WA Police Force Testing
Recruits for the Western Australian Police Force are required to undergo a fitness assessment as part of the recruitment process. Below is some information about the fitness requirements and standards. This information is presented for discussion and may be out of date - for the latest information see official sources.
Current Assessment Tests (from Dec 2021)
The latest assessment for WA Police recruits requires them to be able to do one sit-up, 10 push-ups, carry a 35 kilogram bag 20 metres, grip 30 kilograms in each hand, complete the Illinois agility test, and perform a beep test.
In the beep test, the current required score is at least 6.1 for women, and at least 7.1 for men. In the last 10 years, this standard has been eased. Once, recuits were required to achieve a score of 7.1 (women) and 10.1 (men), which was later changed to a range based on age, at least a minimum of 6.1 - 7.1 for women and 8.1-10.1 for men.
The Illinois agility test must be completed in under 20 seconds (men) or 22 seconds (women). This is an increase from 17 seconds and 18.9 seconds previously.
Older Notes
Previously there were no continuing fitness tests once officers graduated from the WA Police Academy. From January 2015 a new fitness test became mandatory for all operational officers.
The test was based on the tests used by police in Canada, Queensland and Victoria. The course starts with a 200m "foot chase" - 4 laps of an obstacle course (assessing agility and ability to climb a 1.5m fence, jump knee-high hurdles, clear a 1.5m ditch and run up stairs). The participants must then "take down" a 40kg weight, handcuff a dummy and carry a 35kg load. There will was time limit for the first year of testing, though officers had to complete the course without stopping.
Officers who failed the test the first time were given fitness, strength or nutritional guidance to improve and retested three months later.
Past Assessments
(The following information was retrieved 10 Jan 2010 from the Perth Sunday Times)
Recruits for the WA Police Force must perform a wide range of fitness tests, including for those under 30 years achieving 10.1 (men) or 7.1 (women) in the beep test. Once they are in the academy, there is intense physical training. One test that must be completed is an obstacle course which involves sprints, climbing walls, balance beams and weights, to be completed in under 3 min and 20 seconds.
Related Pages
- Fitness testing for other law enforcement agencies
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