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Participating in the Police Stress and Health Program
Current Participants
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To all continuing participants, we would like to say
Your continued involvement in our study helps contribute to a new body of knowledge about the unique stressors faced by police officers in the line of duty. Below are some informative resources about your involvement in this second phase of the study.
The research team would like to especially thank the following departments for their time and dedication:
The New York Police Department
The San Francisco Police Department
The Oakland Police Department
The San Jose Police Department
The Richmond Police Department
The Napa Valley Police Department
Overview of the Study Timeline
Current Timepoint by Police Academy Class
About the Police Stress and Health Program
Details of PSHP Study Involvement
Q/A of Study Components
Confidentiality Information
Helpful Tips to Stay in Touch
Overview of the Study Timeline
The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and Northern California Institute for Research and Education (NCIRE) are conducting a study to learn about the experiences, work-related difficulties and stress encountered by new police officers over time.
The study is being conducted with San Francisco Bay Area and New York City Police Departments. The first phase of the study has been completed by collecting information during police academy training through the first three years of police service. Now that the study has been funded for another five years, we plan to follow police officers through their first seven years of police service. The study aims to help police officers function more effectively and enjoyably on the job.
Police officers will receive reimbursements ranging from $25 to $275 for each follow-up assessment over the next five years of police service.
Police Academy Training - Three Years of Police Service:
Police officer trainees who qualify to participate will be scheduled for two 3-hour appointments to complete the initial phase of the study. The initial phase includes an interview with a mental health professional, a take-home saliva collection kit to measure the body's stress hormone levels, self-report questionnaires that can be completed online or via pencil and paper at home, and a psychophysiology test, which measures the trainee's startle response to loud noises and physical response to watching a video of police-related critical incidents. Additionally, trainees will also wear a wrist-watch sized actigraph to measure sleep-wake cycles and take home a PDA (Palm device) to complete questions about sleep.The study is ongoing for three years from the time of graduation from the academy. Every six months after completing academy training, participants will be asked to complete self-report questionnaires. At the one-, two- and three-year time points, participants will be invited back for follow-up assessments.
Three to Eight Years of Police Service
The study has been extended for another five years. Police officers will continue to be invited to complete self-report questionnaires every 6 months and an annual follow-up interview since the time of graduation from the academy. During years 2008-2010, participants will be asked to complete a blood draw for genetics testing during their next clinical interview appointment. The genetics testing will be conducted to explore genes associated with PTSD and depression. Cognitive testing will be repeated during the four and six year clinical assessment. The startle testing which measures the officer's startle response to loud noises will be repeated during five years of police service. Lastly, the officers will repeat measures of sleep during the four and six year timepoints, which includes wearing a wrist-watch sized actigraph to measure sleep-wake cycles and take home a PDA (palm device) to complete questions about sleep.
Please view the attached timeline for more specific details. Participants are free to refuse or withdraw from participation of any portion of the study at any time.
In recognition of the sensitive nature of police work and the importance of privacy in the police community, the Police Stress and Health Program has gone to great lengths to protect the confidentiality of its study participants.
The Police Stress and Health Program has developed relationships with police academies and departments in San Francisco Bay Area and New York City. The administration of each police department encourages the participation of its officers, and recognizes the importance of confidentiality.
Whether or not you agree to participate will not be known by anyone in your department. No one with whom you work, including primary or secondary supervisors, will know if you do or do not participate in the study. Furthermore, the Police Stress and Health Program has obtained a Federal Certificate of Confidentiality, which insures that neither a participant's identity nor data can be subpoenaed in civil or criminal court.
All participants will be assigned an ID number which will be the sole means of identification on all study materials. Individual names are never used to identify participants in study presentations, reports, or publications. Participants must provide their social security number for the sole purpose of reimbursement.
As we enter the second phase of our study, please take note of the following to help us keep in touch with you.
Fill out and return the "contact info update" sheets that are mailed bi-annually with the self-report questionnaires.
Call toll-free:
San Francisco Bay Area (800.994.9006) | New York (866.860.COPS)Email:
pshp@ucsf.eduPlease call us with any questions and/or updated contact information.
Contact Us Email pshp@ucsf.edu
San Francisco Bay Area Phone 800.994.9006 Fax 415.751.2297 | New York Phone 866.860.2677 Fax 212.679.4979