Research Proposal: Rotating Shifts Cause Work Life Conflicts for Police Officers

Research Proposal: Rotating Shifts Cause Work Life Conflicts for Police Officers

Introduction

According to Hans Selye, the foremost researcher on stress in the world, police work is the most stressful occupation in America even surpassing the formidable stresses encountered while working in an air traffic control tower. The forms of stress that police officers endure are multi-dimensional in scope. Ranging from killing someone while on duty, witnessing a partner get killed while on duty; administrative organizational stress; peer pressure stress; rotating shift stress; and family stress.

Background

Erratic work hours, scattered weekends, excessive overtime and availability during holiday are all job- related pressures that are inherent in the life of a police officer. These jobs related stressors can drive a wedge between an officer and their family. Yet shift rotation appears to play the most significant role in creating family discord. In many situations, the officer especially the young officer in particular, find themselves trapped between their sworn oath to protect and serve and their marital vows regarding the necessary commitment to fulfill the pledge of marriage. According to Mary (1985), divorce rates among police officers is the one of the highest in the country; particularly among young officers. One of the reasons for high divorce rate can be the unrealistic expectations of an officer's spouse, set at an early phase of life when the atrocities and stress of police work could not have been realistically evaluated. As disruptions in routine family events begin to occur due to changing work schedules, the non-officer spouse starts to dislike and resent being home alone at night. Additionally social events with friends and family are impossible to plan and working overtime merely adds to the problem by having less time for the officer and spouse.

Purpose of the Study

The constant barrage of problems and various negative situations that police officers confront during a routine shift, by the time that they get home, their patience is completely spent. Thus as reasonable questions are raised by the spouse pertaining to their lack of time together; hardening of emotions on the behalf of the officer begins to develop creating an image of insensitivity. As this emotional conflict continues to increase, the notion of intimacy is no longer a thought. As a vicious cycle of frustration create more anxiety which eventually turns to self-doubt and a loss of identity. At that juncture the stereotypical tough guy macho values and attitudes that pervades law enforcement culture takes center-stage. From there the behavioral trait of control, dominance, and authority takes over causing their spouse to feel like a constant suspect. As a result the spouse views their mate as living on the cop channel-all cop- all the time. Upon reaching that state of mind the partnership of marriage continues to deteriorate as the officer becomes over protective. When this happens more negative traits of the police cultures begins to manifest such as suspiciousness when unnecessary and hyper vigilance as the officer never seem to ...