Sussex Police officers must have at least 11 hours of rest between shifts, the Federation has said, following new fatigue risk guidance issued by the National Police Wellbeing Service Oscar Kilo.

The guidance highlights the dangers of fatigue, which can impair alertness, performance, and decision-making in the same way as alcohol, studies have shown.

Raff Cioffi, Chairman of Sussex Police Federation, stressed the importance of addressing fatigue given the 24/7 nature of policing. “This is a crucial topic for all police officers, as working 24/7 significantly disrupts our circadian rhythms, increasing the risk of fatigue. Officers are often required to make high-stakes decisions while under the effects of fatigue, and this factor must be acknowledged when evaluating their judgment and decision-making, especially in cases of misconduct.

“In Sussex, we now have a clear interpretation of compensatory rest and a defined process for implementing it. I want to remind members that Sussex Police Federation has a workplace agreement in place addressing fatigue, ensuring that the minimum requirement of 11 hours' rest between shifts is maintained to support healthy recovery.

“These 11 hours of rest must not disadvantage the member in any way and should not override pay remuneration rights outlined in the 2003 Police Regulations. Instead, both sets of legislation should be applied in parallel,” Raff said.

Key worker rights under Working Time Regulations include:

An average of 48 working hours per week.
11 hours of rest between shifts.
One day off per week.
Rest breaks for shifts over six hours.
Four weeks of paid leave annually.
Night workers should not exceed an average of eight hours per 24-hour period.

Oscar Kilo’s fatigue risk toolkit has been developed to assist workers, supervisors and senior leaders in policing to understand the impact of fatigue, provide guidance on reducing the likelihood of fatigue and ensure health, safety, and welfare, by eliminating or mitigating workplace risks associated with fatigue.

Lee Rawlinson, NPCC Health and Safety Lead, added: “Policing as we know is at the forefront of protecting the public and keeping people safe. In order for policing to be the best it can be in its public service it is vital that we look after ourselves first and foremost. The demands of policing can be high and require people to work differently at short notice which can take a toll on us all.”