Constable Selection System

Constable Selection Information Package

Physical Readiness Evaluation for Police - PREP

PREP Performance Components

Pursuit/Restraint Circuit

The Pursuit/Restraint Circuit (Diagram 1) simulates a police foot chase that includes obstacles, control of a person who resists arrest and the dragging of an incapacitated person. Throughout this test, you wear a weighted belt to simulate the weight of standard police equipment.

In the pursuit phase of the test, you run four laps around a 25-metre (83 ft) circuit as quickly as possible for a total distance of 100 metres (332 ft). During each 25-metre circuit, you climb a set of stairs (Fig. 1) and, during the second and fourth rotations of the circuit, scale a 1.2-metre fence (Fig. 2). The fence is solid and has no toe-holds.

Fig. 1 - A candidate climbing five stairs while wearing the required weighted belt.	Fig. 2 - A candidate scaling a 1.2 metre fence with no toe-holds.
Fig. 3 - A candidate using the body control simulator (push).	Fig. 4 - A candidate using the arm restraint simulator.
Fig. 5 - A candidate using the body control simulator (pull).	Fig. 6 - A candidate dragging a 68 kilogram dummy.

Immediately following the 100-metre circuit, you move to the Body Control Simulator and push a pair of handles away from you to raise a 32 kg (70 lb) weight off the floor. Keeping the weight elevated, you side-step through 180°, first to the left and then back to the right to complete a total of six 180° half-circles or arcs (Fig. 3).

You then move to the Arm Restraint Simulator and depress the handles on the grips of both arms of the simulator. It takes 14.5 kg (32 lb) of force to depress each grip. With the grips constantly depressed, the arms of the equipment are forced together and then returned to their starting position. It takes 16 kg (35 lb) of force to retract each arm (Fig. 4).

Then return to the Body Control Simulator and pull the pair of handles to raise the 32-kg (70 lb) weight off the floor and rotate left and right through another six 180° arcs, keeping the weight elevated during the entire exercise (Fig. 5).

Return to the Arm Restraint Simulator and repeat the arm retraction and release exercise.

Last, grasp a 68-kg (150 lb) dummy and drag it a distance of 15 metres (50 ft). You may grasp the dummy by the wrists or around the chest, under the arms (Fig. 6).

The Pursuit/Restraint Circuit is scored as the total time from the start of the 100-metre (332 ft) circuit to the completion of the victim drag. For successful completion of the Pursuit/Restraint Circuit the time taken is 162 seconds or less.

Following completion of the Pursuit/Restraint Circuit, you are allowed a minimum 10-minute rest before beginning the aerobic fitness test.

Aerobic Fitness Test

The 20-metre Shuttle Run (Diagram 2) evaluates your aerobic fitness or work capability for physically demanding policing tasks as well as everyday policing activities. In this test, you run back and forth between two marked lines over a 20-metre (67 ft) course in time with audio signals recorded on a CD.

The time permitted to cover the 20 metres at the beginning of the test requires a slow jog. Thereafter, for each 20 metres, the time between audio signals lessens, requiring that you pick up your running pace. The audio signal informs you of the “stage” you are at as the test progresses.

In each leg of the Shuttle Run, warning lines, placed 2 metres (7 ft) before each of the 20-metre end lines, must be reached before the permitted time elapses and the audio signal sounds. You will be cautioned by an examiner if you fail to cross a warning line in time and you must still reach the end line before returning. The test ends when you miss two consecutive warning lines.

To successfully complete the minimum requirement of the aerobic fitness test you must achieve Stage 6.5 in the 20-metre Shuttle Run.