Establishing Reference Data for Fitness Assessment of Law Enforcement Officers Using a Qualitative Systematic Review

Fitness Profile of Police Officers from Rapid Intervention Teams of the Lisbon Metropolitan Command

Background: A rapid intervention team is a broad category of special teams used by police and emergency respondents to cover various needs. It is essential to ensure the safety and well-being of people in emergencies, minimising the risk of harm and maximising the chances of survival. Objective: This study aimed (i) to identify the fitness profiles and levels of POs from the EIR of the Lisbon Metropolitan Command (COMETLIS, PSP, Portugal), considering age classes; (ii) to directly compare the observed fitness profiles to previous research and normative data; and (iii) to compare the fitness profile of POs from the EIR with cadets from the Police Academy. Methods: This cross-sectional observational study included the participation of 121 male POs from the EIR of the Lisbon Metropolitan Command (Portugal) and 92 male cadets from the Police Academy (Lisbon, Portugal). The assessment protocol sequence involved the collection of biosocial data (age classes: ≤29 years; 30-39 years; 40-49 years), a body size assessment, and a fitness assessment (horizontal jump, handgrip strength, 60 s sit-ups and 20 m shuttle run). Results: (i) In the ≤29 years age class, POs performed better in all fitness tests (highlighting that the age class had a statistically significant effect on performance in the horizontal jump, sit-ups, 20 m shuttle run, and predicted VO2max), and they showed significantly better performance than cadets in handgrip (left, right, and sum), and significantly worse performance in sit-ups and predicted VO2max. (ii) In the 30-39 years age class, POs had significantly worse performance than cadets in the horizontal jump, sit-ups, 20 m shuttle run, and predicted VO2max, even after controlling for age. Conclusions: (i) The fitness performance decreased as the age class became older; (ii) the handgrip strength and cardiovascular capacity attributes were between the standard and excellent levels according to the ACSM guidelines for the general population; (iii) POs from the EIR were stronger than cadets in terms of handgrip strength but weaker in terms of lower limb power, abdominal muscular endurance, and aerobic capacity; and (iv) the differences observed between POs from the EIR and cadets in the 30-39 years age class emphasise the importance of physical training after the training period and throughout professional life.

A profile of occupational tasks performed by mounted police officers

BACKGROUND

Within individual policing organisations, there are a wide variety of units and job roles.

OBJECTIVE

To profile the occupational tasks performed by Australian mounted police officers, aiming to offer conditioning insight into this unique job role.

METHODS

Thirteen fully qualified and operational mounted police officers (n = 11 females), who served in the mounted police unit for ∼3.3 (±2.3) years, participated in this observational cohort study. Participants completed a survey outlining common occupational tasks and were monitored throughout four consecutive shifts. Participants' heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), and skin temperature (ST) data were collected via wearable monitoring (Equivital EQ-02, Hidalgo, UK) and body position, physical activity undertaken, task effort, and load carriage were recorded by researchers. A one-way ANOVA was used to assess mean differences in physiological measures between the three most reported tasks.

RESULTS

Survey identified 130 tasks, with 38 listed as most common. The three most reported mounted police tasks were: 'horse riding' (n = 13, 34%), 'mounted patrols' (n = 10, 26%), and 'horse care' (n = 10, 26%). These were also reported as the most physically demanding. HR during 'horse care' and 'horse riding' were significantly higher than when 'mounted patrolling' (27±7bpm, p = 0.001 and 33±8bpm; p = 0.001, respectively). Mean RR was higher when 'horse riding' when compared to 'horse care' (5.3±1.6brpm) and 'mounted patrol' (8.5±1.9brpm).

CONCLUSION

Mounted police officers experience unique physiological challenges throughout their routine occupational tasks. This study highlights the significance of understanding occupation-specific tasks and stressors undertaken by mounted police to develop relevant conditioning, rehabilitation, and monitoring procedures.

