Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Criminal Justice

Advisor

Robert Spivey

Abstract

AbstractLaw enforcement officers have hidden their inability to cope with the exposure to trauma and occupational stress endemic to the profession. This particular community continues to suffer because of the stigma associated with seeking mental health and stress management. The problem this study addressed are factors embedded within police culture that deter officers working in the Tampa Bay region from help-seeking behaviors. There is a critical need to evaluate officers’ perceptions in order to provide lifesaving tools that can ultimately mitigate police suicide. Participants were ten police officers from six different agencies located within the Tampa Bay region. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews focusing on the officers’ lived experiences and perceptions. Colaizzi’s six-step process guided data analysis. Six themes emerged from analysis: fear/ anger, distrust/misunderstanding, helplessness/ hopelessness, fatigue, isolation, and relevance. Police cultural and organizational barriers were found to be the main obstacle to seeking out psychological assistance. A key recommendation is to build strong relationships between officers and leadership to bridge the trust gap between field officers and management, which is crucial to break stigma associated with mental health support by redefining police culture. Mandating training through adequate policies and procedures can aid newly appointed officers and ultimately mitigate the epidemic of police suicide. This study contributes to positive social change by providing insights regarding negative perceptions which creates barriers and prevents officers from seeking mental health support.

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