- Level Foundation
- Duration 3 hours
- Course by University of Toronto
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Offered by
About
Policing has always been psychological challenging. On any given shift police officers may encounter a range of psychological challenges including domestic violence, interacting with people experiencing mental health issues, violent crime, even attending the aftermath of horrible accidents. The long exhausting shifts can also result in stressful person interactions within one’s personal life. The presence of COVID and political issues related to instances of over-policing have increased these stresses even more. This course has two goals. First, we want to inform officers how their stress system works and why they sometimes feel as they do. With this as a foundation we then describe some strategies officers can use to manage this system, giving themselves much needed breaks from the stress response and overall empowering them with a greater sense of control over how their bodies react to stress.Modules
Understanding the Stress Response in the Context of Police Work
1
Assignment
- Module 1 Quiz
3
Videos
- Course Introduction
- The Machinery Underlying Your Stress Response
- The Unreasonable Ask
The NaRLy Approach
1
Assignment
- Module 2 Quiz
3
Videos
- NOTICE: Becoming Mindful of the Stress Response
- RELAX: The Skill of Summoning Relaxation
- LISTEN: The Power of Active Listening
Appreciating the Power of Practice
1
Assignment
- Module 3 Quiz
1
Videos
- The Importance of Practice
Auto Summary
"Understanding and Managing the Stresses of Police Work" is a foundational course in the domain of Personal Development, meticulously designed to address the unique and intense psychological challenges faced by police officers. The course delves into the various stressors that officers encounter, from dealing with domestic violence, mental health crises, and violent crime, to the emotional toll of witnessing traumatic events and managing personal life stress due to long, exhausting shifts. Given the heightened pressures introduced by the COVID-19 pandemic and political scrutiny over policing practices, this course aims to equip officers with essential knowledge and practical strategies to better understand and manage their stress responses. By exploring how their stress systems operate and why they react in certain ways, officers can gain valuable insights and learn effective techniques to mitigate stress, ultimately fostering a greater sense of control and well-being. Offered by Coursera, this comprehensive 180-hour program is available through a Starter subscription, making it accessible to those at the foundational level seeking to enhance their coping mechanisms and resilience. Ideal for police officers and law enforcement professionals, this course provides the tools needed to navigate the demanding nature of their work with improved mental fortitude.

Steve Joordens