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June 1991
PLATEAUING IN LAW ENFORCEMENT
By
James M. Childers
Sergeant
Lubbock, Texas, Police Department
Burnout is a very familiar concept to law enforcement
officers. It occurs when the pressures of a demanding
profession become too much for an individual to handle
adequately. The effects of burnout can be manifested in
alcohol/drug abuse, excessive sick leave absences, strained
relations with colleagues, or other self-destructive behavior.
Feeling helpless, some officers may even turn to suicide as a
final way out. (1)
Though not as well documented or defined, another
phenomenon that may be even more widespread than burnout is the
problem of plateauing in law enforcement. While the effects of
both burnout and plateauing may appear similar, the causes, and
therefore, the potential cures of the two problems are very
different. Provided here are the fundamental differences
between burnout and plateauing, the unique causes of plateauing,
and finally, suggestions for plateaued officers to overcome this
serious, but not insurmountable, problem.
CAUSES OF PLATEAUING
Consider this scenario: A police officer graduated from the
police academy about 10 years ago. Fighting crime and helping
others were the officer's primary purposes in life. The streets
were a war zone, and there was always a battle or challenge
ahead.
Then, eventually, the challenges ended. A lot of hard work
and personal sacrifice had gone into achieving rank and
seniority. But now, the red lights and sirens don't make the
adrenaline flow as before. The car accidents with injuries are
just a lot of paperwork. Going on a drug raid just means having
to wake up early. The officer's current rank is stagnant, and
the paperwork and citizen complaints are overwhelming. The job
is not hated; it is just dull. There seems to be no way out.
Seemingly, it has all been done, and the job has become routine.
A major aspect of life has stabilized, as it ultimately must.
The officer, feeling significantly dissatisfied, is plateaued.
(2)
Characteristics of the plateaued officer may depend on the
type of plateauing being experienced. Content plateauing, for
example, may occur when career goals have been achieved. If an
officer had set a goal while in the police academy to eventually
become a homicide lieutenant and that goal has been met, then
eventually the challenge ends and boredom may set in.
Structural plateauing may occur when the promotions end.
This results from the "99% Rule." In essence, each department
can have only one chief; thus, 99% of the staff have to be
subordinates. If motivated officers are forced to realize that
the position of chief administrator, or other prized posts, may
not be attained, then they may become plateaued. A sense of
despair may contribute to the effects of plateauing.
When work becomes the most important aspect of law
enforcement officers' lives, they may be plateaued in life.
This type of plateauing may have deeply rooted causes stemming
from professional and personal relationships, or other factors.
In any case, plateaued officers may become frustrated and
lose the sense of challenge that was once a prime motivating
force. When individuals reach this point, the continuing
effects of plateauing, if left unchecked, may act to remove any
realistic sense of public appreciation or duty.
DIFFERENTIATING BURNOUT AND PLATEAUING
Burnout should not be confused with plateauing. Burnout is
defined as a complex process that affects several major areas of
human functioning--physical, intellectual, emotional, and
social. (3)
Physical fatigue is usually one of the first symptoms of
burnout. This usually takes the form of a general listlessness
that carries over from work to home. Intellectual burnout, for
the officer, is demonstrated by a negative attitude toward the
job. Officers develop an attitude of cynicism, along with an
inaccurate sense of public appreciation. Emotional symptoms
most common to police burnout are anger and frustration, which
cannot be effectively expressed. This may lead to depression,
characterized by sleep and eating disturbances and a feeling of
pessimism at work and at home.
Socially, the emotional insulation and isolation result in
officers having difficulty maintaining satisfying interpersonal
relationships. The ultimate social symptom of burnout in law
enforcement may be alcoholism. The dream of protecting and
serving is falling apart, and relationships with colleagues are
strained. Drinking may be viewed as the only way to escape a
world that is crumbling.
Plateaued officers, however, are not so psychologically or
physiologically involved in the problem. They generally
understand the importance of maintaining societal control for
the safety of all. Self-esteem and a sense of self-worth remain
strong, and indeed, may even become exaggerated. Because the
condition is not nearly as complex as burnout, the possibility
of solving the problems associated with plateauing are high.
SOLUTIONS FOR PLATEAUING
Simply examining life and future goals may lead to a
resolution of plateauing. Officers may have to evaluate
personal and professional priorities and realign career goals
and objectives.
Seeking new challenges is often a key to overcoming
plateauing. This may include completing a bachelor's or
master's degree or taking courses at a local college or
university.
Creating challenges at one's current level may include
experimenting with different techniques of policing. One might
try new patrol procedures to reduce armed robberies or attempt
to motivate a squad by aiding and encouraging them to reach
their goals. A change in duty assignments may resolve the
plateauing effect. When an opening becomes available in another
division, plateaued officers should strongly consider
transferring. Learning a new job and applying new ideas can be
challenging as well as rewarding.
For some, a career change may be the only way to eliminate
plateauing. This solution should be thoroughly researched.
Consulting career counselors or persons in another field of
interest may be helpful. However, this option should only be
considered when other alternatives will not work. Once the
decision is made, it may be difficult or impossible to "get back
the badge."
Police administrators can help decrease the occurrence and
severity of plateauing by including education of this concept in
the basic academy training program. Allowing lateral transfers
and voluntary shift transfers, when feasible, can also often
reduce the effects of plateauing.
First-line supervisors have a great impact on officers and
can greatly affect to what degree they become plateaued. Merely
educating new officers about the concept will help. Because
plateauing may occur several times throughout a career, guiding
young officers toward more specific goals may be very helpful in
preventing the effects of plateauing later in a law enforcement
career. Simply rewarding officers for jobs well done will help
sustain the challenges and promote a realistic sense of
self-worth. Providing desirable task assignments is another
method to maintain challenges and reduce boredom.
CONCLUSION
While not as complex or as deeply rooted as burnout, the
problem of plateauing can be a serious one that should be
addressed by the law enforcement community. Plateauing leaves
an individual bored and frustrated and can significantly
undermine an officer's ability to perform effectively. When the
specific causes and effects of plateauing are understood,
possible solutions can be provided by either the officer or the
department. Unlike burnout, the effects of plateauing can be
reversed through relatively minor administrative action, such as
a lateral transfer or a new duty assignment.
Plateauing can be reduced and the effects eased, but by no
means can it be eliminated completely from law enforcement, or
any other field, for that matter. For severe cases, counseling
may provide the only effective solution. All alternatives
should be evaluated carefully before a decision is made. For
the officer, just recognizing that plateauing has occurred is
the initial step toward a solution.
FOOTNOTES
(1) I. David Welch, Donald C. Medeiras, George A. Tate,
Beyond Burnout (Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall,
Inc. 1982), p. 6.
(2) Judith M. Bardwick, The Plateauing Trap (New York:
American Management Association, 1986), p. 3.
(3) Supra note 1, pp. 102-105.