Police Service of Northern Ireland

Functional Physical Competence Testing – The Challenges

John HendersonDirector of Physical & Health EducationOccupational Health & Well-being September 2010

“Assaults on PSNI rise by 33% in just four years”

(2,928 incidents)

“ I couldn’t breathe. But he kept on kicking me and punching me.”

“It’s treated as a sport, says officer beaten up by a drunk.”

What components combine to make up physical fitness ?

SpeedPower

Coordination Reaction Time

Strength

Motor skills

Aerobic Endurance

Anaerobic Endurance

Nutrition

Flexibility

What physical competencies are required to be an operational police officer ?

• Walk, Run, Jump, Climb, Balance,Crawl, Weave, Lift, Carry, Drag, Push and Pull

• Created the PSNI Physical Competence Assessment from these competencies

OBJECTIVE UNDERPINNING DESIGN PROCESS

“To design a valid, reliable and fair procedure that

could be used to assess an individuals’ actual or

inherent ability to perform the tasks involved in police

duties”

PSNI Concept of Physical Competence: Job-Related

1. Task Analysis

2. Identified Core Physical Competencies

3. Designed an assessment

The Structured Interviews - sampling and participation:

538 participants were selected at random from 2,730.

80% of all females were selected to attend.

Of these,

368 officers (230 males and 138 females)

representing 68% of the target sample took part in the study.

What steps were involved in developing a interview framework for data collection?

Prepare and validate a job description that defines the full range of duties that PSNI regular officers perform

Prepare and validate a list of physical activities that Officers may be required to perform

Mobile patrols Vehicle check point Beat patrolsJoint Army patrolsSearching AccidentsBrawls Public orderArrestsRural route checksMaintenance

The agenda for structured interview...

Participants asked to select tasks from the job description, which had been performed during the previous month, and to identify:

the physical activities involved.

the amount of each activity.

the perceived effort.

Lifting Stair-climbing

Climbing Jumping

Crawling

Pushing/Pulling BalancingWeavingCarryingDragging

Running

Physical activities most frequently recorded...

CONTENT & STANDARD OF PHYSICAL COMPETENCE ASSESSMENT (PCA)

1. Circuit Embodies job related tasks performed in succession

within a time limit which reflects a sense of urgency Standard: 3m 43sec

2. Push-Pull Requires subject to generate physical force in a

controlled environment. Standard: 26kgf

Insert file called PCA – test in test box to open automatically

1. The validity of the PCA.

2. The appropriateness of the standards.

3. The efficacy of the assessment process.

4. The legal impact.

5. To consider the JRFT as an alternative. (Home Office test)

Scope of the Independent Review

OUTCOME OF REVIEW

Recommended:

► A new time standard for the circuit (3min 43sec)

►Rejected the adoption of the JRFT on both scientific & legal grounds

►Minor modifications to the Push/Pull machine and a new standard (26kgf)

Confirmed:

► Validity of the circuit content & push/pull system

Why assess the ability to generate force?

•The necessity to apply force was found to be a critical job-related task.

• Particularly associated with officer safety during a physical confrontation.

• The 'push-pull element' was designed to assess the capability to perform a range of tasks involving pushing and pulling.

1. Handle height.

2. Slide length.

3. Isokinetic test speed.

4. Test standard.

Analysis of Key Parameters

1. Handle Height(Operational Range)

• Xiphoid Process

• Sternal Notch.

Mean force versus handle height (m)

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

1.20 1.22 1.24 1.26 1.28 1.30

Handle height (m)

Kg

fo

rce

1.251.21 1.291.23

Mean force versus handle height (m)

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

1.20 1.22 1.24 1.26 1.28 1.30

Handle height (m)

Kg

fo

rce

Height range 1.62-1.69 m Height range 1.70-1.77 m

Height range 1.78-1.85 m Height range 1.86-1.94 m

1.21

“Starting with toes behind the line, feet shoulder width apart, step forward into a strong and balanced position keeping the chest facing forwards”

Old length: 0.85m

New length: 0.70m

2. Slide Length

Mean force at 1.25 m handle height

0

10

20

30

40

50

0.70 0.85Slide Range (m)

kg

fo

rce

Mean force at 1.21 m handle height

0

10

20

30

40

50

0.70 0.85Slide Range (m)

kg

fo

rce

Mean force at 1.21 m handle height

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

1.62-1.69 m 1.70-1.77 m 1.78-1.85 m 1.86-1.94 m

kg

fo

rce

Slide range = 0.70 m Slide range = 0.85 m

3. Slide Speed (40Hz)

• The push-pull machine provides maximal resistance through a full range of movement, allowing the active muscles to apply maximal force over each phase of movement.

