A Different Kind of Fight: Protecting Our Officers' Well-being

A Different Kind of Fight: Protecting Our Officers' 
Well-Being

Law enforcement officers are three times more likely to die from suicide than from a violent encounter with a suspect.  They are more likely to have heart disease and suffer heart attacks at a younger age.  They’re more likely to develop certain types of cancer. They are more likely to be insulin resistant. I don’t think the reasons why are hard to wrap our minds around.  Constant exposure to trauma, shift work, sedentary lifestyles, and fast-food diets are commonplace in our industry.  In 2014, the Wall Street Journal declared law enforcement the most obese profession!

We’ve done a good job in our industry of changing our posture regarding mental health.  We have apps, counseling sessions, EAP access, etc.  But we often fail to address the most researched, effective protocols for mental and physical resilience.  The effect of resistance and cardiovascular training has been shown in many scientific, peer-reviewed studies to be equal to or greater than that of pharmaceuticals for people suffering from depression and anxiety. You know what else resistance and cardiovascular training help with?  It reduces the chances of heart disease, certain types of cancer, and insulin resistance.  I’m not proposing less peer counseling, less wellness apps, or less pharmaceuticals.  What I am suggesting is that we look at this problem with fresh eyes and pull on the biggest levers we have at our disposal.  Not only do these training modalities help reduce the risks we’ve already explored, but they also prepare an officer for violent confrontation with suspects on the street and increase their rate of survival if they become wounded. 

Exercise is not the only solution.  Sleep is another area of fitness that is well worth investing in.  Sleep, as a word, is a bit of a catch-all.  Sleep architecture is comprised of several phases, but let’s explore two.  During deep sleep, our body recovers from the day before.  If we’ve stimulated muscle growth, suffered an injury, or experienced any physical stressor, deep sleep is where we recover.  Another critical phase of sleep is REM (rapid eye movement).  REM sleep is like deep sleep, but for our minds.  During REM sleep, we process the events of the day.  Investments in learning are often realized during REM sleep.  A few good cycles of REM sleep make us more cognitively sharp and emotionally resilient.

The communities we serve (as well as our subordinates) deserve a cognitively sharp, emotionally resilient officer, sergeant, chief, etc. 

But sleep must be protected.  Good, consistent habits before sleep help us fall asleep more quickly and move through the cycles of sleep more consistently.  Some examples of good sleep hygiene are going to bed at a consistent time, allowing for 7 hours of sleep, and dimming the lights in our home an hour or so before bedtime.  Having a routine that we always do before bed, such as brushing our teeth, setting an alarm, and saying goodnight to our families, also helps to signal the mind that it’s bedtime.  Sleeping in a completely dark room without stimulation is also crucial for defending our ever-important sleep time.       

Shift work not only poses a challenge to sleep, but also to our social lives.  People with very poor social lives, compared with those with excellent social lives, have staggeringly high mortality rates.  Officers living out of sync with their loved ones miss special events as well as those daily interactions that define relationships. The benefits of a healthy social life include, among other things, slower cognitive decline in aging individuals, reduced rates of depression and anxiety, and reduced rates of heart disease.   Shift work isn’t going anywhere, so deliberate emphasis must be put on integrating officers’ lives with other family members in their homes. There are no magic wands here, just clearly labeled pitfalls to avoid. 

The six primary protocols for better health are:

• Early detection/intervention through annual physicals
• Maintaining a healthy social life
• Eating a balanced diet
• Resistance training
• Cardiovascular training
• Getting sufficient sleep 

There is no supplement, breathwork protocol, or special brand of water more impactful on overall health than these.

                  Our society looks to social media influencers or quick Google searches for solutions to health problems. Buzzwords and fads tend to lead health initiatives.  But we already know the prime movers of health.  There are libraries full of peer-reviewed, scientific research identifying the biggest levers to pull on.  All these protocols help maintain mentally and physically fit officers who are well suited to serving our communities in emotionally and physically challenging environments. 

Furthermore, these protocols can help all of us enjoy a healthy and happy retirement.  Combining these protocols with proper medical care, both from a physical health and mental health perspective, is key to taking care of our people.  We wrap them in bulletproof vests, load their guns with ammunition, and train them regularly to address violence.  This is a worthwhile endeavor, but violence kills our people far less than their heart health and mental health. So, time and effort must be invested into education and prevention of these far more common threats to a law enforcement officer’s life.

About the Author: 

Josiah Arnold is a commander with the Madera Police Department, where he’s worked for 22 years.  He is also a NASM-certified personal trainer and nutrition coach, a UESCA-certified ultra-marathon coach, and a member of the California Police Chief’s Association Organizational Wellness and Resiliency Committee.  Josiah is the owner of Apex Training Solutions, which, among other things, provides health training to law enforcement officers.  He is married with four children and enjoys trail running, wine tasting, and managing a losing fantasy football team.