Comments on: Worrying times

By: Slowjoe

Slowjoe — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 16:05:48 +0000

I find this police fitness thing hilarious.

I’m a 16 stone 41 yo computer programmer who can do
12+ pullups/dips and “only” an 8 minute mile/level 8 on the bleep
test. I consider myself too unfit for life in London, let alone the police.

One of my friends is a met TSG pt guy, and he tells me that even
the riot squad isn’t particularly fit. This is scary/sad. Someday, people
will get hurt because of this state of affairs.

Regarding fitness standards for older officers, it is indeed unreasonable
to hold older officers to the same standards as 20yos. But you
can simply lower the reqirements by a few percent a decade.

And if you want action on this, simply add team fitness to the
chief constable’s bonus targets.

By: Willing and Eager

Willing and Eager — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:39:12 +0000

Current fitness standard for my force is 5.4 on the bleep test, and an average of 34kg push and 35kg pull over several reps on a “Dyno machine”. I keep myself fit through running, but do very little upper body exercise. I got level 11.2 on the bleep test (long after everyone else I was testing with had dropped out) and 64kg on the push and pull.
The fitness standard is not high, and the distance for the shuttle runs I did was less than the standard 20m I was expecting. Anyone know if the police “bleeps” are also closer together, or is it just a lower standard?
I have been told now I’m in that I’ll be re-tested regularly and the standard will rise to about 7, so at least they’re trying to improve the fitness of recruits.

By: Shijuro

Shijuro — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 08:33:09 +0000

As I say again- how is it right to expect a 46-50 year old man or woman to be as fit as a 20-year old?

By: Slowjoe

Slowjoe — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 00:03:45 +0000

Isn’t this reasonably easy?

For in-service officers, you bleep test them. If they fail, you retest on a monthly basis. Failure to improve each month would be a disciplinary offence.

Verbal warning/writen warning/Final warning/termination would take 4 months to can. Otherwise, you would have someone meeting fitness requirements in a maximum of two years or so.

By: joe

joe — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:50:16 +0000

Does this mean Gadget will have to give up do’nuts?

By: shijuro

shijuro — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:41:51 +0000

i did the old test… 1.5 miles in less than 12-mins plus the reg sit ups etc…

easy compared to the BFT for the army… 3-miles… in boots and webbing … (fun really… PTI’s always had a laugh with us…)

By: Shijuro

Shijuro — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:36:50 +0000

I dropped pub order training… You may as well write a sign on yourself – ‘get me sacked’…

By: Blueknight

Blueknight — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:21:47 +0000

I never had a test when I joined, but in those days every other recruit was ex military or a football or rugby player. And there was a height and weight limit.
The ACC that interveiwed me for the job was an ex Marine Officer.He could spot a ‘fatty’ at 100 paces and one of the interview questions was ‘do you play sport?’(Nothing about diversity in thsose days!)
In 1981 we had the street riots and fitness testing took off after that. Basically to be PSU you had to be fit. a mile and a half in under 12 minutes immediately followed by maximum press ups in a minute, maximum sit ups in a minute and maximum burpees in a minute. Sometimes we had to do the phys. before the run.
I was PSU and EGT right up until I retired. I kept fit so I could earn the OT – and because I wanted to.
There should be ongoing fitness tests starting with new recruits. All Officers should take the tests, but unless a minimum standard of fitness was a requirement of the job when the Officer joined, there should be encouragement and help rather than the threat of the sack

By: Tony F

Tony F — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 19:26:18 +0000

I do hope the SMT will have to do it too….

By: Stressedoutcop

Stressedoutcop — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:15:51 +0000

Bleep test – a joke

I’ve got long legs and can literally fast walk up to the required limit. A couple of laps round a track or even army standard BFT should be considered.

I found that running was very beneficial to my health until I chased after somebody slipped and knackered myself.