The 'cost' of caring in policing: From burnout to PTSD in police officers in England and Wales. (September 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Foley, Jim; Massey, Kristina Louise Dawn
• Is Part Of: Police journal. Volume 94:Number 3(2021)
• Page Start: 298
• Page End: 315
• Publication Date: 2021-09
• Subjects: Policing -- trauma -- PTSD -- burnout; Police -- Periodicals; Police -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; 363.205
• DOI: 10.1177/0032258X20917442
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0032-258X

Abstract

This article looks at secondary trauma of police officers caused by working with traumatised victims, examining what is the true 'cost of caring' for police officers in England and Wales. It will discuss common work-related 'stressors' in policing and review the concepts commonly associated with secondary trauma such as 'burnout', 'vicarious trauma', 'compassion fatigue', 'secondary traumatic stress' and their impact. It will conclude with some recommendations and highlight the serious lack of literature on this topic, making secondary trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder in policing an under researched area, particularly in relation to the effects of cumulative trauma in policing.