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68 FBI L. Enforcement Bull. 16 (1999)
Alcohol Abuse in Policing

handle is hein.journals/fbileb68 and id is 17 raw text is: Focus on Personnel Alcohol Abuse in Policing Prevention Strategies By John M. Violanti, Ph.D. A lcohol abuse represents an important issue in police work. Estimates show that alcohol abuse among police officers in the United States is approximately double that of the general population where 1 in 10 adults abuses alcohol.' While the social use of alcohol may be accepted in most professions, excessive use can impair an individual's ability to function properly at work and at home. This can prove particularly dangerous for police officers. Researchers find the occupational and personal losses associated with alcohol abuse among police officers difficult to determine, and deficits in job performance due to alcohol abuse cannot always be easily detected. Because alcohol use often is consid- ered part of the police lifestyle, officers who have a problem seldom get approached by their peers. Ultimately, officers who abuse alcohol get noticed by their organizations and sometimes by the public. Their drinking problems may lead to an automobile accident, a domestic violence situation, or a citizen's complaint. To deal with such situations, many police agencies adopt a strategy of getting help for abusers only after they discover a problem. Help may include a referral to an employee assistance program or alcohol rehabilitation clinic. Agencies often use a late-stage treatment strategy because police managers sometimes lack faith in early de- tection approaches and view them as ineffective. Yet, if agencies intervene before officers get into trouble, they can help officers onto the road to recovery, avoiding damage to both their personal and professional lives. THE CASE FOR EARLY INTERVENTION Prevention approaches view the causes of alcohol abuse to be based on the behavior of the officer, as well as being influenced by the officer's social network. The police social network has similar risk factors for alcohol abuse as other high-stress occupa- tions. Police officers may endure stress, experience peer pressure, and be subjected to isolation-all within a culture that approves alcohol use.2 Often- times, police officers gather at a local bar after their shifts to relax over a few drinks with their peers and reinforce their own values. Furthermore, because of the close-knit police culture, officers may feel reluc- tant to report colleagues for alcohol-related difficul- ties. Many officers may go to great lengths to protect fellow officers in trouble. If a police department hopes to effectively reduce alcohol abuse, it should intervene early into the very network that reinforces such behavior in the first place-the police culture.3 Agencies should get involved as early as the police academy stage and follow up with periodic in-service interventions. Departments can use numerous strategies for early intervention. For example, they can * help to improve the fitness and well-being of officers; * provide education on lifestyle rather than on alcohol itself; * initiate stress management programs; and * shift the responsibility of detection to individuals other than the affected officer.4 16 / FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin

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