Challenges of Police Personnel during COVID-19: An Exploratory Study in Tangail, Bangladesh

COVID-19 pandemic created social upheaval and alters norms for all the members of society. In this case, law enforcement officers have to coordinate lockdown, encourage social distancing and enforce stay-at-home mandates amid completing their regular responsibilities. As a result, they have to face a lot of challenges to protect public health as well as law enforcement matters. In this context, this study identifies the nature of workload, stress and challenges faced by police personnel during COVID-19 as well as finding some preventive measure that should be taken in to cope up with pandemic situation like Covid-19. Quantitative research method is used here. By following census sampling and structured questionnaire data were collected from 120 police personnel from Tangail and Kalihati police station in Tangail, Bangladesh. Mainly, this study found that, the police personnel had taken huge regular workloads and performed extra duties (92%) during the pandemic with inadequate health related equipment (87%). As a result, they felt mental stress (51%) and no stress management program were provided to them (48%) although they need psychological help (37%). This study suggests that if we can ensure their all the necessary things that they needed, they can give their best to maintain peaceful society. The government as well as the police department must take necessary measures and arrange more inclusive psychological and physiological stress relief sessions which helps the personnel to cope with the challenges.