Provides a comprehensive and up-to-date look at a number of law enforce. stress programs that have made serious efforts to help departments, individual officers, civilian employees, and officers' families cope with the stresses of a law enforce. career. The report is based on 100 interviews with mental health practitioners, police administrators, union and assoc. officials, and line officers and their family members. Provides pragmatic suggestions that can help every police or sheriff's dep't. reduce the debilitating stress that so many officers experience and thereby help these officers do the job they entered law enforcement to perform -- protect the public.

This book is designed to help law enforcement professionals overcome the internal assaults they experience both personally and organizationally over the course of their careers. These assaults can transform idealistic and committed officers into angry, cynical individuals, leading to significant problems in both their personal and professional lives.

Testimony from a Congressional hearing on police stress and how it affects the well-being of the officers, their families and their work, is presented in this document. An opening statement by Representative Patricia Schroeder is presented. Statements are included from Representatives Frank D. Riggs, George Miller, and Frank R. Wolf. Testimony and/or prepared statements from these individuals are included: (1) Beverly J. Anderson, clinical director/program administrator, the Metropolitan Police Employee Assistance Program, Washington, D.C.; (2) Anthony E. Daniels, assistant director, Training Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Quantico, Virginia; (3) Leanor Boulin Johnson, associate professor of family studies, Department of Family Resources and Human Development, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona; (4) Jeffrey A. King, officer and peer counselor coordinator, the Metropolitan Police Employee Assistance Program, Washington, D.C.; (5) James T. Reese, supervisory special agent, Assistant Unit Chief, Behavioral Science Services Unit, Training Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Quantico, Virginia; (6) Cathy Riggs, former police officer, Santa Rosa Police Department and wife of Representative Frank Riggs (former police officer), Santa Rosa, California; (7) Ellen Scrivner, director, Psychological Services Division, Prince George's County Police Department, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, and president elect, Division of Psychologists in Public Service, the American Psychological Association, Washington, D.C.;, (8) Gary W. Sommers, sergeant, training services, Prince George's County Police Department, Landover, Maryland, accompanied by Kay Sommers, Landover, Maryland; (9) Aristedes W. Zavaras, chief, Denver Police Department, Denver, Colorado; (10) Suzanne F. Sawyer, executive director, Concerns of Police Survivors, Upper Marlboro, Maryland; and (11) William K. Stover, police chief, Arlington County Police Department, Arlington, Virginia. (ABL)

Robert P. Delprino examines challenges faced by law enforcement families and the consequences of those challenges on officer and family health. In addition, he provides an analysis and commentary on the resources meant to support officers and family members in balancing family and work life.