Supporting Officer Wellness Within a Changing Policing Environment: What Research Tells Us

Supporting Officer Wellness Within a Changing Policing Environment: What Research Tells Us
Source
Police Chief Magazine (2016)
Brett Chapman, Social Scientist, National Institute of Justice
Picture of man's clenched fist held at his side, facing a woman sitting with hands folded in front of him, who is facing him.

Policing in the United States has changed over time, and police officers are facing constant challenges in their profession. In particular, recent incidents involving harm to community residents by police officers have led to extra scrutiny on policing in the United States. Despite a lack of knowledge or research on their effectiveness, many citizens are demanding that all police officers be required to wear body-worn cameras as a way of protecting citizens against excessive or unjustified use of force by officers. Additionally, police officers have been subjected to unprovoked or premeditated attacks, hostility, and a lack of trust among the citizens that they are sworn to protect. The rigors of policing continue to be complicated by conditions that lead to stress or health-related issues for police officers.