Mental health and prospective police professionals Thomas M. Kelley Department of Criminal Justice, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA Abstract Purpose – To assess the mental health of members of the police force and expose any gaps existing at what should be its ideal level, with reference to aspiring policemen of the future. Aims to explain the health realization model and give a definition of optimal mental health with specific reference to the police force. Design/methodology/approach – Employs the well-being inventory, a survey investment designed specifically to measure five dimensions of optimal mental health, to assess the mental condition of 179 prospective police professionals. Findings – The results of the survey appear to suggest that future job satisfaction for many prospective police professionals in the study could be less than optimal, with the implication that high notes of mental dysfunction in its various forms could be experienced. Practical implications – It is imperative that sound mental health instruction be incorporated into all future police training programs. However, further research needs to be done in order to advance a process which is at present only experimental. Originality/value – Emphasizes the value of teaching future police officers the nature and source of optimal psychological functioning. Keywords Police, Psychological tests, Mental development, Surveys Paper type Research paper Police personnel face some of society’s most serious problems, often work in dangerous settings, are typically expected to react quickly, and at the same time correctly. They must adapt to an occupation in which one moment may bring the threat of death, while other extended periods bring routine and boredom. They are expected to maintain control in chaotic situations and to resolve serious conflicts among people with lifestyles substantially different than their own. Often they become deeply immersed in situations involving injustice, public apathy, conflicting roles, injuries, and fatalities. Yet they are expected by both the public and their peers to approach these situations in an objective and professional manner, to be effective decision makers and independent problem solvers while working in a system that encourages dependency by its quasi-military structure. As early as 1974, a classic study by Kroes et al. (1974) found policing to be the second most stressful occupation in the US (air-traffic controllers were first). Since then, numerous studies of health and safety among occupational groups have identified the police professions as having an extremely high incidence of stress (e.g. Crank and Caldero, 1991; Kroes, 1985; Sewell, 1983). Clearly, the nature of work in police professions requires optimal mental health. When their mental functioning is compromised, police professionals can lose touch with the common sense and resilience they need to minimize stress, enjoy their work, The Emerald Research Register for this journal is available at The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at www.emeraldinsight.com/researchregister www.emeraldinsight.com/1363-951X.htm PIJPSM 28,1 6 Received 30 December 2003 Revised 23 January 2004 Accepted 23 April 2004 Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management Vol. 28 No. 1, 2005 pp. 6-29 q Emerald Group Publishing Limited 1363-951X DOI 10.1108/13639510510580959