Public Safety Workforce Blogs

What Leaders Can Do About Occupational Stress in Policing

Posted by Jackie Belasky

Nov 28, 2022 12:00:45 PM

 

Life as a police officer is incredibly stressful. Not only do officers have to deal with dangerous and stressful situations, but they’re also often excluded from their communities. The continued popularity of social media and the stereotyping it often fuels has only increased the impact of forced isolation on police officers. Pair these stressors with the hundreds of others that can impact your officers in their work, and you have a recipe for police burnout.

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Topics: Workforce Management, Scheduling, Law Enforcement, Police

Disaster countermeasures involve mass EMS cooperation [Video]

Posted by Jackie Belasky

Apr 22, 2019 11:08:33 AM

When a natural disaster strikes, it's common for first responders to cooperate with personnel from other departments, rushing aid to where it's most needed. For example, the recent response to Hurricane Florence drew specialized assistance from EMS crews from up and down the East Coast.

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Topics: EMS, Police, Firefighters

Tracking empowerment and accountability in police departments [Video]

Posted by Jackie Belasky

Feb 11, 2019 9:56:10 AM

Leadership and personnel development within police departments are complex processes, due to the unique and frequently dangerous nature of the work. Knowing the capabilities of subordinates and entrusting them with the right level of responsibility are essential qualities for departmental leaders.

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Topics: Police, Training

New Response Strategies Prepare EMS for Active Shooter Incidents [Video]

Posted by Jackie Belasky

Oct 29, 2018 2:52:51 PM

The role of emergency medical professionals in active shooter incidents is critical - but also dangerous. The National Fire Protection Association recently unveiled a nationwide standard to help all first responders safely execute their roles in such a situation.

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Topics: EMS, Police, Firefighters

Police Leadership: Plan for Succession [Video]

Posted by Jackie Belasky

Sep 19, 2018 11:43:03 AM

It's important to have a solid framework in place for succession within a police department. When leaders actively assess suitability for promotion at all levels of the command chain, open roles can be filled smoothly and quickly, with minimal disruption.

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Topics: Police

Policing Today Means Understanding Social Media [Video]

Posted by Jackie Belasky

Aug 14, 2018 5:49:41 PM

Police officers' day-to-day effectiveness relies on responding to the world around them. Today, that task includes understanding and working with technology.

Social media's growing role in community communications is too important to ignore, and tech-savvy police departments can even receive tips from the public and distribute public safety information via Facebook, Twitter or other platforms.

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Topics: Police

Unique scheduling needed for police assigned to protect schools [Video]

Posted by Jackie Belasky

Jul 27, 2018 10:58:14 AM

In the wake of tragedies such as the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, communities and police departments often review school resource officer programs. The organizational policies behind these strategies are sometimes complicated. For instance, state government agencies are often involved in planning and funding the deployments alongside local police departments.

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Topics: Scheduling, Police

Flexible First Responder Roles: A Boon for Small Town Response Times? [Video]

Posted by Jackie Belasky

May 25, 2018 11:23:19 AM

Police, Fire, EMS: The divisions between first responder departments are distinct in most communities. In small-town settings, however, combining duties could increase the percentage of full-time emergency personnel on staff and reduce response times.

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Topics: EMS, Police, Firefighters

Body-worn cameras for corrections require policies [Video]

Posted by Jackie Belasky

May 2, 2018 9:34:38 AM

Body-worn camera initiatives in correctional facilities may fail to get off the ground unless the program includes well-defined policies. These typically include recording protocols, data storage and user access.

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Topics: Police

Tips for Hiring and Retaining the Best Police Officers [Video]

Posted by Jackie Belasky

Jan 29, 2018 2:58:25 PM

Law enforcement agencies across the country are facing unprecedented recruitment challenges. While all differ in size and the communities they serve, each could benefit by following a few best practices.

Department leaders hoping to keep their best and brightest officers for years to come should consider whether they're on the same page as their personnel when it comes to benefits and opportunities for advancement. If officers don't see a chance to learn new skills and move up in the ranks, they may begin looking for employment elsewhere.

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Topics: Police