1. Officer
WELLNESS
listen.DESIGN.deliver
Can
contribute to
OFFICER WELLNESS?DESIGN
GREAT

2. [ ]
We often assess how a police department
can integrate resources and spaces to
help deal with this trend toward a more
holistic wellness program. So how are
law enforcement and public safety
facilities providing spaces for enhanced
wellness that will elevate the human
experience of our officers?
Just as building orientation is a
no-cost common sense means
of incorporating sustainable
environmental goals, good tenets of
design in public safety can assist in
the battle for officer wellness.
It begins with a dedicated staff
entry that creates and represents
a zone of safety and camaraderie
where an officer knows the moment
he or she crosses the threshold that
this is a place designed with their
needs in mind, secure from public or
media intrusion.
Access to natural light and good
indoor air quality, including higher
levels of oxygen can improve morale
and absenteeism and drive optimism.
CURRENT&FUTURE
TRENDS
INOFFICERWELLNESS
3STEPSTOHEALTHYSPACES
More and more, as designers of
public safety facilities, agencies
ask us to consider, recommend
and incorporate ways to address
and provide for officer wellness
resources.
WEAREREADYTO
HELPYOUALWAYS
JAKE DAVIS
Principal
Public safety officers live in a highly taxing environment
both emotionally and physically. Certainly there are
stresses common to the profession, such as incident-
based trauma, but add to that a highly charged and
often aggressive antagonistic public at large, where the
intentions and motives of officers are questioned, not
necessarily based on action, but simply because they
wear the uniform. That scenario has become a daily
reality for many and frequently becomes the lead story in
the local news across the country. This atmosphere takes
a toll on the body, mind and spirit of an officer.
Strong wellness programs combined with well-designed
facilities together create safe and secure environments
that address the health and wellness of our officers in
every facet of the human experience.
Jake Davis, AIA
New technology incorporated into offices
can give real time measurement of relative
humidity, indoor air quality, CO2, and volatile
organic compounds. This technology provides
peace of mind to occupants and potentially
reinforces a sense of the police station as the
officer’s place.
1
2
3

3. BODYMINDSPIRIT
Occupational stress can be an extremely difficult concept to define in law enforcement.
Obviously there are the ‘on the job’ stressors. But stress on the job occurs in real
people, and those real people bring in their own individual stressors (levels of anxiety
and neuroticism, tolerances, etc.). In addition, there are sources of stress that come
from outside the work-place and outside the worker (family problems, life crises,
financial matters, environmental factors, etc.). This takes a toll on the body and mind. Is
a physical fitness facility - a gym - the only answer to officer wellness?
Times call for a different approach to officer wellness. However, how equipped are
police departments to deal with this coming trend for structural wellness programs?
Moreover, how are law enforcement and public safety facilities dealing with providing
spaces for enhanced wellness?
Cheyenne Public Safety Center
Cheyenne, WY
OCCUPATIONAL STRESS MODEL
*Source: Cary L. Cooper and Judi Marshall, “Occupational Sources of Stress: A Review of the Literature
Relating to Coronary Heart Disease and Mental Ill Health.”
Sources of Stress at Work
Intrinsic to job:
Poor physical working conditions
Work overload
Time pressures
Physical danger
Role in organization:
Role ambiguity
Role conflict
Responsibility for people
Conflicts re-organizational boundaries
Career development:
Over-promotion
Under-promotion
Lack of job security
Thwarted ambition
Relationships at work:
Poor relations with boss
Poor relations with subordinates
Poor relations with colleagues
Difficulties in delegating responsibility
Organizational structure and climate:
Little or no participation in decision making
Restrictions on behavior (budgets, etc.)
Office politics
Lack of effective consultation
Disease
Coronary heart disease
Mental ill health
Symptoms of
Occupational Ill
Health
Diastolic blood pressure
Systolic blood pressure
Cholesterol level
Heart rate
Smoking
Depressive mood
Escapist drinking
Job dissatisfaction
Headache
Fatigue
Absenteeism
Reduced aspiration
Individual
Characteristics
The individual:
Level of anxiety
Level of neuroticism
Tolerance for ambiguity
Type A behavior pattern
Extra-organizational
sources of stress:
Family problems
Life crises
Financial difficulties

