Papers of the Week

This article aims to identify the profile of police officers who underwent surgery due to gunshot wounds to the face, to survey the anatomical distribution of injuries and the repercussions on their health, work and family relationships. We conducted a retrospective epidemiological study based on secondary data of police officers who underwent surgery at the Central Military Police Hospital of the state of Rio de Janeiro due to gunshot wounds to the face from June 2003 to December 2020 (N=87). We also adopted a qualitative approach by applying a questionnaire with open and closed questions (N=37) to survey repercussions of the violent event on police officers' work, families and health. The profile of police officers who underwent surgery showed that they were exclusively males, aged 34.9 years on average, privates, and injured in the line of duty. Fractures of the mandibular region were the most frequent injuries. After the accident, physical health conditions of police officers deteriorated, including an increase in cases of hypertension, a high frequency of insomnia (59.4%), and headache (51.3%). Damaged family relationship included an increasing trend of self-isolation and a feeling of fear experienced by police officers' family members.