The South African Police Service : the experiences of forensic police officers exposed to critical incidents

Abstract

Background to the study: Forensic police officers are exposed to critical incidents, and the exposure to critical incidents may differ, depending on the individual concern, leading to a traumatic situation that may require psychological intervention. Against this background, the study investigated the psychological effect of critical incidents on forensic police officers. Research method: The study adopted a qualitative research approach in order to understand the experiences of forensic police officers exposed to critical incidents and how they react to traumatic conditions after attending critical incidents. The type of qualitative research design adopted was a case study, which was used to describe the individual situation to identify key issues that could be analysed. The purposive sampling method was applied when selecting participants to help the researcher obtain participants who had been directly exposed to critical incidents and could relate their experiences very well during the interviews. Five forensic police officers were selected to participate in the study, and the sample included the 24 – 59 age group. All the participants had more than five years of experience in the forensic services division. Unstructured interviews were used to collect information from the participants about their experiences as forensic police officers. Theoretical framework: The ecological system theory provides a holistic approach that encompasses a broader framework of the relationship forensic police officers have with their environment. This theory helped to understand participants’ self‐awareness, family relations, and participation in various groups of communities, and how that impacted a working environment that exposes individuals to critical incidents during the execution of activities and functions. Research findings: As much as some of them felt a calling to become forensic police officers, we cannot overlook the fact that critical incidents have a negative impact on forensic police officers. Those who participated in the study indicated that they are exposed to the following types of critical incidents while attending crime scenes: suicide, murder, serious injury, advanced decomposed bodies, gunshot wounds, and death due to fire. Concluding remarks: It is clear that exposure to critical incidents has negatively impacted forensic police officers, and there is a need for the South African Police Service (SAPS) to provide enough support for them to cope well with the effects of critical incidents. This study was a platform for forensic police officers to share their experiences and will educate the public about the work of forensic police officers. The study will also become a referral for future research studies on the exposure to critical incidents of members of the SAPS.