Counselling or not ?????

Question

DO YOU THINK THAT policemen and women need regular counselling with a psych to relieve on the job stress...........

Answer 1

Yes! In fact in my town the police have training to help them learn to reduce their aggressiveness, especially when dealing with mentally ill people, and work out the solution in a calm way.

"

Answer 2

Have been married to one, I would say many but not all do. The lifestyle of watching people die daily or dealing with perps and SOB's is hard. The hardest part is not taking home the problems or clamming up and not letting the significant other know of the stressors at the job. And what most people don't realize is when an officer is off duty, they are truly not off duty and have to respond to certain legal issues, but worse is when that officer is out and about and some jerk walks up to ruin a nice outing and says, "you are the SOB who gave me a ticket."

Unfortunately many officers take home the stress with either alcohol or behaviors and emotions that ruin a relationship/marriage. But would counseling solve the issue, not always.

Answer 3

I think that stress management should be a regular part of their training

I also think that on a regular basis they should be required to have a one hour private session with a professional.

I think that just making one "available" will not hack it. To many departments see "going to the psych department" as a weakness. If it is scheduled for everybody then they can go back to there peers and say "Hell I did not tell them anything - I don't need that stuff" and no one will ever know what was talked about. They would also need protection from self incrimination or job action based on their appointments. It really should be with an outside agency and not a doc or an APN on the department payroll.

Answer 4

hi. it wouldn't hurt being that they're the lowest paid city agency doing 1 of the most stressful jobs out there,at least in new york city. they also in reality take that job because good jobs w/benefits are hard to get, especially if you haven't gone far in your education and need money right away. it would only be scratching the surface and not the root of their stress or relations toward the community. they probably took the job for $$$ and don't really like it. also they work crummy shifts in the beginning until they're promoted or put more time in. they really lack a constructive social life seeing that they don't really have time to relax and enjoy themselves like most of us, and because of this they are irritable and angry most of the time. they also are under the public eye always, even off-duty n have 2 constantly b on their p's n q's. finally not too many people want to hang out w/cops anyway so they're virtually stuck w/ being around each other which only adds fuel to the stress they already have. it wouldn't hurt to get the extra counseling but they really need to be true to themselves and ask why they took a job so meaningful to the community w/so much stress when they only want to get paid or w/e.
again i have to quote PLATO, "AN UNEXAMINED LIFE IS NOT WORTH LIVING." SEE ALL THE PROBLEMS IT CAUSES WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU WANT.

Answer 5

If they don't have any childhood crisis, teen age crisis, young adult crisis, any crisis's before or after passing the exam to become an officer
I say, "What a perfect life they've had!"

Yes! Who hasn't suffered trauma's in life: from falling down and skinning a knee; to getting beaten up a little once; or twice in life, and who doesn't need a little TLC from a good Skull Walker. Mom!

Professional Caring ones preferred. Just because they passed the college exams doesn't always qualify a Psychologist, Psycho-Analyst, or Psychiatrist to do anything more then interrogate people, so they can extort money from them by telling them they have mental problems.

Answer 6

Of course! Specially working with different kind of people some of them aggressive. They should have a counselor or a psychologist that they are able to talk any time they feel stress. Most of the jobs now a days have counselors to help deal with stresses.

Answer 7

There are ... ways to check levels of stress in people and activities.
police in big cities have a stress close to not safe , thats why sometimes they act brutally against some criminals , they should regularly be sent to have some type of therapy , in their resumes they are also checked up to see if they are emotionally capable of standing high doses of stress and be able to deal with violence drug people , dead bodies etc.

Answer 8

yes I feel they need a check-in to make sure there brain is all there once you apply for the job and get on the force that does not mean they are always going to stay completly sane..

D.C. Police Officer Kills Herself at 911 Center

By Del Quentin Wilber
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, February 3, 2006; B09



A longtime D.C. police officer shot herself to death yesterday at the city's 911 communications center, authorities said.

The officer, identified as Francesca Barnes, 43, is the third D.C. officer to die in recent weeks.

Authorities said a preliminary investigation shows that Barnes shot herself in the head with her service pistol in a second-floor restroom at the city's Unified Communications Center on McMillan Drive NW. Employees heard the gunshot about noon and rushed to the restroom, where they found Barnes and quickly summoned help. She died at the scene. Authorities said that the center remained open and that 911 operations continued.

Dozens of officers, detectives and high-ranking commanders came to the center after learning about Barnes's death. The department dispatched counselors to the center to help officers with their grief.

The department's spokesman, Sgt. Joe Gentile, fought back tears as he spoke to reporters outside the facility. "We have suffered a tragedy," Gentile said. "Her family has suffered a tragedy, and the community has lost a guardian."

Barnes joined the force in 1985 and within a few years began work as a dispatcher and call-taker. She eventually became a transcriber for the office of police communications, a job that required her to make digital audio files of 911 calls and dispatch records. The recordings were used in court and given to people seeking public records.

Inspector James Crane, one of Barnes's supervisors, said she was a hard and dutiful worker. "This is really messed up and sad at the same time," Crane said.

Barnes is survived by her husband, Raymond Barnes, a former D.C. police officer who retired after being wounded in a gun battle with drug dealers in 1992, and at least two children, Crane said.

Her death was the third since mid-January of a D.C. police officer.

Lt. Keith Perry, 49, who also worked at the communications center, suffered a heart attack at his home Jan. 17.

Four days after Perry's death, Sgt. Robert Schoonover of the 5th District was found in his car in Rock Creek Park. Schoonover, who was off duty, killed himself with his service weapon, police said.

D.C. Police Chief Charles H. Ramsey said the suicides highlighted the need for officers to approach counselors if they feel depressed.

"Policing is very stressful," Ramsey said, adding that the deaths "were a blow to the department."

Answer 9

I think they do. This has to be one of the most stressful jobs around. Think of all the rotten things they see everyday.

Answer 10

I not only just believe in it, but I actually know that they do get it. The station themeselves send them for regular counseling for the awful things they see. Even if they think they can handle what they just saw or what happened, their minds can't handle it.