Excess Mortality, Sickness and Absence in the Police Workforce in England and Wales During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Policing was a critical part of the state response to the COVID-19 pandemic in England and Wales during a period in which the expectations and environment for law enforcement changed rapidly and frequently. While several studies have explored the impact of the pandemic on crime patterns and certain workforce aspects such as leadership and stress, the current study attempts to fill a gap in the literature by quantifiably estimating the impact of the COVID-19 on sickness, absence, and mortality in the police workforce. It finds that while absence rates were higher than normal, this was primarily associated with self-isolation policies. While the incidence of COVID-19 in police officers may have been higher than the incidence in the general public, the mortality rate actually reflected a reduction on the pre-pandemic year. This article discusses the implications for future contingency planning and research.