Longitudinal Changes in the Physical Activity Patterns of Police Officers
| Author | Pål Lagestad,Roland van den Tillaar |
| DOI | 10.1350/ijps.2014.16.1.329 |
| Published date | 01 March 2014 |
| Date | 01 March 2014 |
| Subject Matter | Paper |
International Journal of Police Science & Management Volume 16 Number 1
Page 76
International Journal of Police
Science and Management,
Vol. 16 No. 1, 2014, pp. 76–86.
DOI: 10.1350/ijps.2014.16.1.329
Longitudinal changes in the physical activity
patterns of police officers
Pål Lagestad‡ and Roland van den Tillaar†
‡(Corresponding author) Department of Teacher Education, Nord Trøndelag University College,
Røstad, 7600 Levanger, Norway. Tel: +47 95086305; fax: +47 74112001; email: pal.lagestad@hint.no
†Department of Teacher Education, Nord-Trøndelag University College, Levanger, Norway
Submitted 11 November 2013; accepted 27 January 2014
Keywords: police officers, physical activity, endurance, maximal strength, sprint,
power
Pål Lagestad PhD worked at the Norwegian
Police University College for several years, and
is now working as a reader at Nord Trøndelag
University College, Norway, where he a lecturer
in sport and physical education. He achieved his
PhD at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences.
Roland van den Tillaar works as a professor
in sports sciences at Nord Trøndelag University
College, Levanger, Norway, where he lectures
in biomechanics, research methods and athlet-
ics and gymnastics. He achieved his PhD at the
NTNU.
AbstrAct
The main objective of this study is to compare the
frequency of physical activity and the use of train-
ing goals and training programmes among 139
police students at the end of their police studies
and after three years’ work as police officers. The
priority level of different forms of training is also
compared among the same police officers during the
same period. Participants answered two surveys
about their activity level and the priority level of
different forms of training. The results show that
their physical activity levels and the use of training
programmes and training goals dropped after three
years’ work as police officers. During this period,
the priority level increased for endurance, power
and sprint training, but decreased for maximum
strength training and bodybuilding. It is suggested
that police chiefs in police districts make it easier for
officers to engage in physical activity during work
hours, according to the instructions of the National
Police Directorate. Conducting mandatory physical
fitness testing annually at police stations may also
increase officers’ motivation to engage in physical
training. A longitudinal study on the priority of
physical training is needed to determine whether
this negative trend continues. Future studies should
also investigate the ways in which to increase phys-
ical activity among police officers.
INTRODUCTION
Several studies have pointed out that police
work requires physical skills (Arvey, Landon,
Nutting, & Maxwell, 1992; Bissett, Bissett, &
Snell, 2012; Hunter, Bamman, Wetzstein, &
Hilyer, 1999; Lagestad, 2012; Lonsway, 2003;
Shephard & Bonneau, 2003) and that police
officers’ possession of physical skills is impor-
tant in their selection and hiring. However,
studies have differed in their identification
of which physical skills are needed. Based on
information gathered from interviews, obser-
vations and surveys of police students and
police officers, one study showed that police
officers’ engagement in physical activity is
important for three main reasons: by engag-
ing in physical activity, police officers are bet-
ter prepared to: (1) deal with work-related
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