Whatever Gets You through the Night: Officer Coping Strategies after the High-Profile Line of Duty Deaths in Dallas and Baton Rouge

• In Event: Research Issues Arising from Police-Community Interactions

Abstract

Law enforcement officers engage in an occupation that brings many forms of stress. One of the primary stressors officers face is the potentially challenging and unpredictable incidents of violence that transpire while on duty. While the potential for violence is always present, certain events, including those that occur outside their jurisdiction, may enhance the anxiety associated with this threat more so than others. Specifically, after situations such as those that happened in Ferguson in 2014 and Dallas and Baton Rouge in 2016, officers may find their position more challenging to handle. In this study, a sample of 2,672 law enforcement officers were surveyed online to examine different coping methods they used following the execution of officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge. Among the various ways to handle stress, exploratory factor analysis revealed four main approaches: social support, self-help, destructive self-help, and professional help. We then investigate which coping strategies are utilized most often by different officers. Differences in coping strategies are related to demographic characteristics, agency size, and agency type. The implications of our work will also be discussed.

Authors

• Stacey Clifton, Virginia Tech

• Jose Torres, Louisiana State University

• James Hawdon, Virginia Tech