INTERVENTION STRATEGIES AND PROGRAMS TO OPTIMIZE THE OCCUPATIONAL PERFORMANCE, WELL-BEING, AND HEALTH OF POLICE OFFICERS: AN INTERNATIONAL OVERVIEW

Roberto De Ronzi, Gianpiero Greco

Abstract


Police officers can suffer from chronic diseases or common disorders, such as obesity and cardiovascular disease. The predominantly sedentary nature of the profession, the rapid transition from waiting situations to activities with a high psychophysical impact, the physical inactivity, the work stress, the consumption of tobacco, the sleep disorders and poor eating habits can have a negative effect on the officer’s health and well-being. This review discussed the intervention strategies and programs adopted to optimize work performance, well-being, and health in the international police force. Training programs for the well-being of police officers can reduce social costs and improve the health status, physical and working efficiency and longevity of the worker. However, administrations should invest in facilities and equipment, and physical-motor education and awareness programs to be performed in the workplace by adopting a cultural change to improve the health and well-being of their workers. For this purpose, the various professional figures become of fundamental importance, including that of the Tactical Strength and Conditioning Specialists who have the specific skills to develop, implement and support physical-motor education programs to improve the psychophysical well-being and health of police officers becomes of fundamental importance.

 

Article visualizations:

Hit counter


Keywords


mobile unit; working efficiency; physical-motor education; occupational stress; tactical populations

Full Text:

PDF

References


Alano, R., McEligot, A., Johnson, S., McMahan, S., Mullapudi, L., & Sassarini, F. (2010). The associations between sleep quality and eating patterns in young adults. FASEB Journal, 24, lb361.

American College of Sports Medicine (2017). ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription (10th edition). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer Health.

Anderson, G.S., Plecas, D., & Segger, T. (2001). Police officer physical ability testing—re-validating a selection criterion. Policing, 24, 8-31.

Bedno, S., Hauret, K., Loringer, K., Kao, T.C., Mallon, T., & Jones, B. (2014). Effects of personal and occupational stress on injuries in a young, physically active population: a survey of military personnel. Military Medicine, 179, 1311-1318.

Belloc, N.B., & Breslow, L. (1972). Relationship of physical health status and health practices. Preventive Medicine, 1, 409-421.

Berry, L., Mirabito, A.M., & Baun, W.B. (2010). What’s the hard return on employee wellness programs? Harvard Business Review, December,1-8.

Blehm, C., Vishnu, S., Khattak, A., Mitra, S., & Yee, R.W. (2005). Computer vision syndrome: a review. Survey of Ophthalmology, 50, 253-262.

Bowles, S.V., Picano, J., Epperly, T., & Myer, S. (2006). The LIFE program: a wellness approach to weight loss. Military Medicine, 171, 1089-1094.

Bray, R.M., Pemberton, M.R., Hourani, L.L., Witt, M., Olmsted, K.L., Brown, J.M., Weimer, B., Lance, M.E., Marsden, M.E., & Scheffler, S. (2009). Department of Defense survey of health-related behaviors among active duty military personnel. DTIC Document.

Canetti, E., Orr, R. M., Schram, B., Chapman, C., Kornhauser, C., Holmes, R., & Dawes, J. (2020). Physiological impact of stress inoculation training in police cadets and its relationship to physical fitness. Poster session presented at 5th International Congress on Soldiers' Physical Performance, Quebec, Canada.

Cho, S., Dietrich, M., Brown, C.J., Clark, C.A., & Block, G. (2003). The effect of breakfast type on total daily energy intake and body mass index: results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III). Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 22, 296-302.

Da Silva, F. C, Hernandez, S. S., Gonçalves, E., Arancibia, B. A., da Silva Castro, T. L., & da Silva, R. (2014). Anthropometric indicators of obesity in policemen: A systematic review of observational studies. International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, 27(6), 891-901.

Dawes, J., Orr, R., Brandt, B., Conroy, R., & Pope, R. (2016). The effect of age on push-up performance amongst male law enforcement officers. Journal of Australian Strength and Conditioning, 24, 23-27.

