What is required for a police officer physical abilities test?
The rule is quite vague, and it does not state that an applicant has to run a mile, do sit-ups or push-ups, or bench press a certain weight. It only states that the test be “job-related.” Cities may require an applicant to meet their rigid standards of strength and agility, although cities need to be aware of discrimination and liability issues when requiring these tests.
In addition to a test having to be job-related, court rulings on pre-hire testing have ruled that the testing must meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin), and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidelines.
Why does police officer physical abilities testing matter?
Because it's good for the officer and good for your city. A police officer’s physical abilities not only impact your city's workers’ compensation claims in terms of fewer injuries, the severity of an officer’s injuries, an officer’s mental health, and the time it takes to recover from an injury, but use of force and related liability claims as well. Simply put, it is important for police officers to be physically fit — and healthy police officers make good decisions.
How are we helping cities with police officer physical abilities testing?
The League of Minnesota Cities recently collaborated with the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association, the Minnesota POST Board, and a number of police departments that were seeking guidance, to form a steering committee to research this topic and come up with a recommendation for our members.
Our goal was to develop a reasonably priced, statewide, legally compliant, pre-employment, post-job-offer physical abilities test for police officer candidates and for officers that are returning to work following an injury. Additionally, we wanted to develop a physical abilities test that could be validated, administered by a neutral third party, be age- and gender-neutral, and have no disparate impact.
The steering committee selected WorkSTEPS to develop and administer the validated tests. WorkSTEPS has a corporate relationship with NovaCare, who currently has 14 locations across the state. The police officer physical abilities tests we recommended were customized and consist of:
- A quarter-mile running test.
- A dummy drag and wrestle.
- A stair climb with a medical bag.
- A wall climb or obstacle scale.
- Lifting and carrying a weighted object.
- A test for postural tolerance and fine/gross motor skills.
- Several minutes of administering CPR.
These physical tests are completed after a full musculoskeletal evaluation and medical history review with a trained clinician.
All of these tests were validated using police officers from our 24 validation sites across the state. The WorkSTEPS validation process has legal, ergonomic, and functional standards supported by recognized scientific research.
What happens now with police officer physical abilities testing?
We now have a validated testing study that can be used for police officers pre-hire and for return to work following an injury, and this program has been rolled out statewide. WorkSTEPS will continue to monitor the testing and analyze the results, as we want to be sure there is no disparate impact on the applicants. We will also be monitoring the success of this program and revising the tests as feedback is received. This ongoing analysis is critical for the defensibility of the tests, and we have to be able to show that this is the standard for police officers.
To learn more about the importance of police officer physical fitness, read this article in the March-April 2021 issue of Minnesota Cities magazine.
If you have any questions about this new police officer physical abilities testing program — or are interested in taking part — see our webpage at www.lmc.org/fitness, email me at tstille@lmc.org, or give me a call at
(651) 215-4051.
Remember: Responder Safety = Public Safety
Up next: RFPs from the Pohlad Family Foundation Reimagining Public Safety Program
In the meantime, stay safe and be careful -
Tracy
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