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Shift Work in Law Enforcement: Mental and Physical Outcomes

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Practical Considerations for Preventing Police Suicide

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Abstract

Shift work is a significant police stressor. Shift work can lead to sleep deprivation and disruption of circadian rhythms which in turn can lead to psychological and physiological health complications. Examples are depression, anxiety, fatigue, and somatic disease. Nighttime shift work can impair cognitive functioning, making it difficult to make rational choices. Based on the untoward effect that shift work can have on officer’s mental health and well-being, it is possible that shift work and suicide may be related. This chapter discusses associations between shift work, police mental and physical health, and suicide potential. Possible risk reduction strategies are also discussed.

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  1. Epidemiology & Environmental Health—School of Public Health & Health Professions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA

    John Violanti

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Blue Wall Institute, Belleville, IL, USA

    Olivia Johnson

  2. The POWER Project San Diego San Diego, CA, USA, ProWellness Inc., Toronto, ON, Canada

    Konstantinos Papazoglou

  3. School of Public Health & Health Professions, University at Buffalo State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA

    John Violanti

  4. Saint Joseph’s College, Brooklyn, NY, USA

    Joseph Pascarella

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Violanti, J. (2022). Shift Work in Law Enforcement: Mental and Physical Outcomes. In: Johnson, O., Papazoglou, K., Violanti, J., Pascarella, J. (eds) Practical Considerations for Preventing Police Suicide. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-83974-1_7

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