PROFESSIONAL POLICE OFFICERS BEHAVIOUR IN CRITICAL SITUATIONS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17770/sie2020vol5.5005Keywords:
Critical Situations, Liability, Police Officers, ResponsibilityAbstract
Fast-moving processes in today's society make the importance of prompt, responsible and professional decision-making by police officers. In everyday situations that do not require important and urgent decisions, the police officer can act appropriately and avoid hasty, inadequate decisions. However, the police officer must always be prepared to face an emergency situation, to evaluate it correctly and to use the powers granted to resolve it. The only one wrong decision can have irreversible consequences for the police officer or the public. This paper aims to investigate the behaviour of professional police officers in everyday and critical situations. The research was based on scientific literature analysis and statistical data analysis. One of Lithuanian universities where future police officers are educated has been chosen for the study. A written survey for students – future police officers was performed. The study has shown that police officers, performing their daily duties without the need to take especially important decisions or making critical decisions on which depend the fate of the human, feel the legal liability and social responsibility. In critical situations requiring officers’ self-decision, these decisions are affected by the officers’ sense of responsibility to people, his/her obligation to comply with the law and fear of punishment if the law is violated.
References
Acquadro Maran, D., Varetto, A., Zedda, M., & Franscini, M. (2014). Stress among Italian male and female patrol police officers: a quali-quantitative survey. Policing: An International Journal, 37(4), 875-890.
Alexander, D. A., & Walker, L. G. (2000). Is my stress greater than yours? A comparison of policemen and firemen. International Journal of Police Science and Management, 2, 303-312.
Brought, P., & Williams, J. (2007). Managing occupational stress in a high-risk industry: Measuring the job demands of correctional officers. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 34, 555-567.
Førde, J. S., Lægreid, P., Rubecksen, K., & Rykkja, L. H. (2019). Organizing for Societal Security and Crisis Management in Germany, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the UK. In: Lægreid P., Rykkja L. (eds) Societal Security and Crisis Management. New Security Challenges. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
Horne, C. A. (2018). Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Training: Differences Between Police Officers' Response and Resolution to Situations. ProQuest Dissertations: Publishing Capella University.
Hyde, R. (2016). The role of civil liability in ensuring police responsibility for failures to act after Michael and DSD. European Journal of Current Legal Issues, 22(1).
Juraševič, N. M. (2001). Teisinės sąmonės vaidmuo kuriant teisinę valstybę. Jurisprudencija, 19(11), 19-22.
Misiūnas, E. (2008). Policijos pareigūno teisinio statuso elementų pusiausvyros problema. Jurisprudencija, 4(106), 100-107.
Misiūnas, E. (2010). Policijos pareigūnų teisinis statusas. Daktaro disertacija. Mykolo Romerio univeritetas. Vilnius: MRU.
Nedzinskas, E., & Nedzinskienė, R. (2017). Medical professionals as the social sensitive group: analysis of responsibility. Medical Physics in the Baltic States 2017 Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Medical Physics, 13, 81-84.
Nedzinskienė, R., & Nedzinskas, E. (2018). Evaluation of Legal and Social Responsibility: the Case of Future Police Officers. Society. Integration. Education. International Scientific Conference, 5, 185-195.
Norkus, A., Dirvelytė, S., & Karpenko, E. (2014). Policijos pareigūnų darbe patiriamas stresas ir jo sąsajos su profesiniu nuovargiu: Šiaulių ir Kauno apskričių vyriausiųjų policijos komisariatų atvejai. Visuomenės saugumas ir viešoji tvarka, 11, 145-163.
Prakapa, R., & Čepaitė, V. (2011). Kritinio mąstymo ugdymo galimybės teisinio ugdymo pamokose. Socialinis darbas, 10(2), 181-192.
Ruibytė L. (2011). Asmenybės ypatumų ryšys su streso pasekmių vertinimu ir streso įveikimo pobūdžiu statutinėje organizacijoje, Visuomenės saugumas ir viešoji tvarka, 5, 160-169.
Sommer, M., Njå, O., & Lussand, K. (2017). Police officers’ learning in relation to emergency management: A case study. Int. J. Disaster Risk Reduct, 21, 70-84.
Šalkauskaitė, A., Valickas, G., Grikšienė, R., & Rukšėnas, O. (2015). Policijos pareigūnų sprendimų priėmimas kritinėmis aplinkybėmis. Kriminologijos studijos, 3, 29-58.
Thoits, P. A. (1999). Self, identity, stress, and mental health. In C.S. Aneshensel and J. C. Phelan (Eds.), Handbook of the Sociology of Mental Health (pp. 345-368). New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum.
Uchroński, J. (2016). Role and tasks of the police in an airport crisis situation. Zeszyty Naukowe. Transport / Politechnika Śląska, 93, 131-139.
Uspanova, Z. T., Turabayevaa D. S., & Ermolovichb, V. F. (2016). The Psychological Competence of Police Officers in Confidential Cooperation with Citizens. International Journal of Enviromental and Science Education, 11(10), 3497-3955.
Žukauskas, R., Burba, B., Rukšėnas, O., Grigaliūnienė, V., & Mitchell, J. T. (2009). A Study of Stress Affecting Police Officers in Lithuania. International Journal of Emergency Mental Health, 11(4), 205-214.