More than half police force overweight
Police officers are slightly less healthy than the average person. More than half of the Dutch police is too heavy. Not much more than the average person, but because police work requires a lot of physical effort, officers experience a bigger impact.Officers are also less satisfied with their health and are more likely than average to call in sick. This is evidenced by research of the Department of Work and Organizational Psychology at Utrecht University, commissioned by the Ministry of Security and Justice.
Ministerie van Binnenlandse zaken en Veiligheid
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The study also shows police officers generally have a good psychosocial health. However, they tend to be more cynical than the average person and they experience more depressive symptoms.
The researchers point out agents face a heavy workload and deal with bullying, aggression and violence on a more than average basis. They are also regularly confronted with major and potentially traumatic events.
