Police stress: does department size matter?

Abstract

The present research involves surveying police officers from ten police departments (N = 2,316) to determine if the size of the agency affects police stress ratings. Nine stress scales, as well as demographic and police career variables, were examined to identify possible relationships. Administrative stress was ranked as the most stressful, regardless of agency size, however, officers from larger police departments did report higher stress ratings on some scales. Policy implications are discussed.