Law Enforcement Family Support: Training Program for Reduction of Stress Among Law Enforcement Officers and Their Families

• NCJ Number: 185969
• Date Published: 1998
• Length: 349 pages
• Grant Number(s): 96-FS-VX-0002
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description

Annotation

This manual presents materials and guidelines for New York State's program of police training on stress reduction and management.

Abstract

The program includes the officers' families in the training. The training involves both recruits and in-service officers. Each level of training is presented in a 10-hour session that includes role-playing scenarios with the goal of creating stress for the participants and audience; a classroom lecture on concepts of stress reduction and management; and presentations by professionals of the New York State Office of Employee Assistance Programs concerning confidentiality and available support services. The instructors use the experience of participants' lunches and dinners at the training site to impact appropriate communication methods in dealing with stress. Among the program goals are the training of State certified police academy instructors in a program on Stress Reduction and Management for Law Enforcement Officers (Recruits) and Their Families; the enabling of the families of police officers to identify job-related factors that contribute to the stress of the officer; the instruction of officer families on methods of communication appropriate for dealing with the negative aspects of stress; and the exposure of officers and their family members to job-related stressors that negatively impact the individual and the family. Program sessions also are intended to facilitate discussion between officers and their family members regarding the impacts of stress and to educate officers and their families about concepts of stress reduction and management techniques. Appended budget agreement, an instructor guide, and a student guide