E-Scan 38: Monitoring police health and wellbeing in real-time

E-SCAN 38: ON THE FRONTLINE

E-Scan 38: Monitoring police health and wellbeing in real-time

Police work in some of the most high-stress and demanding operational environments, facing a combination of physical and psychological pressures. Research has shown this is not a marginal issue, as one in three police and other emergency service providers experience high or very high psychological distress, compared with one in eight in the general population. Fatigue, shift cycles, and operational tempo are among the most frequently cited contributors. The impacts are not only personal. Fatigue can slow reaction times, impair judgment, and increase the likelihood of errors, influencing both officer safety and public trust.

Emerging and evolving challenges, such as increasing operational complexity and societal pressures, may further compound these stressors. 

The adoption of biomonitoring technology offers a method of addressing these risks by enabling real-time monitoring and insight into police health and wellbeing. Wearable technologies are not a new concept, with some policing jurisdictions already trialling devices to track sleep patterns and indicators such as heart rate and fatigue to support employee wellbeing, and also understand operational physiological impacts. Ongoing advancements in biomonitoring may create opportunities for broader adoption.

Beyond traditional wearables such as smartwatches or fitness trackers, the University of Texas is experimenting with the concept of a wireless facial “e-tattoo”, using EEG and EOG sensors to detect and predict mental workload. This study is exploring the feasibility of a scalable, cost-effective solution for monitoring cognitive demand and mental fatigue.

This work is still in an experimental phase, and widespread implementation is not imminent. However, it illustrates the direction of progress: biomonitoring is moving from simple step counts or heart rates toward a more nuanced understanding of mental and cognitive resilience. As these technologies mature, they may enable policing to shift from reactive wellbeing support to a more preventive, evidence-based approach.

For policing, the potential applications are significant. The ability to identify when cognitive load is approaching unsafe thresholds, such as during lengthy investigations, prolonged surveillance, disaster response, or extended critical incidents, could support earlier intervention and better operational decisions. Supervisors could more accurately assess when to rotate roles, adjust taskings, or provide recovery time. At the individual level, officers could gain clearer awareness of their own physiological stress responses, enabling them to recognise when they are nearing fatigue and take action before safety is compromised.

However, any expansion of biomonitoring must be guided by strong safeguards, as its potential adoption also raises concerns around user privacy and data security. Clear governance is essential: data must be securely stored, managed in confidence, and used solely for legitimate purposes.

Biomonitoring is not a quick fix, nor should it replace organisational strategies that reduce avoidable workload pressures. But it may provide policing with a proactive tool to better manage fatigue, support and safeguard officer wellbeing and public safety, support effective decision-making, and uphold public trust in policing. Its use, like any technology in policing (including artificial intelligence), must be guided by safeguards that ensure ethical and responsible implementation.

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