Publications

2025

Occupational Stress Among University Police Chiefs:

A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Through the Lens of General Strain Theory

The position of the university police chief is vital to maintaining campus safety for faculty, staff, students, and visitors who come to live work and learn within the university community. However, the position of the university police chief presents unique challenges and occupational stressors. Despite the complexity and demand of the role, the unique challenges and stressors experienced by university police chiefs remain largely understudied in academic research. This study applied Robert Agnew’s General Strain Theory (GST) as a theoretical framework to qualitatively examine how the various forms of strain contribute to occupational stress among university police chiefs. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand how occupational stress is experienced by university police chiefs within the University System of Georgia. The study employed semi-structured interviews with seven university police chiefs, and a deductive analysis using the GST was employed to identify common forms of stress as a lived experience occurring from the role. The findings revealed that the participants experienced several forms of stress resulting from bureaucratic and administrative challenges, constraining limited resources, and a challenging work-life balance. The research contributes to the understanding of how the individual occupying the position of the university police chief experiences stress as a lived experience within the role. The new understanding offers valuable insight into how stress affects university police chiefs, encouraging deeper reflection on the daily challenges faced by individuals in the role.