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FitForce Positions
This website is populated throughout its pages with our position papers and writings. To make them easy to find and to download, you can find them here, easily labeled for your review.
AGE- AND GENDER- ADJUSTED PHYSICAL FITNESS STANDARDS:
Misperceptions, Myths, and Reality
There continues to be confusion in the law enforcement profession regarding the legality of age- and gender-based fitness standards. Specifically, the controversy revolves around the question, “Are the Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research (CIAR) age- and gender-based fitness norms acceptable for application as standards for law enforcement agencies?” The short answer is no.
This position paper summarizes how this controversy developed, and presents our conclusions on this issue. This position is a consensus of FitForce™ and its associates – Fitness Intervention Technologies and Hoffman & Associates.
The issues that should be considered and addressed before developing a health and fitness or as we call them Physical Readiness Program are discussed at length in this document. Included are some of the myths that prevent us developing a program in the first place, and the Ten Essential Elements of a Program.
When considering standards and programs, ask the question “Why have them in the first place?” Unfortunately, the answer is often lost among the pantheon of concerns an administrator must address. The rationale for physical fitness standards and programs should be as central as the mission of the department itself.
There is much confusion over the development and use of physical tests, norms and standards within law enforcement. Terms have been misunderstood and the many legal issues have often been misinterpreted. Fitness tests and test scores used as standards without proper validation have been misapplied. There is also some controversy over whether job task simulation or fitness tests should be used.
The decline of health and fitness among those in the law enforcement community is an indisputable fact as are the consequences. After consideration of this issue by members of the Task Group, it was concluded the drafting of a generic Voluntary Law Enforcement Fitness/Wellness Model Program would be the most effective approach. The Task Group envisioned an easily adaptable model, which would be universally viewed as positive and in the best interests of both law enforcement agencies and their personnel. The final version of the model was adequately flexible to permit some expansion by its users to incorporate incentives or other measures should the adopting agency deem it appropriate. n.b. This is a model program appropriate for any agency, police, fire, or other.
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