Police organizational stress, police operational stress vis-a-vis coping strategies of police officers in Pampanga during COVID-19 pandemic /
Syrel Reyes, Rhem Rick Corpuz, Renato De Jesus, Eri Cielo Babangha, and Harlan Sicat
- Quezon City Chapterhouse 2021
- vol.2 (issue 1): pages 99-125
Abstract:
The organizational and operational stress in the police work has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic and it shoes unprecedented risks to the police that require coping strategies. Various studies expound that the police organizational and police operational stress significantly influenced the performance of the law enforcers and it is a must to adopt helpful coping strategies to regulate stressful situations while performing their duties. The study aims to answer if there is a significant association between police operational stress and organizational stress, police organizational stress and police coping strategies, and police operational stress and police coping strategies. The study used descriptive correlation to answer research objectives and convenience sampling was utilized. There are 84 police officers participating in the study to answer the survey questionnaires, which contain questions about police organizational stress, police operational stress, and coping strategies. Spearman's correlation is used to measure the strength of the association between the two variables of the research objectives. Results show that there is a strong relationship between police operational stress and organizational stress. Organizational issues affect the conditions and performance of police activities. There is no relationship between police organizational stress and police coping strategies. There is also no relationship between police operational stress and police coping strategies. Police officers despite the level of stress employ measures to improve their well-being and the culture of masculinity prevents police officers from seeking mental health assistance. Mental health awareness and introduction of wellness activities in the PNP would alleviate both police organizational and police operational and help them improve their service during public health emergencies. Programs to motivate police officers such as improvement of work schedule and shift is recommended to prevent occupational stress.