De Ronzi, R., & Brindisi, S. (2002). Programma Redman: nuovo metodo per l’uso corretto dello sfollagente o altro strumento di coazione fisica. Polizia di Stato, IX Reparto Mobile, Bari. Retrieved from authors.

Doheny, M., Linden, P., & Sedlak, C. (1995). Reducing orthopaedic hazards of the computer work environment. Orthopedic Nursing, 14, 7-15.

Fischetti, F., & Greco, G. (2017). Long-term motor and sports educational practice and active lifestyle: prevention of occupational stress in Police and psychophysical well-being. Formazione & Insegnamento, 15(Suppl 2), 129-140.

Fry, M.J., Magazine, M.J., & Rao, US. (2006). Firefighter staffing including temporary absences and wastage. Operations Research, 54, 353-365.

Gahm, G.A., Swanson, R.D., Lucenko, B.A., & Reger, M.A. (2009). History and implementation of the Fort Lewis Soldier Wellness Assessment Program (SWAP). Military Medicine, 174, 721-727.

Gershon, R.R., Lin, S., & Li, X. (2002). Work stress in aging police officers. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 44(2), 160-167.

Greco, G. (2017). La formazione permanente negli operatori di polizia. Educazione fisico-motoria e prevenzione dello stress. Carbonia: Susil edizioni. ISBN 978-88-85593-36-7.

Greco, G. (2020). Effects of Combined Exercise Training on Work-related Burnout Symptoms and Psychological Stress in the Helping Professionals. Journal of Human Sport and Exercise. doi: 10.14198/jhse.2021.162.16

Greco, G., & Fischetti, F. (2018). Physical, technical, and tactical training and stress management in law enforcement. Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 18(2), 555-560.

Gu, M.J.K., Charles, L.E., Burchfiel, C.M., Fekedulegn, D., Sarkisian, M.K., Andrew, M.E., Ma, M.C., & Violanti, J.M. (2012). Long work hours and adiposity among police officers in a US Northeast City. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 54(11), 1374 - 1381.

Haff, G.G., & Triplett, N.T. (2016). National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning (4th Edition). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Härmä, M. (1996). Ageing, physical fitness and shiftwork tolerance. Applied Ergonomics, 27, 25-29.

Harrell, J., Johnston, L.F., Griggs, T.R., Schaefer, P., Carr Jr, E.G., & Raines, B.N. (1996). An occupation-based physical activity intervention program: improving fitness and decreasing obesity. Workplace Health & Safety, 44, 377-384.

Haskell, W.L., Lee, I.M., Russell, R., Powell, K.E., Blair, S.N., Franklin, B.A., Macera, C.A., Health, G.W., Thompson, P.D., & Bauman, A. (2007). Physical activity and public health: updated recommendation for adults from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 39, 1423-1434.

Hayes, J.R., Sheedy, J.E., Stelmack, J.A., & Heaney, C.A. (2007). Computer use, symptoms, and quality of life. Optometry and Vision Science, 84, E738-E755.

Hurdy, A. (2016). Facility design, layout, and organization. In G.G. Haff & N.T. Triplett, (Eds.), Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning (4th ed.) (pp.623-640). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

International Association of Chiefs of Police (2012). Police facility planning guideline: a desk reference for law enforcement executives. Retrieved from http://www.theiacp.org/Portals/0/pdfs/Publications/ACF2F3D.pdf.

Joseph, A.M., Muggli, M., Pearson, K.C., & Lando, H. (2005). The cigarette manufacturers’ efforts to promote tobacco to the US military. Military Medicine, 170, 874-880.

Kelly, T.K., Masi, R., Walker, B., Knapp, S., & Leuschner, K.J. (2013). Technical report—an assessment of the Army’s tactical human optimization, rapid rehabilitation, and reconditioning program (pp. 1-3, 23-27, 41-43, 63-64). Retrieved from Rand Corporation: https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/technical_reports/TR1300/TR1309/RAND_TR1309.pdf.

Kuehl, H., Mabry, L., Elliot, D.L., Kuehl, K.S., & Favorite, K.C. (2013). Factors in adoption of a fire department wellness program: champ and chief model. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 55, 424-429.

