Am I fit enough?
If you are applying to join the NSW Police Force, you NEED to read this information and follow our sound advice.
A major requirement of meeting the Professional Suitability standards to become a Police Officer is that you are physically fit. You will be required to pass a Physical Capacity Test and as such, here are a few useful tips you should know:
- If you are not fit and you FAIL the Physical Capacity Test you WILL NOT be eligible to progress into Police training.
- It may be several months before you are eligible for re-testing.
- If you are not physically fit and well prepared you may injure yourself. It is quite common for people who do not maintain an appropriate fitness level to sustain an injury.
- You SHOULD read the Physical Capacity Testing details thoroughly. You SHOULD practice the actual tests. Refer to this information so that you have a greater chance of successfully meeting the required fitness standards.
- You should not be overweight. Your BMI should be at maximum 30 and your waist measurement at 88cms (females) or 100cms (males). BE MINDFUL of these measurements and DON'T let your fitness suffer through weight gain.
- Qualified Physical Training Instructors administer the Physical Capacity Test and conduct visual/other assessments of each applicant on the day of testing.
- We recommend that you maintain a consistent level of fitness. That is, you should be training at least 3-4 times per week for at least 45 minutes or longer.
- Come with a good mental attitude. DO NOT give up. You can't do that as a Police Officer so DON'T do it at testing. Strive to achieve your best possible result.
- There is NO leniency on testing day. If you attend Physical Capacity Testing and you are ill-prepared and do not meet our standards, your application WILL NOT progress.
- If you don't think your fitness is at a level to successfully pass Physical Capacity Testing, inform the booking officer at Police Recruitment and they will schedule your attendance for a later testing date.
You must be fit!
The following tips are based on observations from the officers that will be testing you.
These people are sworn Police Officers from the Recruitment Branch. They are qualified fitness trainers who are involved in various sports and maintain a high level of fitness themselves. We have all undertaken and passed these tests so we know what you need to get through.
This is a guide only
Our trainers have all worked in general duties so we also know and have experienced first-hand the physical demands of the job. Any situation can occur in this job and if you are a fit and healthy individual, you will quite simply be better equipped. In addition, you have a duty of care to your partner and the public - you CAN'T let these people down.
DO THE FOLLOWING - ASK YOURSELF: Am I able to complete the following activities? If you can say YES then you should have no problems with the NSW Police Force fitness test. If you are not sure or you say NO, then more than likely, you will NOT pass the fitness test and will NEED to take steps to improve your fitness.
Be honest with yourself
- Can you run continuously for at least 20-30 minutes without a break?
- Can you run on grass or soft sand continuously?
- Do you have good cardio-vascular fitness? Could you reach level 7.1 in the beep test?
- Can you do 15 to 20 push-ups on your toes? Are your push-ups done with good form, that is, flat back, bottom down and practically touching the ground with your chin? Can you do them continuously and with ease?
- Can you do sit-ups/abdominal crunches with both feet flat on the floor? Can you do sit-ups WITHOUT someone holding your feet? Can you do at least 25 normal sit-ups? Have you attempted the 5 stage sit-up test and reached at least level 4? Can you do sit-ups on a fitball?
- Do you do ANY type of interval training? Can you sprint for 200m in around 35 secs with a 2 minute rest in between and then go again? Can you continue doing this for at least 15-20 minutes?
- Can you actually sprint?
- Do you do any type of resistance/weight training? How long has it been since you increased the weights? Are you working to improve your areas of weakness?
- If you are female - do you have the required strength in your forearms to pass the handgrip test? Can you improve in this area? Do you ever squeeze a tennis ball?
- Do you maintain a healthy diet? Do you drink enough water? Do you eat junk food/fast food? Surprise yourself - keep a food diary for a week and see what you are actually eating.
- Do you stretch properly? Do you stretch at all? Do you know how to stretch or what to do? Do you do Pilates or Yoga?
- How often do you exercise? How hard do you train? What type of exercise do you do? How long do you train for?
As the quote goes... "The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender."
You must be motivated
Sometimes we ALL need to take ourselves out of our comfort zone. This may require a change in our exercise routine.
Keep it interesting
We have to look after our bodies and as a Police Officer, even more so. It's a tough job, don't let anyone tell you any differently. The fitter you are, the better you will operate. You'll feel better about yourself and be able to manage situations with a clear approach. You will also find you will sleep better and ALL Police Officers NEED their sleep!
Should you wish to discuss your training regime, diet or the NSW Police Force physical capacity testing, please contact:
Senior Sergeant Meg Burke or Senior Constable Bryson Marshall at the Recruitment Branch on 8835-9883 or 8835-9867.