Police officers are facing unprecedented levels of stress and demoralization, leading many to quit their jobs. The recent wave of protests and calls for police reform have put officers under intense scrutiny, with many feeling that they are being unfairly blamed for the actions of a few bad actors.
The COVID-19 pandemic has only added to the stress, with officers on the front lines of the response to the crisis. Many officers have been working long hours, with hostile members of the public, and facing increased risks of exposure to the virus.
As a result, departments across the country are experiencing a significant uptick in resignations and early retirements. This is a major concern for public safety, as it can lead to a shortage of officers on the streets and longer response times to emergencies.
To address this issue, departments need to take steps to support their officers and address the causes of demoralization. This could include providing mental health resources, improving working conditions, and fostering a culture of accountability and transparency. Only by addressing these issues can we ensure that our police departments are able to recruit and retain the best possible officers to keep our communities safe.
Specifics on why police are quitting the force
Reports on why police are quitting the police force include a lack of trust in officers, harsh and arbitrary punishments, a lack of accountability, a lack of support from the department, excessive stress from operational policing, and a lack of appeal in the job. [1]
The media has highlighted the lack of teachers, nurses, and those working in S.T.E.M. positions, but has kept quiet about the fact that police officers are facing a similar problem. [2]
Police1.com reports that the balance between healthy accountability and having no trust in officers can be a challenge, and that where every decision is highly regulated, punishment is harsh and arbitrary, and productivity is measured only in arrests and tickets, the appeal of policing can lose its luster. [3]
The Crime Report states that more research is likely to discover that the traditionally accepted causes of attrition, attributed to the stresses of operational policing – violence, abuse, assaults, excessive stress, etc. – are causing officers to flee the force. [4]
Newsweek reports that professional factors such as a lack of trust, a lack of support from the department, and a lack of appeal in the job are contributing to officers voluntarily leaving the force. [5]
Finally, City Journal reports that a former Minneapolis officer described the moment he decided to leave the force as when a large, mentally ill man having a psychotic episode dropped dead moments before he arrived at the scene, thereby saving the officer from having to tase the man—and therefore get blamed for his death. [6]
Sources:
- https://outsidethebadge.com/police-officer-retention-issues/
- https://outsidethebadge.com/police-officer-retention-issues/
- https://www.police1.com/police-jobs-and-careers/articles/8-reasons-you-may-need-to-leave-your-department-SwZgD0Uw4f5fCsVo/
- https://thecrimereport.org/2021/03/17/why-are-uk-police-officers-fleeing-the-force/
- https://www.newsweek.com/why-are-so-many-cops-walking-away-force-opinion-1735010
- https://www.city-journal.org/why-cops-are-quitting
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