‘Growing old gracefully on the thin blue line’: a preliminary examination of ageing and its impact on police officers

Birch, P

‘Growing old gracefully on the thin blue line’: a preliminary examination of ageing and its impact on police officers

Birch, P

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Publisher:: ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Police Practice and Research, 2025, ahead-of-print, (ahead-of-print)
Issue Date:: 2025-07-17

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Birch, P https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6517-5897
dc.date.accessioned	2025-08-06T04:34:04Z
dc.date.available	2025-08-06T04:34:04Z
dc.date.issued	2025-07-17
dc.identifier.citation	Police Practice and Research, 2025, ahead-of-print, (ahead-of-print)
dc.identifier.issn	1561-4263
dc.identifier.issn	1477-271X
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/189273
dc.description.abstract	Ageing in high-risk occupations, such as policing, presents unique challenges and opportunities. This study examines the experiences of NSW Police Force (NSWPF) officers aged 50 and above to understand how ageing impacts job performance, safety, and wellbeing. Using a qualitative case study approach with semi-structured interviews (n = 36), thematic analysis identified key themes: physical and psychological wellbeing, workplace role adaptability, institutional support, and retirement considerations. Findings highlight cumulative physical injuries, psychological strain, and technology challenges, alongside enhanced communication skills and mentorship roles as important issues in the ageing process within policing. Recommendations from the study therefore incorporate flexible roles, wellness programs, and more support with retirement planning. The study underscores the need for workforce strategies that support ageing officers globally, ensuring sustained expertise and public safety. These findings contribute to broader discussions on age diversity and sustainable workforce management in high-risk professions.
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
dc.relation.ispartof	Police Practice and Research
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1080/15614263.2025.2534556
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	1602 Criminology
dc.subject.classification	4402 Criminology
dc.title	‘Growing old gracefully on the thin blue line’: a preliminary examination of ageing and its impact on police officers
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	ahead-of-print
utslib.for	1602 Criminology
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Design and Society
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
pubs.consider-herdc	true
dc.rights.license	This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
dc.date.updated	2025-08-06T04:34:03Z
pubs.issue	ahead-of-print
pubs.publication-status	Published online
pubs.volume	ahead-of-print
utslib.citation.issue	ahead-of-print

Abstract:

Ageing in high-risk occupations, such as policing, presents unique challenges and opportunities. This study examines the experiences of NSW Police Force (NSWPF) officers aged 50 and above to understand how ageing impacts job performance, safety, and wellbeing. Using a qualitative case study approach with semi-structured interviews (n = 36), thematic analysis identified key themes: physical and psychological wellbeing, workplace role adaptability, institutional support, and retirement considerations. Findings highlight cumulative physical injuries, psychological strain, and technology challenges, alongside enhanced communication skills and mentorship roles as important issues in the ageing process within policing. Recommendations from the study therefore incorporate flexible roles, wellness programs, and more support with retirement planning. The study underscores the need for workforce strategies that support ageing officers globally, ensuring sustained expertise and public safety. These findings contribute to broader discussions on age diversity and sustainable workforce management in high-risk professions.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/189273