How does the double-track human resource management model contribute to job burnout and mental health among Chinese government departments? A Chinese police study.

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the contribution of the double-track human resource management model to the job performance and mental health of frontline police within China's public security organs. Methodology: An individual-centered approach, latent profile analysis (LPA), was utilized in this study, which used cluster sampling to survey all police of all 118 frontline police stations in an economically underdeveloped area of China and 839 personnel were selected for the analysis. This method allowed for a detailed examination of the contribution of the double-track system to job performance and mental health. Findings and conclusion: The study identified three subtypes of job burnout among Chinese police: low job burnout, medium job burnout, and emotional exhaustion type. The double-track human resource management model in China's public security organs has contributed to significant disparities between civilian and auxiliary police, such as more severe job burnout among civilian police, lower job performance, and mental health among auxiliary police. Implications: To mitigate the potential risks associated with the double-track human resource management model, adjustments are necessary for both the management system and the treatment distribution system, which would also help address the disparities and improve the overall wellbeing and performance of all police officers.

How do perceptions of procedural justice, police legitimacy, and legitimacy of laws influence intentions to drug drive?

INTRODUCTION: There is a need for improved drug driving enforcement to promote greater driver compliance with drug driving laws. In Australia, Roadside Drug Testing (RDT) suffers from operational challenges that undermine its effectiveness in reducing drug driving. OBJECTIVE: To identify potential improvements to RDT, this study investigated the extent to which drivers perceive RDT to be procedurally just and that the policing of drug driving and the associated laws are legitimate. These perceptions were then compared with those applying to Random Breath Testing (RBT) and examined in relation to their respective influence on intentions to drug and drink drive in the future. METHOD: A sample of 1,483 licensed drivers from three Australian states completed an online survey. RESULTS: Those participants who reported engaging in drug driving perceived RDT to be less procedurally just than non-drug drivers. Similarly, drug drivers perceived the police and associated drug driving laws to be less legitimate than non-drug drivers. Furthermore, drug drivers who had been tested at an RDT operation in the past perceived RDT to be less procedurally just and considered drug driving policing and laws to be less legitimate, compared with the corresponding perceptions of drink drivers who had been tested at an RBT operation. A regression analysis indicated that stronger intentions to drug drive in the future were associated with lower perceptions of police legitimacy and the legitimacy of drug driving laws, but not with the elements of procedural justice. However, follow-up analyses indicated that the influence of procedural justice on intentions was mediated by the two legitimacy variables, thus weakening its direct impact on intentions. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The results highlight the need for road safety authorities to enhance the perceived legitimacy of drug driving enforcement and associated laws. Changes to current police practices and/or drug-driving laws may also be needed to enhance the effectiveness of RDT.

Factors associated with burnout in military police officers in a city in Paraná.

OBJECTIVE: to analyze the association between burnout and sociodemographic, work factors, lifestyle habits and health conditions of military police officers in a municipality in the state of Paraná, Brazil. METHOD: cross-sectional research with 131 military police officers. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software and the R program. Chi-square, Fisher's exact and Poisson Generalized Linear Model tests were used. RESULTS: most participants (65.6%) had a high level of burnout. In relation to protective factors, those who carried out leisure activities had a 33.6% chance of not developing burnout. Conjugality was also a protective factor. Not practicing physical activity and leisure activities are factors that can contribute to the occurrence of burnout. CONCLUSIONS: important factors and high rates of burnout were observed in the police officers investigated. It is necessary to implement public health policies to reduce burnout with attention focused on this professional category.

Police violence reduces trust in the police among Black residents.

