Working on the frontline of public service

Police work can be stressful putting officers at risk of mental health difficulties. Despite this, literature suggests support seeking amongst officers is low. A meta-ethnography was conducted to synthesise qualitative research on police officers' views and experience of support, both formal and informal, for their psychological wellbeing. A systematic search identified 14 papers. Five main constructs were developed;overarching influence of culture and stigma, the unknown professional consequences of accessing support, dual role of others: providing support and encouraging support utilisation, supervisors are the gatekeepers and addressing the unmet need of formal support. Police officers in the reviewed studies recognised the need of support for their mental wellbeing, however, faced prominent barriers to accessing this, which need to be addressed systemically.The Covid-19 pandemic created an unprecedented scenario for the UK healthcare workforce. The study aimed to explore the experiences of healthcare workers in intensive care units (ICU) responding to the pandemic, with consideration of the societal narrative surrounding the workforce. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine participants and analysed using Thematic Analysis. Four main themes were developed;ICU environment, complexity of support, coping with the experience and individual psychological outcomes, which were then used to develop a conceptual map. Overall, the pandemic was a psychologically demanding experience for participants with different influences supporting the navigation of the environment, as well as additional challenges.The critical appraisal provides an overview of the findings from both papers, establishing the links. Although police officers and healthcare workers have distinctive roles, both the empirical study and systematic review highlighted the role of societal narratives surrounding workers and the influence this may have on mental wellbeing. Limitations and future research recommendations are elaborated on. Author reflections on key considerations of the project are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The impact of burnout on career commitment among physicians, clergy, and law enforcement during the COVID-19 pandemic: A quantitative study

The long-term effects of the COVID-19 crisis among helping professionals such as physicians, law enforcement officers, and clergy remain unknown. The strain and enormous stress encountered by these professionals are profound and concerning (Benham et al., 2020;Greene et al., 2020;Stogner et al., 2020). In this study, the researcher explored the effects of burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment) on career commitment among helping professionals including physicians, law enforcement officers, and clergy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, the findings provided insight on the general causes and effects of burnout including possible solutions to counter its effects. Additionally, the researcher examined the causes, effects, and potential solutions regarding burnout for each of the participating helping professions. The data for this quantitative study were collected through a survey completed by 484 participants located in two southwestern states in the United States. This study contributes to the body of literature by confirming a relationship between burnout and low career commitment for the aggregate sample, and by confirming that the three factors of burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment) significantly predicted scores of low career commitment. Further, the findings revealed that there are statistically significant differences in levels of the three factors of burnout and career commitment between the three professions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Robotic Systems Deployed to Combat COVID-19 Pandemic: A Review

The COVID-19 epidemic has been deemed a pandemic by the World Health Organization. It is triggered due to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It originated and spread from Wuhan, China, in December 2019. At present, the entire world is struggling from this virus due to large confirmed positive and death cases of COVID-19. People of every nation have been isolated, and lockdowns are instituted. Despite the introduction of several precautionary measures, the spread of the virus is still increasing at an alarming pace. Although promising development has been made for the development of vaccines for SARS-CoV-2, no vaccines have been reported to cure the infection. Different antiviral therapies have also been attempted but do not seem to be successful for every patient. To deter the dissemination and control the spread of virus, the frontline healthcare staff and police officers deployed numerous autonomous systems for an increased line of protection. Robots are deployed to conduct different operations including decontamination, package delivery, etc. It also acts as a mediator for two-way communication between the doctors and patients. Recent advancement in robotics for its application in healthcare facilities has been found very effective for the healthcare officials to communicate with the virus affected patients, and this literature has addressed it. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

