drunks, criminals, etc.

Now for you thinking that it is just a lame excuse them having a hard job. I suggest you contact your local PD or better yet the bigger city the better. Ask to go for a ride alone with a patrol officer.

See what kind of abuse they deal with especially from those who have a sheep skin and think they know all the answers.

Answer 10

What are the control groups? Are we comparing policemen to, let's say, computer analysts? If so, then maybe policemen do have more stressful jobs than computer analysts, thus making them more prone to alcohol abuse. As for spousal abuse, maybe policemen are more prone to violence than computer analysts.