When backup takes 15 minutes — or isn’t available — officers are left to handle high-risk calls alone.
In the “What Cops Want in 2025" survey, based on responses from over 1,200 officers nationwide, nearly one in four said they typically wait more than 11 minutes for backup or don’t receive it at all. Many described working solo, responding to violent calls without support and making critical decisions under pressure.
The responses reveal a system stretched thin. Officers reported delayed emergency response, longer shifts, increasing overtime and fewer opportunities to train or take time off. One officer said they’re “taking high-risk calls alone because there is no backup available,” while others pointed to the erosion of experience within their agencies — with newer officers placed in dangerous situations without sufficient guidance or mentorship.
Let’s take a closer look at the staffing and safety challenges officers say are putting them — and their communities — at risk.
What officers are saying
The survey results reveal a clear and consistent pattern: officers are responding to more calls, with fewer people, under more pressure. This strain is showing up across multiple areas of the job — from response times to officer wellness — and the data tells a clear story:
Nearly 50% of officers said their safety is always or frequently compromised due to understaffing.
What this means: Officers are entering volatile situations without adequate backup or personnel coverage, forcing them to make high-risk decisions without support. Many described working dangerously short-staffed, especially during nights or weekends. One respondent said, “Forced to take action without backup due to call severity and response time.” Another noted, “Not enough officers working to allow the appropriate number to respond to a call.” This kind of staffing gap directly increases the potential for officer injuries, mistakes or slower emergency response.
75% reported delayed backup during emergencies.
What this means: For most officers, help isn’t arriving fast enough — or at all — when they call for it. Many described being left alone to deal with combative subjects, volatile scenes or unknown threats. One officer shared, “No dispatcher and working alone.” Another stated, “Failure to properly be able to patrol a 724-square-mile county with only two patrol deputies.” In these situations, delayed backup doesn’t just create stress — it can change outcomes. Officers may hesitate to engage, act prematurely or be forced to escalate.
63% cited longer response times to incidents.
What this means: Low staffing means fewer units on duty, leading to increased response times — sometimes across entire jurisdictions. As one officer explained, “We’re stretched across multiple zones,” while another said, “We’re constantly catching calls alone.” This delay doesn’t just impact officers’ ability to assist one another — it affects how quickly departments can respond to public emergencies, ranging from violent incidents to medical calls.
56% said they’re exposed to more high-risk calls due to understaffing.
What this means: With fewer officers on shift, some calls that would typically require backup or specialized units are now being handled by solo patrol officers. This puts them at greater risk of harm. Several officers noted being dispatched alone to potentially armed subjects, volatile domestic disputes or emotionally disturbed individuals — without the time or support to slow things down or de-escalate.
43% reported being unable to take necessary breaks.
What this means: Officers often work through entire shifts without time to eat, rest or mentally decompress. As one respondent put it, “Increased mandatory overtime, limiting officer days off, increasing officer exhaustion.” This constant cycle of calls without recovery increases the risk of mistakes, weakens decision-making, and contributes to long-term burnout and morale issues. Officers also reported feeling pressure to forgo training opportunities or time off in order to keep minimum staffing levels.
But the problem isn’t just about numbers — it’s also about experience. As veteran officers leave, departments are filling the gaps with new recruits who may not be fully prepared for the realities of the job.
What’s making it worse
Staffing issues are amplified by inexperience and the loss of senior personnel — with newer officers being asked to step into critical roles before they’re ready. Survey responses back this up, with officers overwhelmingly linking inexperience to increased safety risks, including:
69% of officers said safety risks have increased due to a younger and less experienced workforce.
What this means: Departments are increasingly made up of newer officers without enough time, training or field exposure. One officer shared, “There are few senior officers left in patrol to guide the new officers.”
90% said lack of real-world experience in high-risk scenarios is contributing to safety risks.
What this means: Officers are entering complex, volatile situations without having faced anything similar during training. Several noted “babies training babies” and commented on “shortened FTO for new officers out of the academy due to staffing shortages.”
52% identified insufficient training for new recruits as a major concern.
What this means: The foundation is unstable. Officers are entering the field without key defensive, decision-making or team-based skills. As one officer wrote, “We are overworked, undertrained and outnumbered.”
Zoom in
Here are four achievable actions departments can take now to reduce risk, support officers and strengthen operations — even amid ongoing staffing challenges:
1. Improve backup response and shift coverage: Officers responding alone to high-risk calls face a greater likelihood of injury, escalation and hesitation. One officer noted, “We often have only three officers on shift — we’re constantly scrambling to cover each other.”