Recent high-profile incidents involving the shooting or killing of unarmed Black men have intensified the debate about how police violence affects trust in the criminal justice system, particularly among communities of color. In this article, we propose a quasi-experimental design that leverages the timing of the shooting of Jacob Blake by the Kenosha Police Department relative to when a large survey was fielded in the city of Chicago. We demonstrate that individuals interviewed 4 weeks before and 4 weeks after the shooting are comparable across a large set of observed characteristics, thus approximating an experimental setting. We find that Blake's shooting caused substantial reductions in Black respondents' trust in the police, concentrated among younger residents and criminalized residents. These results suggest that police violence against racial minorities may lead to lower civic engagement and cooperation with law enforcement in those communities, exacerbating issues of public safety and community well-being. The pronounced distrust among younger Black residents suggests a generational rift that could risk further entrenching systemic biases and inequalities within the criminal justice system. Additionally, the higher levels of distrust among criminalized respondents could have implications for research detailing this population's decreased willingness to engage with public institutions more broadly.

"The police came in white protective suits and with batons, it was pure disaster" - a multi-stakeholder perspective on infection control in reception centers for asylum seekers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges, particularly for vulnerable populations residing in confined settings such as refugee shelters: Physical distancing measures were challenging to implement in shelters due to shared rooms or communal use of kitchens and sanitary facilities, which increased the risk of infections. Meanwhile, individuals' capabilities for individual protection strategies were severely impaired by the structure of the shelters. Consequently, shelters had the duty to develop and implement strategies for the prevention and handling of SARS-CoV-2 infections. The aim of this study was to explore the perspectives of refugees, NGO employees, and shelter directors regarding COVID-19-related measures in German refugee shelters. The study aimed to identify challenges and conflicts arising from implemented measures, as well as expectations for improved support during the pandemic. METHODS: Semi-structured and narrative interviews were conducted with 6 refugees, 6 facility managers, 12 NGO staff, and 2 social service agency staff from February to August 2022. Qualitative content analysis was employed to analyze the data, identifying overarching themes and codes. RESULTS: The study uncovered challenges and conflicts resulting from pandemic measures, particularly mass quarantine orders, within refugee shelters. Lack of transparency and ineffective communication worsened tensions, with refugees feeling distressed and anxious. The quarantine experience had a negative impact on refugees' mental health, which was exacerbated by limited social interaction and leisure-time activities. Shelter managers encountered administrative challenges when implementing measures due to facility constraints and limited resources, while NGO employees encountered obstacles in providing immediate assistance due to legal regulations and a lack of cooperation from shelter managers. CONCLUSIONS: The study highlights that shelters are problematic institutions from a public health perspective. It shows the importance of implementing customized pandemic interventions in refugee shelters that take account of the diverse needs and experiences of both refugee and staff. To achieve this, we recommend to establish an ethics committee and involve various stakeholders in decision-making processes. Additionally, enhancing information dissemination to promote transparency and public understanding of measures is crucial. These insights can help develop comprehensive and effective pandemic plans for refugee shelters, ensuring better preparedness for future public health crises.

Carjacking and homicide in Minneapolis after the police killing of George Floyd: Evidence from an interrupted time series analysis.

There is abundant research showing the disproportionate impacts of violence on health in disadvantaged neighborhoods, making an understanding of recent violent crime trends essential for promoting health equity. Carjackings have been of particular interest in the media, although little research has been undertaken on this violent crime. We use interrupted time series models to examine the impact of the police killing of George Floyd on the spatiotemporal patterns of carjacking in Minneapolis in relation to neighborhood disadvantage. To provide grounding, we compare our results to the well-studied patterns of homicides. Results indicate that carjackings both increased and dispersed spatially after the murder of George Floyd and subsequent social unrest, more so than homicides. Socially disadvantaged neighborhoods experienced the greatest absolute increase while more advantaged neighborhoods saw a greater relative increase. The challenge ahead is to identify policy responses that will effectively curb such violence without resorting to harsh and inequitable policing and sentencing practices.

Cigarette Smoking in Women Victims of Police-Reported Intimate Partner Violence: The Role of Childhood Maltreatment, Type of Partner Abuse, and Psychological Distress Symptoms.

