So, you are on the schedule to work on Thanksgiving... again. The overtime pay is good, you might have even signed up for the shifts. Either way, if you have a family you probably wish you could be with them no matter what your circumstances are.
The Thanksgiving weekend is an incredibly long one for law enforcement. There is obviously a critical need for all first responders all holidays. The peace-makers are assigned to protect the citizens, run in when others run out, catch the bad guys, collect evidence, solve a crime, provide those in need, keep the streets safe, and save a few lives. This year Thanksgiving may be particularly unpredictable and quite possibly overwhelming for police officers/departments as the post-election protests, with associated rioting and looting, are still a challenge in several cities. There is also an increasing number of individuals who are reporting symptoms of grief, shock, anhedonia, and suicide ideation which they relate to the election results.
Hopes and Realities
There is no typical day for any patrol, traffic, investigative, dispatcher, corrections or supervisory officer on any given holiday. It could be dead quiet and mind-numbingly boring, to just busy enough to make the shift pass quickly, to unimaginably horrific. This Thanksgiving all you are hoping for is a low-key day, with minimal paperwork so you can enjoy the station’s potluck or slip home for a portion of the family feast. You’re hoping for the parade detail; that can be pretty entertaining. Maybe you will be able to catch some football. But, as you know, that isn’t probable. In fact, the whole holiday weekend, from the Wednesday before Thanksgiving to the Monday after, can be a law enforcement officer’s nightmare related to calls for service. So, what are you in store for?
Black Wednesday
Thanksgiving Eve, sometimes referred to as “Black Wednesday, it’s widely known as the busiest bar night of the year due to the influx of out-of-towners and the start of a four-day weekend. It is the overall 2nd most popular party night of the year (I am sure you can guess #1). Think of all the college kids heading home for the first time of the academic year, it can seem like the scenes from the TV show “Students Gone Wild” are being filmed on your beat. Honestly, high school students aren’t a whole lot better. Add to that company holiday parties or happy hours with coworkers before heading home for the long weekend. It seems like everyone has a reason to celebrate; and they often do it to excess, and unfortunately too many choose to drive.
Thanksgiving weekend is also the most traveled holiday of the year. It’s estimated that more than 46 million Americans will journey more than 50 miles during the 2016 Thanksgiving holiday weekend. 12 million opt to fly to their destination, leaving 34 million to travel by car along the nation’s highways. Over the past two decades, Thanksgiving weekend has averaged 506 driving deaths annually, the highest by far among the six holidays measured in a 2016 National Safety Council report.
Thanksgiving Day:
Partner violence typically increases 22% on Thanksgiving. There are increased calls as family members who normally aren't together get into more than just heated arguments. You also get custody battle calls related to shared parenting. Add alcohol and football upsets to the mix and police officers have their hands full. If your department covers the FD, you will be busier than usual. Cooking fires occur twice as often on Thanksgiving than any other day of the year. The good news is that contrary to popular beliefs, the number of attempted and/or completed suicides does not increase on Thanksgiving, or Christmas for that matter (rates do increase on New Year’s Day). Actually, these holidays are associated with a lowered rate of suicide. It is believed that the increased family and social support structures during the holidays may be protective against suicide attempts.
By Thursday evening, after most of the games are winding down, while everyone is gastronomically satiated, there are only two things left to look forward to:
- Raiding the refrigerator for that turkey sandwich (best part of the holiday as far as I am concerned)
- Gluttonous Black Friday shopping, which starts around 1800 Thanksgiving Day at most major department stores.
And you all know what that means….
Pre-Black Friday through Cyber Monday
Let the chaos begin. Not only is Black Friday the busiest shopping day of the year, it also the busiest shoplifting day of the year. Black Friday accounts for 10% of retailers’ holiday sales. Last year 102 million shoppers hit the stores on Black Friday. The rate of shoplifting is 1 in 11 “shoppers”, which means that almost a million individuals probably got the best bargain in town. Of course, stores increase their security for the season, thieves are caught, you are called to detain and transport (and do paperwork after your shift ends). Rinse and repeat if your beat includes a mall.
Let’s not forget the whacko or sociopathic shoppers, who will go to any length to get one of fifty of whatever the latest must have toy, video game system or other coveted electronics. Just for fun, you can check out highlights from the pandemonium during 2015 Black Friday events on a YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBkGla-sYis
And that’s not the half of it, literally. More and more people are doing their deep discount Thanksgiving buying online; culminating with the newly traditional Cyber Monday. The National Retail Foundation expects 2016 online sales to increase between 7-10% over last year to as much as $117 billion. Crooks and scammers have been baiting their traps for susceptible shoppers hunting for irresistibly good buys. Welcome to cyber-crime central; call in the detectives.
Emotional Toll of Missing the Holiday
This is the hardest part, especially this year. Far too many officers were killed or seriously injured in the line of duty. The exact total is hard to calculate as there are more casualties added daily; the tally will be available in January. Nonetheless, 218 officers have been shot so far this year; as of 11/15/16, fifty-seven of these officers paid the ultimate sacrifice. Every fallen officer leaves loved ones, partners, and departments. The grief can feel intolerable. This grief may decrease over the years, but thousands of individuals still grieve for the senseless loss of so many brothers and sisters in blue.
Working the holidays can be quite disruptive to an officer’s family. Unless you are a newbie this won’t be the first family holiday you will miss due to your career choice. Many officers feel like they are disappointing children, spouses, other family members, as well as themselves for not being present for traditional festivities. There is no way to make up for this, but you will feel obligated to try. You may have to work Christmas as well. Family members try to understand, but you can see the sadness in their eyes.
Additionally, because the holidays are a time for reflection, officers, like anyone else, are susceptible to feelings of melancholy. Memories can become painful for the officer who muses about calls that did not provide the desired ending; the “whys’ and “if only” thoughts return as the officer reflects on an individual or their family, wondering how are they coping with the holiday.
The Upside of Working Thanksgiving: Appreciation and Role-Modeling
Anyone who needs to access emergency services on Thanksgiving can because of you. That includes you, your family, and your friends. And yes, people are very thankful for that.
This Thanksgiving take time to evaluate your own life and your priorities. Try to keep things in perspective and take some time to reflect on what you have accomplished, what your goals are, and especially what you are thankful for. Make a list 10-20 things you are thankful for and share it with a loved one, a partner, or other brothers/sisters in blue. When you are feeling a little down review your list or someone else’s to rekindle some gratitude. I’ll get you started…
I’m thankful for:
- My family, friends, and colleagues
- Being an American
- Hikes in the mountains
- An ability to make a difference
- Laughter
- My health
- First responders
- Our veterans
- Opportunities
- ………………. (your turn)
And yes, I’m thankful to all the command staff who volunteers to work a holiday so that an officer with a family can stay home. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours; and thank you for all that you do from all of us at Officer.com.