4. 25 50 100 600
Gunshot Wounds
Dislocations
Internal Injuries
Burns
Chronic Injuries
Broken Bones
Puncture Wounds
Pathogen Exposure
Other
Lacerations
Contusions
Sprains
DATA COLLECTION
Eighteen agencies across the
United States took part in a multi-
department assessment of line-of-
duty injuries. The study, conducted
by the International Association
of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and the
United States Department of Justice,
tracked all reported injuries over the
course of one year.
More than half of the incidents (60.3%) were
required to be OSHA reportable. 3% required
surgery and less than 2% resulted in the officer
needing extended hospitalization.
REDUCING OFFICER INJURIES
Never in our history has the importance of an officer’s health, wellness, and safety, been more
front and center. Many times it is brushed aside as ‘part of the job,’ taking it’s toll on the officer,
and the department, in ways not commonly thought about.
injuries
reported
days of work missed
days of work missed per incident
average days spent in rehab
hours of work time lost
1,295 |
5,938
4.5
3.5
59,380
cost of lost time worked, including
overtime to cover assignments
$3,028,380
0 200
POLICE SUICIDE: BREAK THE SILENCE
The high stress of police work generally is cited as a primary contributing factor. The
constant barrage of stressors inherent with danger, and for police managers, the pressures of
administration, can overwhelm even the strongest person. When officers lose the ability to
cope in normal ways, they may turn to an ultimate solution to relieve the pressures of stress.
• Chronic stress
• Daily hassles
• Exposure to traumatic events
• Acute stresses
• Relationship events
• Shift work
• Abnormal sleep patterns
• Financial strain
• Serious/terminal illness
• Internal affairs investigation
• Significant change in routine
• Pending retirement
• High expectations of job
Officer suicide and mental
wellness needs to be addressed
just as directly as officer vests.
-Tony West, Acting Assistant Attorney General,
U.S. Department of Justice
WHAT ARE THE STRESSORS?
[ ]
Average age of law enforcement
officer who commits suicide38.7 |
Average number of suicide attempts
per year by police officers3150 |
Number of police officer suicides
in 2012126 |
Years of experience and is usually
below the rank of sergeant12.2 |
*Source: http://www.policesuicidestudy.com/id36.html*Source: IACP Reducing Officer Injuries Final Report

