“I DON’T WANNA SOUND PARANOID BUT I’M NOT LIKELY TO TRUST PEOPLE”: UNDERSTANDING WORK AND LIFE STRESSORS IN A SAMPLE OF FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS

Abstract

Federal law enforcement officials risk their lives every day to serve and protect the community from those who break the law. Among today’s society, the constant eye of the public and media can create stressors among federal officials. The participants in this study revealed what work-place events are perceived as stressors, which may potentially create an impact on their work and at home life, as well as coping mechanism they utilize to alleviate the identified stressors. Some of the impacts of work-place stress involved desensitization, unattachment, and psychological effects. Considering these effects, views from the public and the media can further negatively shape how federal law enforcement officials are viewed. Therefore, this research helps to understand the personal stressors that federal law enforcement officials undergo and the effects throughout the duration of their careers via qualitative interviews.