Police stressors: Variations in perception among police personnel

Sources of police stressors were measured from a sample of 103 police officers. A description and mean ranking of organizational and inherent stressors were presented for the total sample as well as various ranks, lengths of police service, age, and race. Results indicated that: (1) overall, killing someone in the line of duty ranked as the highest stressor, (2) officers with six to ten years of experience reported the highest overall combined stressor mean score, (3) desk sergeants ranked organizational factors as the most intense stressors, (4) officers in the age category of thirty-one to thirty-five years reported shift work as the most intense stressor, and (5) African American officers reported inadequate support from the department as most stressful. Additional analyses within these groups are discussed.