Working in a relational way is everything: Perceptions of power and value in a drug policy-making network.

BACKGROUND: The development of drug policies has been a major focus for policy-makers across North America in light of the ongoing public health emergency caused by the overdose crisis. In this context, the current study examined stakeholders' experiences and perceptions of power and value in a drug policy-making process in a North American city using qualitative, questionnaire, and social network data. METHODS: We interviewed 18 people who participated in the development of a drug policy proposal between October 2021 and March 2022. They represented different groups and organizations, including government (n = 3), people who use drugs-led advocacy organizations (n = 5), other drug policy advocacy organizations (n = 5), research (n = 3) and police (n = 2). Most of them identified as men (n = 8) and white (n = 16), and their ages ranged between 30 and 80 years old (median = 50). Social network analysis questionnaires and semi-structured qualitative interviews were administered via Zoom. Social network data were analysed using igraph in R, and qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis. The analyses explored perceptions of value and power within a drug policy-making network. RESULTS: The policy-making network showed that connections could be found across participants from different groups, with government officials being the most central. Qualitative data showed that inclusion in the network and centrality did not necessarily translate into feeling powerful or valued. Many participants were dissatisfied with the process despite having structurally advantageous positions or self-reporting moderately high quantitative value scores. Participants who viewed themselves as more valued acknowledged many process shortcomings, but they also saw it as more balanced or fair than those who felt undervalued. CONCLUSIONS: While participation can make stakeholders and communities feel valued and empowered, our findings highlight that inclusion, position and diversity of connections in a drug policy-making network do not, in and of itself, guarantee these outcomes. Instead, policy-makers must provide transparent terms of reference guidelines and include highly skilled facilitators in policy discussions. This is particularly important in policy processes that involve historical power imbalances in the context of a pressing public health emergency.

Moving towards transformative justice for black women survivors of intimate partner violence: an intersectional qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Intimate partner violence (IPV) disproportionately affects Black women, yet the current IPV justice response, relying on the criminal legal system, often fails them due to racialized, sexist stereotypes that disrupt Black women's claims to survivorship. Transformative justice, a community-based approach designed to repair harm between the survivor and person who caused harm and transform the social conditions that perpetuate violence, may be a promising alternative approach to facilitate justice and accountability for IPV. However, little is known about the justice preferences of Black women IPV survivors. This qualitative study sought to understand Black women IPV survivors' experiences interacting with police and their justice preferences following IPV. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews with 15 Black women IPV survivors were conducted between April 2020 and April 2022. Inductive analytic techniques derived from grounded theory were used to contextualize Black women IPV survivors' experiences. RESULTS: One theme was identified that aligned with Black women IPV survivors' experiences interacting with the police: 1) fear and distrust. Four themes were identified that aligned with justice preferences: (1) resolution through dialogue, (2) therapy and counseling services, (3) resource support, and (4) protection and prevention for children. Fear and distrust of the police was mainly driven by anticipated discrimination. Survivors' justice preferences encompassed solution-based dialogue between the survivor and person who caused harm mediated by family and trusted individuals in the community, therapy services, housing support, and attention to preventing the intergenerational cycle of IPV for children as part of a community-based, holistic justice response. CONCLUSIONS: Police interactions as part of the current justice response were counterproductive for Black women IPV survivors. Black women IPV survivors deserve alternative forms of justice and accountability for IPV. As an alternative justice response to IPV, transformative justice can encompass their justice preferences and promote equity and center Black women IPV survivors and their communities.

How do perceptions of procedural justice, police legitimacy, and legitimacy of laws influence intentions to drug drive?

