Physical Agility Testing

[Delta_V]

I just found out today (much to my dismay) that one of the agencies that I am thinking about applying for (Las Vegas Metropolitan PD) has done away with pre-employment fitness testing as of this date. Why in the world would such a good department do this??? Isn't it better to weed someone out in the beginning part of the application process than to weed them out in the Academy (where mandatory physical fitness requirements still exist)?

Is this change something that's just happened to the LVMPD, or are other departments out there doing away with their agility tests as well? There may be a shortage of applicants, but I don't think that doing away with basic physical requirements is going to help anything. What do you all think about this?

[Guard Dog]

We give the physical agility test but will not disqualify you based upon the failure to pass. It is the same as what they will need to pass at the academy the first day. Our attorneys say that it is best to stand behind the academy requirementso as to avoid ADA problems.The academy can disqualify and use the the physical agility test as a reason to prevent attendance at the academy. There have only been a couple people that got shipped home, but I still think it should be part of the hiring procedure.

Any physical standard must be validated as reasonable. It must be a BoniFed Occupational Qualification BFOQ.

More and more agencies are getting gun shy of the ADA and the academy standard is a valid BFOQ. Setting a BFOQ for the job is difficult because there are so many encumbent officers that satifactorily do the job every day but are way out of shape. (LIKE ME) Someone denied employment could successfully argue that a 1.5 mile run, bench press and all the other requirements are invalid becuase other officers do the job everyday without meeting the satndard. However to pass a BFOQ of the state to attend and pass the academny to be POST certified as a police officer is acceptable.

Does that help?

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"We herd sheep, we drive cattle, we lead people. Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way." General George S. Patton

[This message has been edited by Guard Dog (edited 07-01-2001).]

[Delta_V]

I agree with you that the PAT should be a job-related test rather than a timed run, sit-ups, push-ups, etc. Unfortunatly, most departments don't do it that way and just go with the basic test. I think that PATs should be more like what Indianapolis PD uses, here: http://www.ci.indianapolis.in.us/joinipd/phystest.htm

I still think it's stupid to remove the PAT from the hiring process. It's a waste of additional time and money for a department to proceed in the process with someone who is almost guaranteed to wash out in the academy. I thought the goal of recruitment was to get the people who are MOST QUALIFIED into the academy.

[Guard Dog]

Once again it all revolves around a Federal problem er..ah program called the ADA.

Remember don't try and drag logic into it... I'm from the government and I'm here to help.

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"We herd sheep, we drive cattle, we lead people. Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way." General George S. Patton