In-service training is always scheduled 0800-1600 for the convenience of the academy staff and nothing more. I always let the third shift guys have the back of the room or the far ends so that they can sleep with their heads propped up on the wall.
In their defense, most of our training sessions are real snooze fests and it's hard for anyone to stay awake.
We also did 8 hr in service training and when we switched to 12s we had officers work one day normally off and the 2 days they normally would work all 8 hr days. This works out to be the same 24 hrs of time at work just over 3 days instead of 2. This also helps the guys working nights get a day off to balance some sleep instead of having to go straight from working to boring in service or from in service to working that night. One of the smarter things done with the switch. Days officer had to choose court on workdays to avoid OT but nights could choose work or off day as OT was a given.Originally Posted by lwt16
I usually make the range schedules and do the best I can to not have the night guys in too early. My co-instructor works nights and sometimes it's difficult working around his schedule.
I've worked similar shifts while in the military, or on protection details. My thoughts are as follows:
1. Everyone knows a 12 hour shift is really a 14+ hour shift, when you figure in admin time at either end of the 12. That leaves 10 hours per work day to sleep, eat, PT, and have a life. Everyone knows that our families aren't going to suck up the loss of time, so what gives first is sleep, followed by PT. This results in over tired, out of shape people with judgement issues and eventual medical issues. This IS NOT a long term "good solution."
2. Rotating 12 hour shifts every month means no one will ever get a "normal" sleep cycle established. This will lead to overtired people with judgement issues - not a "good solution."
I know doctors work worse shifts, but their rarely carrying firearms or driving vehicles at high speed in crowded areas.
That's the craziest shit I've ever heard of.
I ran the OP's proposed schedule past my wife, who has worked a variety of 8s and 12s as a nurse. She said she worked that exact schedule in her first job and that it was the worst she ever had, mainly because of the day/night switch. Her exact words for the OP: "Expect use of force complaints to increase." Gotta love how she thinks, but it's probably true.
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Interesting.
My agency works 12 hour shifts.....4 nights......4 off.......4 days......4 off......4 nights.....etc. Just about everyone loves it. No one gets stuck on a crappy shift for 3-4 months at a time, long weekends roll around, and you know your schedule for the whole year. Full -staff is 4 shifts of 7 deputies, 1 Cpl, 1 Sgt, and an investigator. We have take home cars, and it only goes 12+ if you have to finish up before securing. Going to traditional school is problematic, but online classes take care of that. I have far more time at home with my wife than I have ever had working 8s or 10s. Sick vacation is based on 8 hours by the county, and we get short-sheeted a little there..................but in perspective, we only work 1/2 the year!! This is the best schedule I've ever had in 18+ years.
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I like 4 10s the best . I think the next best thing working a set schedule (day/nights) and working pretty much the same days every week. So 4 on 3 off, 3 on 4 off. The thought of rotating is not pleasant to me.
Some of our younger guys really pushed for a 10 hour schedule here within the last couple of years. As soon as our Superintendent heard "more days off" that was it, no bueno. The fact that coverage would remain the same didn't matter, he heard that and the wall came down. The standard schedule agency wide is: 7 on, 2 off, 8 on, 3 off, with 8 hour shifts as standard. within the days on the first half of the week is second shift and the latter half is first shift, with a turnaround in the middle of the week. During the turnaround you'll get home at midnight and back out by 6 am, so you're probably going on three hours sleep. By the time you reach day eight of that eight day stretch you aren't good for much. I worked that schedule for the first half of my career and suffered from diagnosed chronic fatigue. The metro area where I'm asigned is the only part of my agency that has a third shift, which I work. It may be at night with shit infestation, but it's a steady schedule with no turnaround, no brass and longer days off. In the last eleven years I've had several opportunities to transfer, but I won't go back to that f'd up schedule.
Last edited by Trooper224; 01-25-2018 at 12:48 AM.
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Thanks for the feedback.
What age bracket are you, if you don't mind saying? PM if you'd rather.
The reason I like 4 10s is because I have enough seniority now that I work 4pm-2am with Sunday-Tues off. I'm the odd young guy who likes more weekdays off.
When I was out of the academy I looked at Waco PD. They had enough man power to do 4 10s very effectively. You only rotated days off every six months. Sun-Tues/Thurs-Sat.
The worst I ever worked was 12am-8am. For police work 8s are horrible in my opinion, and I never want to do them again. I had rather have worst shift and never rotate than rotate. At least then you can get used to it and plan your life around it.
I like the set 12s with one swing day.
On the Panama schedule if you take 24 hours of time off during your short week , you have 7 straight days off.
Last edited by TheNewbie; 01-25-2018 at 07:53 AM.
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