Canadian officers over-worked, underpaid, stressed-out
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Two-thirds of officers said they were satisfied with their jobs, particularly in terms of job security and pay. Fifty-two per cent earned between $80,000 and $99,000 and 38 per cent earned $100,000 or more.
However, half of the officers surveyed reported high stress levels and 46 per cent reported moderate stress levels. Two-thirds of officers miss about 14 days of work each year, mainly due to health problems or fatigue.
One key gripe was the sheer volume of work. The study found that officers are typically working 53.5 hours each week and are dealing with multiple competing and complex demands, such as completing reports and preparing court cases, where everything is supposed to be treated as a priority.
Forty per cent of respondents said the work overload has been aggravated by understaffing in their areas.
Also, officers don't know what's going to be thrown at them each day and they have little control over their work schedules, the study found. Many officers work rotating shifts, meaning their start and finish times are always changing, something that can lead to exhaustion and problems at home. As well, officers are sometimes required to attend court hearings on their days off.
More here: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/bre...148692015.html
