FEATURES OF THE DIRECTION OF POLICE OFFICERS IN DIFFICULT PROF ESSIONAL SITUATIONS

Abstract

The article presents a theoretical and empirical analysis of the problem of willingness of police officers to choose behavioral strategies to cope professional difficulties. Scientists report that coping behavior is a key professional characteristic, which, in addition to solving the problem, contributes to the mobilization of the resource base of specialists. The professional activity of the police is due to a large number of stressful events that have a significant impact on their personality and require an immediate response. The aim of the research is to empirically study the peculiarities of directing actions in difficult professional situations in police officers with the different experience in the police. The sample consisted of 126 police officers. Groups were divided according to length of service in the police. The first group consisted of 40 police officers with up to 5 years of experience. The second group was formed by police officers whose experience varies from 6 to 10 years, in the number of 48 people. The third group consisted of 33 police officers with more than 10 years of police experience. The questionnaire “Types of orientations in difficult situations” was applied in the study. Mathematical and statistical processing of the results was carried out using the Student’s t-test for independent samples. In the course of an empirical study, it was established that police officers with up to 5 years of experience in the police are aimed at avoiding difficulties in their professional activities. Policemen with 6–10 years of experience in the police force are characterized by readiness both for the maximum use of all their capabilities in order to solve the problem, and for their optimal use. Police officers who have been working in the police force for more than 10 years tend to implement coping strategies that are focused on getting closer to the problem. That is, for these subjects difficulties provide an opportunity to test themselves, mobilize forces and resources. They carefully approach the analysis of difficult situations, prefer to plan their further actions. We can summarize that the subjects with more work experience tend to evaluate difficult conditions as circumstances that allow to confirm their professional skills, while police officers with less work experience may doubt their ability to overcome difficulties.