Officer Joe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Officer Joe - Essay Example There is little doubt that â€Å"management of the police department and its leadership is a demanding, complex, and challenging task,† but that task is â€Å"largely possible through good management†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Eisenberg 21). Managing this officer is not an easy task, as his negative attributes and their impact on the department must be weighed against his performance. Accordingly, we should examine the set of behaviors, assess the impact to the department and the public, balance the consequences of the officer’s negative behavior with his superior performance, and determine a way to help this officer. Officer Joe is, as any other police officer, under a lot of stress. The stress of police work is well known, and its effects on the individual can cause the officer to resort to various coping mechanisms. One of the more unhealthy ways of coping with stress on the job is alcohol abuse. In fact, Officer Joe is presenting classic signs of alcohol abuse. Disregard for authority, carelessness in personal appearance, as well as impatience and irritability are three indicators of alcohol abuse (Moriarty & Field 155). Officer Joe’s behavior indicates his condition is worsening, as this is presumptively the first time he has shown up for duty with alcohol on his breath. Immediate management intervention is required in this situation, to protect the public, the department, and Officer Joe himself. As there has been no indication of drinking while on the job, the officer is likely engaging in this self-destructive behavior in private. Some might content that the private behavior of a p olice officer is not an issue to management unless it affects job performance. In Officer Joe’s case, his performance has been very good. However, the private life of a police officer is something that can and should be considered by management. â€Å"The special role that the police