The Impact Of Job-Related Stressors On Incidents Of Excessive Force By Police Officers

Abstract

The present study addresses the relationship between job-related stressors and incidents of police misconduct, a concept that has largely been neglected in policing literature. Manzoni and Eisner’s conceptualization of stress-strain theory provided the foundation for the research. Specifically, this study examines individual differences in the perception of how job-related stressors such as departmental leadership, departmental policies and regulations, and departmental climate are related to incidents of police misconduct expressed through the exercise of excessive force. This quantitative survey design employed the Police Survey of Job Related Stress (PSJRS) among a convenience sample of 94 active police officers (49 African American and 45 European) from a southern U.S. state. T-tests and the Mann-Whitney test were used to document statistically significant differences between white and African American officers across the perceived connection linking the core PSJRS dimensions of job-related stressors to excessive force misconduct. The results promote positive social change by reinforcing social bonds between police and communities and creating safer places to live.