Existing research on the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) and cigarette smoking primarily involves low-risk, physical IVP-focused studies on community women. As a result, the risks associated with cigarette smoking in women victims of severe IPV have not been fully explored. This study examined the association between exposure to different forms of childhood maltreatment, exposure to physical, psychological, and sexual IPV, and current psychological distress symptoms with cigarette smoking in a high-risk sample of women victims of police-reported severe IPV. Participants included 162 women victims of police-reported severe IPV recruited in shelters for domestic violence and Child Protective Services in Portugal. Participants provided self-reports on childhood maltreatment physical, psychological, and sexual violence), physical, psychological, and sexual IPV, psychological distress symptoms (anxiety, depressive, somatic, and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms), and daily cigarette consumption. Results revealed significant associations between daily cigarette consumption and exposure to IPV, physical abuse during childhood, psychological IPV, and anxiety symptoms in women experiencing police-reported severe IPV. Childhood maltreatment may increase vulnerability for emotion dysregulation, promoting addictive behaviors to regulate distress. Smoking can be an unhealthy regulating strategy to reduce the distress related to chronic exposure to psychological IPV. Future effective health promotion interventions in women facing severe forms of IPV may target emotional regulation and incorporate a trauma-focused approach.

Mass killing during terror attack at the Israel-Gaza border and the role of the Ministry of Health in identification of human remains and their release.

More than 1200 civilians and military were killed in cities and villages by the Hamas attack on October 7th, 2023. The bodies and body-parts had to be identified and released for burial. This report outlines the challenges and mode of operation of the massive disaster victim identification (DVI) efforts. Bodies were delivered to a central mortuary. Each body was coded and undressed for external inspection and documentation of physical elements. Digital fingerprints were recorded and blood or toenails sampled for DNA. Odontology exams were performed by dentists describing dentition, aided by computerized tomography (CT). Whole-body CT was performed in cases the bodies were disfigured or burned from the second week. Simultaneously, families of missing civilians provided physical elements to the police to extract the DNA for antemortem documentation. The police took the responsibility over the reconciliation, which was based on comparison of the ante-mortem and post-mortem fingerprints, aided by DNA profile matching, odontology examination, clinical and/or radiological findings performed by forensic practitioners. Secondary identification elements were used assure the families regarding the identification. Precise scientific identification a was a priority, even if it slowed the rate of bodies release. Families were allowed to view their relative either at the mortuary or before burial. The DVI process required cooperation between several governmental agencies and police. To maximize the effectiveness, a synchronized approach should be adopted, specifying communication channels between the partners and dividing the responsibilities. The DVI should be led by a single, experienced authority to ensure interdisciplinary teamwork. This catastrophe required personal resilience of the teams for rapid and efficient functioning and communication between the partners.

Indirect victims of violence: a look at health impacts. / Vítimas indiretas da violência: um olhar sobre os impactos na saúde.

We sought to investigate the perceptions of indirect victims or family members of homicide victims, about the repercussions of these deaths on their health. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive study was carried out, based on eight semi-structured individual interviews with two groups: family members of police officers victimized by lethal violence, and family members of people killed as a result of police intervention, designated here as homicide. Both groups reported the perception that their health deteriorated after the homicide, and mentioned problems such as depression, panic disorder, insomnia, heart conditions and eating disorders. They also highlighted the acquisition of habits that are harmful to health, such as the consumption of alcoholic beverages, tobacco and self-medication, and the worsening of pre-existing health issues. It was observed that the homicide committed and suffered by police agents affects various aspects of the lives of indirect victims that are inseparable from health issues in a broader sense. These people are also victims of this violence, although their suffering is often made invisible. Studying this topic helps to give space to the suffering and mourning of these people and to subsidize the best performance of the institutions and services involved.

