Given the growing interest in researching on and strengthening the intersections between law enforcement and public health, this review provides a novel contribution in terms of developing this area and facilitating new ways of thinking about the role of police officers during public health emergencies, , ]. Furthermore, this review provides a list of relevant literature that can be consulted for a more in-depth look at these extremely complex issues (see Table 1, Table 2, Table 3, Table 4). The evidence base and resulting recommendations can help police organisations and leaders design adequate public health emergency preparedness and operational protocols during PHEs. In doing so, it seeks to identify best practice, and offers recommendations for policing the current COVID-19 outbreak. This systematic review seeks to address this gap by assessing the implications that pandemics and public health emergencies (PHEs) can have for policing. The literature on law enforcement and disaster management, and specifically research focusing on public health emergencies, however, is often not practical enough and little is known about how COVID-19 may impact policing in the short- and long-term. A key mechanism for this is the review and academic analysis of disaster management practice and policies. To successfully understand and manage the plethora of challenges that emergency situations such as COVID-19 create, first responders such as the police need to learn from other agencies and from past experiences with similar scenarios. This comes on top of existing duties as the police are expected to maintain order and continue neighbourhood policing operations, all while under a greater strain on resources. Such actions, including lockdowns, travel bans, and social distancing rules are often controlled and enforced by the police, creating additional service demand for law enforcement agencies.

In addition, many governments have taken emergency measures to protect their population and slow the spread of the virus. Police officers and staff are often directly or indirectly involved in the pandemic response and have thus a higher risk of getting infected. The pandemic has, however, not only created unforeseen and in many ways unprecedented challenges for the public health sector but also for law enforcement agencies. Pandemic has infected millions and killed several hundred thousand people worldwide.

The findings of this review have immediate implications for policing during COVID-19 but also cover long-term effects, providing valuable recommendations for after the crises has passed. Based on our review and analysis, we offer a list of recommendations relevant for policing the current COVID-19 outbreak. The literature reveals four categories of issues predominantly raised in this context, namely police-community relations, the mental health and wellbeing of officers, intra-organisational challenges, as well as inter-agency collaboration and cooperation. Through an extensive review, we compile and analyse the most common issues and best practices identified in the literature, and discuss ‘what works’ in the context of policing such emergencies.

A total of 72 studies were eligible for inclusion, based on their focus on policing and police work during and in the aftermath of natural disasters and public health emergencies. In light of these challenges, the goal of this review is to understand the potential short- and long-term effects of disasters and public health emergencies on policing organisations and officers. The COVID-19 pandemic has created a range of unforeseen and unprecedented challenges for police departments worldwide.

Police omnipresence definition