6 Common Police Officer Injuries and Ways to Limit Them

In the Central Valley and anywhere, first responders are the first line of defense when it comes to emergency response. Three major branches of first responders include firefighters, police officers, and EMTs, with each being an incredible part of public safety.

We’ll focus on the second branch by discussing some common police officer injuries related to the first responder industry. Police officers represent just over 70,000 workers throughout the state of California. As a part of their daily duties, they deal with a wide variety of emergencies, but along with that comes a variety of workplace injuries. According to NLEOMF or the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, an average of 191 officers have died each year since 2000. 

Common injuries related to being a law enforcement officer: :

1. Car accidents 

Police officers often have to respond to high-speed chases and accidents. They can also be hit while talking with someone that they’ve pulled over. Injuries can range from minor cuts and bruises to serious head and spinal injuries.

2. Physical altercations 

According to the FBI, 60,105 law enforcement officers were assaulted nationally while performing their duties in 2020. A large percentage of police officer injuries occur during physical altercations with suspects. Officers can suffer everything from cuts and bruises to broken bones and internal injuries.

3. Gunfire

Police officers are at risk of being injured or killed by gunfire on a daily basis. Officers can be struck by bullets, caught in the crossfire, or injured by shrapnel.

4. Animal related injuries 

Animals may be displaced for various reasons, and may become aggressive in order to protect their territory or young. Animal-related attacks can cause injuries to police officers and can also hamper their ability to do their job.

In the central valley, this can be especially prevalent due to the high concentration of wild animals in the area, including coyotes, bears, and mountain lions.

5. RSI

Much like other jobs that involve repeated motion, police officers do many of the same activities over and over again on a daily basis. Over time this can lead to an RSI, or repetitive stress injury, such as carpal tunnel from filing paperwork for long periods of time or knee and back issues from walking their beats.

6. Mental Fatigue

Being a police officer is an incredibly stressful job from dealing with long hours, uncomfortable conditions, and the constant threat of death. This can easily lead to stress and other psychological issues. When you’re not in the right headspace to take on life-or-death situations, it can affect the work being done and lead to other issues, both physical and mental, down the road.   

Luckily, there are a variety of precautions and measures that can be taken to help prevent or lower the risk of being injured while working as a police officer. It is important to be mindful of these practices when entering any kind of first responder workforce regardless if it’s your 1st day or 1,001st day. Good safety habits followed across the board can prevent injuries and save lives.   

Ways to limit serious police officer related injuries

1. Commit to proper safety training 

Proper training done on a frequent schedule is a key way to prevent injuries from happening in the workplace. If everyone knows and follows tested safety protocols, people are more likely to get out alive.

Likewise, undergoing frequent and proper training procedures for dealing with common occurrences in any and all possible scenarios will hopefully lead to a higher safety standard for all parties involved. 

2. Get good sleep so you are alert at all times

Because police officers can work for extended periods of time and the job deals with life-or-death situations, good sleep is essential for safety. The CDC recommends 7 to 9 hours of sleep and a positive, consistent nightly routine that is free of caffeine and electronic devices close to bedtime. 

3. Wear necessary protective equipment at all times 

Wearing proper safety equipment is essential to limiting the possibility of a workplace injury. Some of the helpful ways to stay safe are by knowing where each piece of equipment is. This is crucial to the safety of everyone around an officer. Similarly, wearing a bulletproof vest and a body cam can prevent major injuries. Each of these will help keep you and others safe from the various hazards you may face on a daily basis as a police officer.

4. Be able to be contacted at all times

Keeping an open line of communication when responding to a call is essential. If anything happens, your fellow police officers can respond quickly which can be the difference between life and death. Making sure radios and other communication devices are working properly, and practicing worst case scenarios are great ways to be prepared in case of any communication breakdown.   

5. Keep physically active 

Staying in shape can help keep you, your fellow officers, and innocent bystanders safe if anything gets out of hand while in the process of responding to a call. Being able to chase after a dangerous suspect or quickly move out of harm's way can help protect you and others.

6. Be aware of your surroundings at all times

Anything can happen at any time when responding to a call, so being aware of all that is going on around you is a vital part of keeping everyone you work with safe and injury-free. It also increases the odds of getting everyone out safely.

7. Frequently update equipment and make sure they are up to code

Old equipment can lead to injuries or death since they are not up to the same standards and regulations as current equipment. Make sure all vests, cameras, and potentially dangerous items are working properly as not to malfunction in any way.

Police officers put themselves and their safety on the line every time they get called into work. The very nature of their job can be life and death, and they help to keep us safe and healthy when in the most dire of situations.

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Cole, Fisher, Cole, O’Keefe + Mahoney is Central California’s leading workers’ compensation and social security disability law firm. With over 30 years of successful experience, we are committed to securing maximum benefits for our clients in the Fresno, California area. Schedule a free consultation today.