A criminal investigation is such a stressful job. However, real-life criminal investigators would agree that this is such an understatement. The task alone of patrol policing is already enough to cause so much stress to police officers. Perhaps, being a police investigator is one of the most stressful jobs of all. This is true especially if one is assigned to be a special investigator of a particular crime. From multiple murders to serial killings and crimes committed against children – all these have one thing in common. They can cause chronic stress among police investigators to skyrocket. Unfortunately, the anxiety that many of these police officers experience on a daily basis is often underrecognized and undertreated. What many people do not realize is that these investigators have experienced almost all kinds of stress. Some of these are chronic stress and posttraumatic stress syndrome. Not to mention the likelihood of suffering from critical incident stress.
In the case of a high-profile criminal investigation, police officers are pressured to perform their protective role as a police officer. Their responsibility as public servants who must not fail to protect individual rights become a real cause of stress especially when they are also pressured to solve a particular crime. This goes to say that societal and departmental pressures are also present all throughout the process of criminal investigation.
Dealing with the Stress of Murder Investigations
A serial or multiple murder investigations expose a police officer to confront stressors that may put his determination and competency to the test. His unwavering strength to withstand highly stressful situations must also be coupled with the ability to respond dispassionately to crises. Factor in the pressures of being able to put the demands and needs of the public and people that he is obliged to protect while setting his personal feelings aside.
Even the so-called most-jaded investigator still experiences shock and trauma upon seeing with their naked eyes the brutality, violence and sadistic nature of many serial killings. The shock and trauma are also magnified by seeing children as victims. Hearing about news of innocent individuals and fellow officers being killed while the investigation is also taking place at the same time is another enormous stressor for any police officer- no matter how long he may claim to be in service.
When after a period of time and the case remains unsolved police officers in charge of the investigation couldn’t help but feel demoralized and frustrated. Another disturbing fact that may occur in a murder investigation is when the killer is known, but then there isn’t sufficient evidence to nail him down. Stress is also compounded when the police officer fails to apprehend the known killer all because of human error that took place during the investigation. This usually occurs when police officers intentionally or unintentionally violate protocols. All these things could spiral into a vicious cycle of stress, trauma, shock, frustration and everything in between.
How Do Criminal Investigators Cope with Stress?
Criminal investigators make use of several kinds of coping mechanisms to overcome the enormous stress that they go through on a daily basis. Investigators may use mental toughening techniques when faced with an emergency life and death situation. They also make use of compartmentalization technique which enables them to separate negative emotions and place them inside a mental file cabinet. This is done to ensure that all the other mental faculties of a police officer will continue to function in full throttle. However, this compartmentalization may not work hundred percent in all criminal investigators as some of them suffer from a leakage of it which affects their personal life.
Intellectualization is another coping technique being used by criminal investigators. In this method, investigators adhere to an “intellectual” approach to investigating matters of the crime. So, each scene encountered and all things related to the crime are viewed with much objectivity. Through intellectualization, officers can adopt a very detached stance while making sure that everything will be handled with much intellectual curiosity as well.
Just as criminal investigators are assigned to tasks that call for their unique skills, the level of stress that they experience every day also needs special attention from the experts. This is a matter of great importance so that they can continue to perform their duties and responsibilities.
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