The impact of COVID-19 on first responders in the United States of America

Purpose: This project specifically aims to examine (1) the individual impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on first responders, (2) the organizational impact of COVID-19 on first response agencies and (3) policy and organizational response and support efforts to mitigate potentially harmful effects of the pandemic. Design/methodology/approach: The authors' conducted a mixed-methods analysis, including a review of secondary sources (e.g. government documents, organizational policies and news pieces), state-level policies, encompassing surveys, in-depth semi-structured interviews and PhotoVoice focus groups. Findings: COVID-19 compounded many of the inherent risks facing first responders and added new stressors. First responders assumed added responsibilities during the pandemic which increased workloads, job-related stress, burnout, distance from the community and first responders' feelings of frustration. Even with personal protective equipment (PPE), first responders faced greater exposure to individuals with COVID-19 and were primarily concerned with transmitting the virus to family members, or other members of the first responders' support networks. State-level COVID-19 policies that were geared toward first responders aimed to improve the first responders' personal lives outside of work and mitigate burnout within the profession. First response agencies adapted to the pandemic by implementing a wide range of measures. Practical implications: First responders also identified several weaknesses in the first responders' agencies' approach to the pandemic. To prepare for the next public health emergency, first response agencies should proactively train employees, build up the first responders' supplies of equipment and PPE, implement policies to strengthen their workforce (e.g. increase hiring for understaffed positions, reduce turnover and mitigate role abandonment), allow for greater employee autonomy, improve communication between leaders and employees and prioritize employees' mental health, as well as other factors relating to departments' informal culture. Originality/value: This is one of the largest studies conducted on three types of first responders (police officers, fire firefighters, emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics) across the United States of America during a public health crisis. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.

The impact of burnout on career commitment among physicians, clergy, and law enforcement during the COVID-19 pandemic: A quantitative study

The long-term effects of the COVID-19 crisis among helping professionals such as physicians, law enforcement officers, and clergy remain unknown. The strain and enormous stress encountered by these professionals are profound and concerning (Benham et al., 2020;Greene et al., 2020;Stogner et al., 2020). In this study, the researcher explored the effects of burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment) on career commitment among helping professionals including physicians, law enforcement officers, and clergy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, the findings provided insight on the general causes and effects of burnout including possible solutions to counter its effects. Additionally, the researcher examined the causes, effects, and potential solutions regarding burnout for each of the participating helping professions. The data for this quantitative study were collected through a survey completed by 484 participants located in two southwestern states in the United States. This study contributes to the body of literature by confirming a relationship between burnout and low career commitment for the aggregate sample, and by confirming that the three factors of burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment) significantly predicted scores of low career commitment. Further, the findings revealed that there are statistically significant differences in levels of the three factors of burnout and career commitment between the three professions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Stress and Conflict During the Covid-19 Pandemic: The Impact on Petaling Jaya Police Officers

Police officers play a crucial role in guaranteeing the safety of residents by protecting their lives. However, due to the COVID-19 epidemic, police officers were supposed to organize local shutdowns, promote social distance, and enforce stay-at-home orders. Hence, this research aims to explore potential sources of stress, and causes of conflict. The respondents are the police officers from Petaling Jaya District Police Headquarter. Data is collected using a questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS. Findings show that most police officers feel stressed since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, along with their workload.

MENTAL TRAUMATIZATION PREVENTION OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS BODIES EMPLOYEES IN BIOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL EMERGENCY SITUATION

INTRODUCTION: The performance of police officers in official activities during biological and social emergencies adversely affects their emotional state, reduces individual psychological resources, and can cause mental health deterioration. The police officers’ mental trauma formation is influenced by social, service, and personal factors. Therefore, for timely detection of negative deviations in mental health state, a measures set is needed to organize the medical, personnel, and psychological services offered by the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs to finalize the regulatory and scientific and methodological base to ensure their activities. AIM: To substantiate the improvement of directions in mental trauma prevention among police officers in emergency biological and social situations. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Federal regulatory legal acts were analyzed, such as Resolutions of the Government of the Russian Federation, MIA orders for the period from 2012 to 2020, modern medical and social approaches, and recommenda-tions on psychological and pedagogical support when working with police officers in emergencies. RESULTS: Mental trauma prevention among police officers is represented by the permanent differentiated accounting specifics and their division into certain groups according to the involvement in the disease. The following groups were formed: those who have fallen ill with COVID-19 and are being treated in outpatient and inpatient conditions;and those released from official duties because of contact with the sick and continue to perform outdoor service in crowded places. A mechanism for police officers’ mental health state system monitoring using departmental electronic and digital resources for large-scale remote psychodiagnostic examination has been developed. CONCLUSION: To increase the effectiveness of mental trauma prevention for police officers during biological and social emergencies, a measures set is needed for permanent registration and division into groups according to the degree of involvement in the disease, along with coordinated MIA medical, personnel, and psychological services interaction consistent with the specialists’ function differentiation and the regulatory framework to ensure the refinement of their activities. © 2022, Northern State Medical University. All rights reserved.

