Around the World

These articles feature a comparative look at policing across the globe. 

Around the World 8.1

Source: “Study finds KP police suffer from psychological pressures,” by S. A. Abbas (2012). Central Asian Online

A study in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, revealed high levels of anxiety, depression, and stress among police officers. The 2012 study indicated that “female officers, married officers, officers with more years of service, officers with low ranks and officers who work in urban areas have higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress than male officers, married officers, officers with fewer years of service and officers with high ranks and officers working in rural areas.”

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police agree that police officers often face “stress-producing situations.” As an example, “terrorists have no qualms about threatening police officers with death . . . and those threats sometimes extend to their families.” In some cases, they have seen significant turnover of police officers, and others have lost their commitment to the job. In 2012, there was an attempt to reduce the levels of stress experienced by police. Many have suggested stress counseling, improved safety, and the addition of training related to stress management.