Our mental health encompasses emotional, social, physical, and psychological feelings of wellbeing. When we are relaxed, find joy in our
day-to-day lives, and have our social and emotional needs balanced we can handle a multitude of stressors that may be encountered as police officers. National Police Week occurs during a month dedicated to mental health. As such, there are many resources, events, and programs online and in person that are linked at the bottom of this bulletin. In this safety tip we will examine several ways to recognize signs of mental fatigue and distress in yourself and co-workers. We will also discuss tips and strategies to improve outcomes. Exercising the mental parts of our bodies is just as important in self-care as going to the gym to improve our physical bodies.
Mental illness, mental fatigue, and mental breakdown, are some of the terms used to describe the state of a person who is struggling with coping in daily life or work pressures. All of us have stressors that occur at home, at work, and in life. Police work has particularly heightened stressors that come as a nature of the occupation. Working long hours, dealing with difficult people, fear for physical safety. Even being in a vehicle for many hours or temperature conditions can cause acute and long-term stress that may lead to mental fatigue. If we can bring awareness to ourselves, how we are feeling, how we are handing stressors and practice techniques to lessen this mental fatigue, and/or know when to ask for help, we can then reduce burnout, absences, and suicides and improve policing in our departments.
Signs of Mental Fatigue – Awareness in the Body
Fatigue – When in a chronic state of stress, our brains and bodies are using more energy to cope with what is happening to us. The neurons in our brains begin to fire at a rapid pace, our hearts beat faster, and muscles tense up. When we have good mental health, our body systems return to normal quite quickly once the stress is removed. However, when it doesn’t return to baseline, we will become quite fatigued. Even after a good night of sleep you may feel tired all the time. Chronic fatigue is a symptom of mental fatigue. Take time to stop, observe, and seek help if you recognize this symptom in yourself or fellow officers.
Muscle and Nerve Pain – Just like our brains go into overdrive during experiences of stress, our physical bodies do something similar. We may hold our muscles in certain areas tighter, notice shoulders or rib cage feels tight, breathing is less controlled. Lactic acid and cortisol begin to build up and you may feel pains such as pinching or burning sensations in joints and muscles, particularly in the region of the neck and shoulders. Left untreated, this can lead to musculoskeletal injuries and chronic pain. Take time to stop and observe how your body is feeling on a day-to-day basis. How does your posture feel? Do you feel tight or loose? Check your range of motion with arms, shoulders, and hips.
Everyday Practices to Improve Mental Health
Finding Time for Joy – We all have things that make us feel relaxed, happy, creative, calm, and give us the brain and body experience of joy. In a hectic and stressful busy-life it can be hard to carve out time for things we enjoy such as taking a walk, playing music, spending time with friends and family and other things. Make time for joy a priority in daily life.
Physical Exercise – Human beings are designed to be moving. Sitting, standing, and driving for long periods of time are activities police officers participate in. Making any kind of physical exercises a priority in your daily life will increase your happy hormones (serotonin), boost your mood with increased oxygen to your brain and cells, and reduce stress in the body.
Talk to Someone – Meaningful social relationships contribute to the reduction of stress and improve our mental muscles. Having a partner, friend, or colleague to talk to about your day is important. Many of us hold things in and feel uncomfortable talking about our challenges and stressors but this is part of having good social relationships including the ability to share as well as listen. This provides each person with the benefit of feeling heard and understood and provides an opportunity to lend guidance to one another. Professional mental health counselors are now available with a variety of access like online, phone, groups, and in-person. Reach out to someone if you feel that you need more than a talk with a friend.
In this week to honor the vital work of our police departments, we recognize the incredibly important and difficult jobs that you all have. We appreciate all you do and hope these short safety bulletins will be a reminder of our appreciation and be helpful towards improving the safety of the department. We recognize National Police Week!
Resources on Mental Health and Links:
Tips to Boost Mental Health: First Responders Live: https://www.emergency-live.com/of-interest/10-tips-on-how-to-boost-your-mental-health-become-the-best-version-of-yourself/
SAMSHA – Suicide Prevention: https://www.samhsa.gov/suicide
NYS Alliance on Mental Illness: https://www.naminys.org/nys/mental-health-awareness-month/
During this year’s recognition of National Police Week, we discuss exposures and controls for police officer injuries while working at
night. Police Officer injuries increase during evening and night hours due in large part to the increase in dangerous illegal activities and the restraint on sight and vision. A recent National Institute of Health survey identified a higher injury risk associated with night shift work in police officers. Night shift combined with high work activity was strongly associated with high injury risk. The increase in hazardous behaviors and the addition of these behaviors becoming more dangerous after sunset have statistically led to an increase in police officer injuries compared to daytime patrols.
