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Santa Fe, NM— The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office has officially concluded the six-month pilot program for the “4/8/40 Work Well Live Well” schedule, which launched on October 5, 2024.

The innovative workweek model—consisting of four 8-hour shifts totaling 40 hours—was offered to patrol deputies as an opt-in/opt-out option during the trial period. Up to two hours of administrative leave were provided per regularly scheduled shift for patrol deputies to focus on their physical and mental well-being. Productivity and other metrics were gathered from both groups and compared to the same timeframe in 2023 and 2024. The findings from October 5, 2024, through April 5, 2025, reveal initial positive outcomes:

• Overtime hours decreased by 53%
• Deputies who opted in initiated 69% more calls for service
• Traffic stops by the opt-in group increased by 94%
• Overall, traffic citations rose by 84%
• Motor vehicle crashes dropped by 20%, linked to increased traffic enforcement
• The average satisfaction score among opt-in deputies was 8.88/10, with a March 2025 peak at 9.27/10
• Vacancy rates fell from 24% in August 2024 to just 3%
• Response times for Priority Level 1 and all service calls steadily declined

The pilot program aimed to improve deputies’ work-life balance by replacing 12-hour shifts, which often stretched to 15 hours, with a more sustainable schedule that provided time for deputies to focus on their physical and mental well-being. The change allowed deputies more time for rest, family, and personal well-being while boosting operational effectiveness.

Given these positive, initial results, Sheriff Adan Mendoza and County Manager Gregory S. Shaffer have agreed to extend the schedule for another six months. The Sheriff’s Office will continue monitoring performance metrics and addressing any emerging concerns. The sheriff and the county manager will jointly make a final decision on adopting the schedule long-term.

To hear firsthand from deputies about their experiences regarding the pilot program, consider watching this video: 4-8-40 Testimonial Video 

For media inquiries related to the Sheriff’s Office or Law Enforcement, contact Denise Womack-Avila at 505-986-2434 or dwomackavila@santafecountynm.gov.  

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