The St. Paul Police Department's Fitness Assessment Program enables us to prescribe appropriate exercise that will enhance an individual's fitness level.

In addition to ensuring our officers’ physiological readiness to respond in situations requiring physical effort, our goals are to minimize the disease, injuries, and poor health risk profiles associated with our profession.

We have adopted the Institute for Aerobics Research's (IAR) battery of tests and standards.

Since 1976, the Institute, through the Public Safety Research and Training Center activities, has assumed a national leadership role in the area of fitness and physical performance for public safety officers. Their standards and norms are the most documented in the US and are frequently updated.

The SPPD gym staff has been trained by the Institute.

View the minimum fitness standards.

At the beginning of the Saint Paul Police Academy, all candidates will perform a battery of tests designed to measure their physical fitness. These tests will measure cardiovascular endurance, muscle strength, muscle endurance,flexibility,body composition and explosive power.

Candidates will perform all tests at a satisfactory level by the end of the Academy. It is, therefore, in the best interest of all candidates to report to the Academy in good condition as you will be involved in strenuous physical activity 3-5 days per week.

For more information, view the test descriptions.