Hazards involving third-shift activities include the inability to see clearly as well as the concern about being seen by the public. During foot pursuits, officers can be injured from the inability to negotiate hazards in the terrain or community. Slip, trip and falls will increase in frequency and are likely to be more severe when night-time foot pursuits are conducted. Even routine traffic controls, including traffic stops, are more dangerous at night due the lack of vision for oncoming traffic. Officers can be struck during these low-visibility conditions, so adherence to your police department’s standard operating procedures for conducting traffic stops and traffic controls is vital to keep officers safe.
Police officer injuries during third-shifts can also be due to fatigue, erratic work hours and lack of sleep. Exhaustion can lead to slower reaction times and affect one’s sense of logic. It was especially noted that officers returning to night work after some time off (i.e. injury or vacation) were especially compromised by fatigue and experienced more frequent and severe injuries. Supervisors must therefore monitor the activities and behaviors of these officers during their first few days returning to the night shift.
Additional contributing factors to third-shift police officer injures include the younger age and inexperience of night-shift personnel, interactions with people who may be under the influence of drugs and alcohol, and crimes committed with dangerous weapons.
Tips for adopting to third-shift police work and decreasing the risks of injury include:
- Sleep psychologists suggest that officers try to adjust their circadian clocks. Researchers have suggested officers wear sunglasses on the drive in and out of work and keep the rooms where they sleep very dark. Workers may also try to go to bed as late as possible on nights off, in an attempt to maintain their sleep schedules.
- Supervisors can monitor staff for signs of fatigue, including lack of good judgement and increased anger and irritability in officers.
- Provide staff with necessary equipment, including flashlights and high-visibility clothing. Use this equipment effectively when sight distances are compromised, especially during foot patrols and pursuits.
- Practice situational awareness, whereby officers understand their surroundings and the circumstances which can lead to injury. An injured officer is not able to participate in pursuit of a suspect, so practice safe work practices during pursuits including good vision.
- Review your department procedures for traffic stops, including a focus on officer safety during night stops, positioning vehicle to protect the officer, reflective or high-visibility clothing, and maintain diligence during each traffic situation.
- Vehicle accidents occur more frequently at night for a number of reasons. Officers can protect themselves by driving more defensively at night, reduce speeds, wear your seat belt, and avoid distractions as other drivers are likely to be fatigued or under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
- Practice good arrest procedures, including the use of tazers and submission techniques. Train on de-escalation and conflict-resolution techniques.
- Utilize officer back-up when necessary, including notification to outside departments for assistance when conditions warrant.
The risk of injury during night work is increased for all municipal staff, and police officers experience the potential for injury at a greater rate. Be aware of the conditions that lead to this injury frequency and take steps to control them within your police department. Additional police safety information is available on the Comp Alliance website located @ www.compalliance.org
Reach out to Robert Blaisdell, Director of Loss Control for additional information, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., (518) 330-8591
Police officer injuries originate from a variety of sources and those sustained during motor vehicle incidents continue to be at the top of
injury frequency and severity. It is important to promote motor vehicle safety among officers so they can stay safe while working to make communities safer. During this National Police Week, let’s take a look at the exposure vehicle operations create and how to avoid vehicle accidents and subsequent injuries.
Over the past four years, police officer injuries associated with motor vehicle incidents accounted for 10% of the total police department injuries and 16% of the law enforcement claim cost for Comp Alliance members. One officer per week has been killed on our nation’s roads on average over the last 10 years. Most years, motor vehicle-related incidents are the main cause of death for officers. From a review of these types of injuries, most incidents were considered to be preventable, including those deemed to be the fault of the officer.
With the majority of the incidents studied to be preventable, officer actions contributed in some part to the incident and injuries sustained. It is therefore necessary to review safe driving techniques with your police officers to confirm they operate motor vehicles safely and under control. Review standard operating procedures for traffic stops and crowd controls, as well as expectations for when the officer will be outside their vehicle. Officer actions which lead to vehicle incidents include unsafe pursuits, unsafe emergency operation, distracted driving, speeding, speed unsafe for conditions, and excessive speed through traffic, among others. Behaviors that contribute to injuries include the failure to wear a seat belt, driving with ‘tunnel-vision’ during pursuits, ignoring signs of roadway dangers, and experiencing increased stress which can negatively impact focus and attention. ‘Tunnel-vision’ is a condition in which officers focus so much on the pursuit that they fail to recognize hazards encountered during the pursuit, including pedestrians, traffic, traffic signals, road conditions, etc.