Suicide Trends in the Italian State Police during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: A Comparison with the Pre-Pandemic Period.

The pandemic is posing an occupational stressor for law enforcement personnel. Therefore, a high priority is the need to quantify this phenomenon and put supportive programs in place. During the pandemic period, the Italian State Police implemented different support programs for the personnel. These included a national toll-free number to provide information on COVID-19 to police staff, availability of a health care service by doctors and nurses at the national level, vaccination services, working remotely, and a psychological intervention protocol called "Together we can" ("Insieme Possiamo"). Our study firstly aims to perform a descriptive analysis of the suicide in the Italian police from 2016 to 2021, and secondly aims to compare the pandemic and pre-pandemic periods. During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic (February 2020 to October 2021), the suicide rate in the State Police did not significantly increase compared to the pre-pandemic period, showing a stable trend with a not significant decrease in the suicide rate. The implementation of staff support services by the Central Directorate of Health of the Italian State Police and individual resilience aspects of the Police personnel in response to the pandemic may have positively affected the phenomenon. These aspects pave the way to further studies on the issue to improve preventive strategies.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Petaling Jaya Police Officers

Police officers play a crucial role in guaranteeing the safety of residents by protecting their lives. However, due to the COVID-19 epidemic, police officers were supposed to organize local shutdowns, promote social distance, and enforce stay-at-home orders. Hence, this research aims to identify potential sources of stress, and causes of conflict. The respondents are the police officers from Petaling Jaya District Police Headquarter. Data is collected using a questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS. Findings show that most police officers feel stressed since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, along with their workload.

State violence, black lives, and environmental justice. (Special Issue: Black lives matter part 1.)

This article provides an overview of police violence against Black people and mass incarceration that demonstrates that mass incarceration and police violence simultaneously produce and represent important forms of environmental inequality. Specifically, the article shows that in heavily policed communities, police violence is a critical aspect of the environment inseparable from the fabric of daily life. Thus, disproportionate police violence against Black people is itself an important form of environmental inequality. It further shows that police violence greatly increases Black people's exposure to other environmental harms while significantly decreasing their access to many environmental amenities. Finally, it demonstrates that biased policing and mass incarceration produce environmental inequality by disproportionately confining Black people to environmentally unjust spaces and by increasing their exposure to specific diseases that, we argue, are key features of the social and built environment. Differential morbidity and mortality from the coronavirus disease, which has hit Black communities particularly hard, are thus significant forms of environmental inequality that are strongly shaped by police violence and mass incarceration.

The response of law enforcement agencies and police officers' experiences under the Covid-19 state of alarm in Catalonia, Spain

Purpose Law enforcement agencies and police officers' efforts were crucial to oversee the public health measures and legal regulations introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic. The study had two objectives: to examine the strategies implemented by law enforcement agencies in Catalonia (Spain) to monitor the pandemic and to explore the adverse working conditions of police officers and their personal difficulties during the state of alarm. Design/methodology/approach A total of 96 experienced police officers completed a closed-ended, anonymous online survey. In addition, complementary information was collected about the management of law enforcement agencies through open interviews. A descriptive analysis was carried out and the association between variables was explored. Findings In general terms, law enforcement agencies managed the uncertainty of the situation, with a focus on official information and communication channels between officers. However, many difficulties were reported by the police officers, such us inconsistency between rules, lack of preventive material or changes in work schedules. Besides, the officers' main concern, beyond the emotional impact suffered during this period, was the possibility of being infected or infecting others. Practical implications The congruence between the job requirements and resources, as well as the increase of communication channels during situations of high risk are important variables to assure good job development and personal satisfaction of police officers. Originality/value To the knowledge of the authors, at the time of writing this paper, this is the first study in Spain to explore the management of law enforcement agencies and police officers' personal experiences during the Covid-19.

