2 • Psychological Effects of Undercover Policing Channels 2022 Introduction The effectiveness of a law enforcement body…depends on the quality of the methods used to prevent and combat crime” (Cichoń, 2012). Undercover police operations have been used throughout the United States and the rest of the world for many decades. Such operations have only continued to grow in popularity among law enforcement agencies since the shift from reactive to proactive policing (Kruisbergen et. al., 2011). Reactive policing involves a police reaction to a crime that has already taken place or is in the midst of taking place (Muhlhausen, 2018). Conversely proactive policing places the emphasis of law enforcement on the events leading to the occurrence of a crime. Undercover operations serve as a proactive way for police departments and agencies to combat crime and protect the public. The importance of undercover operations is documented in a 2005 report from the United States Office of the Inspector General: The use of undercover techniques, including proprietary business entities, is essential to the detection, prevention, and prosecution of white-collar crime, public corruption, terrorism, organized crime, offenses involving controlled substances, and other priority areas of investigation (qtd in Office of the Inspector General, 1982/2005). Both the continued uprising of drug-related crimes in the United States and this prominent shift in ideology relating to policing practices contribute to the use of undercover operations nationwide. However, while the history and utility of such operations is documented and generally well understood, often the effects of undercover work on the officers go unnoticed or underreported. In recent decades, as movements to increase mental health awareness have begun to sprout, little research has been conducted on how undercover police operations can affect the officers. Thus, this research project will seek to bridge the gap in current research and explain that the further development of training and preparation policies for officers participating in undercover operations will alleviate the negative psychological effects of undercover operations on the individual officer. By making this determination, the research will provide guidance for law enforcement agencies and departments alike to begin developing and implementing policies in order to improve the psychological outcomes of undercover police operations. There is no question that police officers and other federal officials make extreme sacrifices in order to serve the purpose of undercover operations. Therefore, as much as possible should be done to protect them and prevent them from having to sacrifice more than is necessary. Throughout the research process, with the above determination in mind, this project will also aim to answer the following questions: How can the effects of undercover police operations be better managed and prevented? Do the current methods of “
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM4ODY=