Four-Year Training Course for Police Officers (CFOP) and Fitness Outcomes of Police Academy Cadets: A Cohort Study from 2004 to 2020

This study examines the effect of gender, age, and a 4-year training course for police officers (CFOP) on the physical fitness attributes of Portuguese police academy cadets. This longitudinal cohort study considered 686 police cadets (female, n = 131; male, n = 555 male), corresponding to 2578 fitness assessments (female, n = 509; male, n = 2069). The database of police cadets' physical fitness evaluations (from 2004/2005 to 2019/2020) comprises body size, speed, agility, strength, flexibility, and aerobic capacity first assessment (T0) and evaluations at the end of the first four years of the CFOP (T1, T2, T3, T4). Results showed that (i) female cadets are younger (p < 0.05), shorter, lighter, less fast, less agile, less strong, and perform worse in aerobic capacity assessments than male cadets (all, p < 0.001) but perform better in the flexibility assessment (p < 0.001); (ii) female cadets > 29 years are significantly heavier, slower, jump less, perform fewer sit-ups, and perform less on the Cooper test (but they have more handgrip strength), and male cadets > 29 years are significantly heavier, slower, jump less, perform fewer sit-ups, and have less flexibility and aerobic capacity (still, they have superior back and lumbar strength and handgrip strength); and (iii) from T0 to T4 (Δ), female cadets are significantly faster (60 m, -0.32 s; slalom, -0.78 s), jump further (+4 cm), have more abdominal strength endurance (+2.6 repetitions) and more back and lumbar strength (+89.8 kg), and male cadets are significantly heavier (+3.27 kg), faster (60 m, -0.23 s; 30 m, -0.15 s; slalom, -0.91 s), jump further (+8 cm), complete more repetitions in the sit-ups (+4.9 repetitions) and in pull-ups (+2.5 repetitions) and have more back and lumbar strength (+92.1 kg) and handgrip strength (+8.6 kg) but a lower aerobic capacity (Cooper test, -74.8 m; VO2max, -1.3 mL/kg/min) when compared to T0. The study's findings lead to widely accepted conclusions within the discipline. Nevertheless, this work provides valuable insights into the impact of various factors on the physical fitness of Portuguese police academy cadets, i.e.: (i) it is an essential study with practical implications for recruitment, training, and the ongoing development of Portuguese police academy cadets and police officers; and (ii) these results can also assist in tailoring training programs to different age groups and genders, which is crucial in police training.

Physical Fitness and Psychosocial Profiles of Policewomen from Professional Training Courses and Bodyguard Special Police Sub-Unit

Police work demands a high level of physical fitness (PF) and psychosocial well-being (PSWB) to cope with the challenges and demands of the profession. The profession has historically been male-dominated, and female police officers (POs) face unique challenges and stereotypes. This study aims (i) to identify the PF and PSWB attributes that significantly distinguish the women from three different professional training courses (agents, chiefs, and officers) and (ii) to assess the significance of PF and PSWB attributes on the likelihood that women in professional training courses belonging to a special bodyguard police sub-unit. A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted, involving 102 female POs (professional PO training courses, n = 94; special bodyguard police sub-unit, n = 8). PF (morphology; fitness, including endurance, strength, and flexibility tests) and PSWB (measured through scales for grit and dispositional resilience) attributes were assessed. Significant differences were observed in age, morphological (height and waist-to-hip ratio), fitness (horizontal jump and endurance tests), and PSWB (perseverance in effort and alienation) attributes among the three professional training courses. Stepwise discriminant analysis revealed that waist-to-hip ratio, waist-to-height ratio, relative fat mass, relative muscle mass, horizontal jump, and endurance on exertion significantly distinguished between the three groups. Complementarily, it was observed that the waist-to-hip ratio and sit-up attributes influence the probability of women from the professional training courses joining the special bodyguard police sub-unit. The study highlights that (i) female POs in different professional training courses showed distinct PF and PSWB profiles, and (ii) only two PF attributes (waist-to-hip ratio and sit-up) were predictors for the special bodyguard police sub-unit. In accordance, these findings provide valuable insights for designing training programs to support female POs in improving their PF, psychological well-being, and overall performance in the police profession.