NCJ Number
184780
Journal
Law Enforcement Trainer Volume: 15 Issue: 4 Dated: July/August 2000 Pages: 12-48
Editor(s)
Kat Kelley
Date Published
2000
Length
5 pages
Annotation
Most physical training (PT) for police officers occurs in basic academies; after graduation, police department-sponsored fitness and wellness programs is not commonplace.
Abstract
Few police departments mandate physical fitness requirements beyond basic training. Some police departments have mandatory in-service wellness programs, but they rarely include consistent mandates in the training formula. The most difficult challenge for any law enforcement PT instructor involves changing individual behavior. The first step toward changing behavior is to increase individual knowledge. Police officers should initially receive relevant classroom lectures and demonstrations, and they should participate in practical exercises. Classroom instruction should emphasize such wellness topics as proper nutrition, the prevalence of heart disease and diabetes among police officers, risk factors associated with heart disease, obesity, injury prevention, smoking cessation, and stress reduction. In addition to the first step of increasing individual knowledge, the second step toward changing behavior is to change attitudes. Helping police officers lead healthier and more active lifestyles is not an easy task, and changing fitness-related behaviors is a lifelong process that requires continuous reinforcement and monitoring.