A Comparative Analysis of Physical Fitness in Korean Police Officers: Focus on Results between 2014 to 2019

Abstract

PURPOSE Maintaining physical fitness is essential for police officers to perform various physical occupational tasks. However, only a few studies have focused on the physical fitness of Korean police officers. The purpose of this study was to perform a comparative analysis of the annual results of physical fitness tests for Korean police officers between 2014 to 2019. METHODS This study analyzed the data of 372 police officers (male: 334, female: 38) including body composition, 100 m sprint, push-ups, sit-ups, and handgrip strength. RESULTS In Korean male police officers, the 100 m sprint times and push-up and sit-up counts showed statistically significant differences according to the year of the test (p<.001); in particular, the 100 m sprint times and push-up and sit-up counts were lower in 2019 compared to those from previous years. Among Korean female police officers, only the 100 m sprint showed a statistically significant difference by year (p<.01); similar to the male police officers, the 100 m sprint times were slower in 2019 than those from previous years. CONCLUSIONS Our study showed that the physical fitness of Korean police officers decreased over the years. There has especially been a decrease in the physical fitness of male police officers. Keywords: Endurance, Korea police officers, Physical fitness, Strength