The elevation at the Dead Sea is 1300 feet BELOW sea level making it the lowest spot on the face of the planet. Consequently, it’s average atmospheric pressure is the highest anywhere on Earth. I took advantage of our visit to the Dead Sea to not only clean some of the desert grime off of me, but also to talk about the unique pressures that face police professionals and their families.
What is it that makes law enforcement one of the most stressful of all professions? The average citizen might say it is the long and crazy work hours. Or maybe the long periods of boredom punctuated by moments of extreme terror! Or maybe it has to do with seeing people at their worst and dealing with the underbelly of society. Or it could be the trauma that they witness on a regular basis.
All of these factors contribute to the stress load. But as stressful as law enforcement is, it is interesting that most police professionals will say that the most stressful part of their job is not what you would expect. Typically, they will say it is internal relationships! In other words, this job is stressful enough. But what’s REALLY stressing me out is all these crazy people I have to work with…!
The character-based principles of Police Dynamics are all about building trust-based relationships both internally and externally. So strengthening internal relationships not only makes a law enforcement agency incredibly more effective in accomplishing the police mission. It has the added benefit of reducing the stress load that each officer bears on a daily basis.
Here’s some footage taken by our driver of my videographer, Gary Curry, and me floating in the Dead Sea. If you have never done it, it is an incredible experience…
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4 Responses to The Pressure of Law Enforcement – from the Dead Sea
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Sheriff Ray Nash
Thanks for the re-stating this geographical fact, Nash. All over the World.law enforcement seeks to promote one thing-making society safe for living. With this in mind,the pressure of satisfying the rquirement of peaceful environment for development makes law enforcement pressure a very great one that Nash would like to equate to the pressure over the Dead Sea.
Indeed the actions and inactions of law enforcement officers at timjes provoke pletora of debates ranging from recruitment through training to job performance. In most cases, the performance of law enforcemant officers falls far below expectation hence public outcries. These public dissatisfaction about the work of LEO puts them in a dilemma hence puts a lot of pressure to satisfy the tax payer from whose purse all expenses of the LEO operations are charged. The urge then to perform to the satisfaction of the public puts another box of stress on law enforcement.officers. A greater accountability is expecteed from all manner of persons: politicians, the clergy,professional groups etc especially when one of their own is at the center of any activity that infringes on the law and needs the attention of LEO.These pressures will forever remain with the profession so long as human needs have no end and societies continue to be dynamic and varid with various needs/wants.
Posted by Martin Ayiih via LinkedIn
Thanks so much for sharing Ray, you always have such good material! How do you send out mass emails like this, I must ask? Take care and stay safe!
Always!
Kim
I think that it’s the pressure of always “doing the right thing”. A lot of times our hands are tied when it comes to dealing with the worst that society has to offer. They have more rights than we do. We always hold ourselves to a higher standard and have to be responsible for being the “better person”. I can get punched, kicked, have someone spit in my face but God forbid I lose my professionalism! He walks away from it scott free because he has a “mental condition”, it’s not his fault. The general public seems to believe that it’s part of our job to be punching bags. It’s hard enough going to work every day knowing that your life is in jeopardy with every step that you take. Add to that the fact that we have to worry about losing our jobs or even facing criminal charges for a split second of loisng our cool in the heat of the moment. That’s a lot of pressure right there.
Posted by Joe “Mookie” Bradley via LinkedIn
The Dead Sea is great, I was there back in 05. And you are absolutely correct the main pressure of the job comes from within. There has been a sea change in the types of personnel that become Officers now. There used to be a sense of Brotherhood and a feeling they had your back. Now you are surrounded by people that will literally do anything to get ahead. For these people there are no rules of behavior it is just get ahead. This more than anything else raises the stress level in LE.
Posted by Rick Yerby via LinkedIn