Abstract
Because law enforcement is an inherently stressful profession, police officers are often vulnerable to the myriad of problems associated with alcohol abuse. Since these difficulties usually do not manifest themselves until the police officer has several years of experience, a recommendation is made to utilize mandated employee assistance programs to intervene proactively, before serious personal and job related problems appear. This proposal suggests that police officers' styles of coping with stress are formulated much earlier in one's career than what is commonly assumed. Proactive assistance may also provide feedback regarding the effectiveness of the operations of a department since a new officer is in an ideal position to observe organizational stressors. As a result, mandated proactive intervention may benefit the rookie police officer and also be an opportunity to review departmental practices.
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