Correlates of Psychological Capital and Well Being among Police Personnel

Abstract

For India to remain a democratic nation, two essential requirements must be met that is to maintain the law and order and respect for human rights. The primary role of police forces is to uphold and enforce laws, investigate crimes and ensure security for people in the country. Police officials are expected to be available at all times and are required to be prompt in their responses. The police play a crucial role in societal well-being through various functions and responsibilities that they perform. Police work is one of the most stressful occupations, exposing them to occupational, organizational, and personal stressors. The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRandD,2022), compiled a data on police organizations which states that the police population ratio of India per lakh persons is 196.23 as per sanctioned strength and 152.80 as per actual strength, as on January 1, 2022. The recommendation by the United Nations is 222 police personnel per lakh population. The percentage of women in the police force is 11.75% which is below the target i.e, 33% set by the union home ministry. Over-burdening of work is another grave challenge for the police force. It not only reduces the effectiveness and efficiency but also leads to psychological distress. It is essential to support and equip police personnel with proper resources, training, and mental health services that they need to perform their duties effectively. . Being a police officer is viewed as a noble profession, and nobody can really understand the amount of stress they endure on a daily basis. Therefore there is a need to understand the positive psychological capacities that help them in continuing their work despite the adversities .Hence, this study was undertaken to assess correlates of psychological capital and well-being among police personnel and identifying factors that are associated with these constructs.