Police psychologist: requirements and responsibilities

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Every profession is unique. A person who applies for a particular vacancy must not only have the required skills, but also have a desire to work in their speci alty. For example, to work as a psychologist in the police, you need not only to graduate from the university, but also to have a vocation for this profession. What do psychologists in law enforcement agencies do, what skills and personal qualities should a person who applies for this position have?

Education

To work as a psychologist in the police, you need to get a specialized higher education. Treating human souls is a responsible mission. You can’t make a mistake here, because any mistake can lead to serious consequences. Therefore, a person who claims to be a psychologist must graduate from the university, not just for show. A university graduate must gain many hours of practice during his studies. Theoreticalknowledge will not be able to help a person who has never communicated with people who find themselves in a difficult life situation. Therefore, future psychologists should have, in addition to education, experience in volunteer work.

A psychologist, when applying to the police, must take the initiative. He needs to apply for a vacancy and wait until they call for an interview. Any person who wants to work in law enforcement agencies should know that his identity will be thoroughly checked. So the applicant and all his relatives should not have a criminal record or be under investigation. In addition, the experience that he has gained during his internship or previous job will serve as a plus for the applicant.

Personal qualities

A police psychologist is a person who must be strong and strong-willed. But at the same time he should be familiar with the feeling of compassion and mercy. What qualities should a person have?

• Responsibility. A person who heals other people's souls must perfectly understand himself. You cannot be responsible for others if you cannot be responsible for yourself. Therefore, a psychologist must be able to set tasks for himself and understand that he will have to answer to others for the result of his activity.
• Organization. The power structures are those organizations that are famous for their good discipline. Therefore, the psychologist must understand what and for how long he can do. Yes, it is difficult to set any clear framework in psychological assistance, but it is simply necessary to learn how to do this.
• Wishdevelop. A good psychologist is a person who is constantly learning. A person who constantly improves his skills will achieve professional success.
• Desire to help. A psychologist should love his job, and not do it for show. Helping people is a calling, not a job. If a person is not ready to spend their non-work time on work, he may not consider the speci alty of a psychologist.

Character Traits

All people are unique. Everyone has certain character traits that can be useful to them in the workplace. What traits should a police psychologist have?

• Courage. Working with people who risk their lives every day is a big responsibility. Difficult life situations can seriously undermine the psyche of even an absolutely he althy person. Therefore, a psychologist should not be afraid of difficult patients.
• Goodwill. A person always on a subconscious level feels whether the interlocutor is located towards him or not. If the interlocutor is friendly and sincerely wants to help, then it is easy for him to open his soul.
• Communication. Which psychologists are needed most in the police? Those who can quickly find contact with any person. People who are able to adapt to different temperaments and ingratiate themselves will be able to achieve more than their colleagues who try to work in a more detached way.

Responsibility

The work of a psychologist in the police is a difficult task. Humanshould be able to take responsibility and cope with the tasks assigned to him. What is the psychologist responsible for?

• Fulfilling your duties. A psychologist, like any police officer, has his own monthly plan that needs to be fulfilled.
• Responsibility for these recommendations. A person who helps people survive difficult situations, crises or losses should always take into account not only standard recipes, but also find an individual approach to each person.
• Extracting conclusions is part of the work of a psychologist. He must check each employee for the adequacy of behavior and thinking. A psychologist must be an incorruptible person, because the life and peace of respectable citizens depend on his discharge.

Selection

Jobs for a police psychologist appear quite often. Many people cannot stand the rigid, almost military, discipline and requirements that apply to all members of the armed forces. What do police psychologists do? One of the tasks is recruitment. The psychologist should check all candidates for their mental he alth and stress tolerance. An experienced specialist at a glance can understand how confident a person is and how well he knows how to command and obey. In a personal conversation, the psychologist must understand whether a person can take responsibility, whether a person can cope with stress and how exactly she does it.

How to pass a psychologist in the police? The candidate must be openand kindly. But still, you need to understand that the specifics of the work makes a person put on a mask of seriousness. Jokes and imposing behavior are best left at home, and at the interview the applicant must show his business acumen and leadership qualities.

Working with employees

What other tasks are facing the psychologist? The specialist must communicate not only with new personnel, but also with employees of the organization. If someone from the police wants to be promoted, he must pass a psychologist without fail. What for? The specialist needs to find out whether the employee will cope with the new responsibilities and whether he will break under their weight. Some people react inadequately to the suddenly fallen opportunity to command. In order not to regret the promotion of a particular personality, a psychologist must adequately assess the capabilities of a person, look through his portfolio and personally talk with him. Similar consultations are being held with those militiamen who are going to be demoted. In order for a person to prepare for a downgrade, he needs the help of a specialist.

Helping police officers

People who face danger every day can greatly shake their nervous system. To avoid disruptions, employees undergo scheduled checks with a psychologist. A specialist can help solve not only work, but also personal problems. As you know, any person will work worse if his soul is not calm. Psychologist helps policemen recoverafter armed skirmishes with criminals, as well as to rehabilitate after serious physical injuries. First of all, a psychologist in a police station is a friend, and only then an employee. With such a policy, it will be easier for people to trust their secrets to a person who will help find a way out of a difficult life situation and will not tell anyone about what caused personal or official problems.