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Most of the injuries were sustained during the Officer Safety Training
At least 72 officers suffered broken bones during training due to "horseplay or lack of skill" a Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) report has said.
Of the 382 staff involved in major accidents between January 2007 and last December, 19% were injured during mandatory training exercises.
Officers fractured their chests, hands, feet, ankles and wrists, while learning how to make arrests.
The Metropolitan Police (Met) said the training "carries a risk of injury".
The figures were submitted by the Met's human resource team to the MPA's corporate governance committee.
The training accident report said 86% of those who suffered serious injuries were officers and 5% were Police Community Support Officers.
Whether because of horseplay, peer pressure or lack of skill, on occasions the technique(s) being practised has caused injuries
The MPA report
Lord Harris, chairman of the corporate governance committee, said: "It appears the most dangerous training an officer can do is safety training."
Almost half of the 72 injured officers were hurt while doing the Officer Safety Training which requires them to learn how to make arrests, restrain suspects, use batons, CS Spray, stop and search people and vehicles and slapping on handcuffs, among others.
The report said: "It should be recognised however that during any physical training exercise an individual student's decision to limit their strength or dynamic actions according to the activity is not within the direct control of the instructors.
"Often warnings for limiting the power for strike exercises are given, but not always heeded.
"Whether because of horseplay, peer pressure or lack of skill, on occasions the technique(s) being practised has caused injuries."
'Physical contact'
Trainee officers are most likely to suffer impact injuries when they are hit and joint injuries while practising restraint techniques, it said.
Commenting on the report the Met said: "Whilst training is delivered in a controlled environment, all training is meant to prepare officers for situations which they will face on the streets.
"Officer Safety Training (OST) by it's very nature involves physical contact, which carries a risk of injury."
The percentage of officers injured in training has remained between 20% and 30%, but the numbers are not very high if the total number of officers trained every year is considered, the Met said.
A study by the Met into the number and causes of injuries suffered will begin in March 2009.
