Stress and Coping Among Police Officers In Rural Oklahoma

Abstract

Rural law enforcement personnel are often neglected in police research. In this study, rural police stress and coping techniques among rural law enforcement were investigated. Participants (N = 85), from nonmetropolitan locations, completed measures pertaining to police-related stress, perceived stress, coping styles, satisfaction with life, and sources of social support. They also completed questions regarding counseling resources available.Social support was negatively correlated with perceived stress and stressful operational aspects of policing, but not organizational police stress. The relationship between the source of social support and organizational stress differed between officers from smaller and larger rural departments. Officers used various styles of coping to handle different kinds of stress. When questioned about their knowledge of counseling resources, a majority of rural officers preferred to speak to a fellow officer rather than to a therapist. Guidelines for implementation of rural services are suggested.