Section 1: Summary of Physical Abilities Test

The Physical Abilities Test (PAT) is designed to assess a candidate's capacity to perform the tasks ordinarily performed by a police officer while on the job. This is accomplished by requiring the candidate to perform a series of events that both simulate a police officer's activities and depend on the physical abilities required to perform the police officer's job. These abilities include cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, muscular endurance and flexibility. The exercise training program involved in the tasks performed by a police officer, and required to perform the PAT events.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Police Officer Physical Abilities Test

You are advised of the following:
- Wear clothing appropriate for physically demanding work. Wear long pants, such as warm-up suit or sweat pants.

- You may wear gloves and/or kneepads; however, these items WILL NOT be provided for you. You must bring your own gloves and kneepads if you want to wear them.

- Participants may not use and extraneous piece of equipment (e.g., harnesses, straps) that may bring with them to help in an event. They may use only the material and equipment provided for the test event. However, personal safety appliances 9e.g., knee brace, ankle brace) will be allowed, but they will not be provided.

Because the Physical Abilities Test is physically demanding, it is suggested that you refrain from eating for at least two hours before the examination. However, you are urged to drink plenty of fluids beginning the day before the test and continuing up until the time you are tested. Avoid drinking caffeinated beverages. You are also advised to stretch and warm-up before participating in the test.

REFER TO THE FLEXIBILITY SECTION HERE

The Police Officer Physical Abilities Test consists of 4 events that require you to perform simulations of activities that are part of the police officer's job. As indicated earlier, these events require cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength muscular endurance and flexibility. Each event will be timed. During all events, you will wear a holster equipped with a plastic gun and night stick to simulate the equipment a police officer normally wears during these types of activities. The events are described, in the sequence completed, below.

1) The Obstacle Course:
This event simulates the actions necessary to pursue and "takedown" a suspect. The event begins with and obstacle course where the candidate will be faced with climbing under an obstacle, climbing up and own steps, going through an open window, climbing over a wall and negotiating a series of cones arranged in a zigzag pattern. At the end of the course, the candidate will be required to grab hold of a weighted bag attached to a pulley and touch it to the ground. The candidate will then immediately move around the Power Station to the handcuffing simulation where he/she will be required to pull on two hand levers until the cable hits the stop. This completes the event. The time limit is 130.4 seconds.

2) The Trigger Pull Event: This event consists of raising a handgun and squeezing the trigger (6) times with each hand. The time limit is 7.1 seconds.

3) The Separation Event: This event simulates tasks that require separating one party from another and controlling individuals, such as in crowd control situations. The candidate will be required to pull a hanging bag backward touching it to the ground across a marked line. Candidates will have to perform two "pulls". The time limit is14.2 seconds.

4) The Dummy Drag: This even simulates dragging a victim or suspect. Candidates will be required to drag a dummy over a straight course. The time limit is 11 seconds.