Fit for Duty? The Need for
Physical Fitness Programs for Law Enforcement Officers
By Sergeant Adrienne Quigley,
Arlington County, Virginia, Police Department; and IACP Fellow
It should not be surprising that physical fitness and exercise improve long-term
health. Studies have shown that sedentary people have twice the risk of
coronary artery disease than active people as well as a higher risk of stroke,
colon cancer, and back injuries. Only 22 percent of U.S. adults get at least 30
minutes of light to moderate exercise five or more times a week, and less than
10 percent exercise vigorously at least three times a week.1 More than 50 percent of deaths in the
United States are attributable to these and other lifestyle choices.2
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Regular physical activity
helps to prevent coronary heart disease and assists with weight control. Weight
training and strength exercises build muscles and endurance and enhance
flexibility, thus protecting the body from injury and disability. Consistent
physical activity has also been shown to reduce blood pressure, blood lipids,
and glucose tolerance, thus helping to prevent hypertension, heart disease, and
diabetes.
Expending at least 2,000 calories a week in physical activity reduces
an individual’s risk of dying of any cause by 28 percent. Mortality rates for
unfit men were estimated at 64 per 10,000 persons. However, that number drops
to 18.6 per 10,000 persons when looking at those that are most fit.3 Being physically fit translates into
fewer sick days, disabilities, and injuries—thereby reducing health-care costs.
Even though many U.S.
citizens are aware of these or similar statistics, the U.S. population in
general is not as fit as it should be—and police officers are no exception. In
recent years, there has been a reduction in the health and fitness of law
enforcement officers across the United States. This lack of fitness makes
officers prone to on-duty injuries and illnesses, increases their exposure to
liability, and engenders a loss of respect from the community based on their
appearance.
The Current Danger
From 1983 to 1993, a study
was conducted by the Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research that randomly
sampled approximately 1,700 officers from different law enforcement agencies
across the country. The results show that when compared with the general
population, officers’ average fitness levels are below normal in the areas of
aerobic fitness, body fat, and abdominal strength and average in upper body
strength and lower-back flexibility. The data show that law enforcement
officers are less fit in most areas than at least half of all U.S. citizens
despite the fact that the physical demands of their profession require that
they be more fit than the average person.4
As a group, law enforcement
officers have a greater morbidity and mortality rate than the general public,
due mostly to cardiovascular disease, colon cancer, and suicide. Recent studies
have shown an annual increase in the frequency and severity of cardiovascular
incidences among law enforcement personnel. The risk of having a heart attack
doubles with each decade of law enforcement service.5 Because of this, numerous states have
adopted the “heart and lung bill,” allowing officers who develop cardiovascular
disease to take an early retirement.
Furthermore, law enforcement
officers suffer more job-related stress than people in other occupations. Many
realize that the nature of the profession itself exposes officers to increased
levels of stress. Making split-second, lifesaving decisions; facing inherent
dangers; working shift work and long hours; and constantly interacting with
people who are upset, angry, or uncooperative all take a toll on individuals.
Job-related stress is a major health concern for the law enforcement community
because it can affect the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of the
officers. Stress related emotional problems such as divorce, suicide, and
alcoholism are prevalent in the law enforcement community. Physically, stress
has been linked to cardiovascular disease, hypertension, lower-back pain, and
gastrointestinal disorders. However, exercise and physical activity have been
shown to reduce stress levels and alleviate some of the pressures officers feel
as part of their profession.
To determine at what level of
health risk an individual may be, a statistical measure called relative risk
was developed. Relative risk evaluates the likelihood of dying or developing a
particular disease for an individual with an identified risk factor. An average
risk would be noted as a relative risk of 1.0.
The relative risk for law
enforcement for being unfit and inactive is 2.2. This means that unfit and
inactive law enforcement officers have a chance of suffering a heart attack 2.2
times greater than those officers who participate in a physical fitness
program. If an officer has a second risk factor, such as smoking, high blood
pressure, or high cholesterol, the increased risk rises to 6.6 times.6
One study of a major metropolitan police
department showed that almost 50 percent of its officers had at least three of
the five major risk factors for coronary heart disease: high cholesterol,
smoking, obesity, inactivity/poor cardiovascular fitness, or high blood
pressure. Because of this, it is not hard to understand why the average life
span of an officer after retirement is only two to five years.7 A major contributing factor to this
phenomenon is the lack of personal and agency fitness and wellness programs.
Fitness and Performance
In the law enforcement field,
fitness also has a direct impact on job performance. Based on job descriptions
from agencies across the country, a core list of physical tasks required to
perform the duties of a law enforcement officer were identified. The critical
tasks—those tasks where poor performance could put officers or the public in
jeopardy—were identified as running, climbing, jumping, lifting/carrying,
dragging, pushing, and use of force.8
For over 75 percent of police
apprehensions, the amount of resistance given by the suspect is described as
moderate or strong, and the average amount of time it takes to subdue a subject
can vary between 30 seconds and two minutes. For most physical tasks lasting
over two minutes, officers use 75–90 percent of their maximum capability.9 Cardiovascular endurance, anaerobic
power, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition
are all underlying factors in successful job performance.
An in-depth study conducted
by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 1997 examined 40 cases of
serious assaults against law enforcement officers across the country. The
incidents were analyzed through offender and officer interviews and document
reviews.
Of the 52 officers participating in the study, 47 stated that they
were in “excellent” health at the time of the assault, four reported being in
“better than average” health, and the remaining officer reported “average”
health. Seventy-three percent of the officers were involved in a physical
fitness program, the most common of which were running and weightlifting.
Repeatedly, officers credited their fitness level with aiding them in their
survival.10
Physical fitness can also
protect officers from becoming victims. In the numerous offender interviews conducted
by the FBI over the course of the past 10 years, it was learned that offenders
typically size up their victims when deciding what they are going to do. Many
had difficulty identifying a particular trait or mannerism that made them pick
or not pick a particular officer, but they did articulate that the deciding
factor was whether or not they felt they could “take them.” If officers
appeared fit and conducted themselves in a professional manner, offenders
hesitated; however, when officers were perceived as potential targets,
offenders capitalized on the situation.
Officers need to be cognizant of the
image they convey and recognize that their appearance and demeanor in uniform
is a primary factor in how others will perceive them.11
Cost of the Least Fit
National accident, injury,
and illness data have shown that 20 percent of the average law enforcement
agency’s workforce is responsible for 80 percent of the cost of the accidents.
The small percentage of least-fit officers is responsible for the majority of
the compensable injuries. Various law enforcement agencies calculated the
average cost of an in-service heart attack to be between $400,000 and $700,000.
Heart disease accounts for 20–50 percent of all early retirements, and back
problems account for another 15–35 percent. Lack of physical activity is one
major contributor to both conditions.12 One study tabs the cost of early
disability at 165 percent of an officer’s salary.13
Establishing Fitness and
Wellness Programs
Due to the alarming health
data and the steady decline in the wellness of U.S. citizens, a task force was
created by various law enforcement organizations to establish a model health
and fitness program that would be voluntary. Unfortunately, even with a large
publicity campaign, the program was not supported by the majority of law
enforcement agencies across the country.
The state of North Carolina was one of
the few jurisdictions that recognized the dire need for intervention in the
area of health and fitness and approved funding for seven agencies to
participate in a pilot study. The data show improvements across the board in
overall fitness. Significant cardiovascular and strength improvements were
noted, and several participants were even able to stop taking medication for
diabetes and hypertension because of their weight loss. The participating
agencies reported a 25 percent increase in productivity through a variety of
factors: reduced absenteeism, reduced turnover rate, reduced accidents, and
reduced worker’s compensation claims.
Research has shown that for every one
dollar invested into fitness and wellness programs, the return ranges from two
to five dollars.14
A total fitness and wellness
program provides benefits to participants as well as to the agency that
establishes such a program. Officers stand to profit from an improved ability
to perform job functions, reduced stress, and better physical and psychological
preparation. Agencies stand to benefit in terms of efficiency as well as
fiscally. Officers are less likely to be injured or retire on disability, thus
reducing the costs of disability payments and the hiring and training of new
employees. Studies analyzing the civilian workforce show that active employees
demonstrated greater productivity. Based on this theory, the performance
ratings of fit and unfit officers were examined, and it was learned that the
more fit and active officers received higher ratings on their performance
evaluations than their less fit and inactive peers. In addition to this,
officers that are more fit and active have 40–70 percent less absenteeism than
less-fit officers.15
Agencies that utilize proactive fitness
and wellness programs are considered preferred risks by state municipal league
self-insured pooling organizations, and incentive programs have been
established to encourage more participation.
By implementing an exercise
program, agencies also reduce their liability by ensuring that officers are
prepared to handle tasks while controlling the possible risks and their
associated costs.
Failure to provide fitness and wellness training can open an
agency to unnecessary liability, especially in cases alleging excessive force. In
the case of Parker v. District of Columbia, the arresting officer
was accused of using excessive force to effect an arrest of a combative
subject. The officer’s lack of physical fitness and inability to use defensive
tactics or less lethal options resulted in his discharging his firearm,
rendering the suspect a paraplegic. The D.C. Metropolitan Police Department was
found to be deliberately indifferent to the physical training needs of its
officers, and the plaintiff was awarded a substantial sum of money.16
A total fitness program
incorporates the development of good lifestyle habits, including regular
exercise, good nutrition, weight management, stress management, and substance
abuse prevention. Such a program must be supported by an agency’s
administrators for it to be successful. Fitness and health programs are
believed to increase employee loyalty, improve morale, and decrease turnover.
More importantly, employees benefit from improved quality of life and health
while reducing employeerelated accidents, injuries, and illnesses, thus
reducing operating costs. There is a recent trend within the law enforcement
community to recognize the importance of fitness as it relates to job
performance, officer safety, and wellness. Several agencies have initiated
incentive programs for officers to encourage participation and improve health.
Fitness and Officer Safety
There has been a long-standing
belief that deaths in the line of duty are unacceptable, and law enforcement
professionals have done everything they can to reduce them. This philosophy
should also extend to officer injuries. Law enforcement leaders cannot accept
the proposition that accidents or injuries are a reality of the law enforcement
profession. The only acceptable belief is zero officers killed or injured.
Studies have shown repeatedly that physical fitness has a direct impact on
reducing injuries and improving personal well-being as well as work
performance. There needs to be a national push to increase the development and
participation in fitness and health programs by law enforcement agencies to
protect officers and save lives. At the 2006 annual IACP conference, a resolution
recognizing the importance of law enforcement fitness and wellness programs was
adopted. The IACP commends the development of fitness programs utilizing
activities generally performed by police officers and encourages the adoption
of career-long fitness and wellness standards by law enforcement agencies. ?
Notes:
1J. E. Smith Jr. and G. Gregory Tooker, “Health and Fitness
in Law Enforcement: A Voluntary Model Program Response to a Critical Issue,” CALEA
Update, no. 87 (February 2005): 28, http://www.calea.org/Online/newsletter/No87/healthfitness.htm
(accessed April 29, 2008).
2Thomas R. Collingwood et al., “Why Officers Need to Be Fit,” chap. 1 in Fit Force Administrators Guide (Champaign, Illinois: Human Kinetics, 1998), 5.
3Ibid., 13.
4Ibid., 8.
5Ibid., 10.
6Ibid., 11.
7Smith and Tooker, “Health and Fitness in Law Enforcement,” 28.
8Collingwood, “Why Officers Need to Be Fit,” 3.
9Ibid., 4.
10Anthony J. Pinizzotto, Edward F. Davis, and Charles E. Miller III, In the Line of Fire (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, 1997), 14.
11Anthony J. Pinizzotto and Edward F. Davis, “Offender’s Perceptual Shorthand: What Messages Are Law Enforcement Officers Sending to Offenders?” FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin 68, no. 6 (June 1999): 1, http://www.fbi.gov/publications/leb/1999/jun99leb.pdf (accessed April 29, 2008).
12Smith and Tooker, “Health and Fitness in Law Enforcement,” 28.
13Ibid.
14G. Gregory Tooker and David D. Cashwell, “Revisiting the Fitness and Health in Law Enforcement Model Program,” CALEA Update, no. 96 (February 2008): 23.
15Smith and Tooker, “Health and Fitness in Law Enforcement,” 28.
16Parker v. District of Columbia, 850 F.2d 708 (D.C. Cir. 1988).
2Thomas R. Collingwood et al., “Why Officers Need to Be Fit,” chap. 1 in Fit Force Administrators Guide (Champaign, Illinois: Human Kinetics, 1998), 5.
3Ibid., 13.
4Ibid., 8.
5Ibid., 10.
6Ibid., 11.
7Smith and Tooker, “Health and Fitness in Law Enforcement,” 28.
8Collingwood, “Why Officers Need to Be Fit,” 3.
9Ibid., 4.
10Anthony J. Pinizzotto, Edward F. Davis, and Charles E. Miller III, In the Line of Fire (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, 1997), 14.
11Anthony J. Pinizzotto and Edward F. Davis, “Offender’s Perceptual Shorthand: What Messages Are Law Enforcement Officers Sending to Offenders?” FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin 68, no. 6 (June 1999): 1, http://www.fbi.gov/publications/leb/1999/jun99leb.pdf (accessed April 29, 2008).
12Smith and Tooker, “Health and Fitness in Law Enforcement,” 28.
13Ibid.
14G. Gregory Tooker and David D. Cashwell, “Revisiting the Fitness and Health in Law Enforcement Model Program,” CALEA Update, no. 96 (February 2008): 23.
15Smith and Tooker, “Health and Fitness in Law Enforcement,” 28.
16Parker v. District of Columbia, 850 F.2d 708 (D.C. Cir. 1988).
From The Police Chief, vol.
LXXV, no. 6, June 2008. Copyright held by the International Association of
Chiefs of Police, 515 North Washington Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 USA.
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