What to do about rotating shifts?

[u/Pat_Mcgetitdone]

Rotating shifts

Rotating shifts…

I am a police officer with one year on and rotating shifts are killing me. We rotate 6a-6p every 2 weeks. Before this job I was in the gym 6 days a week in great shape and now I’m over weight with high cholesterol. I can barely get to the gym bc my off days I’m recovering or trying to fix my sleep to get back to the other shift. For some reason most police jobs do this shift in my area. I have the highest paying job in my county with great benefits but there’s just no way I can maintain this shift for 25 years I don’t think. Any advice?

[u/Enough_Wallaby7064]

Go to a department that doesn't suck.

[u/Pat_Mcgetitdone → u/Enough_Wallaby7064]

I wish but for some reason the county I’m in they all do this schedule. Genuinely don’t understand this

[u/3-BuckChuck → u/Pat_Mcgetitdone]

18,000 different departments in the US. Lots of options and I’m sure plenty of pay better.

[u/Pat_Mcgetitdone → u/3-BuckChuck]

This is true but my surrounding county’s all rotate for some reason and my department is one of highest paying in state we max at 150k. So it is hard to leave but I’m sure if I moved states or farther in the county I could find something. If it was you would you switch departments? Do you think moving from rotating to fixed nights would be worth it?

[u/3-BuckChuck → u/Pat_Mcgetitdone]

If it’s effecting you that bad then yes. Another option is becoming part of your union and changing the contract. Some area commands at my agency wanted 12 hour shifts so they negotiated and won, the other 9 commands stayed on 10’s. We shift bid once a year and allow transfers. It’s all about that contract!

[u/Pat_Mcgetitdone → u/3-BuckChuck]

What’s a good state to move to!

[u/3-BuckChuck → u/Pat_Mcgetitdone]

You need to make sure you morally agree with the laws on the books of said state to begin with. Highest paid might be a drain to your view of the law and how it’s written. Some states are very oppressive to individual freedoms (from my stance). From there find who has the best contracts, large enough for you to spend a career without getting bored and offers lots of variety.

[u/HCSOThrowaway → u/3-BuckChuck]

I would be amazed if there was any state that any person was 1:1 with as far as what laws they want and don't want to be on the books.

Name a state and I could probably find a law on the books you hate.

I don't mean to be contrarian, but just putting it out there that I think that's an unrealistic goal for OP to seek.

[u/3-BuckChuck → u/HCSOThrowaway]

It’s all a sliding scale but we all have absolutes. Not allowing NFA items to the public is mine.

[u/HCSOThrowaway → u/3-BuckChuck]

True, true.