Police, Fitness, and Operational Capability

Sunday, October 20, 2024

8:00 AM – 9:30 AM ET

Location: 253B

Submitter and Speaker(s)

Robin Marc Orr, Ph.D.

Professor/Director Tactical Research Unit
Bond University
Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

Speaker(s)

Jay Dawes, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
Oklahoma State Univeristy
Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States
Joe Dulla

Lieutenant (Ret.)
Bond University/Tactical Research Unit
Bluffton, South Carolina, United States
Robert Lockie, Ph.D.

Associate Professor Strength and Conditioning
California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, California, United States

The relationships between elements of fitness, poor health, and increased injury risk are clear in the research. Poor fitness can lead to injuries, limited duty days, and personnel separation costing organizations millions of dollars, severely limiting operational capacity and reducing training output. Furthermore, while fitness is often considered in terms of occupational performance, second order effects of poor fitness often go unseen (e.g., increased use of force). With the role of fitness in minimizing trainee loss and increasing officer retention paramount, current and future challenges, including recruitment and retention challenges (e.g., demographic shifts, declining youth physical activity, and post-COVID fitness impacts) and fitness loss due to service will be discussed.