Co-creating an intervention to prevent injuries and reduce attrition of police force recruits: A concept mapping study of police force recruits, police force staff, health professionals, and research experts

The objective was to identify and prioritise the key strategies perceived as important and feasible to reduce the prevalence, incidence, and burden of injury in police force recruits. We performed a mixed-methods concept mapping study. Forty-eight participants were recruited from four broad groups: police force recruits/officers; police force staff; health professionals; and research experts. Participants brainstormed statements in response to a prompt (“To prevent injury and/or reduce the impact of injury on law enforcement recruit training, I think it’s important to….”) before sorting and rating the statements/strategies for importance and feasibility. Descriptive statistics, multi-dimensional scaling, hierarchical cluster analysis, pattern matching and Welch’s t-tests were applied. Ninety-six unique prevention strategies were provided (42 were above the grand mean for importance and feasibility). Eight clusters appropriately represented all statements. From highest to lowest mean cluster importance these were: i) Clearly communicate physical training program expectations and requirements, ii) Prepare for, monitor and manage physical training load, iii) Provide best practice injury identification, prevention and management, iv) Educate recruits, staff and other stakeholders involved in academy training delivery, v) Provide a supportive training environment that promotes health, wellbeing and injury reporting, vi) Have experienced staff deliver training and use appropriate equipment, vii) Deliver a comprehensive and holistic physical training program, and viii) Have appropriate physical entry standards and requirements. We identified 42 important and feasible strategies to reduce the burden of injury in police force recruits, which can be implemented by recruits, staff delivering the training program, and/ or staff managing or governing the training program.<br>