Officer Safety Corner: Protecting Officers against Pathogens

Law enforcement officers face a variety of dangers, yet one of the most serious threats to officer health and well-being cannot be stopped by Kevlar, is not affected by OC spray, and cannot be defeated by even those officers most skilled at defensive tactics: pathogenic microorganisms causing infectious disease. Law enforcement officers are at risk for exposure to potentially infectious pathogens by the nature of their job. Be it rendering aid to the injured at a vehicle crash, fighting to control an intoxicated subject, or arresting a sick suspect, there are a multitude of situations where officers may be exposed to the diseases carried by those with whom they interact. Exposure to an infectious disease is an extremely stressful incident for an officer. Even when told by medical professionals that the potential of developing a disease is slim, an exposure event can bring significant anxiety for the officer—not just for their own well-being, but for the possibility of bringing a disease home to their families.