The Importance of WE in POWER: Integrating Police Wellness and Ethics

Abstract

In this article, the authors introduce the POWER perspective of police wellness and ethics. POWER stands for Police Officer Wellness, Ethics, and Resilience. The perspective represents the view that wellness and ethics cannot be discussed separately; they are inextricably connected to each other. Initiatives to address one should always, simultaneously, include the other. Although there is a need for wellness and ethics to be addressed on an organizational level, the present article emphasizes the importance of POWER for individual police officers. The authors make the argument that officers need to expand the way in which they conceptualize their own wellness to include efforts to maintain ethical decision-making. Specifically, officers will remain psychologically healthier when they take active steps to stay steadfastly committed to their ethical principles. Likewise, officers who utilize a comprehensive wellness program, including strategies to boost resilience, will be far less likely to experience lapses in ethical decision-making. Further recommendations for action and implication of this matter in law enforcement are presented and discussed.

Effects of Organizational Support and Organizational Justice on Police Officers’ Work Engagement

“…Furthermore, according to Mostert and Rothmann (2006) , conscientiousness and extroversion may predict vigor and dedication in police officers. Finally, the role of WE in integrating police wellness and ethics has been investigated by Blumberg et al (2020) .…”

Scientific tools for forming professional competence of patrol police officers

“…Kubaienko et al [5] stated that professional competence is a qualitative characteristic of the degree of the professional activities mastering by police officers, which involves the awareness of their aspirations, ideas about their social role, the assessment of personality traits, and qualities as a future specialist, the correlation of the results of such assessment with the requirements for the selected activity, regulation of their professional development, growth, self-improvement. Blumberg, Papazoglou and Schlosser [41] interpreted the professional competence of a specialist as a complex integrated phenomenon of education, which is identified, developed and improved in professional activities. The effectiveness of its implementation depends on the level of theoretical, practical, and psychological preparedness, personal, professional, individual, and mental qualities, perception of goals, values, content, and features of this activity.…”

“…The scientist believes that the professional competence of a patrol officer includes personal traits, knowledge, experience, skills and motivation. In reference sources, the concept of competency (Latin for appropriate, skillful) is defined as the range of powers of any official or body; knowledge mastery, experience in a particular field [40], [41]. Competency refers to the sphere of knowledge, skills, and abilities application, and competence is a system of a person's knowledge.…”

Organizational Solutions to the Moral Risks of Policing

“…The pre-academy is designed to boost applicants' resilience and strengthen their resolve to remain in the profession despite the emotional and spiritual challenges that they will encounter. This can be a two-day to five-day experiential pre-academy in which the soon-to-be recruits are trained to use a variety of resilience and personal strengths building exercises (see [27]). Veteran and retired officers facilitate the pre-academy and demonstrate ways in which they coped with the emotional and spiritual risks they faced.…”

“…More generally, other aspects of stress inoculation training will help police officers learn to insulate themselves from the moral risks that lead to emotional and spiritual distress. Techniques to boost resilience, to increase mindfulness, to strengthen spirituality, and to enhance overall wellness will better prepare officers to cope with these risks (see [27]). These efforts should begin during academy training.…”