1. Stress and Crime
Its effect on the Police Officer

2. Law Enforcement in the 90’s
 Peak of “Crack wars”
 Highest Murder rate in History
of U.S.
 NYC had record 2,245 Murders
 LOD deaths dropped
to an average of 160 a year
down from 229 in 1970

3. How did crime affect the police?
 Returning vets from the Gulf war
 High rate of traumatic incidents
 PTSD
 Crime added high rates of stress

4. What is Police related stress?
 Child ejected from vehicle
 Witnessing a firefighter fall from a
building
 Shootout where a cop is shot or killed?
 Marriage problems
 Alcohol problems
 A combination of the above

6. Job Stress
 A harmful and physical emotional response
that occur when the requirements of the
job do not match the capabilities, needs or
resources of the worker
 PTSD experiencing a trauma or life
threatening event and having symptoms
such as hyperawareness or nightmares
 Normal reactions to abnormal situations

8. Police Officers and Agencies
 Sick days
 Cardiovascular disease
 Musculoskeletal disorders
 Psychological disorders
 Workplace injury
 Impaired immune
deficiency, cancer, ulcers
 Suicide

9. How can stress be
prevented and treated?
 St Paul Fire and Marine
Insurance Co.
 Stress Management
 Positive Organizational change
1. I.D. the problem
2. Design and implement
interventions
3. Evaluate the Intervention

10. What are long term affects
of stress and PTSD?
 High rate of work
related accidents
 Work errors that are
attributed to stress and
PTSD
 Alcoholism, DV, mental
illness and suicide

11. Police Suicide Statistics
 Dept. Dates years size suicides
 Chicago 90 – 98 9 13,500 22
NYPD 85 – 98 14 40000 87
 Third leading cause of death 15 – 24 year olds
 Firearms leads cause of death with 55%
 Veterans account for 20% of suicides according to the
VA
 Police Officers are two to three times more likely to
commit suicide than be killed in the line of duty

12. Key Questions
 Do you know a police officer who
has experienced a traumatic
incident?
 How did your department handle it?
 How could your department better
take care of its members?
 What are the repercussions?