8 hour shifts

[firestone88]

Personally, I think 8 hours is plenty for police work... If you are being pro-active instead of the "wait for the call" mentality.

Most of the time, the "wait for the call" mentality is the only mentality you can have.

I work straight 8's Monday through Friday (0600-1400). When I was hired, I had the lowest badge number in the batch. From what I understand, the top two traditionally get the "gravy" shift like I have.

Personally, I'd rather be working afternoons from 1300-2300, Wednesday through Saturday. But I'll take what they give me.

[EMVAMPYRE]

The station I'm currently assigned to is on a mix of different shift schedules. I work a straing 5/8 with 2 days off. Some of the units and deputies work a double shift (16 hrs) and have 3 days off per week. Most of us don't rotate days off here and if you are like me with my current schedule (Basicly weekends off) you don't complain much, but, in order to have those days off I work in the middle of the night, hence my name!

[Redders]

The Trooper I was with and I guess the whole department works 8 hour shifts... Personally, I think 8 hours is plenty for police work... If you are being pro-active instead of the "wait for the call" mentality.

That really depends though on where you work. I work for a county of 2400 square miles and 6,600 people with two major secondary highways that run north to south and east to west. If I only worked an eight hour shift I couldn't get my town checks in or get reports written at the office (computers in cars, whats that?)

[TheOrteganator]

I'm not an officer (yet), just a Cadet, but our officers work 11 hour shifts. 4 days on, 4 days off. We have two teams, so one works 4 days, and the other team works during the first team's 4 days off.

[LeanG]

Our dept. works 8's, rotates days off every 28 days so everyone gets weekends off every 3rd month. But I get more done with weekdays off.

[S.O.444]

My dept. works 8's but personally I'd rather be doing 10's. Four on, three off would be really nice, IMO.

[GPOC]

Work 8's here as a rook. Had Sat/Sun off all along but just switched to Fri/Sat off.

Sat/Sun is on the table now but the sunday $$ dif will be too hard to pass up

[D.o.D cop]

My department is in 8's right now, some of us are in 5/2's, and some of the veteran's are in 6/3's, with set days. I'd rather work a 10 hour shift with the overlapping shift, just for more bodies out on the road during those times.

[ray8285]

Missouri may no longer allow 10 or 12 hour shifts. Because of a new minimum wage law any work over 8 hours in one day is considered overtime. It's in the courts right now.

[StudChris]

For me I am just as tired and want to do just as little when I come home rather it's from a 12 hour shift or an 8 hour shift... so if I were to work 8 hour shifts (luckily no one around here does) I would get a whole lot less done than with 12s.

I'm not really concerned with not being able to get enough done during the shift, I'm sure 8 hours is plenty of time lol. and I definitely understand that taking a call near the end of your shift can extend it past 8 hours. I was just wondering if you maybe preferred 10's or 12's because of more days off and also getting weekends off once in a while if you have a rotating schedule. I had never thought of the fact that having permanent week days off allows you to get more done, that is a good point. thank you for all the responses, 8's dont seem like they'd be so bad anymore.

[Magicman]

I work 5 8 hour shifts. Same days off M/T every week. Our midwatch crew works 4 10s. I don't mind the 8s. It's plenty of time for me to get things done. Although I may want weekends off, it's not bad to have weekdays off, most of my subpoenas are for Mon and Tues. Big time extra money. Not to mention the wife and I get to spend lots of time together on my days off. In the summer we just readjust what would be a normal weekend.

[Irishluck31]

8 with rotating days off and yearly shift bids. I like having different day off every week.

[Bing_Oh]

My department still works 8's...5 on, 2 off, so I never have a weekend off unless I take vacation or personal time.

[bikecop136]

My department went from 8's too 12's last year. The 12 hour shift is so much better. Every other weekend off. When we were on eights, it could take 7-10 years before a Officer would have a weekend. It is nice to have a weekend to relax, and to hang with friend's that are not in Law Enfrocement that have normal weekends off.