INTRODUCTION: There is a need for improved drug driving enforcement to promote greater driver compliance with drug driving laws. In Australia, Roadside Drug Testing (RDT) suffers from operational challenges that undermine its effectiveness in reducing drug driving. OBJECTIVE: To identify potential improvements to RDT, this study investigated the extent to which drivers perceive RDT to be procedurally just and that the policing of drug driving and the associated laws are legitimate. These perceptions were then compared with those applying to Random Breath Testing (RBT) and examined in relation to their respective influence on intentions to drug and drink drive in the future. METHOD: A sample of 1,483 licensed drivers from three Australian states completed an online survey. RESULTS: Those participants who reported engaging in drug driving perceived RDT to be less procedurally just than non-drug drivers. Similarly, drug drivers perceived the police and associated drug driving laws to be less legitimate than non-drug drivers. Furthermore, drug drivers who had been tested at an RDT operation in the past perceived RDT to be less procedurally just and considered drug driving policing and laws to be less legitimate, compared with the corresponding perceptions of drink drivers who had been tested at an RBT operation. A regression analysis indicated that stronger intentions to drug drive in the future were associated with lower perceptions of police legitimacy and the legitimacy of drug driving laws, but not with the elements of procedural justice. However, follow-up analyses indicated that the influence of procedural justice on intentions was mediated by the two legitimacy variables, thus weakening its direct impact on intentions. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The results highlight the need for road safety authorities to enhance the perceived legitimacy of drug driving enforcement and associated laws. Changes to current police practices and/or drug-driving laws may also be needed to enhance the effectiveness of RDT.

Factors associated with burnout in military police officers in a city in Paraná.

OBJECTIVE: to analyze the association between burnout and sociodemographic, work factors, lifestyle habits and health conditions of military police officers in a municipality in the state of Paraná, Brazil. METHOD: cross-sectional research with 131 military police officers. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software and the R program. Chi-square, Fisher's exact and Poisson Generalized Linear Model tests were used. RESULTS: most participants (65.6%) had a high level of burnout. In relation to protective factors, those who carried out leisure activities had a 33.6% chance of not developing burnout. Conjugality was also a protective factor. Not practicing physical activity and leisure activities are factors that can contribute to the occurrence of burnout. CONCLUSIONS: important factors and high rates of burnout were observed in the police officers investigated. It is necessary to implement public health policies to reduce burnout with attention focused on this professional category.

Behind the scenes: a qualitative study on threats and violence in emergency medical services.

The increasing prevalence of threats and violence against ambulance clinicians is a critical issue that has not been adequately studied. These incidents pose significant challenges to the provision of prehospital emergency care, affecting both the safety and well-being of the clinicians involved. This study aimed to explore the experiences of Swedish ambulance clinicians when encountering threats and violence during their work. A qualitative approach was used, involving semi-structured interviews with 11 ambulance clinicians from various regions of Sweden. The participants were selected to ensure diversity in gender, age, and educational background. The data were collected over three weeks in 2021 and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The analysis revealed three key categories related to the challenges faced by ambulance clinicians: Police cooperation challenges, Strategies for a safe care environment, and Impact during and relief after stressful events. These categories highlight the complexities of managing threats and violence in the field. This study sheds light on the multifaceted challenges that ambulance clinicians face due to threats and violence. It underscores the urgent need for comprehensive training, effective communication, and clear role allocation in complex situations. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of organized support systems to help clinicians cope with the aftermath of stressful events.

