How fit do you have to be to be a police officer?

Mr. Goodhi

Not very

Bobby

If you can pass a physical and a stress test, there is no reason not to hire you.

You will have to go to a police academy and do a lot of running and physical training. But as long as you continue to show improvement and meet their goals, you will have no problem. Their are requirements to pass the PT. You will be asked to perform so many push ups, sit ups, run so many miles etc.

I know of a few guys who went in overweight and came out in great shape. It's amazing what one can do when they want something really bad.

But if you are seriously considering being an officer, I would start running now. It would make your academy training much easier.

Good luck.

oneeye

It depends on the city. Check with the city employment office for a job description. Although no one can outrun a speeding bullet, 45 lbs over is a bit much if you have to chase anyone.

Irwin

depending on the jurisdiction, you have to pass a medical or physical by a Dr or medical personnel that will decide if you are height/weight proportion.
Most departments also have a agility test to pass which usually consists of a mile run within 8 minutes or something similar, a pickup and drag a dummy(simulating a human being a certain distance in a time period, a run thru a maize or over barriers within a certain period of time, a time exercise of so many sit-ups, pull-ups, or push ups. If you are overweight by 45 lbs, it would be hard to complete the agility test successfully.

Protagonist

There's a physical fitness standard for law enforcement called the Cooper Standard that many departments base their physical fitness requirements on. Some agencies do not use this standard at all (like mine), but don't think you're getting off easy.

Even if you are going to apply to an agency that doesn't use this standard, you're going to have to do some sort of physical fitness assessment. Being 45 pounds overweight just isn't good for you and it's going to make passing a PAT that much harder.

leslie S

Some departments hire you after a physical and to pass out of the academy you must pass a physical agility test of some sort. Some to the physical agility test first. Some states you go to an academy before being hired and go through physical training at the academy to pass the state mandated test.
You have to check the specifics for the department you want. They often have web sites. All have to allow you a few weeks notice as to what is required, not enough time to get into shape if your a couch potato.
30 years ago I had to take the PT test first. I was 230 lbs at 6' tall. Overweight by the height and weight tables but few departments follow such things even back then.
My test was to run 1 1/2 miles in 12 minutes or less, pull a 185 lbs dummy out of a car and 15 feet away, run down 4 flights of stairs carrying the dummy on a stretcher with another recruit, run a obstacle course which consisted of jumping a five foot fence, a 3 foot ditch, crawling through a tunnel and then getting over a 8 foot blank wall.
Some places just have you do a mile run, sit ups, a flexibility test and push ups or chest presses all set up by gender and age.

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