'Ground-breaking study' tracks physical and mental wellbeing of Leicestershire Police forensic staff

The technology has been used in Formula One.

Technology that has been used in Formula One is going to be used to measure the “physical and mental toll of the job” on the forensic teams at Leicestershire Police.

Around 50 CSIs and digital forensic staff volunteered to participate in the four-month study.

The anonymous data they provide will allow researchers to study the impact of visiting traumatic crime scenes, viewing distressing images and other challenges in police work.

Nick Loxley, Operations Manager for CSIs at the East Midlands Special Operations Unit’s Forensic Services, said “This is an innovative project which we are extremely excited to see the results from. Our staff’s wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do, so we are proud to be embracing this technology to help us identify ways we can improve that.”

Listen to Nick Loxley here:

Participants will use a wearable device similar to a smartwatch to capture their heart rate and other physiological data while on shift, at home and during the night.

They will also take part in daily surveys and games through a bespoke secure app to assess their wellbeing, cognitive capacity and stress levels.

Nicola Mannion, Central Services Manager (Business Futures) at the East Midlands Special Operations Unit’s Forensic Services, said: “We know that our staff see the most traumatic of things and this trial will help us further identify measures we can put in place to support them. By monitoring their stress and wellbeing levels, we’ll be able to identify strategies to best help our staff and try to ensure everyone stays happy and healthy at work.”

The research is being conducted by ihp:ANALYTICS, who have worked in F1 and elite sports.

ihp:ANALYTICS CEO, Steve Gill added: “We can give Leicestershire Police’s people a unique insight into their health and wellbeing, as well as the tools to deal with situations before they lead to more serious health issues. Hopefully the participants can find their ideal performance zone and achieve a better work-life balance.”