"The police came in white protective suits and with batons, it was pure disaster" - a multi-stakeholder perspective on infection control in reception centers for asylum seekers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges, particularly for vulnerable populations residing in confined settings such as refugee shelters: Physical distancing measures were challenging to implement in shelters due to shared rooms or communal use of kitchens and sanitary facilities, which increased the risk of infections. Meanwhile, individuals' capabilities for individual protection strategies were severely impaired by the structure of the shelters. Consequently, shelters had the duty to develop and implement strategies for the prevention and handling of SARS-CoV-2 infections. The aim of this study was to explore the perspectives of refugees, NGO employees, and shelter directors regarding COVID-19-related measures in German refugee shelters. The study aimed to identify challenges and conflicts arising from implemented measures, as well as expectations for improved support during the pandemic. METHODS: Semi-structured and narrative interviews were conducted with 6 refugees, 6 facility managers, 12 NGO staff, and 2 social service agency staff from February to August 2022. Qualitative content analysis was employed to analyze the data, identifying overarching themes and codes. RESULTS: The study uncovered challenges and conflicts resulting from pandemic measures, particularly mass quarantine orders, within refugee shelters. Lack of transparency and ineffective communication worsened tensions, with refugees feeling distressed and anxious. The quarantine experience had a negative impact on refugees' mental health, which was exacerbated by limited social interaction and leisure-time activities. Shelter managers encountered administrative challenges when implementing measures due to facility constraints and limited resources, while NGO employees encountered obstacles in providing immediate assistance due to legal regulations and a lack of cooperation from shelter managers. CONCLUSIONS: The study highlights that shelters are problematic institutions from a public health perspective. It shows the importance of implementing customized pandemic interventions in refugee shelters that take account of the diverse needs and experiences of both refugee and staff. To achieve this, we recommend to establish an ethics committee and involve various stakeholders in decision-making processes. Additionally, enhancing information dissemination to promote transparency and public understanding of measures is crucial. These insights can help develop comprehensive and effective pandemic plans for refugee shelters, ensuring better preparedness for future public health crises.

Human sperm mitochondrial DNA copy numbers and deletion rates: Comparing persons living in two urban industrial agglomerations differing in sources of air pollution.

Persons living in industrial environments are exposed to levels of air pollution that can affect their health and fertility. The Czech capital city, Prague, and the Ostrava industrial agglomeration differ in their major sources of air pollution. In Prague, heavy traffic produces high levels of nitrogen oxides throughout the year. In the Ostrava region, an iron industry and local heating are sources of particulate matter (PM) and benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), especially in the winter. We evaluated the effects of air pollution on human sperm mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Using real-time PCR, we analysed sperm mtDNA copy number and deletion rate in Prague city policemen in two seasons (spring and autumn) and compared the results with those from Ostrava. In Prague, the sperm mtDNA deletion rate was significantly higher in autumn than in spring, which is the opposite of the results from Ostrava. The sperm mtDNA copy number did not show any seasonal differences in either of the cities; it was correlated negatively with sperm concentration, motility, and viability, and with sperm chromatin integrity (assessed with the Sperm Chromatin Structure Assay). The comparison between the two cities showed that the sperm mtDNA deletion rate in spring and the sperm mtDNA copy number in autumn were significantly lower in Prague vs. Ostrava. Our study supports the hypothesis that sperm mtDNA deletion rate is affected by the composition of air pollution. Sperm mtDNA abundance is closely associated with chromatin damage and standard semen characteristics.

A One Health Approach to Public Safety: A Review of Police Canines in the United States.

Working dogs are an essential part of modern society, and police canines (K9s) in the United States are amongst the most recognizable of all working dogs. Given the dearth of published data on active police canines in the U.S. and the calls for police reform, an interdisciplinary effort is necessary to comprehensively understand how these dogs are best used for the benefit of society. This review paper relies on veterinary public health expertise to present a comprehensive overview of police canine use by municipal law enforcement in the United States, including known impacts and gaps in knowledge. The existing literature from animal-assisted interventions (AAI) provides evidence to ensure working dog well-being, while human-animal bond research contributes to officer safety and canine partnership. Lastly, law enforcement and public health agendas (LEPH) assure the team's successful efforts in built environments and local neighborhoods. These frameworks acknowledge the complexity of police dog use, spanning from punitive to public relations, which mirrors the role of law enforcement in U.S. society. This paper proposes the use of a One Health framework to ensure police canine contributions to society, including suggested approaches to partner municipal police with veterinary medicine and public health, and integrate One Health in promoting public safety for local communities.

Understanding the interplay between organisational injustice and the health and wellbeing of female police officers: a meta-ethnography.

