Traumatic Stress in Police Officers


Book Description

The objective of this book is to demonstrate how adopting a career perspective can provide a more comprehensive conceptualization of traumatic stress processes as they apply to police officers and agencies and provide a framework that can be used to guide research and intervention agenda in ways that reflect the changes that can occur over the course of a police career that can span decades. The book examines the nature and effectiveness of the police role in dealing with adverse events as they unfold within a career perspective. It begins with pre-employment experiences and their implications for operational well-being and concludes with a discussion of the implications of a police career for disengagement or retirement from this role. It draws upon empirical research to provide an evidence-based approach to traumatic stress risk management and well-being in contemporary policing. Based on state-of-the-art research, the book provides a framework that police agencies can use to develop their officers and their organizations in ways that enhance their capability to confront an increasingly uncertain future in ways that maximize the interests of front-line policing. Areas of discussion include incorporation of police trauma into a life-career course perspective; changing context and nature of police work; recruitment, selection, and socialization in the context of critical incident and terrorist work; changing gender balance; training in uncertain times; managing risk and vulnerability; organizational context; family dynamics; inter and intraorganizational teams; health and mental health; consequences of long-term exposure to hazards; and disengagement and retirement. The text will be of significant interest to police organizations and agencies whose officers face a high risk of experiencing disaster and traumatic stress, law enforcement managerial and supervisory personnel, human resource and health and safety professionals, and mental health professionals and consultants. The text will also be relevant to those researching traumatic stress, disaster stress, and emergency management as well as other protective services.







Police Assessment Testing


Book Description

Assessment centers continue to be the most accurate and concise testing procedures available for determining the candidate that is better suited for a position and/or advancement. This fourth edition of Police Assessment Testing represents a significant updating of many of the chapters from the previous edition. In terms of organization and topics, this edition is almost identical to the earlier versions with the exception of an additional chapter containing practice exercises for a police assessment center that will benefit a candidate's awareness and application. Traditional managerial polic.







Personnel Literature


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How to become a Police Officer


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Handbook of Police Psychology


Book Description

The Handbook of Police Psychology represents the contributions of over thirty police psychologists, all experts in their field, on the core subject matters of police psychology. Police psychology is broadly defined as the application of psychological principles and methods to law enforcement. This growing area includes topics such as screening and hiring of police officers; conducting screening for special squads (e.g., SWAT); fitness-for-duty evaluations; investigations, hostage negotiations; training and consultation, and stress counseling, among others. The book examines the beginnings of police psychology and early influences on the profession such as experimental investigations of psychological testing on police attitude and performance. Influential figures in the field of police psychology are discussed, including the nation’s first full-time police psychologist who served on the Los Angeles Police Department, and the first full-time police officer to earn a doctorate in psychology while still in uniform with the New York Police Department.




Research in Law Enforcement Selection


Book Description

This book is the most comprehensive reference ever written for individuals interested in law enforcement selection. The chapters contain meta-analyses (statistical reviews of the literature) investigating the validity of methods used to predict police performance. These methods include education requirements, cognitive ability, background variables (e.g., military experience, arrest record, discipline problems at work), personality inventories, interest inventories, physical agility tests, assessment centers, and interviews. The first chapter in the book is a short primer on meta-analysis that informs the reader about the purpose of meta-analysis and how to interpret the meta-analysis tables contained in the book. Chapter 2 describes the methods used to conduct the meta-analyses for this project. Chapters 3-11 list the meta-analysis results for the various predictors of police performance. Chapter 12 describes a meta-analysis of the relationships among criteria (e.g., performance ratings, discipline problems, commendations), Chapter 13 describes a meta-analysis of the relationships among selection methods, and Chapter 14 describes a meta-analysis of the relationship between the various criteria and sex, race, age, and tenure. Chapter 15 summarizes the previous chapters and identifies future research needs.