Managing The Dangerous Nature Of Police Activity: Vulnerabilities, Threats And Associated Work Risk Factors

The emergence of new threats and major changes in the security systems of the countries all over the world affects police work, which, combined with the complex operational situation and lack of staff, creates new and increasing risks which brings interesting challenges for managers to prevent and mitigate threats to the security and health of policemen who act to protect human lives and property. All these changes also increase the level of stress and can lead to even irreparable damage to the physical and mental health of police officers making their activity very difficult from the perspective of the efficiency of the missions carried out. Policemen live constantly under the threat of physical hazards, have an irregular and prolonged work schedule, and by their job nature they come into contact with harmful factors and very unpleasant aspects of life. Specific to police activities is that these risks can not be controlled to the same extent as in other areas of activity, which makes this profession very difficult. Difficulties derive also from the fact that even the legal act that governs the safety and health at work in Romania excludes law enforcement activities, relatively refering to particular cases in which police, army and emergency activities are in contradiction with the same laws that govern such activities. Taking into consideration the fact that in the specialty literature the issue of security and health in the field of policing is very little addressed or not at all, the paper aims at reviewing the cases of violence to which the policemen are exposed during their work, corroborated with statistical data provided by human resources offices within the Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs.