NCJ Number
14331
Date Published
1973
Length
85 pages
Annotation
SURVEY CONDUCTED TO GATHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE KINDS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES POLICE PERFORM, THEIR PRESENT HEALTH STATUS, MEASURES TAKEN TO RETAIN GOOD PHYSICAL CONDITION, AND APPRAISAL OF CIVIL SERVICE PHYSICAL TEST BATTERY.
Abstract
ANOTHER ASPECT OF THE STUDY WAS TO EXAMINE THE RELATION BETWEEN THESE MEASURES AND THE EFFECTS OF OTHER FACTORS SUCH AS AGE, EXPERIENCE, RANK, AND TYPE OF ASSIGNMENT ON PRESENT HEALTH STATUS. A PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE WAS DEVELOPED TO ELICIT INFORMATION ABOUT THE NAME OF THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH THE RESPONDENT WORKED, HIS RANK, DUTY ASSIGNMENT, LENGTH OF EXPERIENCE, AGE, HEIGHT, WEIGHT AND THE PERCENT OF TIME DURING AN AVERAGE DAY IN EACH OF 18 ACTIVITIES COVERING A BROAD RANGE OF PHYSICAL ACTIONS POLICE MIGHT PERFORM. A BROAD SAMPLING WAS MADE OF POLICE JURISDICTIONS WITHIN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY. THE TYPICAL NEW JERSEY POLICE OFFICER IS APPROXIMATELY 37.5 YEARS OLD, STANDS JUST UNDER FIVE FEET ELEVEN INCHES, WEIGHS ALMOST 189 POUNDS AND HAS BEEN ON THE JOB 11.5 YEARS. AN EXAMINATION OF SPECIFIC CONDITIONS SHOWS BACK TROUBLE, LOSS OF TEETH, AND HEMORRHOIDS TO BE THOSE MOST FREQUENTLY MENTIONED. SITTING WAS IDENTIFIED BY MORE THAN THREE-FOURTHS OF THE GROUP AS THE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY REQUIRED MOST ON THE JOB. IN EVALUATING THE PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE TEST BATTERY THE LARGEST PERCENTAGE OF THE GROUP FEELS THAT IT COULD PASS THE SIT-UPS TEST (82.8 PERCENT) WHILE THE SQUAT JUMP WOULD BE PASSED BY ONLY 69.1 PERCENT. AGE AND EXPERIENCE ARE THE FACTORS MOST HIGHLY RELATED TO PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES REQUIRED BY THE JOB. STATISTICS FROM THE SURVEY ARE PRESENTED IN THE APPENDIX ALONG WITH DIRECTIONS FOR ADMINISTRATION OF THE QUESTIONNAIRES.