[Health surveillance in police officers]

La sorveglianza sanitaria negli operatori di polizia

Planning a specific health surveillance program for the police force is complex due to the multiple and nature of the risk factors involved, the operative conditions of the workforce and the difficulty in defining quantitative exposure profiles and homogenous groups. Conforming to traditional health surveillance models - based on preventive periodical examinations - (i) would not safeguard the health of the workforce since these occupational risks are not regulated; (ii) would involve an evaluation of eligibility for "specific tasks" which require less strict and severe psycho-physical requirements than those needed for normal service.
Good physical shape, emotional self-control and an adequate level of attention are not criteria relating exclusively to the ability to work. If those requirements are not met, it would be easy to potentially affect the worker's health.
An extensive health surveillance program is therefore needed to safeguard and promote occupational health and efficiency. This would more effectively deal with a series of unpreventable risks.