Training your staff on a comprehensive vehicle operation policy will assist with the prevention of officer injuries from motor vehicle accidents.
Quick Tips
- Require the wearing of seat belts
- Review high speed pursuit policy and include supervisory oversight during such conditions
- Monitor officer abilities during pursuits as they create intense and high-stress conditions
Proper Vehicle Traffic Stop Procedures
- Where to position police cruiser
- How to approach stopped vehicle
- Returning to police vehicle and even proper clothing to wear, as night-time stops require reflective material to be worn to make the officer as visible as possible to oncoming traffic
- An understanding of line-of-site and approaching distances can help motorists be aware of emergency vehicle locations and remember that these conditions change with every vehicle stop
The mental health of officers is vital to maintain safe vehicle operations. Officers need to remain focused on the task at hand, avoid distractions, and remain calm. Practice calming techniques like slow, controlled breathing, maintain contact with supervisors with clear, concise instruction during vehicle stops and pursuits.
Police officer injuries due to motor vehicle accidents can be greatly reduced through proper policy development, training and supervisory oversight. Look to make improvements in your department today.
Additional police safety information is available on the Comp Alliance website. www.compalliance.org
Reach out to Robert Blaisdell, Director of Loss Control for additional information, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., (518) 330-8591
Use of restraint policies need to be implemented and training on the appropriate measure of force should be the standard. Below are some techniques that can be used in conjunction with training on evaluating the appropriate force/restraint needed for each situation. Reference the Use of Force continuum on such circumstances to assist in determining the level of force which may be necessary to keep the officers and public safe.
According to Dr. Michael Schlosser, Ph.D., the director of the University of Illinois Police Training Institute, and the Institute's lead control and arrest tactics instructor, officers should never have just one "go-to" control tactic, whether it's a hold, takedown, or another tactic. Match each tactic with a secondary, complementary move that works with the arrestee's resistance.
Every takedown, control hold, or defensive tactic has a defense or counter. Learn these defenses and have available a secondary counter-tactic. If a training partner defends the initial tactic, study and identify the counter-move and learn a counter-tactic. This does not have to be complicated, and it is essential that you discover a secondary tactic. You must then train in your "go-to" tactics and in the counter-tactics.
The Sankyo Technique – Empty Hand Control - Sankyo is an Aikido technique that is extremely effective and applicable for controlling resistant subjects. However, it requires a deep commitment to training in the technique before attempting to overcome resistance on the street.
Arm Hold Takedowns - the officer, while remaining close to the arrestee, pivots behind the arrestee (putting the arrestee off-balance) The officer pulls on the wrist, keeping the arrestee's arm near his or her body while using rotation and direction to gain control.
Gooseneck & Cow Paw - Gooseneck (hyperflexion) and Cow Paw (hyperextension) techniques can cause pain compliance. As with the Gooseneck, if the arrestee complies, you should maintain strong control of the arrestee in this position while releasing some tension on the wrist.
Remote Restraint - Thought of as “remote handcuffs”, the BolaWrap® remote restraint device is a patented, hand-held pre-escalation apprehension tool for police that discharges a Kevlar® cord to restrain noncompliant individuals or persons in crisis from a distance.
All of the above techniques require policy adoption and officer training until they are understood completely. The use of mechanical devices such as tasers work well to apprehend a combative suspect. It is most important to equip your officers with the mental, physical and mechanical means to protect themselves when on patrol.
Additional police safety information is available on the Comp Alliance website: www.compalliance.org
Reach out to Robert Blaisdell, Director of Loss Control for additional information, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., (518) 330-8591
The Comp Alliance had another great year in 2021! We are happy to announce the continuation of our innovative programs that reward our members for their loyalty and safety. You can read more about these programs and initiatives in our 2021 Annual Membership Report below. We are grateful for the support of our members and professional partners as we look forward to building upon our strong financial history and exceptional service in 2022 and beyond.
Comp Alliance 2021 Annual Report
To view a pdf version of the Annual Report please pdf click here (6.16 MB) .
You can also view past Annual Reports by clicking here and logging into your account.
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