English police officers’ alcohol consumption and links with organisational job stressors

Abstract

This study describes alcohol consumption and examines associations with organisational job stressors among female ( n = 493) and male ( n = 707) English police officers. Significantly fewer female than male officers reported hazardous alcohol consumption (32% vs. 44%) and probable harmful alcohol consumption (5% vs. 11%). Stressor exposure was associated with alcohol consumption among males only, with high exposure to job control, work relationships, and role clarity stressors associated with elevated odds of probable harmful alcohol consumption. Findings suggest alcohol consumption represents a concern in English policing and point to stressor exposure reduction as a mechanism to decrease alcohol consumption.