After nearly a week of unrelenting stress from 12-hour shifts of dangerous crowd control and fire protection, the curfew announced Thursday by Cincinnati Mayor Charlie Luken is likely to accomplish two goals, police experts and mob psychologists predicted.

        It will give Cincinnati police and firefighters a badly needed break — allowing officers to defuse and deal with stresses from long days and nights of sporadic rioting.

        Experts said the curfew also breaks the momentum of escalating violence.

        “When a mayor talks about how police need help, what that means is that they are tired,” said Alejandro del Carmen, assistant professor of criminology and criminal justice at the University of Texas at Arlington.

        “When you have police officers and firefighters on extended hours — when you activate everybody — at some point, you are going to need assistance.”

        “We've given up sleep entirely,” said Cincinnati Fire Lt. Ed Emley, noting that firefighters typically get rest between calls. “We've sort of written that off.”

        Indeed, escorting firefighters and paramedics on hundreds of calls is taking its toll on motorcycle Officer Chris Thomas. The nine-year police veteran said adrenaline- and stress-filled 12-hour shifts make sleep difficult.

        Mr. del Carmen, an expert in mob psychology and a former Miami resident who has studied and written about the riots there in 1989, said police in mob settings come under extreme stress because violence is never static.

        “Somebody grabs a rock and throws it at a vehicle,” he said. “Others see that and take the aggression a step further — and overturn the vehicle. These escalating levels of violence become extremely dangerous.”

        Lt. Emley said violence from people he's trying to help is disheartening and frustrating. He and other officers interviewed Thursday said the stress also affects the families of officers. Most just fear for their loved ones, but District 4 Officer Amy Stevens sent her children to their grandparents in western Kentucky because she and her and fellow-cop husband are working extended hours.

        “I haven't seen my kids in two days,” Officer Stevens said. “It's horrible — I hate to send my kids away. But I'm here for a reason: There's a job to be done.”

        Officers and firefighters said their first concern is protecting the public — they will deal with stress and exhaustion later.

        “We don't have a choice,” said Spc. Joy Lugatis, an 11- year veteran. “It's not like we can say, "I'm tired, let's go home.'”

        Police officers said they deal with the stress of their jobs differently. Lt. Emley will ride his Harley Davidson; District 4 Officer Brian Hoehler will confide in his wife.

        “I have a very supportive family, and my wife is my stress relief,” the five-year veteran said. “I talk to her.”

        Still, experts say the stress can distort officers' critical thinking and dehumanize rioters, said Sue Dyrenforth, psychologist and director for organizational development for the VA Healthcare System of Ohio.

        “An officer under stress can tend to lose that human connection,” she said.

        Dr. James Daum, Cincinnati police psychologist for six years, consulted with six officers Thursday. All came to him voluntarily.

        He said Cincinnati police officers have developed deeper bonds as they grapple with cthe nightly havoc of city streets and sidewalks given over to mobs.

        “If we look at officers in general, I think they are going through a lot of apprehension,” he said.

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