BACKGROUND: Female police officers are reported to encounter more bias, discriminatory practices, and inadequate support than their male counterparts and experience poorer health outcomes. This meta-ethnographic review looks beyond individual responsibilities to consider which aspects of policing impact the health and well-being of female police officers. METHODS: Primary qualitative and mixed method studies published between 2000 and 2024 were included. ProQuest (all databases) and Ovid (Medline and Embase) were searched using terms related to health, wellbeing, females, police, and qualitative research. This was a cross-jurisdictional review, with no limit on country of study. In total, twenty-one papers met the inclusion criteria. A seven-phase inductive and interpretative meta-ethnographic technique was employed to synthesise, analyse, and interpret the data. RESULTS: The data analysis revealed a distinct outcome that demonstrated a strong relationship and substantial impacts of organisational injustice on the health and well-being of female police officers. Our findings showed that organisational injustice, encompassing procedural, relational, distributive, and gendered injustice, significantly influences the health and well-being of female officers. Impacts on mental health were commonly discussed, followed by aspects influencing social health, workplace wellbeing, and physical health. Moreover, the effects of these four forms of organisational injustice and the associated cultural, systemic, and structural risk factors extend beyond the immediate health and wellbeing impacts on the individual female officer through impeding other aspects of their work life, such as career progression and work-life balance, that can further impact long-term health and well-being. CONCLUSION: This review highlights the importance of addressing organisational injustice and the cultural, systemic, and structural risk factors within policing to promote healthier and more inclusive workforces for female officers. Policymakers and practitioners should critically examine policies and practices that may appear gender neutral but disproportionately impact women, affecting the health and well-being of female police officers. By addressing these issues, transformative action can be taken to create safer, more supportive, and healthier working environments for female police officers.

Statistical analysis plan for the SOLUTIONS randomised controlled trial with internal pilot: Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) in 10-17-year-olds presenting at policy custody.

BACKGROUND: Within England, children and young people entering police custody are referred to Liaison and Diversion (L&D) teams. These teams liaise with healthcare and other support services aiming to divert children and young people away from the criminal justice system. Although targeted psychological interventions are not typically offered to children and young people by L&D teams, evidence suggests that Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) leads to a reduction in internalising and externalising behaviour problems. METHODS: A two-arm individually randomised controlled trial (RCT) with internal pilot and process evaluation will be conducted with approximately 448 children and young people aged 10-17 years presenting at police custody suites who are referred to the L&D team or recruited via online routes if they have previously presented at any police custody suite in England. The primary outcome is the Self-Report Delinquency Measure (SRDM) at 6 months post-randomisation. Analyses will be performed using intention-to-treat. RESULTS: The statistical analysis plan (SAP) for the trial is described. The plan details of analyses to be undertaken which will be reported in the primary and any secondary publications. The plan was developed and published prior to locking our database and unblinding to treatment allocation. DISCUSSION: This RCT will evaluate the effectiveness of SFBT in reducing offending behaviours in CYP presenting at police custody suites including testing of moderating factors and sensitivity of the primary analyses. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov ISRCTN14195235. Registered on June 16, 2023.

Police violence reduces trust in the police among Black residents.

Recent high-profile incidents involving the shooting or killing of unarmed Black men have intensified the debate about how police violence affects trust in the criminal justice system, particularly among communities of color. In this article, we propose a quasi-experimental design that leverages the timing of the shooting of Jacob Blake by the Kenosha Police Department relative to when a large survey was fielded in the city of Chicago. We demonstrate that individuals interviewed 4 weeks before and 4 weeks after the shooting are comparable across a large set of observed characteristics, thus approximating an experimental setting. We find that Blake's shooting caused substantial reductions in Black respondents' trust in the police, concentrated among younger residents and criminalized residents. These results suggest that police violence against racial minorities may lead to lower civic engagement and cooperation with law enforcement in those communities, exacerbating issues of public safety and community well-being. The pronounced distrust among younger Black residents suggests a generational rift that could risk further entrenching systemic biases and inequalities within the criminal justice system. Additionally, the higher levels of distrust among criminalized respondents could have implications for research detailing this population's decreased willingness to engage with public institutions more broadly.