Occupation under siege: Resolving mental health crises in police work

The book is based on research associated with police mental health together with the subsequent effects on officer's performance, physical health, and lifestyle. It outlines the current challenges face by police, increased civil unrest, negative public reactions, and a biological siege brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. These events have caused personnel shortages, long work hours, and psychological and physical assaults upon the police. The book turns to the present mental health status of police officers. Posttraumatic Stress (PTSD) and depression appear to be prevalent in police. Police officers are repeatedly exposed to traumatic situations including motor vehicle accidents, armed conflicts, and witnessing violent death across their working lives. Depression and PTSD are often found together in officers. Several studies on police have found the prevalence of depression to be approximately 12% which is nearly twice as high as the general population. Both depression and PTSD promote poor health through a complex interaction between biological and psychological mechanisms. In today's societal and politically conflicted environment, the police are caught between the requirements of the job and the ability to fulfill these requirements. The book discusses the effects of police stress and trauma on physical health. The stress and trauma that police face can eventually wear down the body's defense against disease. The book discusses resilience and its role in ameliorating stress. Resilience is simply defined as bouncing back from adversity. There are, however, many dimensions of resiliency to consider. The book asks the question, "Where do we go from here?" It also discusses current legislation which will help police deal with the problem of psychological, physical health, and suicide. The book will help researchers and those dedicated officers who go out every day and "drive and walk the beat". It is those officers who bear the brunt of policing. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)

A Multidimensional Cross-Sectional Analysis of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Seroprevalence Among a Police Officer Cohort: The PoliCOV-19 Study.

BACKGROUND: Protests and police fieldwork provide a high-exposure environment for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections. In this cross-sectional analysis, we investigated the seroprevalence among a police cohort, and sociodemographic, work, and health-related factors associated with seropositivity. METHODS: Study participants were invited for serological testing of SARS-CoV-2 and to complete online questionnaires. Serum neutralization titers toward the wild-type SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (expressing D614G) and the Alpha and Beta variants were measured in seropositive study participants. RESULTS: A total of 978 police personnel representing 35% of the entire staff participated from February to March 2021. The seroprevalence was 12.9%. It varied by geographic region, ranged from 9% to 13.5% in 3 regions, including the city; and was 22% in Bernese Seeland/Jura with higher odds for seropositivity (odds ratio [OR], 2.38 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.28-4.44], P=.006). Job roles with mainly office activity were associated with a lower risk of seropositivity (OR, 0.33 [95% CI, .14-.77], P=.010). Self-reported compliance with mask wearing during working hours was 100%; 45% of seropositive vs 5% of seronegative participants (P<.001) reported having had contact with a proven coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) case living in the same household prior to serological testing. The level of serum antibody titers correlated with neutralization capacity. Antibodies derived from natural SARS-CoV-2 infection effectively neutralized the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, but were less effective against the Alpha and Beta variants. CONCLUSIONS: The seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies of police officers was comparable to that reported in the general population, suggesting that the personal protective equipment of the police is effective, and that household contacts are the leading transmission venues. The level of serum antibody titers, in particular that of anti-spike antibodies, correlated well with neutralization capacity. Low antibody titers acquired from natural infection were not effective against variants. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: NCT04643444.

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in a Large Cohort of Italian Police Officers.

Certain professional categories are at a high occupational exposure to COVID-19. The aim of this survey was to quantify the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among police officers in Italy and identify its correlates. In this cross-sectional study, a nationally representative sample of State police employees was tested for IgG and IgM before the start of the National vaccination campaign. A total of 10,535 subjects (approximately 10% of the total workforce) participated in the study. The overall seroprevalence was 4.8% (95% CI: 4.4-5.3%). However, seropositivity was unevenly distributed across the country with a clear (p < 0.001) North-South gradient. In particular, the seroprevalence was 5.6 times higher in northern regions than in southern regions (9.0% vs. 1.6%). Most (71.2%) seropositive subjects reported having no recent symptoms potentially attributable to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Previous dysosmia, dysgeusia, and influenza-like illness symptoms were positive predictors of being seropositive. However, the prognostic value of dysosmia depended (p < 0.05) on both sex and prior influenza-like illness. The baseline seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in police employees is considerable. A significant risk of occupational exposure, frequent asymptomatic cases and the progressive waning of neutralizing antibodies suggest that the police workers should be considered among the job categories prioritized for the booster COVID-19 vaccine dose.