Buscou-se investigar as percepções das vítimas indiretas, ou familiares de vítimas de homicídio, sobre as repercussões dessa morte em sua saúde. Fez-se um estudo qualitativo, exploratório, descritivo, a partir de oito entrevistas individuais semiestruturadas com dois grupos: familiares de agentes policiais vitimados por violência letal, e familiares de pessoas mortas em decorrência de intervenção policial, aqui designada como homicídio. Ambos os grupos relataram a percepção de que sua saúde piorou após o homicídio, e mencionaram problemas de depressão, síndrome do pânico, insônia, problemas cardíacos e distúrbios alimentares. Destacaram ainda a aquisição de hábitos danosos à saúde, como consumo de bebidas alcoólicas, tabaco e automedicação, e o agravamento de problemas de saúde pré-existentes. Observou-se que o homicídio praticado e sofrido por agentes policiais afeta vários aspectos da vida das vítimas indiretas que são indissociáveis das questões de saúde em sentido ampliado. Essas pessoas também são vítimas dessa violência, embora muitas vezes tenham seu sofrimento invisibilizado. Estudar o tema contribui para dar espaço ao sofrimento e ao luto, e para subsidiar a melhor atuação das instituições e serviços envolvidos.

First Sero-Molecular Diagnosis of Toxoplasma gondii and Toxocara spp. Infections in the Police Dogs and Their Trainers in Iran.

PURPOSE: Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) and Toxocara spp. are two types of parasites that can infect humans and various animals, including dogs. Police dogs and their trainers have a vital role in law enforcement, and their health and well-being are crucial for them to effectively carry out their duties. No study has yet been conducted on the prevalence of T. gondii and Toxocara spp. infections among police dogs and their trainers in Iran. The objective of this study was to determine the sero-molecular prevalence of T. gondii and Toxocara spp. infections in police dogs and their trainers in Tehran, the capital of Iran. METHODS: In Tehran province, the anti-narcotics police have nearly 200 well-trained police dogs. Each dog is assigned a dedicated trainer and upon completing missions, is housed separately in a designated area. In the present study, a total of 150 samples were gathered. These included 50 blood samples from randomly selected police dogs, 50 fecal samples from the same dogs, and 50 blood samples from their trainers. The Modified Agglutination Test (MAT) was performed to detect T. gondii antibodies in dog blood samples and the ELISA system was utilized to identify anti-Toxoplasma and anti-Toxocara antibodies in the sera of the dog trainers. A specific segment of the SAG2 and ITS genes were amplified via nested-PCR in order to molecularly detect T. gondii in human blood samples and Toxocara spp. in dog fecal samples. RESULTS: Regarding serological findings, the prevalence of T. gondii in dog and human blood samples was 4% (2/50) and 10% (5/50), respectively. According to reports, the seroprevalence of Toxocara spp. in human blood samples was 6% (3/50). No statistically significant association was found between the prevalence of the examined parasites and variables (age, sex, and breed) in dogs, as well as the age variable in military personnel. Molecular findings showed that out of the 50 dog fecal samples and 50 human blood samples, there was no presence of Toxocara spp. and T. gondii, respectively. CONCLUSION: Understanding the prevalence of parasitic infections helps public health officials assess the risk to human and animal populations. This information can guide the development of prevention and control measures to reduce the spread of these infections. Overall, the prevalence of parasitic infections, particularly T. gondii and Toxocara spp., in police dogs and their trainers remains uncertain and necessitates further in-depth research.

[Pseudofolliculitis barbae in police students in Dakar: epidemiological and clinical aspects, and associated risk factors]. / Pseudo-folliculite de la barbe chez les élèves policiers à Dakar : aspects épidémio-cliniques et facteurs de risque associés.

