Chapter one

Introduction

1.1Background of the study

Working as a police officer can be a rewarding job, but it can also be a stressful one. Policing is one of the few professions where individuals deal with many stressors, which exceed the usual expectations of society. Although there is no way to eliminate stress and the burnout it can cause, there are methods law enforcement agencies can utilize to help officers prevent stress from worsening and to make it more manageable.

Police officer stress is heavily influenced by both internal and external factors. Requirements to adhere to standard operating procedures and, in turn, departmental policies and procedures were found to have an impact on officer stress. Officers believe their lack of influence on how police work is accomplished, as well as their lack of influence over departmental policies and procedures are significant sources of stress (Morash, Haarr, & Kwak, 2006, pp.34-36). They are also more likely to think agency personnel policies involving job assignments and discipline are unfair, correlating with burn-out (McCarty & Skogan, 2012, pp.66, 78).

Police Officers experience most of the same frustrations that people have in any job, from poor management issues to trying to juggle different duties to everyday nuances. Then there’s the stress of dealing with issues that you’re not so likely to experience when working any office based desk job. They might be some of the same reasons that make you love your job, but that doesn’t always make them any less stressful.

Police Health says that police stress is unique and includes factors such as stress inherent in police work, those caused by police practices and policies, and stress from the criminal justice system and wider society. They also say that women can be at risk of additional frustrations at work, due to factors such as disapproval from others. Police Health says that “Encouraging physical fitness, diet, relaxation, and feedback to cope with stress can also reduce the effect a continual negative environment causes.”

Exercise is an excellent form of stress relief. While it helps to keep up an overall good level of health, regular exercise can offer some extra benefits. When you exercise, it gets endorphins flowing, which puts you in a good mood and help you feel good about yourself.

Exercising can also give you some “me time” and helps you to forget about the things that are causing you stress, giving you something else to focus on for the duration of your session. If you’re not into meditation or mindfulness, exercise is a great way to clear your mind. By exercising regularly, you can improve your self-confidence, be more relaxed and start to sleep better too.

Statement of the problem

Stress plays a part in the lives of everyone. Some stress is not only inevitable, it can be good. For example, the physical stress of “working out” improves your cardiovascular system, and feeling pressure that causes you to study harder for an exam can improve your score. Police stress, however, refers to the negative pressures related to police work. Police officers are not super humans. According to Gail Goolkasian and others, research shows that they are affected by their daily exposure to human indecency and pain; that dealing with a suspicious and sometimes hostile public takes its toll on them; and that the shift changes, the long periods of boredom, and the ever-present danger that are part of police work do cause serious job stress. Based on this, the researcher wants to investigate the role of exercise and recreation in the management of Nigeria police work

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