5. The police station should be an icon of
safety, relief and shared mission that
caters to these men and women who
serve and protect their communities.[ ]
40%
Sleep is a neglected yet essential element
of health and wellbeing, renewing energy,
building physical and mental capacity.
Police officers that screen positive for
sleep disorders - almost double that of
the general population.
Eating and hydration is fundamental to
health, wellbeing and a source of energy
for all, especially those in public safety.
Good nutrition is under-appreciated as a
basic component of health and wellness.
EAT
EXERCISE
SLEEP
Psychological strength
and resilience is seen
as essential to leading
a fulfilling life with a
real enthusiasm and
true sense of purpose
that ultimately drives
performance at work
and home.
One of the unrecognized tools to equip police officers
in their work is police station itself. This unique
building type should celebrate the culture of the
patrol officer. However, many existing facilities miss
the mark, as nothing in the architecture considers the
needs of officers coming in and out of the building
every day. Out on the
beat, theirs can be a
solitary, disenfranchising
experience that is beset by
boredom, punctuated with
conflict and sometimes
danger.
The police station should be an icon of safety, relief
and shared mission that caters to these men and
women who serve and protect their communities.
Police stations are, at their heart, about the patrol
officer. They are the lifeblood of a police agency, and
the efficiency of movements in their brief time in the
station is the key to their success. A police station
should work to keep an officer on his or her beat
versus binding them up in a building that potentially
can create more stress if not designed properly.
One of the keys to
successful police station
design is to place the
critical elements of the
patrolman’s process in
close proximity. These
critical areas include the
staff entry, the locker rooms, briefing rooms, bag-
and-tag areas, equipment pickup, patrol duty bags
and finally the exit to squad cars. The speed and ease
of this process is the key to efficiency by getting the
building “out of the way,” thus improving response
times and minimizing frustrations. We refer to these
critical adjacencies as the “Patrol Triangle”.
In police facility designs, we go out of our way to
facilitate an obvious and understandable triangle,
between patrol officer entry (from cars), locker
rooms, and patrol briefing and debriefing areas.
There is a desire for immediate adjacency to locker
rooms to change and then move seamlessly to the
neighboring patrol command area. Turning toward
the patrol vehicles, the officers will find carrels with
duty bags for quick pick-up. Equipment/key check-out
is on the way to the cars, but a wide corridor (8-feet
wide) is essential to allow
groups of officers carrying
equipment and bags to
easily pass by each other.
Following a shift, moving
in the opposite direction,
an officer will find
evidence drops, interview rooms and mailboxes in
quick succession. At the end of this path are the on-
duty sergeants, report-writing stations to complete
the process, before changing and heading home.
The location and treatment of the patrol triangle is
a purposeful move to build camaraderie, pride and
support for staff who feel the pressures of protecting
our communities every day.
How a police station can ease
the stress of its most important
occupant - the police officer.
THE
POLICE
TRIANGLE P
*Source: “Sleep Disorders, Health, and Safety in
Police Officers,” JAMA 306 (2011): 2567-2578
EXERCISE: KEEP IT GOING
BENEFITS TO EXERCISING:
The perception that police officers don’t need
‘extra’ exercise in unfounded. While aspects
of law enforcement are physically taxing, a
majority of their time is spent sitting at desks or
in their cars. Physical exercise is paramount in
relieving stress and maintaining overall health.
Heart disease accounts for 20-50% of early
retirements among officers.
• Improves lung function and circulatory system
• Delays degenerative changes of aging
• Increases production of red blood cells
• Maintains normal blood pressure
• Quicker recovery time from strenuous activity
• Strengthens heart muscle
• Results in lower pulse rate
• Burns calories
• Tones muscles to improve strength
• Increases endurance and improves posture
Mission Area Police Station
Fontana Police Department Expansion

6. INTEGRATED DESIGN FIRM
Sitting side-by-side, our architects, engineers
and construction administrators have immediate
access to all team members, saving precious time.
And saving time means we’re saving you money.
NATIONAL EXPERIENCE
LOCAL EXPERTISE
When you work with DLR Group, you connect
directly with local design leaders committed
to applying their expertise to your success.
And because we are structured as a network
of 23 interconnected global offices, you also
have access to a wealth of thought leaders in
YOUR unique project. We thrive on sharing
ideas throughout the firm, bringing the best
of the best back to you.
OUR SKILLED EXPERTS
WE DESIGN TO ELEVATE THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE.
What exactly does it mean to “Elevate the Human Experience” for you?
• It means looking for the right solution that makes economic and operational sense in the long
haul of building and budgetary efficiencies
• It means considering every option from renovation to new build, that result in win-win
scenarios for everyone
• It means thinking outside the box of the obvious solution and considering new perspectives.
We understand the pragmatic realities of time sensitivity and budgetary respect. As the leading
national designers of more than $3 billion in public safety construction projects in the past 10
years, we know what it takes to meet project specific schedules and budgets.
Jake has devoted a significant portion of his
career to the programming and design of law
enforcement facilities across the US. He has
participated in all phases of the development,
construction and operations of numerous public
safety facilities. Integration of sustainable design
into public safety facilities has been a hallmark of
his career.
JAKE
DAVIS
Principal
Public Safety Expert
jdavis@dlrgroup.com
Larry is a public safety design expert with
more than 35 years of experience designing
justice, and public safety building types. His
experience includes design for police stations
and shared police-sheriff training facilities, 911
communication centers, crime labs, firing ranges,
fire stations, county jails, state prisons, and
municipal and state courts.
LARRY
SMITH
Principal
Project Planner
lsmith@dlrgroup.com
Darrell is the Justice + Civic Global Sector
Leader for DLR Group, specializing in criminal
justice-related facilities such as jails, prisons,
law enforcement facilities and courts. He has
had significant involvement in a wide variety
of criminal justice projects, including State and
Private Correctional Facilities, Law Enforcement
Facilities and County Jails, with emphasized
experience in project management.
DARRELL
STELLING
Principal
Global Sector Leader
Justice + Civic
dstelling@dlrgroup.com
Dan has been with DLR Group for over 25 years.
He is the business development and marketing
national leader and works across all markets with
a focused expertise in Justice+Civic project types.
DAN
SANDALL
Principal
National Business
Development Leader
dsandall@dlrgroup.com

