Can You Handle the NYPD’s Tough Physical Fitness Test Challenge

New York City: Think you can keep up with the NYPD? Before you can wear that badge, you’ve got to pass a tough physical fitness test.

To join the NYPD, you first have to tackle the “Job Standard Test.” It’s a challenging obstacle course that really puts your speed, strength, and endurance to the test.

To get into the six-month training at the police academy in Flushing, Queens, you need to finish six demanding tasks in under 4 minutes and 28 seconds, all while wearing a 14-pound vest. If you mess up even one part, you’re done.

The test kicks off with a 50-foot sprint followed by climbing a chain-link fence. You get three tries to clear that fence. Then, there’s no time to catch your breath. You have to run up and down a six-stair system, which is like climbing four stories.

Still hanging in there? Next, you’ll face a physical restraint scenario, where you’ll use a weight machine to simulate a struggle with a suspect. After that, it’s a 600-foot cone run, and then you’ve got to drag a 176-pound mannequin for 35 feet.

The last part is the trigger pull. You’ll handle a dummy firearm, keeping it steady within a 9-inch target while pulling the trigger 16 times with your dominant hand and 15 times with the other.

Once you finish that last trigger pull, the clock stops. If you made it under the time limit, you’re good to go. If not, you’ll have to wait 90 days to try again, but you can get some training in the meantime.

If that sounds tough, it used to be even tougher. The NYPD has eased up on its fitness requirements lately, mainly because they’ve seen a lot of retirements and fewer recruits.

In 2021, they extended the original time limit by almost a full minute to help more candidates pass. In 2022, they replaced a 6-foot wall with a chain-link fence after a viral video showed some candidates struggling to climb it.

And in 2023, they got rid of the 1.5-mile run, which had to be completed in 14:21 or less. Training chief Juanita Holmes said it wasn’t crucial for police work and was holding back qualified candidates, especially women.

But not everyone agrees. Some officers and retired cops think this change is embarrassing, especially since most recruits are in their early 20s. A former NYPD officer and professor, Eugene O’Donnell, warned that these changes could put public safety at risk.

So, while the test has changed, it’s still a serious challenge for anyone looking to join the NYPD.