Search

Abstract The aim of this study is to increase knowledge of how police officers define conflict and conflict management as well as how they perceive their training in conflict management, in relation to previous experiences, in-school training and their probationary training. Swedish police officers (n = 20) who had recently finished their probationary training were interviewed focusing on conflict and conflict management. The study shows that the respondents had general descriptions of conflict, which focused almost solely on interpersonal conflict. Further, the development of adaptive conflict behaviors during probationary training was largely dependent on their instructors, whose role and tasks are very complex. In addition, respondents reported an accelerated maturation process of sorts, in which they described themselves as less naïve and more cynical, despite their short time at work. The findings in this study might provide valuable insights into how police officers perceive conflict and conflict management.

BackgroundThe stressful and complex nature of police work and its adverse effects on mental health are well-documented in police research. The mental health of police students however, has not been given the same attention. To the best of our knowledge, studies on the mental health of Swedish police recruits have not been undertaken since 2010.ObjectivesThe present study aims to examine whether there are differences in the mental health between two cohorts (2009 and 2020) of Swedish police recruits, as well as to compare the mental health of both cohorts with the general population data collected in 2002.MethodsData was collected using the SCL-90-R survey. Data was analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and independent sample T-tests. Bi-variate analyses including t-test and chi-square were used to examine differences in sociodemographic variables between the two cohorts.ResultsA total of 376 police recruits participated in the study. Results indicated no significant differences between the cohorts with regards to the three global indices of the SCL-90-R: Global Severity Index (GSI), Positive Symptom Total (PST), and Positive Symptom Distress Index (PSDI). Recruits with a college degree had lower scores on GSI and PSDI, similar to respondents that where in a relationship vs. singles. A total of 15 (four female) recruits had GSI scores above the Swedish patient mean. Compared with the general population, males and females from the 2009, as well as females from the 2020 cohorts had lower or insignificantly different mean scores on all global indices, with males from the 2020 cohort having a significantly lower PST score.ConclusionsWhile the vast majority of recruits had results that where indicative of a low prevalence and intensity with regards to mental health disorders, some recruits did score above the Swedish patient mean. While mental preparedness is part of the curriculum for Swedish police recruits, interventions targeting the stigmas of poor mental health could be of value. The fact that educational attainment appears to have a positive impact on the mental health of police recruits, could be taken in to consideration when recruiting future police officers.