Labor, Depletion, and Disconnection: Leisure as Restoration for Uniformed Public Safety Personnel

In Canada, uniformed public safety personnel (PSPs) are systemically uniformed and placed into positions where they are exposed to both primary and/or secondary/vicarious trauma while “on duty.” PSPs, particularly law enforcement officers (police) also navigate historical and cultural traumas and oppressions that are symbolized by the materiality of the uniform. Menakem’s work delves into the profound impact of intergenerational trauma that lives in white, Black, and (uniformed) police bodies, and how healing must begin on an individual level before it can extend to a collective healing. Drawing on research from a study conducted with PSPs, this paper helps to address the tensions surrounding labour, trauma, and wellness faced by individuals systematically uniformed to perform roles in public safety and care between government and community. Specifically, we highlight three narratives themes, (1) “It is not if, it is when”—The Inevitable Nature of Trauma Labour, (2) “You should be able to handle anything”—Internalizing Oppressive Mental and Emotional Narratives, and (3) “Deal with your shit on your own time”—Leisure as a Practice of Care, a Space of Healing, and Site for Restoration. We discuss leisure as restoration to promote healing for uniformed PSPs who endure trauma as part of their labours (individual healing), as a means of creating a rippling effect that fosters collective healing.