The Police Advisory Board for England and Wales have approved the recommendations for fitness levels for 13 specialist posts including firearms officers, dog handlers and police cyclists.  The levels range from 5:4 (four shuttles at level five) to 10:5 on the Multi-Stage Fitness Test (MSFT) known as a "bleep" test. This is a timed test where individuals run at an increasing speed.

The recommendations are based on scientific evidence which used physiological data from officers undertaking training exercises that closely replicate the 'real-life' physical demands of the specialist role and are based upon operational scenarios.  Data gathered during the training exercises were then compared to data gathered during the MSFT which had earlier been undertaken by the same officers. This method ensures, as far as is possible, that an officer who passes the MSFT has the operational fitness demanded of the relevant specialist activity.

The report provided to the Police Advisory Board for England and Wales is available here.  It includes the Lilleshall Consultancy Report January 2009, the Lilleshall Consultancy Report October 2009 and the Equality Impact Assessment January 2010.  The Fitness Working Group are currently developing implementation guidance.

The Fitness Working Group includes representation from Association of Chief Police Officers, Superintendents Association, Police Federation, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary, the National Policing Improvement Agency and specialist fitness advisors.

Recommended standards:

Background

In 2003 the Police Advisory Board for England and Wales commissioned a Working Group to advise on the development of national job related fitness standards for recruits to the Police Service, specialist posts and for police officers already in service. The working group recommended a job related fitness test (JRFT) standard for recruits. This was adopted by the Police Service in 2004. The related Home Office Circular, 43/2004, can be found here.

In 2007 the Working Group was reformed to develop national job related fitness standards for specialist posts with the following terms of reference:

• To provide evidence based recommendations on the JRFT for specialist police officer roles;
• To provide recommendations as to how the JRFT can be conducted fairly and consistently. In addition, to provide Guidance on how to deal with those who do not meet the required identified standard;
• To provide JRFT guidelines that meet the requirements of anti-discrimination legislation; and
• To devise a structured timetable of work that provides best practice guidelines to the Police Service, on JRFT for specialist roles, via the Rewards and Recognition Group.
  

See also: Police Magazine article, May 2010: Fit for the job, available here