Physical Fitness, Sex Considerations, and Academy Graduation for Law Enforcement Recruits

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of fitness on academy graduation, and any between-sex differences, in law enforcement recruits. Data collected at the start of four training academies were retrospectively analyzed, including: age, height, and body mass; waist circumference; waist-to-hip ratio; grip strength; vertical jump (VJ); 75-yard pursuit run; 2-kg medicine ball throw (MBT); push-ups, sit-ups, and arm ergometer revolutions in 60 s; and 20-m multistage fitness test (20MSFT) shuttles. Recruits were categorized into graduated (GRAD=269) and separated (did not graduate; SEP=42) groups. SEP recruits were not split according to separation reasons, just whether they did or not. This categorization also occurred for males (GRAD=228, SEP=32) and females (GRAD=41, SEP=10). Independent samples t-tests calculated between-group differences for all recruits combined, males, and females.Correlations and stepwise linear regression calculated relationships between the data and graduation. The t-test (p≤0.016) and correlation (r=±0.137-0.296, p<0.05) data indicated SEP recruits (both sexes combined) were older, and performed poorer in every fitness test except grip strength and VJ. SEP males were older and performed poorer in all tests except grip strength (p≤0.009). SEP females scored lower in the arm ergometer (p=0.008). The regression equation for all recruits found that age, 20MSFT (aerobic fitness), MBT (upper-body power), and arm ergometer (upper-body endurance) were academy graduation predictors (r 2 =0.169, p<0.001). For the male recruits, the predictors were age, MBT, and 20MSFT (r 2 =0.182, p≤0.001); for female recruits, arm ergometer and 20MSFT (r 2 =0.213, p≤0.003). Recruits should improve multiple fitness aspects, including muscular endurance, power, and aerobic fitness, to enhance graduation potential.

The Influence of Aerobic Fitness on Heart Rate Responses of Custody Assistant Recruits during Circuit Training Sessions

“…The YMCA step test was used as a measure of aerobic fitness because of the wide variability in fitness in CA recruits [3], with some demonstrating poor aerobic fitness [29]. A maximal aerobic fitness test, such as the multistage fitness test [7,14,17,45,[50][51][52][53][54][55], may have increased the injury risk to some CA recruits because of its requirements to turn sharply [54]. As a result of the costs associated with losing a recruit because of injury [7], staff preferred the YMCA step test.…”

“…Future research should investigate the HR responses for a larger sample of CA recruits to further build this evidence base. The training staff did not use a maximal exercise test, such as the multistage fitness test, to measure aerobic fitness in the CA recruits [7,14,17,45,[50][51][52][53][54][55]. However, the reasoning behind this were presented earlier in the discussion.…”

“…The researchers had no input into the design or implementation of these sessions. The weather conditions for the circuit training sessions were typical of the southern California climate [17,32].…”

“…It would be beneficial for training staff to enhance these qualities in their recruits before they graduate from academy. Further, numerous studies have detailed the importance of fitness for successfully graduating from a law enforcement training academy [11][12][13][14][15][16][17]. For example, law enforcement recruits who graduate from academy tend to have superior aerobic fitness as measured by the 2.4 km (1.5 mile) run [12,13] and multistage fitness test [11,14,17] compared to those recruits who did not finish academy.…”

“…Circuit training has the added benefit of potentially developing several fitness qualities concurrently in trained [24] and untrained [25] populations, although a primary focus is often aerobic conditioning [26]. Given the value of aerobic fitness for custody job tasks [4,5] and academy graduation [11][12][13][14]17], it would be beneficial for CA recruits to use circuit training for aerobic fitness development.…”