Great Ideas 2020: A Look Ahead at Personnel—Officer Wellness & Performance

How Will Officer Wellness Evolve in the Next Five Years?

Globally, the prevalence of mental illness among law enforcement officers is increasing while officers also face rising rates of chronic disease: obesity, cardiovascular disease, body stressing injuries, cancer, and sleep disorders. Chronic disease is not unique to police officers, rather this trend reflects the steady rise of these disorders across the world’s population. However, it is further complicated in law enforcement settings with finite resources, shift work, not enough time to spend with family and friends, cultural nuances (fear of showing weakness and not wanting to let the team down), and most obviously—crime doesn’t stop.