Scope and Synthesis

Ideally, this thesis hopes to introduce a proposed fitness test informed by examination of relevant policy and literature, surveying affected members, analysing the outcomes and applying it to general duties police officers in Australia.

Research Questions and Hypothesis

Research Question: Would the introduction of physical fitness testing for Australian General Duties police officers reduce injuries in service, increase the ability to apprehend criminals, and reduce sick leave?

The hypothesis variables are organised in the following criteria:

 Hypothesis 1: Police officers, who are exposed to rigorous physical fitness programs, are more efficient tactically and physically, when compared to police officers who are not exposed to structured physical fitness programs.
 Hypothesis 2: Police officers, who are exposed to rigorous physical fitness programs, are more efficient in critical incident situations as compared to police officers who are not exposed to rigorous physical fitness programs.
 Hypothesis 3: Police officers, who are exposed to rigorous physical fitness programs, take less sick leave and are injured on duty less often, as compared to police officers who are not exposed to rigorous physical fitness programs.