Identifying and characterising the physical demands for an Australian specialist policing unit

• Published in: Applied ergonomics Vol. 68; pp. 197 - 203
• Main Authors: Silk, Aaron, Savage, Robbie, Larsen, Brianna, Aisbett, Brad
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2018
• Subjects: Criterion tasks; Job task analysis; Physical employment tests; Police; Job task analysis; Physical employment tests; Police; Criterion tasks
• ISSN: 0003-6870; 1872-9126; 1872-9126
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2017.11.012

Many police organisations incorporate specialist policing roles where incumbents are tasked with providing operational response capabilities above and beyond the general duties policing role. The current research utilised subjective job task analysis methods to identify and characterise the physically demanding, frequently occurring, and operationally important tasks, as well as the dominant fitness component for each task, inherent to specialist policing roles in an Australian policing organisation. This was achieved through engagement with subject matter experts and online survey responses from specialist police incumbents. In total, 11 criterion tasks were identified, which covered a range of physical capacities including muscular strength, muscular endurance, and aerobic power. The most physically demanding tasks included those with an arrest component, requiring high muscular strength and power capacities. Having identified the criterion tasks, three operational scenarios were constructed, which incorporated each of the 11 tasks in different operational contexts. The criterion tasks and composite scenarios will allow practitioners within specialised police units to develop evidence-based strategies, including physical selection procedures and physical training programs, specific to the demands of their work. •Australian specialist police officers identified 11 criterion job tasks.•Most tasks predominantly require muscular strength, endurance, or power.•The most physically demanding tasks included an arrest component.•Three operational scenarios were constructed comprising the 11 criterion tasks.•The scenarios may be used in future physical selection and/or training programs.