Fitness Standards

Police work is physically demanding and requires officers to be physically fit. The Minneapolis Police Department Training Unit has prepared the following information on how to prepare for the Entry-Level Police Department Fitness Assessment. The events involved in the fitness assessment, and the desired minimum event standards, include the following:

Repetition Maximum Bench Press Procedures:

  1. Lie with your shoulders and buttocks on the bench and your feet flat on the floor.
  2. Starting weight for men is about 2/3 of body weight. Starting weight for women is the bar (45 lbs.).
  3. Spotter/test administrator will assist with loading the weights, increasing poundage, and ensuring safety.
  4. Grip the bar slightly more than shoulder width apart and align with upper chest. Do not arch your back during the lift. To execute the bench press lift the bar off the rack and lower the bar to the upper chest without actually touching the chest, then press to a full extension as you return it to the starting position. Exhale while lifting the weight and inhale while lowering the weight.
  5. The first few attempts will be a warm-up as you build up to your maximum.
  6. Try to reach your maximum by the fourth or fifth lift.
  7. The score is the highest weight lifted in one repetition.

Push Up Procedures:

  1. The hands are placed slightly wider than shoulder width apart, with fingers pointing forward.
  2. Starting from the up position (elbows extended), the subject must keep the back straight at all times and lower the body to the floor until the upper arms are parallel to the floor, then push up again.
  3. Resting should be done only in the up position. Both hands must remain in contact with the floor at all times.
  4. The total number of correct push ups completed with no time limit.

Vertical Jump:

  1. Subject stands with both hands raised up in the air and reaches up as high as possible to mark his/her standard reach.
  2. Subject jumps as high as possible and marks the spot by pushing the markers on the vertical jump machine.
  3. Score is the difference between the standard reach and top of the jump mark, to the nearest ½ inch.
  4. The best of three trials is the score.

Sit Up Procedures:

  1. The subject starts by lying on their back, knees bent, heels flat on the floor, with both hands cupping their ears. Avoid pulling on the head with the hands. The buttocks must remain on the floor with no thrusting of the hips.
  2. A partner holds the feet down firmly.
  3. In the up position, the individual should touch elbows to knees and then return to a full lying position until the shoulder blades touch the floor. The subject then performs as many correct sit ups as possible.
  4. Resting is allowed in the up position with hands cupping ears.
  5. No time limit. Score is total number of correct sit ups.

1.5 Mile: (Testing is done on an indoor track)

  1. Participants should not eat a heavy meal or smoke for at least 2-3 hours prior to the test. Participants should warm up and stretch thoroughly prior to the test.
  2. If possible, each subject should have experienced some practice in pacing prior to the test. Often subjects will attempt to run too fast early in the run and become fatigued prematurely.
  3. The test administrator will inform the participants where the start and finish line is located nd how many laps they must complete for the run
  4. The participant runs 1.5 miles as fast as possible. During the 1.5 mile run a test administrator will read off lap times and the number of laps completed.
  5. Upon test completion, a mandatory cool down period is enforced. The participants should walk slowly for about 5 minutes immediately after the run to prevent venous pooling (i.e., pooling of the blood in the lower extremities which reduces the return of blood to the heart and may cause cardiac arrhythmias).

300 Meter Run Test: (Testing is done on an indoor track)

  1. Participants should actively warm up for one minute before sprinting.
  2. The 300-meter run measures your anaerobic power and the goal is to run the distance as quickly as possible.
  3. The test administrator will inform the participants where the start and finish line is and how many laps they must complete for the run.
  4. Participant should walk for 3-5 minutes immediately following test to cool down. This is an important safety consideration.


Fitness Standards

Component

Entry-Level
(CSO)

Academy Standard

Bench Press

or

Push-ups

102 lbs;
or 60% of
body weight

150 lbs;
or 82% of
body weight

25

28

Vertical Jump

13

16

Sit-ups

30

35

300 Meter Run
(seconds)

82

69

1.5 Mile Run
(min.:sec.)

15:44

14:43

Note: At the end of the Community Service Officer program, persons will be expected to meet and/or exceed all of the event standards, before being eligible to promote to the position of Police Officer (Recruit) - or be released from employment with the Minneapolis Police Department.