Spirituality in Law Enforcement: An Exploration of Possible Correlations of Spirituality to Burnout and Job Satisfaction for Police Officers
Spirituality in Law Enforcement: An Exploration of Possible Correlations of Spirituality to Burnout and Job Satisfaction for Police Officers
Richard Vincent Martin | 2016
Abstract
The vocation of policing is considered a spiritual calling (G. Charles, 2009), yet the day-in-and-day-out stressors of professional police work can lead to depleted spirituality (Friedman, 2005), burnout (Martinussen, Richardson, & Burke, 2007), and reduced job satisfaction (McCreary & Thompson, 2006). This quantitative study fills the existing gap in the quantitative theoretical research on spirituality in policing (G. L. Patton, 1998) to increase understanding and support in the field for spirituality in police officers (Ursitti, 2011) and inform the field on ways to address health and fitness issues of police officers, including officer burnout (J. A. Smith & Charles, 2010). Specifically, this study used correlation analysis, t tests, and analyses of variance to analyze survey results and test for correlations between spirituality and burnout and between spirituality and job satisfaction from a sample of 312 full-time police officers from a midsized urban police department in the state of New York. Results support the existence of a strong positive correlation between spirituality (measured through meaning in life) and job satisfaction; a small negative correlation between spirituality and two dimensions of job burnout, emotional exhaustion and depersonalization; and a moderate positive correlation between spirituality and the personal accomplishment dimension of burnout. The study points to the need for police executives to take the spirituality of their officers into account when considering the overall health and welfare of their officers. Additional studies are needed to further explore spirituality to determine whether it can predict job satisfaction or burnout and whether spiritual experiences can reverse the negative effects of the toxicity of policing and enhance the officers’ overall well-being as suggested by Travis (2009).