Fancy becoming a police officer or special constable but fear you’re not fit enough? Gayle Ritchie goes head-to-head with potential recruits as they take part in a new mock fitness test
Even though what I’m about to do is merely a mock test, I feel nervous.
Butterflies are doing a merry dance in my belly and I find I’m stuttering slightly as I chat to the woman standing next to me, who declares herself to be equally fretful.
I’ve come to Forfar Police Station to take part in a mock multi-stage fitness test, also known as the “bleep test”.
All I know is I’m going to have to perform a number of shuttle runs which get progressively faster…and keep on going until I can’t stop.
While I haven’t done any specific training for this, my base level of fitness is pretty decent.
I walk the dog at least twice a day and run or cross train up to four times a week, plus I do the odd bit of horse riding. Put it this way, I reckon I’d be able to sprint for a bus.
The session starts off with a briefing from PC Lynn Steele. We’re told we need to wait for a bleep (played on a CD), then run between two lines which are 15m apart.
Your foot must touch each line and you must maintain the pace within the bleeps. If you fail to reach the line, you get a verbal warning. Leaving before the bleep also incurs a warning and if you get three, you’re disqualified. However, if you rectify your pace (speed up, basically), you can get back in time with the bleeps, Lynn reassures us.
The test gets progressively harder and faster but how long you need to keep going depends on your age.
I’m in the 30 to 39 category so I’m told I need to reach level 6.7. Had I been 29 or under, I’d have needed to reach 7.3.
Preamble over, four of us line up at our start points and wait for the CD to begin.
The first few shuttles are quite slow, allowing us to warm up, and we find ourselves at the line way too early, waiting for the next bleep.
“Pace yourselves,” encourages Inspector Irene Coyle from the sidelines. Very good advice indeed.
As the levels progress, breathing becomes heavier and I feel a sweat forming.
Level four is easy, level five is fine, level six is okay…and without sounding cocky, I reach 6.7 no problem.
“Keep going,” hollers Lynn, as I jog on by, wondering why I need to do so, if I’ve already passed.
The pace cranks up a notch as I reach level 9, and I’m definitely running out of puff.
I hit 9.5 and then miss the line, which results in a warning. At this, I peter out, and give up, more than happy with my score.
“You had two more warnings you could’ve used!” cries Lynn, keen for me to carry on. “You could’ve got to 6.7!”
Maybe so, but I’m glad to stop, catch my breath and wipe my perspiring brow.
Inspector Coyle is full of praise: “You did really well. You got way beyond the level that you needed to for your age. It’s a great result.”
Another candidate to pass is 18-year-old Lewis Macmillian from Perth, who made it to 9.2.
“It’s good to know I’ve passed the mock test so when I’m invited to do the real one, I won’t feel so anxious,” he says.
And while we passed with flying colours, Inspector Coyle reveals some people have reached an incredible 13.11 – “the highest we’ve seen for the North”.
“Does that mean Gayle can join the police now?” asks photographer Kim Cessford.
Alas, there’s a lot more to the recruitment process that the bleep test – there’s an exam, an interview, an assessment, a medical, vetting and references. The process can take anything from nine to 12 weeks, from application to final stages, says Inspector Coyle.
Great news if you pass the fitness test, but what if you led your fitness levels drop? And what of the stigma of unfit officers struggling to run after criminals?
“That’s definitely a myth,” says Inspector Coyle. “There’s regular re-testing during the officer’s two-year probationary period. They’re tested five times during that time to ensure they’re maintaining that fitness level. But obviously it’s the officer’s responsibility to maintain fitness – it’s needed for the role.”
Ultimately, the bleep test is a test of general fitness, as well as sprinting – which you may need to do if you’re chasing a baddie.
And the mock test is a fantastic opportunity. “It’s to encourage people to submit an application,” says Inspector Coyle.
“People could be sitting at home thinking they’re not fit enough to join the police, but they might well be. And if not, the mock test gives them an indication of that they need to do before they apply. We can give them encouragement and guidance on how to train to improve their fitness.”
The test is being trialled across Scotland and more dates will be made available in Dundee and Perth in the near future.
info
The North Recruitment Team is running mock fitness tests for anyone considering applying or has already applied to Police Scotland to be a police constable or special constable.
Those who fail – and apparently 11% of candidates in the North failed last year – can reapply within six months. It’s an ongoing application process and there’s no cut off date.
The next mock tests are at Aberdeen’s Nelson Street Police Office on December 15 at 5.30pm or 6.30pm.
Places are limited so contact the recruitment team on: Policerecruitmentaberdeen@scotland.pnn.police.uk