Kuehl, K.S., Elliot, D.L., MacKinnon, D.P., O’Rourke, H.P., DeFrancesco, C., Miocevic, M., Valente, M., Sleigh, A., Garg, B., & McGinnis, W. (2016). The SHIELD (Safety & Health Improvement: Enhancing Law Enforcement Departments) study: mixed methods longitudinal findings. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 58, 492-498.

Kuhns, J.B., Maguire, E.R., & Leach, N.R. (2015). Health, Safety, and Wellness Program case studies in law enforcement. Washington, DC: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.

Kyröläinen, H., Häkkinen, K., Kautiainen, H., Santtila, M., Pihlainen, K., & Häkkinen, A. (2008). Physical fitness, BMI and sickness absence in male military personnel. Occupational Medicine, 58, 251-256.

Ma, Y., Bertone, E.R., Stanek, E.J., Reed, G.W., Hebert, J.R., Cohen, N.L., Merriam, P.A., & Ockene, I.S. (2003). Association between eating patterns and obesity in a free-living US adult population. American Journal of Epidemiology, 158, 85-92.

McLaughlin, R., & Wittert, G. (2009). The obesity epidemic: implications for recruitment and retention of defence force personnel. Obesity Reviews, 10, 693-699.

Morgan, K.J., Zabik, M.E., & Stampley, G.L. (1986). The role of breakfast in diet adequacy of the US adult population. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 5, 551-563.

Morimoto, K. (1987). Health and lifestyle. Koshu Eisei, 51, 135-143.

Orr, R. (2010). The Royal Military College of Duntroon. Physical conditioning optimisation review—staff health and wellbeing report. Canberra, Australia: Department of Defence.

Orr, R., Stierli, M., Amabile, M.L., & Wilkes, B. (2013). The impact of a structured reconditioning program on the physical attributes and attitudes of injured police officers: a pilot study. Journal of Australian Strength and Conditioning, 21, 42-47.

Palmer, B., Carroll, J.W., & Mirza, A.T. (1998). A review of fire-fighter physical fitness/wellness programs: options for the military. DTIC Document No. CSERIAC-RA-98-003.

Parks, K.M., & Steelman, L.A. (2008). Organizational wellness programs: a meta-analysis. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 13, 58-68.

Plat, M., Frings-Dresen, M., & Sluiter, J. (2011). A systematic review of job-specific workers’ health surveillance activities for firefighting, ambulance, police and military personnel. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 84, 839-857.

Poirier, P., & Eckel, R.H. (2002). Obesity and cardiovascular disease. Current Atherosclerosis Reports, 4, 448-453.

Polich, J.M. (1981). Epidemiology of alcohol abuse in military and civilian populations. American Journal of Public Health, 71, 1125-1132.

Poston, W.S., Jitnarin, N., Haddock, C.K., Jahnke, S.A., & Tuley, B.C. (2011). Obesity and injury-related absenteeism in a population-based firefighter cohort. Obesity, 19, 2076-2081.

Poston, W.S., Jitnarin, N., Haddock, C.K., Jahnke, S.A., & Tuley, B.C. (2012). The impact of surveillance on weight change and predictors of change in a population-based fire-fighter cohort. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 54, 961-968.

Rachele, J.N., Heesch, K.C., & Washington, T.L. (2014). Wellness programs at firefighter and police workplaces: a systematic review. Health Behavior and Policy Review, 1, 302-313.

Rallings, M., Martin, P., & Davey, J. (2005). A prospective study of alcohol consumption rates of first-year Australian police officers. Policing, 28, 206-220.

Ramey, S.L., Downing, N.R., & Franke, W.D. (2009). Milwaukee police department retiree’s cardiovascular disease risk and morbidity among aging law enforcement officers. Workplace Health and Safety, 57, 448-453.

Ramey, S.L., Downing, N.R., & Knoblauch, A. (2008). Developing strategic interventions to reduce cardiovascular disease risk among law enforcement officers: the art and science of data triangulation. Workplace Health & Safety, 56, 54-62.

Ruxton, C., & Kirk, T. (1997). Breakfast: a review of associations with measures of dietary intake, physiology, and biochemistry. British Journal of Nutrition, 78, 199-213.

Shirom A. (2003). Job-related burnout. In J.C. Quick, & L.E. Tetrick (Eds), Handbook of occupational health psychology (pp. 245-265). Washington, USA: American Psychological Association.

Smith, A.P. (1998). Breakfast and mental health. International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition, 49, 397-402.

Smith, B., Ryan, M.A., Wingard, D.L., Patterson, T.L., Slymen, D.J., Macera, C.A., & Team, M.C.S. (2008). Cigarette smoking and military deployment: a prospective evaluation. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 35, 539-546.

Smith, E.A., Poston, W.S., Haddock, C.K., & Malone, R.E. (2016). Installation tobacco control programs in the US military. Military Medicine, 181, 596-601.

Sorensen, L., Smolander, J., Louhevaara, V., Korhonen, O., & Oja, P. (2000). Physical activity, fitness and body composition of Finnish police officers: A 15-year follow-up study. Occupational Medicine, 50(1), 3–10.

Steinhardt, M., Greenhow, L., & Stewart, J. (1991). The relationship of physical activity and cardiovascular fitness to absenteeism and medical care claims among law enforcement officers. American Journal of Health Promotion, 5, 455-460.

Stone, B.L., Alvar, B.A., Orr, R.M., Lockie, R.G., Johnson, Q.R., Goatcher, J., Dawes, J.J. (2020). Impact of an 11-Week Strength and Conditioning Program on Firefighter Trainee Fitness. Sustainability, 12, 6541.

Triplett, T., Williams, C., & McHenry, P. (2009). National Strength and Conditioning Association’s position paper. Strength and conditioning professional standards and guidelines. Retrieved from https://www.nsca.com/uploadedFiles/NSCA/Resources/PDF/Education/Tools_and_Resources/NSCA_strength_and_conditioning_professional_standards_and_guidelines.pdf

Violanti, J.M., Burchfiel, C.M., Miller, D.B., Andrew, M.E., Dorn, J., Wactawski-Wende, J., Beighley, C.M., Pierino, K, Joseph, PN, & Vena, J.E. (2006). The Buffalo Cardio-Metabolic Occupational Police Stress (BCOPS) pilot study: methods and participant characteristics. Annals of Epidemiology,16, 148-156.

Violanti, J.M., Hartley, T.A., Gu, J.K., Fekedulegn, D., Andrew, M.E., & Burchfiel, C.M. (2013). Life expectancy in police officers: a comparison with the US general population. International Journal of Emergency Mental Health, 15, 217.

Wada, T., Fukumoto, T., Ito, K., Hasegawa, Y., & Osaki, T. (2009). Relationship between the three kinds of healthy habits and the metabolic syndrome. Obesity Research & Clinical Practice, 3, 123-132.

Whiteman, J.A., Snyder, D.A., & Ragland, J.J. (2001). The value of leadership in implementing and maintaining a successful health promotion program in the Naval Surface Force, US Pacific Fleet. American Journal of Health Promotion,15, 437-440.




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejphs.v3i2.79

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2020 Roberto De Ronzi, Gianpiero Greco

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Copyright © 2019 - 2023. European Journal of Public Health Studies (ISSN 2668-1056/ISSN-L 2668-1056) is a registered trademark of Open Access Publishing Group. All rights reserved.

This journal is a serial publication uniquely identified by an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) serial number certificate issued by Romanian National Library. All the research works are uniquely identified by a CrossRef DOI digital object identifier supplied by indexing and repository platforms. All the research works published on this journal are meeting the Open Access Publishing requirements and standards formulated by Budapest Open Access Initiative (2002), the Bethesda Statement on Open Access Publishing (2003) and Berlin Declaration on Open Access to Knowledge in the Sciences and Humanities (2003) and can be freely accessed, shared, modified, distributed and used in educational, commercial and non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Copyrights of the published research works are retained by authors.