Occupational Physical Fitness Tests for Police Officers—A Narrative Review
by Eduardo Frio Marins, MSc, Pedro Henrique Silva, Fabricio B. Del Vecchio, PhD, Airton Rombaldi
TSAC Report
January 2019
Vol 5, Issue 50
Occupational police tests described in the literature can serve as indicators of the occupational performance of their employees. In addition, practitioners in charge of police training should develop and employ obstacle courses composed of critical work tasks, as they may be strongly related to tests of aerobic endurance, strength, muscular endurance, and agility.
Paywall block issue
This article is not configured properly for members or paid content.
isMemberOnly: {{isMemberOnly}} | isPaidContent: {{isPaidContent}}
spc: One or more parts of the product SPC is missing.
Read the full article
View the video
Login to view more
{{discountDesc}} Valid thru {{discountEnds}}
This {{ogType == 'video.other' ? 'video':'article'}} is available with a NSCA membership
or can be purchased for {{prices}}
or can be purchased. Price range: {{prices}}
Price includes membership pricing and promotions
This {{ogType == 'video.other' ? 'video':'article'}} can be purchased for {{prices}}
Price includes membership pricing and promotions
Purchase this {{ogType == 'video.other' ? 'video':'article'}}. Price range: {{prices}}
Price range includes membership pricing and promotions
This article originally appeared in TSAC Report, the NSCA’s quarterly, online-only publication geared toward the training of tactical athletes, operators, and facilitators. It provides research-based articles, performance drills, and conditioning techniques for operational, tactical athletes. The TSAC Report is only available for NSCA Members. Read more articles from TSAC Report
Related Reading
References
1. Abel, MG, Palmer, TG, and Trubee, N. Exercise program design for structural firefighters. Strength and Conditioning Journal 37(4): 8-19, 2015.
2. Alvar, B, Sell, K, and Deuster, P. NSCA’S Essentials of Tactical Strength and Conditioning. New Zealand: Human Kinetics: 2017.
3. Andrew, ME, Violanti, JM, Gu, JK, Fekedulegn, D, Li, S, Hartley, TA, et al. Police work stressors and cardiac vagal control. American Journal of Human Biology 29(5): 1-10, 2017.
4. Arvey, RD, Landon, TE, Nutting, SM, and Maxwell, SE. Development of physical ability tests for police officers: A construct validation approach. Journal of Applied Psychology 77(6): 996-1009, 1992.
5. Beck, AQ, Clasey, JL, Yates, JW, Koebke, NC, Palmer, TG, and Abel, MG. Relationship of physical fitness measures vs. occupational physical ability in campus law enforcement officers. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 29(8): 2340–2350, 2015.
6. Bishop, P, and Martino, M. Blood lactate measurement in recovery as an adjunct to training. Practical considerations. Sports Medicine (Auckland, NZ) 16(1): 5-13, 1993.
7. Boyce, R, Willett, T, Mullins, A, Jones, G, and Cottrell, R. Health promotion strategies derived from a metropolitan police weight loss competition with weight loss comparisons by gender and BMI category. Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice 12(3): 1-10, 2014.
8. Boyce, RW, Jones, GR, Lloyd, CL, and Boone, EL. A longitudinal observation of police: Body composition changes over 12 years with gender and race comparisons. Journal of Exercise Physiology Online 11(3): 1-13, 2008.
9. Choi, HJ, Mitchell, KB, Garlie, T, McNamara, J, Hennessy, E, and Carson, J. Effects of body armor fit on marksmanship performance. In: Proceedings of the AHFE 2016 International Conference on Physical Ergonomics and Human Factors (Vol. 489). Florida, USA: Springer; 341-354, 2016.
10. Cocke, C, Dawes, J, and Orr, RM. The use of 2 conditioning programs and the fitness characteristics of police academy cadets. Journal of Athletic Training 51(11): 887-896, 2016.
11. Crawley, AA, Sherman, RA, Crawley, WR, and Cosio-Lima, LM. Physical fitness of police academy cadets: Baseline characteristics and changes during a 16-week academy. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 30(5): 1416-1424, 2016.
12. Dawes, JJ, Orr, RM, Siekaniec, CL, Vanderwoude, AA, and Pope, R. Associations between anthropometric characteristics and physical performance in male law enforcement officers: a retrospective cohort study. Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 28: 1-7, 2016.
13. von Elm, E, Altman, DG, Egger, M, Pocock, SJ, Gøtzsche, PC, Vandenbroucke, JP, et al. The strengthening the reporting of observational studies in epidemiology (STROBE) statement: Guidelines for reporting observational studies. International Journal of Surgery (London, England) 12(12): 1495-1499, 2014.
14. Harrell, JS, Griggs, TR, Roskin, EW, Meibohm, AR, and Williams, OD. Impact of a 12-week aerobic exercise and weight program for law enforcement trainees. American Journal of Health Promotion 7(6): 410-420, 1993.
15. Jackson, CA, and Wilson, D. The gender-neutral timed obstacle course: a valid test of police fitness? Occupational Medicine (Oxford, England) 63(7): 479-484, 2013.
