NCJ Number
198049
Journal
Tactical Response Volume: 1 Issue: 1 Dated: 2002 Pages: 21-22,24,25
Date Published
2002
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the physical fitness requirements of being part of a police tactical team.
Abstract
The author explains that being a member of a police tactical team requires a major physical commitment on the part of the officer. Great physical strength and dexterity are necessary to carry out the duties of this crime-fighting unit. The author claims that each different job on the team requires different types of strengths and different training techniques. The author discusses each job and the physical requirements necessary to effectively perform the job function. He also offers a physical fitness routine for each different job on a tactical team. For example, the author suggests that team members who perform the role of primary engagement officer be some of the strongest people on the team. They are the first to respond to a physical threat and should therefore be prepared to subdue an assailant within 15 seconds of an attack. As such, the author recommends that these officers perform certain exercises designed to enhance physical strength, such as dumbbell curls and chin-ups. Team members who perform the duties of sniper, on the other hand, rely primarily on their cardiovascular fitness. Thus, a routine of running and circuit course training is most appropriate for these officers. The author similarly discusses the demands of the jobs of door breachers and tactical shield officers.