People should be a little bit tough:

Conceptions of masculinity in the police and their effects on emotional processing and bullying (Translated by webmaster)

Abstract

Men are in an overwhelming majority within the Icelandic police force. The article discusses masculinity in the work culture of the police and its role in shaping policemen’s space for emotional processing, humour, and bullying. The article is based on a qualitative research which was carried out in cooperation with the National Commissioner with the main aim of gaining insight into the interviewee’s experience of the work culture in the police. Ten interviews, with as many men within various positions in the Icelandic police, were conducted. The results indicate that ideas of masculinity contribute to limiting policemen’s leeway for emotional processing following stress inducing incidents at work. Dark and sarcastic humour is often used for emotional processing and the resources that are available within the police for such processing are not used as intended. Accepted humour and narrowly defined ideas of masculinity and femininity seem to contribute to bullying among police officers.