SANTA FE, N.M. — The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Workplace has prolonged its “4/8/40 Work Effectively Dwell Effectively” pilot program following robust outcomes throughout its preliminary six-month run, in line with a news release.
Launched in October 2024, the choice schedule permits patrol deputies to be compensated for working 4 10-hour shifts per week, with the choice to make use of as much as two hours of every shift for bodily or psychological wellness actions, resembling counseling, weightlifting or yoga, KRQE reported.
The choice aimed to switch conventional 12-hour shifts, which regularly stretched to fifteen hours.
Efficiency information shared by the division from October 5, 2024, via April 5, 2025, confirmed notable enhancements in comparison with earlier years:
- Additional time hours decreased by 53%
- Deputies who opted in initiated 69% extra requires service
- Site visitors stops elevated by 94% among the many opt-in group
- General site visitors citations rose by 84%
- Motorcar crashes dropped by 20%, attributed to elevated site visitors enforcement
- Common deputy satisfaction scores reached 8.88 out of 10, peaking at 9.27 in March 2025
- Emptiness charges fell sharply from 24% in August 2024 to three%
- Response instances for Precedence Degree 1 and all service calls declined steadily
Sheriff Adan Mendoza stated the brand new schedule helped enhance deputies’ work-life steadiness whereas enhancing operational effectivity. Deputies reported higher relaxation, elevated time with household and improved private well-being.
“One of many huge issues that I’d say is throughout my particular workdays, I’ve observed that due to the time that we’ve got off now…you’re extra excited to return again to work,” Deputy Levi Abeyta stated in a video launched by the county. “You’re extra keen to take part, extra keen to go on the market and be proactive…catch these dangerous guys and assist extra individuals and attain out to them.”
Based mostly on the early success, Sheriff Mendoza and County Supervisor Gregory S. Shaffer have agreed to increase the pilot program for an extra six months. Officers will proceed monitoring key metrics earlier than making a closing determination on whether or not to undertake the schedule completely.
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