1 / 13

The Field of Police Psychology

The Field of Police Psychology. by Stephanie W. Nissen, LMHC, LPC. Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in NC Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in FL Certified Criminal Justice Instructor (Psych) in NC District EAP Consultant for the United States Postal Service Greensboro, NC

wyome
Download Presentation

The Field of Police Psychology

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The Field of Police Psychology • by Stephanie W. Nissen, LMHC, LPC

  2. Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in NC • Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in FL • Certified Criminal Justice Instructor (Psych) in NC • District EAP Consultant for the • United States Postal Service • Greensboro, NC • Police Counselor 1999-2005 • Miami -Dade Police Department • Miami, FL • NC Limited Private Practice • Therapy Training Consultation

  3. No donut, Postal or blond jokes please...

  4. The Field... • Pre-employment • On the Job • Fitness for Duty • Retirement

  5. Pre-employment • Who applies to become a law enforcement officer? • Personality types • Who is hired? • The purpose of range and test(s) • Why screen them? • Scale 4 MMPI • Is there Predictive Value in pre-employment batteries? • PPO Boards

  6. On the Job • Nuances of Police Psychology • - does police work change people... • females in 1st response, the imprint of learning, • practice makes habit • - the cognitive frame... • cautious, proactive, solution focused, 24/7, ordered • - a subgroup of first responders... • police vs. fire • group cohesiveness combats inherent trust issues • Thin Blue Line.................................................................................

  7. Psychological ServicesOn the Job • In House vs. Out House Psychological Services • - inclusion vs. exclusion... Va Tech Police Dept. • Debriefing vs. therapy • -Value Jet 1999, NIJ DOJ findings • From Dual Relationships... to Special Considerations • Training Treating People in • Consultation Uniform (armed) • Debriefing “Honor Guard” and • Research “pastoral care” requests

  8. Psychological PathologyOn the Job • Law enforcement professionals make great clients! • Solution focused and oriented toward problem solving • They tend to be in “training mode” while in session • Timely • Law enforcement professionals suffer the same illnesses as the rest of the population with an increase in prevalence in certain areas: • Anxiety disorders... PTSD, Panic Disorder • Substance Abuse Disorders.... alcoholism and • prescription drug abuse • Marital difficulties

  9. RESEARCH FINDINGS AT A GLANCE • THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE • (NIJ) FOUND: • (1) Among officer’s with more than 10 years experience, the rate of alcohol abuse is twice that of the general population • (2) Officers reporting high stress (approximately 10% of all officers), • were 3 times more likely to report poor health, 3 times more likely to abuse spouses or partners, and 10 times more likely to experience depression than other officers • (3) Officers considered critical incidents (attending a police funeral and being investigated by internal affairs) to be their greatest stressor with job related stressors in second place (split second dcision making on the street and it’s potentially serious consequence)

  10. Police SUICIDE • The suicide rate per 100,000 people for: • Law Enforcement Officers: 18 • People ages 25-50: 14.6 • Total US population: 11.1 • Suicide as a problem solving model • “Image armor” creates unrealistic self goals/rules • Availability and comfort with firearms • #1 reason: experience of professional failure (termination, demotion, criminal arrest, feeling useless or powerless in role as police officer)

  11. Fitness for Duty • It is contraindicated for a health program to also provide fitness for duty evaluations. It should always be contracted out, or exist in a separate section or bureau • Fitness for duty requests are common, but rarely given • When they are approved, major mental illness is usually the predominating reason SCPT, Bipolar Dx • Fitness for duty exams are usually PASSED, with or without caveats

  12. Retirement • “Eligible for retirement at midlife, retirement can bring feelings of fear and isolation.” • Inclusion vs. Exclusion... the rule remains: loss of brotherhood • From simplicity to complexity, from mistrust to trust, from alienation to making peace with self and God • Pre-employment personality and psychological health are indicators for successful transition

  13. References • Florida Department of Law Enforcement 2003 Revised. • John Ritter. Suicide Rates Jolt Police Culture. USA Today, • February 2007. • Major John Morris. Reintegration The Challenge of the Road home from Warrior to Citizen. 2006. • The National Institute of Justice, Department of Justice. Journal. • July 1999. • The National P.O.L.I.C.E. Suicide Foundation, Inc. The Top 18 Reasons Why Police Officers Committee Suicide. 2003. • John M. Violanti. Police Retirement: The Impact of Change. Charles C. Thomas Publisher, 1992.

More Related