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The Current Environment

Public Safety Response to Civil Unrest

The consequences of the current environment affect law enforcement officers and are compounded by the
negative psychological impacts, which already exist as a side effect of this uniquely trying profession. Keep in
mind of all this is occurring in the midst of a global pandemic.

These consequences may include the following:

Officer in Wearing Crowd Control Gear
  • Unprecedented numbers of police chief and law enforcement officer firings, unplanned or early retirements and resignations.
  • Budget cuts
  • Difficulty recruiting
  • Distractions from ‘crime fighting’8
  • Increased overtime and changes in shifts
  • Decreased staffing
  • Fractured community/law enforcement relations
  • Lowered morale
  • Limited proactivity due to fear of scrutiny
  • Increased personal stress on officers and department personnel9,10
  • Officer fatigue due to shift changes and other stressors
  • Inability to escape the current environment:
    • 24-hour news cycle
    • Social media posts regarding current events
    • Officers are repeatedly asked their opinion on current events, both on and off duty
  • Unhealthy coping mechanisms11
    • Substance abuse (both alcohol and drugs)12
    • Excessive or unhealthy eating habits
    • Extreme exercise
    • Obsessive behavior surrounding social media and mainstream news
    • Withdrawal from family, friends, peers, and/or activities once enjoyed
    • Self-destructive behavior
  • Fear of exposure to COVID-1913
  • Additional shifts on family schedules and dynamics Financial strain – childcare, education, and/or tutoring costs
  • Decreased support from family due to growing concerns for their officer’s safety
    • Pressure from family and friends to resign early or call out sick
  • Stressed interpersonal relationships
  • Feelings of betrayal when anti-police sentiments are expressed by family members or friends, both in person and on social media
  • Family members are anxious and unsure about how to support or talk to their family members in blue

Related Publication

pub-some-wounds-are-invisible

Some Wounds Are Invisible (2013)

Valor Officer Safety and Wellness Program, Bureau of Justice Assistance

Know the symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and how to seek help through your department-directed employee assistance program.

Read More

This project was supported by cooperative agreement number 2016-VI-BX-K001 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the SMART Office. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.

This report was prepared by the National Police Foundation (NPF). The National Police Foundation is the oldest nationally known, non-profit, non-partisan, and non-membership driven organization dedicated to advancing policing through innovation and science.

The internet references cited in this publication were valid as of the date of publication. Given that URLs and websites are in constant flux, the NPF cannot vouch for their current validity.

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