DALLAS — Public safety agencies report being substantially better prepared for routine calls than for major disruptions, regulatory changes and staffing shortages, according to Lexipol’s 2026 State of Readiness in Public Safety survey.
The survey collected responses from 915 law enforcement, fire, EMS and corrections professionals, 74% of whom hold command- or chief-level positions. Lexipol details the survey results in its 2026 State of Readiness in Public Safety white paper.
Among the findings highlighted in the report is a wide gap between preparedness for day-to-day events and for so-called “disrupter” events: 78% of respondents said their agencies are prepared for typical calls, compared with 38% who reported preparedness for legal or regulatory changes and 22% for major operational disruptions. Only 8% said they were extremely confident in their agency’s ability to respond to evolving challenges such as emerging incident types and new risks.
The report also identified several other areas of readiness challenges:
- Staffing: Staffing also emerged as a readiness concern. Seventeen percent of respondents said their agencies are extremely or very prepared for staffing shortages. Forty percent said recruitment is more difficult than it was two years ago. Staffing shortages were cited by 65% of respondents as a factor limiting readiness, followed by recruitment challenges at 39%.
- Leadership: The survey found an association between leadership preparedness and other measures of agency readiness, including training effectiveness, retention, wellness support, policy quality and data use. Nineteen percent of respondents rated their agencies as very or extremely effective at developing future leaders.
- Training: Time and scheduling were the most frequently cited barriers to training, reported by 83% of respondents, followed by budget constraints at 57%. Forty-five percent rated their agencies’ training as very or extremely effective, while 34% said training effectiveness is not consistently measured.
- Wellness: Nearly half of respondents, 48%, rated their agencies’ personnel wellness support as strong or comprehensive. Among agencies with that level of support, 44% rated personnel retention as very or extremely effective, compared with 10% at agencies reporting low wellness support.
- Policy: Policy maintenance was another measure of readiness, with 60% of respondents reporting that their agencies review policies continuously or at least annually, while 59% rated their policies as mostly or fully current and aligned with laws and best practices.
Overall, 58% said their agency’s readiness is stronger than it was two years ago; 49% expressed concern about the current state of public safety; and 44% said they were somewhat or very optimistic about its future over the next two to three years.
Access additional findings from Lexipol’s 2026 State of Readiness in Public Safety survey in the 2026 State of Readiness in Public Safety white paper.
Lexipol is the parent company of FireRescue1, Police1, EMS1 and Corrections1.