How does the double-track human resource management model contribute to job burnout and mental health among Chinese government departments? A Chinese police study.

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the contribution of the double-track human resource management model to the job performance and mental health of frontline police within China's public security organs. Methodology: An individual-centered approach, latent profile analysis (LPA), was utilized in this study, which used cluster sampling to survey all police of all 118 frontline police stations in an economically underdeveloped area of China and 839 personnel were selected for the analysis. This method allowed for a detailed examination of the contribution of the double-track system to job performance and mental health. Findings and conclusion: The study identified three subtypes of job burnout among Chinese police: low job burnout, medium job burnout, and emotional exhaustion type. The double-track human resource management model in China's public security organs has contributed to significant disparities between civilian and auxiliary police, such as more severe job burnout among civilian police, lower job performance, and mental health among auxiliary police. Implications: To mitigate the potential risks associated with the double-track human resource management model, adjustments are necessary for both the management system and the treatment distribution system, which would also help address the disparities and improve the overall wellbeing and performance of all police officers.

Mass killing during terror attack at the Israel-Gaza border and the role of the Ministry of Health in identification of human remains and their release.

More than 1200 civilians and military were killed in cities and villages by the Hamas attack on October 7th, 2023. The bodies and body-parts had to be identified and released for burial. This report outlines the challenges and mode of operation of the massive disaster victim identification (DVI) efforts. Bodies were delivered to a central mortuary. Each body was coded and undressed for external inspection and documentation of physical elements. Digital fingerprints were recorded and blood or toenails sampled for DNA. Odontology exams were performed by dentists describing dentition, aided by computerized tomography (CT). Whole-body CT was performed in cases the bodies were disfigured or burned from the second week. Simultaneously, families of missing civilians provided physical elements to the police to extract the DNA for antemortem documentation. The police took the responsibility over the reconciliation, which was based on comparison of the ante-mortem and post-mortem fingerprints, aided by DNA profile matching, odontology examination, clinical and/or radiological findings performed by forensic practitioners. Secondary identification elements were used assure the families regarding the identification. Precise scientific identification a was a priority, even if it slowed the rate of bodies release. Families were allowed to view their relative either at the mortuary or before burial. The DVI process required cooperation between several governmental agencies and police. To maximize the effectiveness, a synchronized approach should be adopted, specifying communication channels between the partners and dividing the responsibilities. The DVI should be led by a single, experienced authority to ensure interdisciplinary teamwork. This catastrophe required personal resilience of the teams for rapid and efficient functioning and communication between the partners.

Indirect victims of violence: a look at health impacts. / Vítimas indiretas da violência: um olhar sobre os impactos na saúde.

We sought to investigate the perceptions of indirect victims or family members of homicide victims, about the repercussions of these deaths on their health. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive study was carried out, based on eight semi-structured individual interviews with two groups: family members of police officers victimized by lethal violence, and family members of people killed as a result of police intervention, designated here as homicide. Both groups reported the perception that their health deteriorated after the homicide, and mentioned problems such as depression, panic disorder, insomnia, heart conditions and eating disorders. They also highlighted the acquisition of habits that are harmful to health, such as the consumption of alcoholic beverages, tobacco and self-medication, and the worsening of pre-existing health issues. It was observed that the homicide committed and suffered by police agents affects various aspects of the lives of indirect victims that are inseparable from health issues in a broader sense. These people are also victims of this violence, although their suffering is often made invisible. Studying this topic helps to give space to the suffering and mourning of these people and to subsidize the best performance of the institutions and services involved.

