Exploring job-related stress and job satisfaction in a modern law enforcement communications division.

摘要

A seriously neglected area of criminological and social science research is the police communications or dispatch center. While research projects dealing with stress and job satisfaction are found in abundance for other occupations, studies specific to the police dispatcher are uncommon. Work pressures, burnout, high employee turnover, low pay, and a lack of respect from police coworkers easily result in negative emotional and psychological consequences for the public safety dispatcher. This study utilizes survey data from a sample of police communications centers in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas area. The purpose of the survey is to identify the level of stress and job satisfaction reported by the respondents. The effects of differing types of stress will be investigated.