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Officer Wellness

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New Study: Anti-Fatigue Training Yields Big Benefits For Officers

Can just four hours of instruction on sleep problems and improvement help tired cops face the job with significantly less fatigue? Results of a recently published pilot study with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police suggest that’s possible. In a first-of-its-kind test, researchers headed by Dr. Lois James of Washington State U. in Spokane have found...
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New Wellness Center: Stress & Substance Abuse Therapy For Cops Only

An innovative medical treatment facility, exclusively for LEOs burdened by substance abuse, stress overload, marital problems, or other wellness-threatening issues, is scheduled to open within the next few months, not far from the Force Science Training headquarters in a Chicago suburb. Dubbed St. Michael’s House, after the archangel patron of warriors, the special, nondenominational facility...
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4 Studies Highlight Why Your Physical Fitness Matters

A recent online research roundup published by the National Strength & Conditioning Assn. adds to the ever-growing evidence that physical fitness matters in practical ways to public safety personnel. The report is included in the group’s quarterly journal, Tactical Strength & Conditioning, and was compiled by Dr. Rod Pope, associate professor of physiotherapy at Bond...
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Call To Action In The “Battle Of The Bulge”

Wisecracks about cops and donuts are annoying, but how far are they from the truth? Sgt. Mark St. Hilaire, one of a half dozen instructors who spoke on wellness topics at the latest ILEETA annual training conference, cites two pertinent items from the news of late: In the US, more than 40% of police officers,...
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Tests On Controlling Resistant Suspects Show Need For Fitness Scrutiny

Researchers at a police college in Norway have confirmed what intuitively seems obvious: an officer’s fitness level correlates significantly with his or her ability to control resistant subjects during arrest. “[O]ne of the most critical and stressful physical tasks” of police work is “getting control of a struggling suspect,” writes Thomas Dillern of the Norwegian...
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New Study Shines A Revealing Light On Police Injuries

A groundbreaking pilot study of more than 9,700 officers, aimed at determining whether it’s feasible to establish a national reporting system for police injuries, has revealed a wealth of intriguing facts about LEOs hurt on duty. Among the highlights: Training exercises were second only to making an arrest as the activity most often engaged in...
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New Study Targets Health Problems, Early Deaths Of LEOs With Unique Peer-Group Approach

A prominent medical researcher has launched a landmark study he hopes will change the grim facts that LEOs have a higher incidence of illness and death related to cardiovascular disease than the general population, and suffer unnecessary musculoskeletal injuries and disabilities. With the help of 2 sheriff’s offices and 2 police departments in the Pacific...
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Sleep Deprivation And Gentle Reminders Have Opposite Effects On Fitness

Two research reports of interest to officers concerned about health and fitness: 1. A study from the University of Chicago reveals that sleep deprivation may inhibit your ability to lose weight, even if you exercise and eat well. The research shows that restricting sleep to just 4 hours per night—a familiar phenomenon to officers who...
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10 Psychological Keys To Keeping Your Exercise Commitment…Or Building Any Other New Habits

Can writing a check to an activist organization you dislike help you get more exercise? Dr. Michael Asken, a psychologist with the Pennsylvania State Police, thinks so. That ploy is included among “effective strategies” he suggests for “increasing your chances of sticking to an exercise regimen.” Research has shown that that isn’t easy. “Many people...
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Midnight Shift And Health Risks: New Study Tells Sobering Truths

Officers who predominately work midnights are at greater risk of developing severe health problems than civilians and other cops, especially if they average more than about 90 minutes of overtime per week and have trouble sleeping. This is established in a new study by an 8-member team of health experts, headed by Dr. John Violanti,...
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