professional standards

Well, I'm currently training to pass the state POPS test (police officers professional standards). The reason being is I'm trying to get hired at a local pd and have to pass the test in order to go to the academy. The test is a 1 1/2 mile run in 17 min 12 sec or less, a 300 meter sprint in 65 sec or less, bench press 64% of your body weight, do 20 push up in less than a min and 20 sit ups in less than a min. Along with passing a drug screen, lie detector test, and psych evaluation. My question is what do you think about the testing. I'll give my opinions and why a little later, if people actually answer this post.

What do I think of the testing?

I think that if you have a pulse and can pass a polygraph, the physical part is just an administrative obstacle for the agency to hold up as a physical "qualification" that allows a more diverse applicant pool to pass.

For someone who is in reasonably good shape, the physical standards are extremely "forgiving" (11:28 mile pace for 1.5 miles, a 200 lb man benching 128 lbs, etc.). There are few if any agencies however, that have a really gruelling applicant exam.

Our agency doesn't even do that anymore due to complaints about it not being gender and disability friendly.

We now have a test that measures your abilities to:

1. Unbuckle your seatbelt.

2. Get out of your car.

3. Reach behind your back.

4. Open your trunk.

5. Remove a flashlight and a pistol from the trunk.

6. Jog/ walk 200 yards with the flashlight.

7. Climb over a 3 foot wall.

8. Step over some obstacles.

9. Crawl under some obstacles.

10. Jog another 100 yards.

11. Go back under and over the obstacles.

12. Jog another 200 yards.

13. Pick up the pistol and pull the triggger 6 times with the right hand and six times with the left.

14. Put the flashlight and pistol back in the trunk.

15. Get back in the driver seat, put the keys in the glove box and fasten your seatbelt.

16. Time stops when you put both hands on the steering wheel.

I usually run it in about 3:30. Cut off time is 6:07.

You will find that once graduated from the police academy, the standards for physical conditioning become non existent unless you join SWAT or K-9. Some agencies offer incentives to stay in shape but they are in the extreme minority.

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13. Pick up the pistol and pull the triggger 6 times with the right hand and six times with the left.

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Ambidextrious marksmanship? Is that a common requirement for LE agencies? Or do you just have to be able to pull the trigger(this one seems like a bad and dangerous policy)?

I think at the time I could pass either of those tests (although I'm not sure about the bench press, never done that), and I've been out of serious training for a while now.

I've somewhat contemplated Law Enforcement as a career move recently, but I don't think it's in the cards right now, and I don't think my fiance would appreciate it.