An investigation into the effects of personal and occupational psychosocial problems on work performance among uniformed police officers: A case study of Windhoek police station
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Date
2019
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University of Namibia
Abstract
The overall objective of this study was to investigate the effect of psychosocial
problems on police personal to serve and protect at Windhoek Police Station in
Windhoek, Namibia. The specific objectives of this study were to investigate the
effects of personal and psychosocial problems on work performance among
uniformed police officers at Windhoek police station, examine the types and causes
of personal and work related psychosocial problems among police officers at
Windhoek police station, and to recommend strategic policy remedies that can be
adopted to address the effects of psychosocial problems on work performance in the
Namibian Police Force (NAMPOL). To achieve the above research objectives, this
study adopted qualitative research design. This study found out that the management of NAMPOL rarely promotes its employees; most police officers experience marital problems and have challenges other personal challenges such as loneliness, losing of the loved ones, excessive family demands, and little income which impairs their functioning at work; a combination of factors is responsible for the psychosocial problems experienced by police officers at Windhoek police station such as lack of promotion, poor pay, work overload, prolonged overtime work, exposure to traumatic scenes, poor management and leadership style, tribalism and
discrimination at work, exposure to life threating situations, and other factors are
some of the factors causing police officers at Windhoek police station to experience
psychosocial problems; and that psychosocial problems negatively affect employee
performance. When employees are emotionally drained because of personal
challenges that they go through, they may not be productive at work if appropriate
remedies are remedies are not taken, it may negatively affect the performance of
employees at work. This study recommends the management of NAMPOL should ensure that all police stations across the country have mental health workers such as social workers and chaplains in order to render debriefing and diffusion sessions
aimed at helping police officers who attend to traumatising scenes of crime; and the
number of social workers should be increased in order to give all police officers
access to professional help that will enable them to overcome psychosocial
challenges that they are exposed to.
Description
A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (Strategic and Security Studies)
Keywords
Namibian police force, Psychosocial challenges, Psychosocial problems