Ole Ragnar Norheim Jenssen

• Dillern, Thomas; Tjærandsen, Line Dverseth; Bøtun, Stine Pedersen; Jakobsen, Arne Martin & Jenssen, Ole Ragnar N. (2026). The development of Self-Determined Motivation towards Physical Activity: from Police Student to Police Professional". Scandinavian Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology (SJSEP). 8, p. 12–22. doi: 10.7146/sjsep.v8i.152939. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Physical readiness is essential for police officers. Despite this, physical activity and fitness decline throughout police officers’ occupational career. To better understand this development, it is important to explore the motivation for physical activity among police students/officers. In a Self-determination theory (SDT) framework, this study aimed to explore what determines the police students’/officers’ motivational regulation to physical activity at the beginning of their education (N=130), at graduation (N=113) and after four years of service in the police (N=103). The study also examined the development of motivational regulation over this period. Based on a longitudinal survey design, data were collected using the Motivation to Physical Activity Measure – Revised (MPAM-R) at the three time points over a span of seven years. Across all time points, ‘fitness’ was the most influential motivational regulation to physical activity. At the beginning and end of police education ‘interest enjoyment’ and ‘competence’ were particularly determining regulations, while after four years of service ‘competence’ and ‘apperarance’ became more prominent. From the beginning of education to graduation, there was a declining trend in motivation related to ‘appearance’ and ‘social’ and a positive tendency for ‘fitness’. After four years in service, motivation related to ‘competence’ and ‘social’ declined whereas ‘appearance’ increased. These findings were discussed within the SDT perspective. Based on knowledge about motivational development, the study suggests that more targeted and effective strategies can be implemented to promote a healthy and active lifestyle among police students and officers.

• Jenssen, Ole Ragnar N. & Dillern, Thomas (2024). Development in police students’ motivational regulation to physical activity – exploring self-determination theory in an academic learning context. Uniped - Tidsskrift for universitets- og høgskolepedagogikk. ISSN 1500-4538. 47(2), p. 101–114. Full text in Research Archive
• Jenssen, Ole Ragnar N. & Dillern, Thomas (2022). Motivational regulation and physical activity in future emergency responders – staying fit, healthy and safe in a demanding occupational context. International Journal of Emergency Services. ISSN 2047-0894. doi: 10.1108/IJES-09-2021-0060. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Purpose To meet physically demanding occupational tasks, reduce occupational stress and work-related injuries and to uphold general health, emergency responders need to maintain a certain level of physical fitness. However, among emergency responders a career-long decreasing physical fitness constitutes a challenge. Based on the self-determination theory (SDT), this study aims to explore if there is any relationship between motivational regulation and physical activity patterns among future emergency responders. Design/methodology/approach The study used a survey design including two questionnaires: Sport Motivation Scale-2 (SMS-2) and International Physical Activity Questionnaire–Short Form (IPAQ–SF), and 258 students at the Norwegian Police University College (NPUC) participated. Findings The authors’ findings revealed a significant relationship between motivational regulation and physical activity patterns amongst police students. The study reveals the value of the SDT in understanding exercise behaviour and physical activity adherence amongst emergency responders, and moreover, the importance of fostering intrinsic motivation, in the educational institutions, to increase physical activity and physical activity adherence throughout their career. Originality/value To the authors’ knowledge, there is limited research which uses the motivation theory to explain the development of physical fitness and health amongst emergency responders. With this approach, this study is something new to this discussion and should be of interest for both educational institutions and authorities managing emergency responders.

• Jenssen, Ole Ragnar N. & Dillern, Thomas (2021). Does motivational regulation affect physical activity patterns among Norwegian Police University College students? International Journal of Police Science and Management. ISSN 1461-3557. 23(4), p. 406–416. doi: 10.1177/14613557211027189. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Physical readiness is important for operative police officers to cope with occupational tasks. Despite this, physical activity and physical fitness among police officers decrease throughout their occupational career. Self-determination theory (SDT) is a major theoretical approach in motivation research for sports and physical activity. SDT describes types of motivation and motivational regulation and how they are related to physical activity and physical activity adherence. This study aims to explore whether there is a relationship between motivation and the physical activity level of future police officers. The study was based on a survey design, including two questionnaires: Motives for Physical Activities Measure – Revised, measuring motivational regulation; and International Physical Activity Questionnaire – short form, measuring physical activity. Two hundred and fifty-eight students at the Norwegian Police University College (NPUC) participated in the study. Our results revealed that motivational regulation, especially intrinsic and integrated regulation, significantly predicted physical activity among NPUC students. Our findings support the basics of SDT, and how it is related to physical activity patterns and physical activity adherence. When discussing physical training and physical readiness, and to understand the reduction in physical activity and fitness among police officers, one cannot neglect the importance of exploring and understanding the motivation for physical activity among police officers. Educational institutions like the NPUC have an important role in securing minimum levels of physical fitness when graduating students, but even more importantly they can have a central part in nurturing intrinsic motivation for physical activity for the future police officers, which facilitates physical activity adherence throughout their policing career.

• Dillern, Thomas; Jenssen, Ole Ragnar N.; Lagestad, Pål; Nygård, Ørjan & Ingebrigtsen, Jørgen (2014). Arresting a Struggling Subject; Does the Forthcoming Police Officers Physical Fitness have an Impact on the Outcome? The Open Sports Sciences Journal. 7, p. 2–7. doi: 10.2174/1875399X01407010002. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Handling a struggling subject has been pointed out as one of the maximal physical exertions of police work. However, the relationship between general physical fitness and the ability to manage an intractable subject is only scarcely examined. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to examine how general physical fitness correlates with the forthcoming police officers’ ability to handle in a simulated arrest handling test. Nineteen male police students voluntarily agreed to participate. Four physical tests were conducted (bench press, counter movement jump, hang ups and 3000 meter running test). Scores from these tests were converted into a physical test index (physical index). Further, a simulation of handling a struggling subject during arrest was conducted. The simulation contained two takedown tests and two self-defense tests. Scores from the arresting simulation tests were also aggregated in a performance score index (arrest index). Later, the two indexes were correlated. We found a large correlation 0.547 (p<0.05) between the physical index and the arrest index. We also found that age was largely and moderately correlated to the physical index (p<0.05) and the arrest index (p<0.1), respectively. Although the police officers handling of a struggling subject during arrest involves a skill component related to the executing of diverse impact methods, our findings clearly show that it is also about some form of physical capability. The present study therefore highlights the importance of physical fitness within the police force.

• Dillern, Thomas; Jenssen, Ole Ragnar N. & Ingebrigtsen, Jørgen (2014). Physical fitness and anthropometric characteristics of graduating Norwegian Police University College students. European Journal of Policing Studies. ISSN 2034-760X. 1(3), p. 192–205. Full text in Research Archive
• Lagestad, Pål; Jenssen, Ole Ragnar N. & Dillern, Thomas (2014). Changes in Police officers' physical performance after 16 years of work. International Journal of Police Science and Management. ISSN 1461-3557. 16(4), p. 308–317. doi: 10.1350/ijps.2014.16.4.349. Full text in Research Archive
• Lagestad, Pål Arild; Jenssen, Ole Ragnar N. & Dillern, Thomas (2014). Changes in Police Officers' Physical Performance after 16 Years of Work. International Journal of Police Science and Management. ISSN 1461-3557. 16(4), p. 308–317. doi: 10.1350/ijps.2014.16.4.349. Full text in Research Archive

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• Jenssen, Ole Ragnar N. & Gjevestad, Espen Svendsen (2023). Fysisk form, trening og ernæring: forberedelse til oppdraget. In Bergsjø, Per; Sandvik, Asle Makoto & Meland, Sigurd (Ed.), Politipatruljen: en lærebok i patruljetjeneste. Fagbokforlaget. ISSN 9788245039924. p. 41–58. Full text in Research Archive
• Henneseid, Linn; Jenssen, Ole Ragnar N. & Gjevestad, Espen Svendsen (2023). Førstehjelp. In Bergsjø, Per; Sandvik, Asle Makoto & Meland, Sigurd (Ed.), Politipatruljen: en lærebok i patruljetjeneste. Fagbokforlaget. ISSN 9788245039924. p. 219–232. Full text in Research Archive
• Jenssen, Ole Ragnar N. & Dillern, Thomas (2021). Fysisk robusthet i politiet: Politihøgskolens rolle i utvikling og ivaretagelse. Politiforum. ISSN 1500-6921. 2021(5). Full text in Research Archive
• Jenssen, Ole Ragnar N. & Dillern, Thomas (2013). DOES BODY MASS INDEX AFFECT ARREST TECHNIQUE PERFORMANCE ON NORWEGIAN POLICE UNIVERSETY COLLEGE STUDENTS? In Balagué, N.; Torrents, C.; Villanova, A.; Cadefau, J.; Tarragó, R. & Tsolakidis, E. (Ed.), Book of Abstracts.18th annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science. 26th - 29th June, Barcelona - Spain. European College of Sport Science. ISSN 9788469577868. Full text in Research Archive
• Jenssen, Ole Ragnar N. & Dillern, Thomas (2013). DOES BODY MASS INDEX AFFECT ARREST TECHNIQUE PERFORMANCE ON NORWEGIAN POLICE UNIVERSETY COLLEGE STUDENTS? Full text in Research Archive
• Jenssen, Ole Ragnar N.; Nygård, Ørjan & Ingebrigtsen, Jørgen (2011). Endurance, strength and jumping abilities of Norwegian Police Academy students. In Cable, N. Tim & George, Keith (Ed.), 16th Annual Congress of the ECSS - Book of Abstracts. European College of Sport Science. ISSN 9780956890306. Full text in Research Archive
• Jenssen, Ole Ragnar N.; Nygård, Ørjan & Ingebrigtsen, Jørgen (2011). Endurance, strength and jumping abilities of Norwegian Police Academy students. Full text in Research Archive
• Nygård, Ørjan; Jenssen, Ole Ragnar N. & Ingebrigtsen, Jørgen (2011). Fysisk forfall i befolkningen – hva med politistudentene? Politiforum. ISSN 1500-6921. 102(9), p. 36–37. Full text in Research Archive
• Dillern, Thomas; Pedersen, Freddy & Jenssen, Ole Ragnar N. (2012). Fysisk aktivitetsnivå og fysisk form blant den voksne befolkningen i Nordland -En kartleggingsundersøkelse avsluttet 2011. Nord universitet. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  I denne rapporten fremkommer resultater fra en kartleggingsundersøkelse av fysisk aktivitet og fysisk form blant den voksne befolkningen i Nordland. Resultatene tyder på at kun 22 % av deltakerne oppfyller helsemyndighetenes minimumsanbefalinger for fysisk aktivitetsnivå. Dette innebærer at 78 % av deltakerne ikke er tilstrekkelig aktive for å opprettholde egen helse.

• Jenssen, Ole Ragnar N. (2011). En sammenligning av metoder for kartlegging av fysisk aktivitet : egenrapportering av fysisk aktivitet gjennom den korte utgaven av International Physical Activity Questionnaire sammenlignet med objektiv registrering av aktivitet med akselerometer. Nord universitet. Full text in Research Archive

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