Suicide mortality data from the Italian police during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Suicide is a major public health issue worldwide, with about 880,000 dying annually for such a cause. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to severe social disruption both from health and economic standpoints. Law enforcement personnel have been significantly involved in helping to face the many difficulties due to the pandemic. Police officers have been subjected to further stress from managing social restrictions imposed by governments to contain the pandemic. The Italian State Police steadily approximate 100,000 people aged 25-65 years: 14 subjects (mean age 43.64 years) died by suicide in 2015, 7 (mean age 47.5 years) in 2016, 13 (mean age 45.62 years) in 2017, 10 (mean age 48.1 years) in 2018, 18 (mean age 46.78 years) in 2019, and 12 (mean age 52 years) in 2020. Our records excluded significant changes in suicide incidence rate within 2015-2020 (till December 2020). However, the COVID-19 pandemic spread faster in Italy than in other regions, meaning that the Italian State Police possibly faced prolonged, intense stress. Suicide prevention, therefore, remains a priority, especially during this difficult time.

An Exploratory Study of Police Officers' Perceptions of Health Risk, Work Stress, and Psychological Distress During the COVID-19 Outbreak in China.

BACKGROUND: How do the police officers perceive health risk, psychological distress, and work stress during the COVID-19 outbreak in China? This study explores the health risk perception, work stress, and psychological distress of police officers who worked at the front line to implement lockdown measures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a large-scale field survey (N = 5,611) with police officers sample in the northwestern part of China from February 29 to March 7, 2020. Independent-sample T-test and ANOVA were used to analyze whether there are differences in health risk perception, work stress, and psychological distress between different groups. The regression analysis was employed to figure out the factors that influence police officers' psychological distress. RESULTS: Results showed a gender difference in perceiving work stress among police officers. Also, police officers with chronic disease perceived higher health risks, more psychological distress, and higher work stress. Additionally, police officers above 45 years old significantly perceived higher health risks than young officers did. It also revealed that working hours contribute to police officers' health risk perception, psychological distress, and work stress. Finally, our results highlight that age, working hours, chronic disease, health risk perception, and work stress significantly contribute to police officers' psychological distress. CONCLUSION: Our research verifies that there is a gender difference in perceiving work stress among police officers. Police officers with ongoing medical issues and above 45 years old suffer more during the COVID-19 outbreak in China. Our research suggests that the government should pay more attention to their physical health and mental health. The heavy workload containing the COVID-19 extends police officers' working hours, causing higher health risks, work stress, and psychological distress. This study contributes to the psychological distress literature and provides a way forward to other countries struggling to contain the COVID-19.

Backing the Blue in the Midst of COVID-19: Simultaneous Shared Trauma and the Effects of Coping in Law Enforcement Couples.

The impact of the novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, has placed a significant amount of stress on local and state law enforcement departments. In addition to responding to crimes, police officers now have additional responsibilities that include enforcing non-essential business closures, dispersing social gatherings, and maintaining order at testing sites and local hospitals, all while trying to preserve their own health. Spousal support serves a critical role in helping officers cope with occupational stressors. However, when both officer and spouse are being affected by the same traumatic event, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, this may bring additional challenges and opportunities to law enforcement couples and their mechanisms of coping. Little has been written on the effects of simultaneous shared trauma on the couple relationship. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to start a dialogue on these challenges and opportunities to serve as considerations for clinicians working with police officers and/or their spouses during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Survey of Psychological Responses During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Epidemic among Chinese Police Officers in Wuhu.

BACKGROUND: The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has presented serious threats to people's health and lives. Police officers are bravely fighting on the front lines of the epidemic. The main purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence and severity of psychological responses among police officers during the COVID-19 pandemic and find influencing factors in depression and anxiety. METHODS: A cross-sectional online questionnaire was administered to police officers in Wuhu through WeChat, and data were collected between March 10 and 26, 2020. A total of 3,561 questionnaires were received, of which 3,517 were considered valid. The questionnaires included demographic information and a psychological survey. The depression scale of the Patient Health QuestionnaireQ9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale were utilized to assess depression and anxiety, respectively. RESULTS: The mean depression score of participants was 4.10±4.87 (0-27), and 12.17%had moderate-severe depression. The mean anxiety score of participants was 3.59±4.228 (0-21), and 8.79% had moderate-severe anxiety. Older and married police officers were at higher risk of anxiety. Those with a bachelor's degree or above, living near the city center, and taking sleeping pills were at greater risk of depression and anxiety. Auxiliary police had lower depression and anxiety scores. Depression scores were strongly correlated withanxiety scores (r=0.863, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Our findings identify factors associated with higher levels of depression and anxiety that can be utilized to develop psychological interventions to improve the mental health of vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 pandemic.