Background: Pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease favoured by shaving. It is particularly common among black Africans belonging to certain socio-professional categories who are obliged to shave. Its aesthetic and professional damage is very significant. However, very few data are available for this condition, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. Objective: To determine the epidemiological and clinical aspects, and the risk factors associated with the occurrence of PFB in Dakar. Population and methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in March 2019, including 655 police students at the National Police Academy in Dakar, all of African descent and with curly hair, who were required to shave weekly and agreed to participate in this study. The diagnosis of PFB was clinically based. Data analysis was processed using Epi-info version 6.0 software. Pearson's chi-square test was used for bivariate analysis with a significance threshold of p < 0.05. The Odds Ratio, with its 95% confidence interval, was used to determine the risk factors. Results: Among the 655 officers, 254 had PFB, with a prevalence of 38.8%. The prevalence of PFB was 43.7% in men (242 men out of 554) and 11.9% in women (12 women out of 101). The average age of patients with PFB was 26.80 years (± 2.59), ranging from 22 to 36 years. The age of onset of PFB was between 18 and 20 years for the majority (39.8%), with a mean age of onset of 22.2 years (± 3.6). PFB lesions were pruritic in 84.6% of cases, papular in 96.8%, and/or pustular in 60.2%. The submandibular region was the most affected site (69.8%). Complications were noted in 90.1% of cases in the form of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (87%) and keloid scars (3.1%). The risk factors associated with PFB were male sex (p<0.0001; OR=5.7; CI95% [3.07-10.75]), family history of PFB (p<0.0001; OR=5; CI95% [3.35-7.37]), keloid-prone skin (p<0.0001; OR=2.9; CI95% [1.63-4.96]), association with acne keloidalis nuchae (p<0.0001; OR=8.8; CI95% [5.55-14.08]), use of a single-blade razor (p<0.0001; OR=2.5; CI95% [1.69-3.70]), use of a fixed-head razor (p<0.0001; OR=1.8 CI95% [1.28-2.77]), shaving against the grain (p<0.0001; OR = 6.3; CI95%= [4.33-9.08]), non-use of shaving products (p = 0.009; OR = 1.5; CI95%= [1.06-2]) and waxing (p<0.004; OR=2.7; CI95% [1.33-5.77]). On the other hand, the use of clippers (p<0.0001; OR = 0.5 CI95% [0.33-0.65]), pre-shave products (p<0.0001; OR = 0.4 CI95% [0.29-0.61]) and the use of razors with movable heads (p<0.0009; OR = 0.2 CI95% [0.17-0.35]) were protective factors against PFB. Conclusion: Our study confirms the high incidence of PFB in this population of black men of African descent. A genetic abnormality revealed by shaving must be evoked in the occurrence of PFB. Further genetic and immunohistochemical studies would be needed to support this hypothesis.

The impact of negative factors of professional activities on the health of law enforcement officers.

OBJECTIVE: Aim: To study the study the impact of negative factors of professional activities on the health of law enforcement officers. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and Methods: The research involved 89 law enforcement officers (58 men, and 31 women) who served for a year in practical police units after graduating from a higher educational institution. Methods: analysis and generalization of scientific and methodological literature, anthropometry, physiometry, testing, and statistical methods. The health status was assessed by body mass index, Robinson index, and vital index. RESULTS: Results: It was found that the body mass index of law enforcement officers for one year of service in practical units deteriorated in both men and women by 1.3 kg/m2 and 0.9 kg/m2, respectively. More negative changes were observed in men. At the same time, after one year of service, the number of men with overweight (27.5 %) and even obesity of the first (13.9 %) and second (5.2 %) degrees increased significantly. In women, the changes were less pronounced. The dynamics of Robinson and vital indices, as well as the level of physical fitness, were also negative. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: The results of the research indicate a negative impact of professional factors in terms of professional activities on the health of law enforcement officers. It has been found that adherence to the principles of a healthy lifestyle, in particular, a regimen of rationally organized motor activity, is an important area in combating the impact of negative factors of professional activities on the health of law enforcement officers.

Dynamics of components of physical and mental health of law enforcement officers during the period of martial law.

