An Assessment of Job Satisfaction and Burnout among Law Enforcement Officers in America's "Most Dangerous Little City"

• In Event: Police Stress, Burnout, and Wellness

Abstract

Pine Bluff, Arkansas is a small town located approximately one hour southeast of the state capital, Little Rock. While the town has fewer than 50,000 residents, it is perennially listed as one of the poorest and most dangerous U. S. cities. In 2012, there were 18 murders (a per capita rate seven times the national average). The local police administration has expressed a desire to adopt new and innovative policing strategies in an effort to: 1) provide law enforcement officers with the training and tools needed to effectively perform their duties; 2) help address citizen concerns; and 3) reduce the crime rate. This presentation will report preliminary findings from a survey of 150 Pine Bluff law enforcement officers to assess the extent to which officers experience burnout and a lack of workplace engagement. Burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (one of the leading measures of burnout available) and the Areas of Worklife Survey provides an added measure of burnout, as well as workplace engagement.

Authors

• Matthew Pate, University at Albany, SUNY

• Laurie Gould, Georgia Southern University