Buscou-se investigar as percepções das vítimas indiretas, ou familiares de vítimas de homicídio, sobre as repercussões dessa morte em sua saúde. Fez-se um estudo qualitativo, exploratório, descritivo, a partir de oito entrevistas individuais semiestruturadas com dois grupos: familiares de agentes policiais vitimados por violência letal, e familiares de pessoas mortas em decorrência de intervenção policial, aqui designada como homicídio. Ambos os grupos relataram a percepção de que sua saúde piorou após o homicídio, e mencionaram problemas de depressão, síndrome do pânico, insônia, problemas cardíacos e distúrbios alimentares. Destacaram ainda a aquisição de hábitos danosos à saúde, como consumo de bebidas alcoólicas, tabaco e automedicação, e o agravamento de problemas de saúde pré-existentes. Observou-se que o homicídio praticado e sofrido por agentes policiais afeta vários aspectos da vida das vítimas indiretas que são indissociáveis das questões de saúde em sentido ampliado. Essas pessoas também são vítimas dessa violência, embora muitas vezes tenham seu sofrimento invisibilizado. Estudar o tema contribui para dar espaço ao sofrimento e ao luto, e para subsidiar a melhor atuação das instituições e serviços envolvidos.

Alcohol use, civilian interference, and other possible risk factors for death during restraint.

Physical restraint is usually used when trying to control and terminate a violent episode. Many causes are possible behind aggressive, agitated, and violent behavior. Some of these are such factors that can either be detected in forensic autopsies or can be evident from the person's medical records. Various causes for deaths during physical restraint have been suggested. In this study, we wanted to review all incidents in which physical restraint was employed, ending in death of the restrained person, whether the restraint was applied by police officers, security guards, police custody personnel, health care personnel or ordinary civilians. The main aim was to see if this new kind of study design would increase our knowledge in circumstances and causes leading to death in restraint situations. Data was collected retrospectively from all forensic autopsies performed in the Southern Finland area during 2010-2015. We went through 21,036 forensic autopsy cases and found 12 cases (0.06 %) in which a physical restraint was employed before death. Police officers were involved in the physical restraint in 7/12 of the cases: in two of these cases, police alone; in three cases, police and guards; and in two cases, police and health care personnel. Civilians carried out the restraint in 5/12 cases. With civilians responsible for the restraint, the cause of death was more likely considered to be a result of the restraint itself than in cases where police and other authorities were responsible for the restraint. This could be because civilians aren't educated about safe restraint methods, and they might themselves be intoxicated. Alcohol was the most common psychoactive substance found in this study and could be a risk factor for not only aggressive behavior but also death, since alcohol use can provoke cardiac arrhythmias and even sudden death. Based on this study, and previously published studies, we see restraint deaths as a varying spectrum of deaths, in which the death is often possibly a result of many factors, including the effects of agitation and restraint, intoxication, and cardiac and other illnesses.

Value of DNA mixture-to-mixture comparisons within an operational context.

Since 1995, national forensic DNA databases have used a maximum number of contributors, and a minimum number of loci to reduce the risk of providing false leads. DNA profiles of biological traces that do not meet these criteria cannot be loaded into these databases. In 2023, about 10 % of more than 15,000 trace DNA profiles analyzed in western Switzerland were not compared at the national level, even though they were considered to be interpretable, mainly because they contained the DNA from more than two persons. In this situation, police services can request local comparisons with DNA profiles of known persons and/or with other traces, but this occurs in only a small proportion of cases, so that DNA mixtures are rarely used to help detect potential series. The development of probabilistic genotyping software and its associated tools have made possible the efficient performance of this type of comparison, which is based on likelihood ratios (LR) rather than on the number of shared alleles. To highlight potential common contributors for investigation and intelligence purposes, the present study used the mixture-to-mixture tool of the software STRmix v2.7 to compare 235 DNA profiles that cannot be searched the Swiss DNA database. These DNA profiles originated from traces collected by six different police services in 2021 and 2022. Traces were selected by the police based on information that indicated that they were from potential series. Associations between profiles were compared with expected investigative associations to define the value of this approach. Among the 27,495 pairwise comparisons of DNA profiles, 88 pairs (0.3 %) showed at least one potential common contributor when using a LR threshold of 1000. Of these 88 pairs, 60 (68.2 %) were qualified by the police services as "expected" (60/88), 22 (25.0 %) as "possible", and six (6.8 %) as "unexpected". Although it is important to consider the limits of this approach (e.g., adventitious or missed associations, cost/benefit evaluation, integration of DNA mixture comparison in the process), these findings indicate that non CODIS loadable DNA mixtures could provide police agencies with information concerning potential series at both the local and national level.

