KEY IDEAS:
- Law enforcement officers see some of the highest rates of work-related injuries and illnesses.
- Officers also experience high rates of fatigue and burnout, with 77% of police employees reporting poor sleep quality and nearly 26% reporting excessive daytime sleepiness.
- Where the average person experiences 2–3 critical incidents in their lifetime, police officers often witness more than 150.
- Agencies must invest in force-multiplying technologies and other resources to enhance safety and reduce workloads for police officers.
As public safety agencies recover from a nationwide staffing shortage, law enforcement leaders are embracing a more comprehensive approach to officer safety — one that helps personnel thrive both on and off duty. Law enforcement officers face unique stressors that affect their mental well-being, long-term physical health, and performance. So to keep their departments and communities safe, agencies must adopt an integrated approach to officer wellness.
Keep reading to learn about the importance and implementation of officer safety programs.
What does law enforcement officer safety mean today?
In recent years, public safety leaders have embraced a more holistic definition of police officer wellness that considers unseen threats to officers’ mental and emotional well-being. Officers face intense scrutiny, repeated exposure to traumatic incidents, and heavier workloads in understaffed departments. They might not have the time or energy to maintain good fitness and nutrition habits.
Combined with long shifts and mentally draining work, these stressors contribute to fatigue. And each factor can exacerbate the others, leaving officers less focused, less alert, and slower to react — ultimately threatening their safety and the safety of their communities.
To ensure police officer safety, sworn personnel are often outfitted with protective equipment, such as body armor, shields, and reflective gear. Agencies also invest in radios, mobile data computers (MDCs), and cell phones to streamline communication, increase officers’ situational awareness, and enable quick calls for backup.
Police officer safety hazards
| Risk factor | Incident rate out of 100,000 full-time police officers | Incident rate out of 100,000 full-time employees (all occupations) |
|---|---|---|
| Fatal injuries | 13.7 | 3.5 |
| Violent nonfatal injuries and illnesses resulting in time off work | 121.7 | 7.3 |
| Multiple traumatic injuries resulting in time off work | 23.5 | 2.8 |
| Falls, slips, and trips resulting in time off work | 59.3 | 26.6 |
| Overexertion and bodily reaction resulting in time off work | 81.4 | 30.3 |
| Transportation incidents resulting in time off work | 64.8 | 5.8 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Why is officer safety important?
Officers already face increased risk of violence, illnesses, injuries, and trauma. And fatigued officers aren’t fully equipped to deal with the daily realities of policing. They may be unable to de-escalate or react quickly in life-threatening situations. To keep their officers and communities safer, agencies must prioritize holistic solutions that address common safety issues.
High levels of violence
Law enforcement professionals face a much higher risk of violence than most other occupations. They constantly walk into unknown, high-risk situations, and despite the best efforts of technology, protective equipment, and other team members, dangerous situations can turn quickly.
💡 KEY FACT: In 2023, 26,689 officers were injured from assaults, and 60 officers were killed in the line of duty, according to the Law Enforcement Epidemiology Project.
Higher risk of illness and other injuries
Law enforcement officers have some of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports, but that doesn’t just stem from conflicts with offenders. In 2022, about 40% of officer fatalities were caused by transportation incidents.
That risk is heightened when agencies don’t enforce officers’ safety equipment use. A 2023 study of nearly 3,000 agencies found that only two-thirds of officers consistently used body armor and seatbelts, while one-third consistently used reflective vests.
High risk of physical fatigue
Physical fatigue exacerbates the risk of illnesses, injuries, and mistakes on the job. With long hours, shift work, and frequent overtime, officers often struggle with a consistent sleep schedule. And stress, anxiety, and adrenaline all contribute to poor sleep quality.
A Seattle Police Department study found that about 77% of police employees had poor sleep quality, and nearly 26% reported excessive daytime sleepiness. That level of exhaustion has harrowing consequences: Officers on night shifts were significantly more likely to report falling asleep at the wheel.
💡 KEY FACT: Transportation incidents and violence are responsible for nearly all fatal work injuries among law enforcement officers.
High risk of mental fatigue
Officers must be hypervigilant, keeping an eye out for potential hazards while processing a bevy of information from their radios, phones, and MDTs. Officers weigh this input with their intuition and experience, staying alert and ready to jump into action at any time. That intense mental strain takes a toll, and drained officers are less present with their families and support systems.
