Dawes, Jay

Holmes, Ryan

Kornhauser, Charlie

Lockie, Robert G.

Orr, Rob Marc

Pearson, Christopher

Schram, Ben

English

Aim: To compare heart rate responses during a defensive tactics skills between expert and general duties police officers.Design: Retrospective cohort study.Method: Heart rate (HR) data (mean, peak, and peak HR percentage, measured by Polar FT7) of police officers completing a defensive tactics (DEFTAC) gauntlet were provided. Participants were: 24 police instructors (age = 32.13±6.72yrs, height = 178.30±60cm, body mass = 92.40±16.30kg) and 37 general dutiesofficers (age = 39.20±8.40 years, height = 179.50±7.70cm, body mass = 89.70±14.1kg). Independent samples t-tests (instructors and officers) and an ANOVA (instructors, officers who passed, officers who failed) wereperformed.Results: There were no significant differences in HR measures between the instructors (HR: mean =154.50±21.27bpm; peak = 179.50±13.81bpm, peak% = 96.70±5.16%) and the general duties police officers (Passed n=23, HR: mean = 155.82±18.77bpm; peak = 180.30±8.88bpm, peak% = 98.57±7.28%: Failed n = 11, HR: mean = 160.81±14 .02bpm; peak = 177.00±11.58bpm, peak% = 99.82±5.74%) the DEFTAC drill. Nonetheless, the officers who failed DEFTAC worked at the highest percentage of peak HR.Conclusion: All participants, regardless of skill, exhibited a maximal HR response when engaged in defensive tactics skills. With cardiovascular disease risk being higher in police officers than the general population, maintaining heart health is of importance to all officers, regardless of their time in service

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Differences in heart rates between general officers and instructors employing defensive tactics skills

https://pure.bond.edu.au/ws/files/34111780/Abstract_Book_Adelaide_2019.pdf

Differences in heart rates between general officers and instructors employing defensive tactics skills

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