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.

Public safety agencies nationwide are constantly looking for ways to improve the efficiency, fairness, and safety of their scheduling policies. Adding off-duty programs not only increases scheduling complexities, but also adds risks and potential liability. It’s imperative to have well defined, enforceable polices in place to help mitigate these risks.

The inevitable truth of working in public safety is that many employees will deal with fatigue, stress, sleep deprivation, and more at one time or another. As departments and agencies across the country face staff shortages, fatigue management has reached a tipping point.

Public safety managers are no stranger to the impact these jobs can have on the human body. Over time, these underlying and often hidden problems turn into chronic stress which can lead to burnout, and worse, detrimental health issues.

In a year of on-the-job dangers posed by a viral pandemic and civil unrest, public safety agencies nationwide are going through massive change. With officers, firefighters and EMS personnel working in extremely volatile situations, many agencies have the added stress of staffing shortages. Some vacancies are caused by the fatigue of managing civil acts of violence. Others are due to employees testing positive for or being exposed to COVID-19.

The inability to back fill vacancies with qualified personnel and equipment is not an option. Scheduling and managing a workforce with these concerns in mind is tough using Excel spreadsheets. Many agencies have adjusted their practices and are relying on technology to effectively manage the safety of their personnel.

When emergency situations strike, the world relies on first responders to help. But what happens when the Fire and Rescue workforce is adapting to the unknown? Global issues like the COVID-19 pandemic have shone a light on workforce challenges that won't be going away anytime soon.  It's crucial to understand what to look for and how to plan for the road ahead. 

When disaster strikes, whether in the form of catastrophic weather events or civil disorder, public safety agencies must be at their best and most efficient. Dealing with high-risk events may involve switching first responders to Alpha/Bravo or EOP shift schedules.

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.

Managing law enforcement personnel 24-7-365 is a delicate balance of manpower, minimum staffing requirements, labor agreements, and risk management. Placing limits on the number of hours police officers serve is a key tactic for reducing fatigue. When emergency personnel are tired on the job, even their routine activities can become dangerous.

Firefighters who need to swap shifts are happier when scheduling systems are easy-to-use and give them a high degree of flexibility and control. Departmental leaders need to balance this desire for control with assurances that all trades are carried out within policies and guidelines.

When disaster strikes, whether in the form of catastrophic weather events or civil disorder, public safety agencies must be at their best and most efficient. Dealing with high-risk events may involve switching first responders to Alpha/Bravo or EOP shift schedules.