16. Jamnik, V, Gumienak, R, and Gledhill, N. Developing legally defensible physiological employment standards for prominent physically demanding public safety occupations: A Canadian perspective. European Journal of Applied Physiology 113(10): 2447-2457, 2013.
17. Janković, RZ, Dopsaj, M, Dimitrijević, R, Savković, M, Koropanovski, N, and Vučković, G. Validity and reliability of the test for assessment of specific physical abilities of police officers in the anaerobic-lactate work regime. Facta Universitatis, Series: Physical Education and Sport 19-32, 2015.
18. Koo, TK, and Li, MY. A guideline of selecting and reporting intraclass correlation coefficients for reliability research. Journal of Chiropractic Medicine 15(2): 155-163, 2016.
19. Lockie, RG, Dawes, JJ, Kornhauser, CL, and Holmes, RJ. A cross-sectional and retrospective cohort analysis of the effects of age on flexibility, strength endurance, lower-body power, and aerobic fitness in law enforcement officers. Published ahead of print. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2017.
20. Mala, J, Szivak, TK, Flanagan, SD, Comstock, BA, Laferrier, JZ, Maresh, CM, et al. The role of strength and power during performance of high intensity military tasks under heavy load carriage. U.S. Army Medical Department Journal 3-11, 2015.
21. Neto, N, Machado, DGS, Agrícola, PMD, Junior, F, Fonteles, AI, Silva, SKA, et al. Effect of physical effort on shooting performance of military officers of the riot police. Revista Brasileira de Medicina do Esporte 23(2): 109-113, 2017.
22. Orr, RM, Ford, K, and Stierli, M. Implementation of an abilitybased training program in police force recruits. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 30(10): 2781-2787, 2016.
23. Pandorf, CE, Harman, EA, Frykman, PN, Patton, JF, Mello, RP, and Nindl, BC. Correlates of load carriage and obstacle course performance among women. Work (Reading, Mass.) 18(2): 179-189, 2002.
24. Rhodes, EC, and Farenholtz, DW. Police Officer’s Physical Abilities Test compared to measures of physical fitness. Canadian Journal of Sport Sciences 17(3): 228-233, 1992.
25. Ricciardi, R, Deuster, PA, and Talbot, LA. Metabolic demands of body armor on physical performance in simulated conditions. Military Medicine 173(9): 817-824, 2008.
26. Roberts, SE. Hazardous occupations in Great Britain. Lancet (London, England) 360(9332): 543-544, 2002.
27. Rossomanno, CI, Herrick, JE, Kirk, SM, and Kirk, EP. A 6-month supervised employer-based minimal exercise program for police officers improves fitness. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 26(9): 2338-2344, 2012.
28. Silveira, WGB. Physical fitness, physical activity level and quality of life of early military police officers: A longitudinal study. MSc Thesis, University of Brasilia. 2017.
29. Šimenko, J, Škof, B, Hadžić, V, Milić, R, Zorec, B, Žvan, M, et al. General and specific physical abilities of the members of special police unit. Facta Universitatis, Series: Physical Education and Sport 83-98, 2016.
30. Smith, DL, DeBlois, JP, Kales, SN, and Horn, GP. Cardiovascular strain of firefighting and the risk of sudden cardiac events. Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews 44(3): 90-97, 2016.
31. Sörensen, L, Smolander, J, Louhevaara, V, Korhonen, O, and Oja, P. Physical activity, fitness and body composition of Finnish police officers: A 15-year follow-up study. Occupational Medicine (Oxford, England) 50(1): 3-10, 2000.
32. Spitler, DL, Jones, G, Hawkins, J, and Dudka, L. Body composition and physiological characteristics of law enforcement officers. British Journal of Sports Medicine 21(4): 154-157, 1987.
33. Stanish, HI, Wood, TM, and Campagna, P. Prediction of performance on the RCMP physical ability requirement evaluation. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 41(8): 669-677, 1999.
34. Strating, M, Bakker, RH, Dijkstra, GJ, Lemmink, KA, and Groothoff, JW. A job-related fitness test for the Dutch police. Occupational Medicine (Oxford, England) 60(4): 255-260, 2010.
35. Swain, DP, Ringleb, SI, Naik, DN, and Butowicz, CM. Effect of training with and without a load on military fitness tests and marksmanship. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 25(7): 1857-1865, 2011.
36. Taylor, NAS, Peoples, GE, and Petersen, SR. Load carriage, human performance, and employment standards. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism 41(6 Suppl 2): S131-S147, 2016.
37. Thomas, M, Pohl, MB, Shapiro, R, Keeler, J, and Abel, MG. Effect of load carriage on tactical performance in special weapons and tactics operators. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 32(2): 554-564, 2018.
38. Tomes, C, Orr, RM, and Pope, RR. The impact of body armor on physical performance of law enforcement personnel: a systematic review. Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 29: 1-15, 2017.
39. Violanti, JM, Charles, LE, McCanlies, E, Hartley, TA, Baughman, P, Andrew, ME, et al. Police stressors and health: A state-of-the-art review. Policing: An International Journal 40(4): 642-656, 2017.