7. INSPIRE PROMOTE CONSERVE INSPIRE PROMOTECONSERVE
Design for functional effectiveness
Define user success. Validate intuition with data-driven design.
COMMUNITY
AWARENESS
HONESTY
BEAUTY
LAND
WATER
ENERGY
ECO-SYSTEM
PRODUCTIVITY
WELL-BEING
HEALTH
FITNESS
Design for human health and well-being
Think holistically. Inspire users, stimulate and foster productivity.
Design for ecological integrity
Promote resource conservation, resiliency and regeneration.
Sustainability is Intrinsic to Our Design Culture
Our Responsibility
Design for economic viability
Maximize value. Lower total cost of ownership.
An industry recognized thought leader on sustainability
and high performance building design, Prem serves as
the Global Sustainability Leader at DLR Group. In this
role, he leads firm wide performance based design
initiatives and develops long-term strategies for a more
environmentally responsible design practice.
PREM
SUNDHARAM
Principal
Global Sustainability Leader
psundharam@dlrgroup.com
ORGANIZATIONAL INVOLVEMENT IN SUSTAINABILITY
Organizations around the world are increasing their commitment to sustainability. More
groups view sustainability as good business, and are integrating sustainability into their
professional strategies (Stage 4 on the 5-Stage scale). Many organizations are taking part in
some aspect of sustainability - focusing on energy and water conservation, or reducing waste.
11% | 5%
2006 | 2015
32% | 16%
40% | 32%
15% | 41%
3% | 6%
Stage 1 | Sustainability is not
part of the organization’s mission.
Sustainability is viewed as complying
with government regulations.
Stage 2 | Organization has started
to engage in sustainability, but
sustainability is viewed as a cost.
Stage 3 | Organization considers the
proactive application of sustainability
to be consistent with the profit
mission. However, it has not built
sustainability into its technologies,
policies, and operations on an
institution-wide basis.
Stage 4 | Organization is a green
organization. Sustainability is viewed
more as an opportunity than a cost
and integrates sustainability with key
strategies.
Stage 5 | Organization views
sustainability as a transformational
driver and is driven by a passionate,
values-based commitment to improving
the well-being of the organization,
society, and the environment. The
organization approaches business as a
holistic, restorative group.
*Source: Greening of Corporate America study (Siemens)

8. Project Name: DLR Group Studio Location: Seattle, WA
DLR Group is made up of over 850 dedicated design professionals. Each of these people
are owners in our firm and have a vested interest in making every project successful.
People Make It Happen
Mukilteo Police Station
Mukilteo, WA
Lafayette Police Department
Lafayette, CO

9. Strong wellness programs combined with well-
designed facilities create safe and secure environments
that address the health and wellness of our officers.
DLR Group is dedicated to ensuring a safe and healthful
working environment for our public safety officers.
For more information please visit our website at: www.DLRGroup.com
or email Jake Davis directly at: jdavis@DLRGroup.com
listen.DESIGN.deliver