What departments can do: While hiring more officers takes time, agencies can act now by reevaluating patrol zones, shifting administrative roles into the field during peak hours and working with nearby agencies to strengthen mutual aid. Even small scheduling shifts can help reduce solo response to critical incidents.
2. Protect time off to reduce burnout: Many officers described an exhausting cycle of forced overtime and missed days off. “Being excessively tired on duty and off duty” was a common theme in responses — a warning sign for long-term burnout and compromised decision-making.
What departments can do: Meaningful time off doesn’t always require new funding. Agencies can create buffer time after critical incidents, ensure breaks are honored on shift and reduce unnecessary overtime through smarter scheduling. Creating space for recovery — even just an uninterrupted meal — can help protect both officer wellness and performance.
3. Shift training from paperwork to practice: Officers identified insufficient training for new recruits as a key concern — and many called for scenario-based, hands-on practice that reflects the actual demands of the job. One officer wrote, “We need training that reflects what we’re actually facing out there.”
What departments can do: Scenario-based training doesn’t require a state-of-the-art facility. Departments can use in-house trainers, roll call time or partnerships with neighboring agencies to run short, realistic drills. Prioritizing tactical decision-making and defensive skills helps build confidence — especially for newer officers handling complex calls.
4. Retain experience and build peer mentorship: As more veteran officers retire, respondents said safety risks are rising due to a less experienced workforce. One officer put it plainly: “There is no one left to show them how to do the job.”
What departments can do: Even without formal programs, agencies can encourage experienced officers to take on mentorship roles, protect their time by limiting admin duties, and offer shift preference or recognition in return. Departments that elevate peer support and field guidance help close the experience gap and reduce reliance on underprepared recruits.
Zoom out
Departments that invest in solving staffing-related safety challenges aren’t just protecting individual officers — they’re strengthening their entire operation. These efforts have ripple effects across performance, morale and public trust.
Here’s what agencies stand to gain:
1. Safer, more effective field operations: When officers know they’ll have backup — and aren’t stretched thin across calls — they’re more likely to slow down, assess the situation and respond using appropriate tactics. This leads to better decision-making and reduces the chances of officer injury. As survey data shows, delayed backup and solo response are linked to higher safety risks and increased exposure to high-risk calls.
What it looks like in action: With even modest improvements in shift coverage or mutual aid planning, officers can focus on handling the scene rather than scanning for help. Confidence in coverage leads to better outcomes — for the officer, the suspect and the public.
2. Higher retention and better leadership continuity: Experienced officers bring more than just skills — they provide mentorship, judgment and stability. But when they’re burned out or feel unsupported, they’re more likely to leave. Departments that protect time off, offer leadership opportunities and reduce workload strain are more likely to keep those institutional voices in place.
What it looks like in action: When senior officers stay, new hires learn faster, morale improves, and the department avoids the constant cycle of recruiting and retraining. Survey respondents said mentorship is missing — and its absence is putting officers at risk.
3. Stronger community trust and service outcomes: Public safety isn’t just about presence — it’s about performance. When officers are rested, trained and supported, they’re more likely to de-escalate effectively, show empathy and stay sharp in stressful moments.
What it looks like in action: A fully staffed and supported team is more likely to arrive on time, handle situations professionally and communicate clearly with the public. These moments — repeated across shifts and neighborhoods — are what build trust.
The bottom line
The voices in this year’s “What Cops Want in 2025" survey are clear: understaffing is not just a numbers problem — it’s a safety crisis that is reshaping how officers work, respond and survive on the job.
When departments operate below minimum strength, it’s not just morale that suffers — it’s response times, backup availability, officer confidence and community safety. Calls take longer, risks escalate faster and younger officers are being thrust into situations they haven’t been fully trained to handle. As the survey shows, the consequences are showing up on every shift: delayed backup, longer response times and a workforce stretched beyond its limits.
Departments that fail to act risk more than burnout — they risk preventable injuries, costly errors and compounding public distrust. But those that invest in realistic scheduling, targeted training, peer mentorship and officer wellness are building more than resilience — they’re building trust, retention and long-term operational strength.
This isn’t just about hiring. It’s about supporting the people who are already holding the line. As one officer put it: “We’re not just short-staffed. We’re short on support, short on time and short on people who know what they’re doing.”
