Trends in Police Physical Ability Selection Testing

Abstract

Currently police agencies are employing variants of three basic forms of physical ability testing: job simulation exercises, physical agility and/or stamina tests, and norm referenced physical fitness or “wellness” tests. Although job simulation exercises superficially appear most defensible, they lack benchmark standards of minimal performance levels. Physical agility tests can be administered more economically, safely, and conveniently, but generally have substantial adverse impact. Norm referenced wellness tests are gaining in popularity because they solve some of the problems of both simulation exercises and physical agility tests, but are probably least defensible as directly job related. A dominant methodology has yet to emerge from either usage or court decisions.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Burney v. City of Pawtucket I, 559 F. Supp. 1089, 34 FEP 1274 BCR 1, (1983).

Considine

Developing a physical test battery for screening fire fighter applicants. Public Personnel Management, 5, 7–17, 1976.

Eison v. City of Knoxville, 570 F. Supp. 11, 33 FEP 1141 (D.C. Tenn., 1983).

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Uniform guidelines on employee selection procedures. Washington, D.C.: GPO, 1978.

Evans v. City of Evanston, Docket Nos. 88–2928, 88–2995, July 27, 1989.

Guyor

J.R.

Spokane learns from experience: A police officer physical fitness program in which men and women compete equally. Public Personnel Management, 3, 10–18, January-February, 1974.

Hughes

M.A.

Ratliff

R.A.

Purswell

J.L.

Hadwiger

A content validation methodology for job related physical performance tests. Public Personnel Management, 18, 4, 487–504, Winter, 1989.

Illinois Local Governmental Law Enforcement Officers Training Board. Facts about Illinois law enforcement physical fitness standards and programs. Springfield: ILGLEOTB, 1988.

Michigan Law Enforcement officers Training Council. A job analysis of police physical skills requirements. Lansing: M.L.E.O.T.C., 1979.

10.

Pina v. City of East Providence, 492 F. Supp. 1240, 31 FEP 230 (D.C. R., 1980).

11.

Schofield

D.L.

Establishing health and fitness standards: Legal considerations. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, 58, 25–31, June, 1989.

12.

Summers

W.C.

Title VII challenges to physical fitness requirements. The Police Chief, 13, February 1985.

13.

United States v. City of Wichita Falls, 704 F. Supp. 709 (N.D. Tex., 1988).

14.

Vanguard Justice Society v. Hughes, 592 F. Supp. 245, 255 (D.C. MD., 1984).

15.

Wilmore

J.H.

Davis

J.A.

Validation of a physical abilities field test for the selection of state traffic officers. Journal of Occupational Medicine, 21, 33–40, January, 1979.