OBJECTIVE: Aim: To investigate the dynamics of law enforcement officers' physical and mental health components while performing their duties during the war in Ukraine. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and Methods: The research, which was conducted in 2022-2024, involved 114 law enforcement officers (male) from the Kharkiv oblast (Ukraine) of different ages: under 30 (n = 35), under 40 (n = 41), over 40 (n = 38). To test law enforcement officers' physical and mental health indicators, we used 3 methods: 1) "Fatigue-Monotony-Oversaturation-Stress"; 2) "Well-being-Activity-Mood"; 3) "Assessment of Nervous and Emotional Stress". RESULTS: Results: The negative dynamics of most components of the physical and mental health of law enforcement officers of all three groups while performing their duties during the martial law were revealed. The most pronounced significant changes occurred in such components as "Fatigue", "Oversaturation", "Stress", "Well-being", "Mood", "Nervous and Emotional Stress". The most pronounced negative changes in most components occurred in law enforcement officers over 40 years old, which is due to both the age characteristics of the subjects and their length of service. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: The research confirms the high complexity and extremity of law enforcement officers' service activities during the martial law, as well as the high requirements for law enforcement officers' readiness to perform tasks in the context of a significant expansion of the National Police's powers. The results obtained also necessitate the search for effective ways to preserve and maintain the physical and mental health of law enforcement officers.

Motivational and value-based attitude of law enforcement officers to motor activity as a factor of a healthy lifestyle.

OBJECTIVE: Aim: To study the attitude of law enforcement officers to motor activity and investigate its impact on their health. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and Methods: The research, which was conducted in 2022-2024, involved 163 law enforcement officers under the age of 30. Research methods: bibliosemantic, questionnaire, testing, medical and biological methods, methods of mathematical statistics. RESULTS: Results: It has been found that the vast majority of law enforcement officers (85.3 %) understand the importance of motor activity as a factor of a healthy lifestyle, its impact on physical and mental health, and quality of their professional activities. At the same time, only 27.6 % of law enforcement officers systematically engage in motor activity, 52.8 % do it sporadically, and 25.8 % do not engage in it at all. Among the reasons that prevent them from exercising are lack of time (65.6 %), lack of desire (31.3 %), and fatigue after a service day (28.1 %). It has been found that law enforcement officers who systematically engage in motor activity have a significantly better level of health (7.31 points) compared to those who engage in occasional motor activity (5.07 points) and do not engage at all (2.19 points). CONCLUSION: Conclusions: The positive impact of motor activity on the level of health of law enforcement officers has been proved. Good health is a guarantee of high resistance of law enforcement officers to negative factors of professional activities, professional longevity, and quality of their professional tasks.

Alcohol use, civilian interference, and other possible risk factors for death during restraint.

Physical restraint is usually used when trying to control and terminate a violent episode. Many causes are possible behind aggressive, agitated, and violent behavior. Some of these are such factors that can either be detected in forensic autopsies or can be evident from the person's medical records. Various causes for deaths during physical restraint have been suggested. In this study, we wanted to review all incidents in which physical restraint was employed, ending in death of the restrained person, whether the restraint was applied by police officers, security guards, police custody personnel, health care personnel or ordinary civilians. The main aim was to see if this new kind of study design would increase our knowledge in circumstances and causes leading to death in restraint situations. Data was collected retrospectively from all forensic autopsies performed in the Southern Finland area during 2010-2015. We went through 21,036 forensic autopsy cases and found 12 cases (0.06 %) in which a physical restraint was employed before death. Police officers were involved in the physical restraint in 7/12 of the cases: in two of these cases, police alone; in three cases, police and guards; and in two cases, police and health care personnel. Civilians carried out the restraint in 5/12 cases. With civilians responsible for the restraint, the cause of death was more likely considered to be a result of the restraint itself than in cases where police and other authorities were responsible for the restraint. This could be because civilians aren't educated about safe restraint methods, and they might themselves be intoxicated. Alcohol was the most common psychoactive substance found in this study and could be a risk factor for not only aggressive behavior but also death, since alcohol use can provoke cardiac arrhythmias and even sudden death. Based on this study, and previously published studies, we see restraint deaths as a varying spectrum of deaths, in which the death is often possibly a result of many factors, including the effects of agitation and restraint, intoxication, and cardiac and other illnesses.

Unmet medical needs and influencing factors among Korean police officers: a cross-sectional survey.

