NATIONAL — A national research study titled "Balancing the Badge and the Home" is examining how police officers in the United States balance family life with the demands of policing, researchers said. The anonymous survey, which takes about 15 minutes to complete, closes on Aug. 31, 2026.

The study explores how shift work, stress, police culture and parenting responsibilities affect officers and their families. Currently employed sworn officers who are parents or guardians of at least one child are eligible to participate.

Researchers are seeking survey responses from officers across all ranks, agency sizes and family structures. The study is national in scope, welcoming participation from officers at small and large agencies alike, according to researchers.

The findings could help agencies better understand work-family strain and improve support systems for officers raising children, researchers said. Researchers said the study is designed to capture a broad picture of how policing demands intersect with family responsibilities across different household structures and career stages.