Need to stay focused
Even when they’re exhausted, law enforcement officers have to maintain sharp focus. They’re constantly on alert, drawing connections, interpreting murky situations, and tracking down leads. They have to make life-or-death decisions in a matter of seconds. And fatigue, burnout, and overwhelm impact their ability to think clearly, de-escalate effectively, and react quickly.
High emotional toll
Average citizens only experience two or three critical incidents in their lives, while police officers might witness more than 150. With repeated exposure to traumatic events, officers face a higher risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than other workers. PTSD and previous negative experiences can affect officers’ perception and reactions, but they are expected to approach new incidents with empathy, compassion, and patient de-escalation tactics.
💡 KEY STATISTICS ABOUT OFFICER SAFETY:
- In 2022, 40% of officer fatalities were caused by transportation accidents.
- Only 2 out of 3 officers use body armor and seatbelts consistently, while 1 out of 3 use reflective vests consistently.
- More than three-fourths of police officers report poor sleep quality.
- More than one quarter of officers report excessive daytime sleepiness.
- Police officers can witness more than 50–70 times as many critical incidents as the average person in their lifetime.
What are the four pillars of police officer wellness?
All of these challenges are intertwined. Most models emphasize four pillars of police wellness: mental health, fitness, resilience, and nutrition. When an officer struggles in one area, they can get caught in a negative cycle that ripples throughout their personal and professional life. Agencies seeking to support officer well-being must address all of these interconnected components.
What officer safety resources, technologies, and strategies are available?
Public safety leaders have plenty of resources to implement a comprehensive wellness strategy. They benefit from years of discourse on officer morale, safety, and retention, which has culminated in evidence-based training programs, science-informed safety guidelines, and advanced technology solutions. Explore a few resources below.
Officer safety and wellness resources from the IACP
The IACP’s officer wellness resources support personnel on duty and at home. Members can access studies, trainings, and virtual events on topics such as resilience, trauma, family wellness, line-of-duty deaths, and suicide prevention. Other resources include peer support guidelines, off-duty enforcement practices, and an officer wellness dashboard.
Training programs from Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC)
FLETC hosts training programs covering diverse topics, including first aid, leadership, and active shooter scenarios. As one example, the Officer Safety and Survival Training Program is a five-day hands-on program that teaches participants how to avoid and survive spontaneous attacks.
Officer safety and wellness resources from the U.S. Department of Justice
The U.S. Department of Justice gathered a collection of podcasts, webinars, training programs, and articles that address financial well-being, mental and physical health, substance use, resilience, and support systems. This hub is also a great starting point for exploring detailed resources such as the VALOR Officer Safety and Wellness Initiative.
Safety guidelines from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ)
In addition to testing and developing protective equipment, NIJ publishes articles, events, and trainings on officer safety. This includes publications on effective safety equipment use, developing a fatigue risk-management strategy, and law enforcement mental health.
In-house workload data analysis
To support their well-being, officers’ shifts should balance proactive and reactive policing, administrative work, and personal activities, according to the IACP. While an immediate shift overhaul likely isn’t feasible, leaders can make meaningful changes by conducting a staffing analysis. Agencies can leverage an advanced data analysis platform to track officer activities, performance, and workload, revealing ideal staffing models and flagging struggling officers.
Technology that supports officer safety
Effective law enforcement software supports all aspects of officer well-being. Modern solutions — including real-time technology, investigation software, and data analysis platforms — reduce mental fatigue, increase situational awareness, and decrease backup response times. These developments help balance officers’ workload, freeing up more time and mental energy for meaningful work.
Improve officer wellness at your agency
When agencies neglect officer safety, they risk creating a cycle of stress, burnout, and negative outcomes. Instead, leaders should embrace an integrated approach to officer wellness that includes protective equipment, mental health resources, dynamic training, and advanced technology.
Using advanced data integration and analysis, Peregrine supports all aspects of officer safety by streamlining communication, enhancing situational awareness, and automating redundant tasks. Peregrine empowers agencies to perform in-house staffing analyses, enabling effective resource allocation and workload distribution. To see Peregrine’s officer safety features in action, request a demo.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about officer safety in law enforcement
Why is mental health important to officer safety?
Law enforcement officers need full mental capacity to de-escalate situations, detect potential threats, and follow protocols. Officers dealing with poor mental health, fatigue, or PTSD may struggle to react quickly, safely, and effectively.
What resources, technologies, and strategies are available to promote safety and wellness for officers? Where can they be found?
Online resources for wellness programs include articles, webinars, trainings, scientific publications, podcasts, and best practices guidelines. The IACP, Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the National Institute of Justice are a good starting point.
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