NCJ Number
154784
Journal
American Journal of Police Volume: 12 Issue: 4 Dated: (1993) Pages: 47-66
Date Published
1993
Length
20 pages
Annotation
Police officer physical agility screening has evolved over time, and primary problems associated with such screening have focused on adverse impact and validation.
Abstract
The first physical agility standards for police officers related to height and weight requirements. Later, physical agility tests were adopted in which applicants participated in activities designed to simulate job tasks. Due to Title VII gender-based discrimination litigation, these tests subsequently evolved into health-based systems that compared applicant health to national norms. It now appears that police agencies will once again be adopting job simulation techniques as a result of the Civil Rights Act of 1991, the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) of 1967. The Civil Rights Act essentially eliminates health-based testing, while the ADA basically prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities and dictates that the rejection of such persons must be based on the applicant's inability to perform essential job functions. As of 1994, the ADEA includes law enforcement agencies and thus affects police physical agility standards. Based on the history of physical agility testing and the nature of police work, the authors discuss acceptable screening protocols and procedures. They conclude that the development of physical agility tests is problematic and of questionable utility, especially when police academy training is effective in physical education and defense tactical training. In addition, the authors outline a strategy for developing an acceptable physical agility screening program that overcomes the problems of adverse impact and validation. 52 references, 1 note, and 1 table