- 
      - **  Home
      - **   About Us
      - **  Archives
      - **   Events
      - **  Publications

### Contact Us

To provide feedback on the Community Policing Dispatch, e-mail the editorial board at CPDispatch@usdoj.gov.

To obtain details on COPS Office programs, publications, and resources, contact the COPS Office Response Center at 800-421-6770 or AskCopsRC@usdoj.gov

**U.S. Department of Justice**        Office of Community Oriented Policing Services            145 N Street, N.E.       Washington, DC 20530      www.cops.usdoj.gov×         Menu         - Home
- About Us
- Archives
- Events
- Publications
- Contact Us
**10 Tips for Keeping Cool in the Summer**
 July 2019 | Volume 12 | Issue 6
*Photo Courtesy of the National Weather Service*
Let’s face it, a Kevlar vest and duty belt can be a little  uncomfortable in the summer, especially in cities with high humidity.

Moreover, heat stress and heat stroke are very real risks,  especially for officers working outdoors. It’s important to be aware of the  symptoms: profuse sweating, rapid heartbeat and breathing, confusion, dizziness,  and nausea. And if you notice them in yourself or others, get help immediately.

Some departments allow officers to wear seasonal uniforms,  sometimes with short pants. Others allow individual choices in uniform fabric,  for which the best choice is cotton or another lightweight, breathable  material.

But there are some easy ways to reduce your chances of  overheating no matter what you’re wearing. Though these reminders are mostly  common sense, they bear repeating.
10 Tips for Keeping Cool- Keep a cooler in your patrol car.
- Fill a spray bottle with water and keep it in  your cooler for a quick refreshing spray to your face.
- Freeze plastic bottles of water at home and take  them with you when you report for duty. As the ice melts, you'll have a supply  of cold water.
- Stay hydrated—drink at least 8 ounces of water  or energy or sports drinks every hour. You can flavor your water with a little  juice or flavor drops.
- Chill out with cold sports drinks, which contain  electrolytes (carbohydrates, sodium, and potassium), which help replace the  minerals you lose when you sweat. Afterward, have an additional eight ounces of  water to completely rehydrate.
- Go for a decaffeinated coffee or tea break  instead of your regular cop of joe. Caffeine promotes dehydration.
- Take a pass on sugary drinks, too, which can  cause you to lose more body fluids, and very cold drinks, which can cause  stomach cramps.
- Avoid heavy meals and eat cool foods, such as  salads; fresh fruit or vegetables; and low-fat, cool dairy products such as  yogurts. Watermelons, cucumbers, and oranges are especially healthy in hot  weather, as they are made almost entirely of fluids.
- Invest in a small dashboard fan, which can  circulate the air in a patrol car and increase the effectiveness of your  vehicle’s air conditioning. If you’re working inside, a small desk fan can do  the same for office AC. Some battery-operated fans can also be attached to  water bottles to spray a cooling mist.
- Last, breathe deep and think cool thoughts. Visualizing  your vacation—at the beach, in the mountains, at home in your easy chair in  front of the baseball game, or wherever you relax—can reduce stress and make  even 90-degree heat and humidity more bearable.

Faye Elkins        Sr. Technical Writer
Sources for more information:
**Making  Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One: A Guide to Educational Campaigns**

**Health,  Safety, and Wellness Program Case Studies in Law Enforcement******

**Building  and Sustaining an Officer Wellness Program: Lessons from the San Diego Police  Department**

Tweet
**Subscribe to Email Updates**
To sign up for monthly updates or to access your subscriber preferences, please enter your email address in the Subscribe box.
Email
The Community Policing Dispatch is the e-newsletter of the COPS Office. 

The Community Policing Dispatch is the e-newsletter of the COPS Office. 

**Explore**
- Home
- About Us
- Archives
- Events
- Publications
- Contact Us
**Connect With Us**
Want to stay connected with the COPS office?             Follow us on social media!
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
-  FOIA 
-  No FEAR Act 
-  Open Government 
-  Plain Writing 
-  USA.gov 
-  Legal Policies and Disclaimers 
-  Language Access Plan 
-  DOJ Privacy Policy