OBJECTIVES: South Korea grapples with a disproportionately high incidence of unmet medical needs, a concern that is particularly acute among police officers, who are exposed to significant occupational risks. Given the pivotal role of police officers in upholding democratic values and public safety, their well-being holds critical societal implications. This study aims to determine the incidence of unmet medical needs among police officers and identify the influencing factors. DESIGN: This is a retrospective and cross-sectional study. Applying the Andersen behavioural model and multiple logistic regression analysis, we explored factors impacting unmet medical needs. SETTING: The study took place in South Korea and involved its total force of police officers. PARTICIPANTS: Our analysis encompassed data from 6591 participants, representing 5.2% of South Korea's total police officers. OUTCOME MEASURES: Unmet medical needs. RESULTS: Our findings revealed several influencing factors. First, predisposing factors included sex, with women experiencing a higher incidence of unmet medical needs. Second, enabling factors highlighted the significance of job positions and reduced annual leave guarantees in influencing unmet medical needs. Finally, need factors demonstrated the substantial impact of chronic diseases, heightened levels of depression, reduced subjective health assessments, increased stress levels and exposure to rough physical activity on driving unmet medical needs. CONCLUSIONS: To mitigate and pre-empt the long-term health repercussions associated with unmet medical needs, intervention strategies should prioritise these identified factors. An integrated healthcare programme emerges as a critical necessity for addressing the healthcare challenges faced by police officers.

Use of a police station as a place of safety for a person in a mental health crisis.

Richard Griffith, Senior Lecturer in Health Law at Swansea University, considers the dilemma faced by the police and health trusts where a hospital bed is not available for a person in a mental health crisis.

Value of DNA mixture-to-mixture comparisons within an operational context.

Since 1995, national forensic DNA databases have used a maximum number of contributors, and a minimum number of loci to reduce the risk of providing false leads. DNA profiles of biological traces that do not meet these criteria cannot be loaded into these databases. In 2023, about 10 % of more than 15,000 trace DNA profiles analyzed in western Switzerland were not compared at the national level, even though they were considered to be interpretable, mainly because they contained the DNA from more than two persons. In this situation, police services can request local comparisons with DNA profiles of known persons and/or with other traces, but this occurs in only a small proportion of cases, so that DNA mixtures are rarely used to help detect potential series. The development of probabilistic genotyping software and its associated tools have made possible the efficient performance of this type of comparison, which is based on likelihood ratios (LR) rather than on the number of shared alleles. To highlight potential common contributors for investigation and intelligence purposes, the present study used the mixture-to-mixture tool of the software STRmix v2.7 to compare 235 DNA profiles that cannot be searched the Swiss DNA database. These DNA profiles originated from traces collected by six different police services in 2021 and 2022. Traces were selected by the police based on information that indicated that they were from potential series. Associations between profiles were compared with expected investigative associations to define the value of this approach. Among the 27,495 pairwise comparisons of DNA profiles, 88 pairs (0.3 %) showed at least one potential common contributor when using a LR threshold of 1000. Of these 88 pairs, 60 (68.2 %) were qualified by the police services as "expected" (60/88), 22 (25.0 %) as "possible", and six (6.8 %) as "unexpected". Although it is important to consider the limits of this approach (e.g., adventitious or missed associations, cost/benefit evaluation, integration of DNA mixture comparison in the process), these findings indicate that non CODIS loadable DNA mixtures could provide police agencies with information concerning potential series at both the local and national level.

Legal requirements for reporting clinical cases to the South African police or social services.

Medical confidentiality is the cornerstone for a trustful relationship between patients and the health professionals attending to them. However, when history or clinical findings suggest certain offenses, statutory laws (Children's Act, Older Persons Act, Mental Health Care Act, Sexual Offenses Act) establish a legal obligation for health professionals to report suspected instances of abuse to the police or alternatively, in some cases, to a designated social worker. Given the high rate of domestic violence and abuse in South Africa, health professionals are most likely to encounter such situations. Many clinicians are oblivious of the obligations, exposing themselves to possible liability and their patients to potential additional harm. This article aims to demonstrate the reporting requirements under the respective acts through case scenarios. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages of the existing legal setting are discussed briefly.