EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND CAREER PERFORMANCE AMONG POLICE OFFICERS IN THE EDO STATE POLICE COMMAND, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between emotional intelligence and career performance among police officers in the Edo State Police Command, Nigeria. The study was necessitated by the increasing recognition that effective police performance requires not only technical and operational competence but also emotional and interpersonal competencies for managing stressful situations, interpersonal interactions, conflict, and public relations. Specifically, the study examined the relationships between emotional intelligence and career performance and between the dimensions of emotional intelligence, self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management, and career performance. A survey research design was adopted. The population comprised 7,216 police officers in the Edo State Police Command, from which a sample of 1,067 officers was selected using a random sampling technique. Data were collected using the Emotional Intelligence Scale (EIS) and Police Career Performance Scale (PCPS). Of the 1,067 questionnaires administered, 908 were properly completed and returned, representing an 85.1% response rate. Data were analysed using frequencies, percentages, Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient, and stepwise multiple regression. The hypotheses were tested at the 0.01 level of significance. The findings revealed a significant positive relationship between emotional intelligence and career performance among police officers. Significant positive relationships were also found between self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship management, and career performance, respectively. The stepwise multiple regression analysis further showed that self-awareness, self-management, and social awareness made significant contributions to career performance, while relationship management did not make a significant unique contribution when the other dimensions were considered simultaneously. The study concludes that emotional intelligence is significantly associated with the career performance of police officers and recommends the integration of emotional intelligence assessment, training, counselling, and continuous professional development into police recruitment and personnel development programmes.