Why rotate the shifts?

[Grizzly]

Why is this?

I have heard of many departments who use a rotating shift. So you may never be on the same shift for more than 3 months at a time before it rolls around to another time schedule or some time frame like that. Is this a tactic to keep complacency from setting in on the LEO? Or maybe to keep the criminal activity from learning individual LEO patrol patterns? It would seem that with the stresses placed on LEO's that to stabilize the homelife by allowing more established shifts would help with those very same stresses that can tear apart a family. This is not meant as a criticism but meant as a questioning critique. I will eventually work in this field but out of all the things I have seen/heard of in this profession that seems to be the most de-stabilizing practice of all. Thanks folks.

[Photogrrlz]

It varies from department...

My department has yearly shift bids, you can choose the district and shift you want to work, but its not guarenteed that you get both. Its one or another. I amost forgot you can choose between courts and the road.

In the jail it is just shift bids.

[gotthblues]

Is this a tactic to keep complacency from setting in on the LEO? Or maybe to keep the criminal activity from learning individual LEO patrol patterns?

yes and yes, we rotated every 4 months, at about 3 months we tended to get complacent and tired of the shift we were on. kinda helps keep things fresh, plus it keeps it fair, some like days over nights, and vice versa,

[cst.sb]

Our shifts are 4 on 4 off, two days - two nights. It's a bit tuff on the body, but it's nice to have 4 days off each week. The other night things is that no one gets stuck on nights or weekends. We share them all.

[midmichigancop]

We work 12 hour shifts rotating once a month. Days: 6am to 6pm, afternoons: 1pm to 1am, midnights: 6pm to 6am, sgt's: 4pm to 4am. We have everyother weekend off (sat,sun,mon), and it always falls on our long weekend when we rotate. We used to do shift bids and they were permanent shifts unless someone wanted to rotate to another. The bosses came up with this idea believing that it will make for a more rounded officer working all shifts. Plus we average 2 to 3 weekdays off per week.

[SO535]

Why rotate the shifts?

To **** me off.

[EMTFirefighter]

I like the idea of rotating days off (something my department's never heard of, apparently) but set shifts. That's what shift bids and seniority is for. I'll never have a problem getting the shift I want, though. I doubt anyone with seniority is ever going to bump me off midnights. I'd never want to work another shift, at least not here.

[USP45FAN]

We work 6 days on 2 off, that way every 5th and 6th week you get a 3 day weekend. Plus, we can only be on the same shift for 9 months out of the year. It works alright for us, but due to our current staffing situation, you are more likely to work a lot of 12 hour shifts.

[Pedro56]

We stopped rotating shifts a couple years ago. I was so happy, I have my nice little cozy spot on midnights I love it.I think rotating shifts beat 1 down more than anything.

[Grizzly]

To **** me off.

Ha! Well at least your honest about it...