than the general population. According to Francis McCafferty in the Journal of the American Medical Association (3138), all occupations are associated with stress, but certain occupations, such as those in law enforcement, are significantly more stressful than others.
Furthermore, stress is not always harmful. The individual's reaction to stress determines the outcome. People adapt or do not adapt to stress based on their individual abilities to handle the specific stress in the given circumstances. People who feel they can control events, or who are in control of their lives, are usually better able to handle stress. Individuals who believe they are the victims of fate, or who feel powerless and helpless, tend not to handle stress well. For those people who feel powerless or helpless, suicide may be a means of taking control over their feelings of helplessness. Police officers are subject to extraordinary stress (3138).
Law Enforcement Officers have a suicide rate almost three times higher than the general population. Most police officers
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