INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department is launching a new pilot after officers voted to test out a 10-hour shift model, WRTV reported.
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With the new model, officers will work five 10-hour shifts, followed by three days off. Then they will work four 10-hour shifts followed by four days off, according to the report. The plan will allow officers 37 more days off every year, as well as fewer consecutive workdays.
Previously, IMPD operated with 8.5-hour shifts, where officers worked six days in a row with a three-day weekend.
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The plan was developed in conjunction with the local chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police. Officers also got to vote on whether they wanted to try the new schedule. The overwhelming majority voted “yes,” according to the report.
The work day is divided into four staggered shifts:
- Day: 6:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Middle: 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
- Late‑TAC: 4:30 p.m. – 2:30 a.m.
- Late: 9:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.
The staffing overlap during mid-day is meant to ensure adequate coverage during peak call hours, according to the report.
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The department hopes that having longer weekends and putting more officers on duty during the busiest hours will allow officers more time to focus on family and other activities and improve officer wellness.
“The officers can support each other and better support our community. [If] more officers [are] working, then maybe the same officers don’t have to go to the second shooting scene on that particular day. They can patrol a neighborhood, have an opportunity to do a foot patrol, interact with a community member, visit a school, those types of things, instead of going to those same kinds of trauma.”
If you had the choice, would you pick an 8-hour or 10-hour shift model — and why? Share with us below:
- Having worked both, 10-hour shifts was the best thing our agency has done for the officers. Because it is manpower intensive and recruiting is down, we are now having to consider 12-hour shifts and the officers are furious.
- I like the 10-hour shift gives officers more time with family and not being overworked with less stress.
- When I started on my department, we worked 8.5-hour shifts. The knowledge of my area of coverage was phenomenal. The decision to switch to our current 12-hour shifts inherently started the demise of my department — from morale to the welfare of the workers. The department I work for, due to staffing, can never go back to 8-hour shifts. But if someone smart enough could figure out how to ask for help in explaining to leadership that we, the sworn officers, signed up to work whatever, but our families didn’t. If our higher-ups would think about the betterment of the department for those of us who have to carry the brunt of their “ideas” with no consequence to themselves, it would be great.
- Definitely 10 hours over 8! We currently work 12 hour shifts which is great, but the proposed 10 hour schedule is intriguing. 12 hour shifts can get pretty long. Most of us like them because of the time off.
- History always repeats itself with good old 8 hour shifts- 5 on 2 off. In my 38 years having worked different shift patterns the 8 hour shift was easiest though most won’t admit it…
- 10-hour shift model, much, much better than 8-hour shift model.
- I always worked an 8 hour shift. It usually went over the time, completing reports, late calls, etc. If you schedule a 10 hour shift, it can easily turn into a longer shift and extreme fatigue.
- There are many departments who have using the “10-4” plan for over 20 years. This is nothing new.
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