What is the graveyard shift for cops?

Depending on the department one works for, the night shift consists of an eight, ten, or twelve hour shift beginning between six o’clock in the evening and midnight and ending anywhere from four o’clock to eight o’clock in the morning. Thus, an officer must find time to sleep during the day.

How do police officers survive graveyard shift?

Here are some helpful sleeping and health tips for the graveyard person:

1. Eat well and exercise.
2. Get enough sleep.
3. Try to keep a stable working schedule.
4. See your doctor for closer monitoring.
5. Nap before work.
6. Refrain from caffeine.
7. Change lights at home.
8. Keep electronics out of the bedroom.

What do night shift police do?

Some will make a lot of traffic stops, check closed businesses for unlocked doors, do some directed patrolling of areas under current crime statistic watches, stop in at all-night businesses to check on the well being of the staff, or play “what if?” tactical mind games to see how they would respond.

How do police officers stay awake on night shift?

7 tactics to keep police alert on third shift

1. The Hunter. Convince yourself the quiet is a diversion orchestrated by a serial murderer and he is working right now!
2. The Fixer.
3. The Guardian.
4. The Doorman/Doorwoman.
5. The Walkman/Walkwoman.
6. The Metermaid/Meterman.
7. The Creature of the Night.

Do police officers work nights?

Majority of law enforcement officers are slotted out to work a forty hour work week. These hours can, and usually do include working nights, holidays and weekends. Because of the vital nature of police officer duties, shift work, unsocial hours and emergency call-outs are part of the job.

How do police prepare for night shift?

Keep to the same sleep schedule If you’re unsure how to get ready for your first night shift, try staying up as late as you can the night before and sleep for the majority of the day before the first shift. Or, go to bed as usual the night before, sleep in late and then have a nap in the evening beforehand.

Do police get pay unsocial hours?

3.4 If the pattern has an average of at least four but less than eight hours per week unsocial hours calculated over the working cycle then the allowance payable is 7.5\% of basic pay.

How do you prepare for a graveyard shift?

Take a 30 minute nap before your shift begins and, if possible, try to get in a few 10-20 minute naps throughout the night. Short periods of rest will help keep your energy high, but be sure not to sleep too long or you’ll risk making yourself groggy. Eat small portions throughout the shift.

Why is shift work important in law enforcement?

To ensure that policing services can be provided around the clock, shift work is a necessary and an integral part of the law enforcement profession that impacts all of the nearly 800,000 U.S. police professionals at some point during their careers.

Does fatigue cause police officers to die?

Research shows that since 2003, more officers have been killed by unintended events than during the commission of felonies; therefore, it is important to weigh the impact fatigue has on overall officer well-being and survival.

How does sleep deprivation affect law enforcement officers?

From a law enforcement perspective, the impacts of sleep deprivation are detrimental to overall officer survival and organizational liability, since those effects also equate to a reduction in vigilance, reaction time, memory recall, psychomotor coordination, information processing, and decision-making.

How common are health problems among police officers?

Health problems related to fatigue are also a growing concern for those working around the clock. In a 2011 study, over 40 percent of the 4,957 police officers examined screened positive for at least one sleep disorder.