Extending Research on Law Enforcement Academy Graduation and Fitness: A Research Note on Receiver Operating Characteristic Curves

Physical and psychological factors related to injury, illness and tactical performance in law enforcement recruits: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

There are inconsistent reports of factors relating to injury, illness and tactical performance in law enforcement recruits. Our objectives were to: (1) report physical and psychological risk factors and protective factors for injury and illness and (2) report physical and psychological risk factors and protective factors for tactical performance success.

DESIGN

Systematic epidemiological review.

METHODS

Searches of six databases were conducted on 13 December 2022. We included cohorts that assessed physical and psychological factors for injury, illness and tactical performance success. Study quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Quality Assessment Checklist for Prevalence Studies and certainty assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation.

RESULTS

30 studies were included, and quality assessment was performed. Very low certainty of evidence exists for physical variables related to injury risk, and we found no studies that investigated psychological variables as a risk factor for injury. Low-certainty evidence found older age, poorer performance with push-up reps to failure, poorer arm ergometer revolutions, poorer beep test, poorer 75-yard pursuit and the 1.5 miles run tests to be associated with reduced tactical performance. Very low certainty of evidence exists that the psychological variables of intelligence and anger are associated with tactical performance.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified a lack of high-level evidence for factors associated with injury, illness and performance. Interventions based on this research will be suboptimal. We suggest context-specific factors related to injury, illness and performance in law enforcement populations are used to inform current practice while further, high-quality research into risk factors is performed.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42022381973.

Expanding Research on Firefighter Trainee Fitness, Reasons for Academy Release, and the Predictive Capabilities of Fitness Tests

ABSTRACT

Lockie, RG, Orr, RM, Montes, F, and Dawes, JJ. Expanding research on firefighter trainee fitness, reasons for academy release, and the predictive capabilities of fitness tests. J Strength Cond Res 38(4): 724-733, 2024-Firefighter trainees need a level of fitness to be admitted to and complete a training academy. Fitness could indicate a trainee's likelihood of graduation, in addition to their reasons for release. This study determined fitness differences between firefighter trainees who graduated (GRAD) from academy or were released because of injury (RELI), performance test failures (RELP), or resignation (RELR), and whether fitness predicted graduation. Occupational physical ability test (OPAT) data for 686 trainees were analyzed, including: Illinois agility test; push-ups; pull-ups; leg tucks; maximal aerobic capacity (V̇O2max); backward overhead medicine ball throw; 10-repetition maximum deadlift; and farmer's carry. Raw and scaled (based on internal scoring) scores were recorded. Trainees were split into GRAD (n = 576), RELI (n = 33), RELP (n = 66), and RELR (n = 11) groups. A 1-way ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc calculated between-group differences. Stepwise linear regression determined whether fitness predicted group inclusion. Receiver operating curves and area under the curve (AUC) derived test accuracy for predicting academy release. The GRAD group was superior (p ≤ 0.04) to the RELI group in all tests except push-ups, pull-ups, and farmer's carry; RELP group in all tests except the farmer's carry; and RELR group in V̇O2max, deadlift, and total OPAT score. Select fitness tests could predict inclusion in each group, although the explained variances were low (∼1-11%). Raw V̇O2max (AUC = 0.71) and total OPAT score (AUC = 0.74) had acceptable prediction accuracy. Fitness influenced academy graduation and reasons for release. Scaled scores could predict group inclusion in this department; V̇O2max and total OPAT score provided the most accurate predictors for release.

Physical fitness test performance in firefighter trainees: Differences between graduated and released trainees and predicting academy graduation

BACKGROUND

Fitness tests have been previously used to predict academy graduation and highlight specific capacities to be targeted in applicants/trainees to optimise their potential for academy success.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the fitness of graduated and released (did not complete academy requirements) firefighter trainees and explore using decision tree analysis to predict academy graduation via fitness tests.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis was conducted on 686 trainees who completed an occupational physical ability test (OPAT): Illinois agility test; push-ups; pull-ups; leg tucks; estimated maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max); backwards overhead 4.54-kg medicine ball throw; 10-repetition maximum deadlift; and 91.44-m farmer's carry. Data were recorded in raw and scaled scores (tests scored from 0-100; maximum OPAT score was 800). Trainees were split into 'graduated' (GRAD; n = 576) or 'released' (REL; n = 110) groups. Mann-Whitney U-tests compared between-group OPAT scores. A decision tree analysis using Chi-square automatic interaction detection was conducted, with raw and scaled scores entered into the analysis. A separate analysis was conducted with only the raw scores.

RESULTS

GRAD trainees outperformed REL trainees in all OPAT events (p < 0.001). OPAT total score was the best predictor of academy graduation (p < 0.001), followed by the deadlift score (p = 0.003). Estimated VO2max was the only significant raw score predictor (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

GRAD trainees were fitter than the REL trainees. Fitness could predict trainees who graduated from the academy. Overall fitness (OPAT total score), muscular strength (deadlift) and aerobic capacity were important graduation predictors. Training staff could develop these fitness qualities in their trainees to potentially improve fire academy graduation rates.

A profile of two different applicant test batteries with regards to sex and age in successful law enforcement applicants

BACKGROUND

Law enforcement (LE) applicant assessments and initial academy training vary greatly across the United States of America (USA), with 820+ academies operating across 50 different states. Rising obesity and declining physical fitness underscore the need for benchmarks of applicant physical performance.

OBJECTIVE

Create a "point-in-time" descriptive profile of the performance of LE applicants and determine any differences between males, females, and age using two applicant test batteries (ATBs).

METHODS

Archival data from one large USA LE academy were analysed. Applicants completed one of two ATBs; ATB1 (n = 1674): 68.8-meter agility run (AR), 60-s push-ups, 60-s sit-ups, 60-s arm ergometer revolutions, and 2.4 km run; ATB2 (n = 355): AR, 60-s push-ups, 60-s sit-ups, and a multistage fitness test. Data were coded for sex and age. Independent samples t-tests compared the sexes. A one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc analysis compared age groups (18- 24, 25- 29, 30- 34, 35- 39, 40 + years).

RESULTS

Males outperformed females in all fitness assessments across both ATBs (p≤0.02). The 18- 24 age group demonstrated faster run times in the AR and 2.4 km for ATB1 compared to all groups. (p≤0.03). In ATB2, the 18- 24 age group was faster in the AR compared to all other groups except the 25- 29 age group (p≤0.026).

CONCLUSIONS

Regardless of ATB used, females and older applicants generally would benefit from specific fitness training to better prepare for academy. Older applicants may experience greater challenges in running tasks, especially those involving sprinting, which could also be impacted by qualities important for running/sprinting (i.e., maximal strength and power).