NCJ Number
198197
Date Published
February 1998
Length
54 pages
Annotation
This report presents the results of a study designed to quantify the physical requirements of general duty police officers in Australia.
Abstract
The authors used a mailed questionnaire to a random sample of Queensland Constables and Senior Constables in order to ascertain the daily physical requirements of operational police work. The questionnaire was completed by 357 officers and included questions about how the officers spent their time during their last shift, what types of physical activities they performed on the job over the past year, the types and frequency of injuries received during the course of police work during the last year, and general demographic information about the participants including age, gender, and police duties. The findings revealed that 75 percent of the officers participated in patrol work during their last shift. Most of the shift was spent either sitting at a desk or in a patrol vehicle. A full 96 percent of respondents reported struggling with an offender on at least one occasion during the past year, while approximately 70 percent of officers reported breaking up fights and controlling crowds. Many of the officers had to perform physical acts such as climbing fences, pushing cars, climbing through windows, and running more than 30 meters. The study also revealed that younger officers were more likely to be physically active on the job, while there were no significant differences between the genders when it came to performing physically demanding police duties. The report stipulates that this study has implications for recruiting procedures, training and educational programs, and workplace health and safety. It is apparent that general duty officers need to have sufficient physical training and agility in order to effectively carry out their duties. Notes, appendices, references