Alcoholism and other addictions are illnesses which cast a shadow over everything they come near. Addiction not only affects alcoholics and their families; it encroaches upon their work places and society as well. In law enforcement each one of us will come face to face with this problem at some point in our career. Supervisors can help by not ignoring the warning signs of alcoholism, and by enforcing safety and performance standards for all employees. Co-workers can help by not doing alcoholic’s work for them, making excuses for them, or covering up their mistakes.
“Alcoholism and associated addictions are prevalent in law enforcement agencies of every size and type. Naturally, such problems, whether abuse or addiction, are responsible for a host of effects within the work environment, namely: poor and deteriorating job performance; increased on-the-job accidents; abnormal absenteeism; excessive sick leave, and consequently medical claims.” (NY State Police)
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