Airport Police: Understanding Shift Work And Time Management

Police officers working at airports have varied shift patterns, with no state or federal mandates for shift lengths. These are set by individual departments or police unions. Officers often work full-time hours, which can include long daily shifts, weekends, holidays, and night shifts. Some police departments have a traditional 40-hour workweek, while others have shortened workweeks with longer shifts, such as four 10-hour days or three 12-hour days. For example, the Orlando Police Department at Orlando International Airport has a permanent status position with an expected 36-hour workweek. The DFW International Airport Police Department requires officers to work various shifts, including 24-hour consecutive shifts.

Shift lengths vary

While there are no state or federal mandates for police shift lengths, rules are set by individual departments or police unions. Police officers typically work full-time hours, which can include long daily shifts. Some departments have 40-hour workweeks for patrol officers, with five consecutive eight-hour shifts followed by two days off. Others may have shortened workweeks with longer shifts, such as four 10-hour days or three 12-hour days.

The Orlando Police Department, for example, offers permanent positions with an expected 36-hour workweek. The most common schedule for patrol officers is four days per week, with 10-hour shifts. This provides overlap to ensure constant patrol coverage and includes office work for training, court appearances, and administrative tasks.

Studies suggest that 10-hour shifts offer a better work-life balance for police officers, improving sleep quality compared to traditional eight-hour shifts. However, some departments may allow officers to work up to 18 hours in a 24-hour period, highlighting the importance of balancing staffing needs with adequate rest to address fatigue.

To maintain coverage, departments often provide at least one day off between drastic shift changes, and officers may be given patrol cars to take home to facilitate quick response times when needed. Overtime is common, especially for court appearances, filling roster gaps, and crowd control. Airport police, in particular, can expect to work nights, weekends, and holidays due to the continuous nature of law enforcement operations.

Rotating days off

While there are no state or federal mandates for police shift lengths, individual departments or police unions determine the rules. Police officers usually work full-time hours, and their schedules often include long daily shifts. Some departments have patrol officers working a traditional 40-hour workweek, with five consecutive eight-hour shifts followed by two days off.

Police officers' days off may rotate weekly rather than being fixed. For instance, an officer might have Monday and Tuesday off one week, then Tuesday and Wednesday off the next week. This system ensures that there is always some patrol coverage, and it allows each officer to have a separate day to focus on tasks like training, court appearances, and administrative work without compromising the number of officers on active patrol.

Departments often provide at least one day off between drastic shift changes to help officers adjust to the new schedule. Additionally, some departments allow officers to take patrol cars home so they can be on call when needed.

Overtime is common for police officers, especially when they have to make off-duty court appearances, fill in for absent colleagues, or assist with crowd control. Police officers often work on weekends, holidays, and night shifts, so flexibility is essential.

Some departments may allow officers to work up to 18 hours in a 24-hour period, but balancing staffing needs with adequate rest is crucial. Studies suggest that 10-hour shifts offer a better work-life balance for police officers, and advocates for standardized hours recommend limiting officers to 14 hours per day with mandatory rest periods on longer shifts.

Overtime and court appearances

While there are no state or federal mandates for police shift lengths, overtime is very common for police officers making off-duty court appearances. Police officers are paid overtime for hours worked on holidays, hours worked beyond their assigned duties, and off-duty hours spent in court. Court Overtime is paid to sworn employees who are subpoenaed to appear in court during off-duty hours. Court Standby is another type of duty paid by the department, which involves a police officer testifying at a trial.

Overtime is also paid for hours worked for firing range requalification during off-duty hours, and for attending meetings or carrying out other functions during off-duty hours. Police officers often work weekends, holidays, and night shifts, and they may have weekly rotating days off. For example, they may have Monday and Tuesday off one week and then Tuesday and Wednesday off the following week.

The number of overtime hours and the officer's preference for compensation are recorded on a biweekly watch report, which is used by the unit's clerk and sent to payroll. The payroll office then computes overtime payments based on these reports. Attendance data and overtime use are recorded separately to prevent commanding officers from knowing if overtime is incurred on authorised leave days. After each biweekly pay period, an overtime summary report is compiled, detailing the number of overtime hours by unit and purpose, which is then reviewed by the Chief and Deputy Chiefs.

Overtime rates are typically one and a half times the straight-time rate and can be compensated as overtime pay or compensatory time off. In some cases, third parties may pay one and a half times the straight-time rate for each hour worked, plus an additional percentage for administrative overhead.

Shift-start bidding

While the specifics of shift-start bidding may vary across police departments, the general idea remains the same. The process usually begins with public safety administrators creating the shifts they need officers to work. Once the officers are notified of the available shifts, they can place their bids, indicating their preferred start times and schedules.

In the case of airport police, shift-start bidding can be influenced by factors such as seniority, with long-serving officers often taking priority for weekend shifts. Officers with more seniority may also be more likely to secure consistent shifts, allowing them to have every Sunday or Saturday and Sunday off, for example. This can lead to a sense of frustration among newer officers, who may feel that their preferences are overlooked.

The bidding process typically involves officers expressing their shift preferences during a specified period, often annually from November to December, or on a monthly or quarterly basis. At the end of this period, administrators sort the choices based on seniority, departmental rules, and the needs of the schedule, ensuring that all shifts are covered.

Shift differentials

While there are no state or federal mandates for police shift lengths, police officers typically work full-time hours, which often include long daily shifts. The Orlando Police Department offers shift differentials, where the majority of the normal work shift must fall between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. to qualify. For example, if an officer's shift hours are 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., six of the eight hours fall within the differential timeframe, and they will be paid for the entire shift.

Police departments may have varying shift schedules, with some officers working the traditional 40-hour workweek, consisting of five consecutive eight-hour shifts followed by two days off. Others may work shortened workweeks with longer shifts, such as four 10-hour days or three 12-hour days. Some departments may even allow officers to work up to 18 hours within a 24-hour period.

The preference for longer shifts in some departments is driven by the need to ensure adequate coverage for all types of police work. Longer shifts can also provide a better work-life balance for officers, as studies suggest that 10-hour shifts result in better sleep patterns compared to traditional eight-hour shifts. However, it is important to balance longer shifts with adequate rest, and some suggest limiting officers to 14 hours per day with mandatory rest periods on longer shifts.

Additionally, police officers typically have rotating days off instead of fixed days off. For instance, an officer might have Monday and Tuesday off one week, and then Tuesday and Wednesday off the following week. This flexibility in scheduling allows for continuous coverage and ensures that all officers work at least one day a week in the office for training, court appearances, and administrative tasks.

Frequently asked questions