Carjacking and homicide in Minneapolis after the police killing of George Floyd: Evidence from an interrupted time series analysis.

There is abundant research showing the disproportionate impacts of violence on health in disadvantaged neighborhoods, making an understanding of recent violent crime trends essential for promoting health equity. Carjackings have been of particular interest in the media, although little research has been undertaken on this violent crime. We use interrupted time series models to examine the impact of the police killing of George Floyd on the spatiotemporal patterns of carjacking in Minneapolis in relation to neighborhood disadvantage. To provide grounding, we compare our results to the well-studied patterns of homicides. Results indicate that carjackings both increased and dispersed spatially after the murder of George Floyd and subsequent social unrest, more so than homicides. Socially disadvantaged neighborhoods experienced the greatest absolute increase while more advantaged neighborhoods saw a greater relative increase. The challenge ahead is to identify policy responses that will effectively curb such violence without resorting to harsh and inequitable policing and sentencing practices.

First Sero-Molecular Diagnosis of Toxoplasma gondii and Toxocara spp. Infections in the Police Dogs and Their Trainers in Iran.

PURPOSE: Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) and Toxocara spp. are two types of parasites that can infect humans and various animals, including dogs. Police dogs and their trainers have a vital role in law enforcement, and their health and well-being are crucial for them to effectively carry out their duties. No study has yet been conducted on the prevalence of T. gondii and Toxocara spp. infections among police dogs and their trainers in Iran. The objective of this study was to determine the sero-molecular prevalence of T. gondii and Toxocara spp. infections in police dogs and their trainers in Tehran, the capital of Iran. METHODS: In Tehran province, the anti-narcotics police have nearly 200 well-trained police dogs. Each dog is assigned a dedicated trainer and upon completing missions, is housed separately in a designated area. In the present study, a total of 150 samples were gathered. These included 50 blood samples from randomly selected police dogs, 50 fecal samples from the same dogs, and 50 blood samples from their trainers. The Modified Agglutination Test (MAT) was performed to detect T. gondii antibodies in dog blood samples and the ELISA system was utilized to identify anti-Toxoplasma and anti-Toxocara antibodies in the sera of the dog trainers. A specific segment of the SAG2 and ITS genes were amplified via nested-PCR in order to molecularly detect T. gondii in human blood samples and Toxocara spp. in dog fecal samples. RESULTS: Regarding serological findings, the prevalence of T. gondii in dog and human blood samples was 4% (2/50) and 10% (5/50), respectively. According to reports, the seroprevalence of Toxocara spp. in human blood samples was 6% (3/50). No statistically significant association was found between the prevalence of the examined parasites and variables (age, sex, and breed) in dogs, as well as the age variable in military personnel. Molecular findings showed that out of the 50 dog fecal samples and 50 human blood samples, there was no presence of Toxocara spp. and T. gondii, respectively. CONCLUSION: Understanding the prevalence of parasitic infections helps public health officials assess the risk to human and animal populations. This information can guide the development of prevention and control measures to reduce the spread of these infections. Overall, the prevalence of parasitic infections, particularly T. gondii and Toxocara spp., in police dogs and their trainers remains uncertain and necessitates further in-depth research.