Does Military Service Matter? Differences in How Police Officers’ Handle High Stress Environments.

• In Event: Promoting the Mental and Physical Health of Law Enforcement

Abstract

The 2014 riots in Ferguson, Missouri was a significant event in which officers experienced exhausting levels of stress from continued and intense waves of violence and protests. The purpose of this paper is to identify what are the qualities or characteristics of officers that make them well suited to handle extreme police situations such as protest or riots? Through the use of in depth interviews with police personnel, this paper explores to what extent officers with and without prior military service report different experiences with stress and implement different coping mechanisms. This paper not only adds to the existing research in the area of police officer stress, but also helps to create a more complete and valid picture of what officers experience when subjected to prolonged high stress environments.

Author

• Joseph John Pashea, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale