About TRU
The TRU is a network of multidisciplinary international experts who investigate ways to optimise the physical and cognitive capabilities, and safety of tactical personnel – whether military, law enforcement, firefighters, or first responder organisations.
Comprised of academic researchers and personnel who have served in tactical professions, the TRU provides the critical transfer of scientific evidence to pragmatic application across tactical, operational, and strategic management levels. Using a bespoke 'Trident Approach' the TRU engage with academics, industry and end-users to ensure research has real world outcomes.
The TRU is nested within Bond University’s Faculty of Health Sciences & Medicine, which received the highest possible ranking of ‘well above world standard’, and ‘at world standard’ for human movement and sports science, from the Australian Research Council (ARC) in its Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA).
The overarching aim of the group is to improve the fitness, health, wellbeing and occupational performance of those who serve and ensure new research findings are shared across the different tactical populations.
Services
The TRU provides services to government, industry, academic and private institutions. These include research projects, consultancy reports and educational and training packages.
Since 2015, the TRU team has conducted research across multiple tactical agencies covering initial training through to specialist selection and rehabilitation.
Consultancy projects have included the development of evidence-based, tactically viable, reports to inform multiple agencies and the generation of injury management, assessments, and conditioning optimization frameworks.
Education and training services use the latest research evidence and practical experience to provide workshops, courses or longer programs to tactical personnel as well as their support staff, such as physiotherapists, physical training instructors, and strength and conditioning coaches.
Latest news
Back in the Field: Army Pack Trials
The Tactical Research Unit were back in the field with the NZ Army assisting with their combat pack trials. Nothing like collecting data on a favourite topic - load carriage.
Article: Injuries in Custody Officers
Article down range: Another article for the Tactical Research Team. In this systematic review, led by Doctor of Physiotherapy students from Bond University, the injuries of custody officers were profiled. The upper extremity was the most commonly injured body part (26–30%), with musculoskeletal sprains and strains (30–60.2%) the most common types of injury. This profile is similar to those reported in general-duty police officers. As such, musculoskeletal conditioning, reconditioning, and fall prevention practices employed in law enforcement may serve as an initial approach to risk mitigation in this population.
Read the published review here: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/12/23/2334
Upcoming events
TACOPS Bond University Microcredential courses
The Tactical Conditioning Optimisation Program (TACOPS) is designed to provide those in tactical occupations (such as military, law enforcement and corrective services, firefighters and first responders) as well as those who support these personnel (including strength and conditioning coaches, personal trainers, fitness instructors, physiotherapists and occupational therapists) with a detailed understanding of the health and fitness needs of tactical personnel.
Designed as a series of eight professional development courses, the program spans topics ranging from physical assessment requirements, to the physical strength and conditioning requirements of tactical personnel across their occupational lifespan (i.e. trainee, general duties, specialists). Using an approach focused on translating research evidence to practice, the course considers the latest scientific literature as well as a pragmatic approach to implementation.
You will learn from Dr Rob Orr, the Director of the Bond University Tactical Research Unit, a multidisciplinary, international team of researchers providing research, consultancy, and education services to tactical professions around the globe.
All courses are available online at any time via our high-quality learner platform. The self-paced delivery gives you the flexibility to work around your other commitments. Upon successful completion of each course, you will receive a digital Certificate of Achievement in recognition of your new competencies. Upon successful completion of the full program, you will gain a program digital Certificate of Completion. This certificate will provide recognition of prior learning for those wishing to complete the CERT IV in Sports Coaching (Physical Conditioning In the Specialist Workplace), delivered by the Optimal Performance Solutions.
For further course information, please visit the Bond University Tactical Conditioning Optimisation Program page.
