NCJ Number
165841
Journal
American Journal of Police Volume: 15 Issue: 2 Dated: (1996) Pages: 51-92
Date Published
1996
Length
42 pages
Annotation
This paper proposes several connections between administratively controllable causes of fatigue among police officers and problems associated with police performance, health, and safety.
Abstract
Effects of fatigue on human behavior, performance, and physiology are well understood and widely known. Research indicates that fatigue tends to decrease alertness, impair performance, and worsen mood and that sleep loss and circadian disruption are the two main physiological sources of fatigue. Official statistics, anecdotal evidence, and a pilot survey demonstrate that excess fatigue may be prevalent in police work, especially among police officers in high-crime-rate urban areas. Although regulations exist on the working hours of truck drivers, pilots, and other occupations, the need to control police fatigue has largely been ignored. Communities and police agencies struggling under budgetary constraints need to recognize that the best interests of police officers, organizations, and communities require the control of environmental, physiological, and attitudinal factors that impair performance and contribute to accidents, injuries, and disease among police officers. Specific recommendations to prevent police officer fatigue are offered. An appendix contains information on police overtime cost estimation methods and data sources. 80 references, 20 notes, 2 tables, and 2 figures