• Isokinetic testing means the speed remains constant throughout the movement no matter how much force is exerted.

• This method of assessment is safe and reliable.

Mean force versus sliding speed (Hz)

25.0

27.5

30.0

32.5

35.0

37.5

40.0

25 30 35 40 45 50 55

Hertz

Kg

fo

rce

Mean force versus sliding speed (Hz)

10

20

30

40

50

25 30 35 40 45 50 55

Hertz

Kg

fo

rce

Height range 1.58 - 1.64 m Height range 1.65 - 1.71 m

Height range 1.72 - 1.77 m Height range 1.78 - 1.86 m

Statistic Mean Force in Kgf

Mean 40

SD 10

Min 25

Max 64

Percentile Rankings

95th 59

50th 40

5th 26

Recommended Standard 26 kgf

4. Push-Pull Test Standard

Statistic Circuit Time (s)

Mean 190

SD 21

Min 159

Max 259

Percentile Rankings

95th 163

50th 190

5th 223

Recommended Standard 3m 43s

4. Circuit Test Standard

IMPACT OF PCA

Gender

Age

Stature

0

60

120

180

240

300

360

1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2 2.2 2.4

Height (m)

Cir

cu

it t

ime

(s

ec

on

ds

)

914 males

370 females

What is the effect of height on circuit time ?

0

60

120

180

240

300

360

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160

Weight (kg)

Cir

cu

it t

ime

(se

co

nd

s)

914 males

370 females

What is the effect of weight on circuit time ?

0

60

120

180

240

300

360

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Age (years)

Cir

cu

it t

ime

(se

co

nd

s)

914 males

370 females

What is the effect of age on circuit time ?

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2 2.2 2.4

Height (m)

Pu

sh

-pu

ll f

orc

e (

kg

f)

914 males

370 females

What is the effect of height on push-pull ability ?

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160

Weight (kg)

Pu

sh-p

ull

fo

rce

(kg

f)

914 males

370 females

What is the effect of weight on push-pull ability ?

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Age (years)

Pu

sh

-pu

ll f

orc

e (

kg

f)

914 males

370 females

What is the effect of age on push-pull ability ?

Outcomes 2003/2010

• Decision taken to introduce regular in-service medical and fitness screening.

• Employed 3900 (no entry test – except for medical appeals).

• Dismissed 28 student officers (26F/2M)

and 2 (F) probationer officers 2003/2010.

EQUALITY LEGISLATION

Test must be:

Job-Related (correspond to a real need)

Inherent Activities

Gender Neutral

Can’t Overtest or Undertest (appropriate & necessary)

Remember: Indirect discrimination is not illegal

• Applicant• Respondent• Justifiability• Disparate Impact• Proportionate to Need• Intentionality

LEGAL TERMS

Legal Challenge Dougan V Chief Constable

• PSNI accepted the PCA indirectly discriminates against females

Tribunal required the PSNI to:

• justify the need for the test

• prove the discrimination was proportionate to needs

• prove there was no intention to discriminate

Legal Justification to apply a test

Circuit Content

Push/Pull Content & Standard

Circuit time not sufficiently justified

X

TRIBUNAL FINDINGSTRIBUNAL FINDINGS

Disparate impact on females acceptable as it justified

We lost the case because the court said we had failed to justify the standard of the circuit element but we won the remedies hearing

Let’s look at what the court said

Joanne Dougan vs. The Chief Constable - 2001

Joanne Dougan vs. The Chief Constable

“ …..court accepted that it was correct to involve in-service officers in the decision making process. The mistake was made by not returning to consult after a decision was made.”

“ ..tribunal is in no doubt that the police service was

correct not to adopt gymnasium/laboratory tests but

rather to use purpose-designed job related

assessments based on abilities and work patterns

required for safe and efficient job performance.”

Joanne Dougan vs. The Chief Constable

“ the Court is satisfied the introduction of a job-related

PCA was justifiable…..also satisfied the respondent had

shown the circuit and the push-pull device were justified

and non discriminatory.”

Joanne Dougan vs. The Chief Constable

“…no dispute that with gender neutral tests such as

these there would be differences between male and

female times …..but both are required to do the same

job.”

Joanne Dougan vs. The Chief Constable

“..only because the PCA had the same standard for male

and female and given the tribunal fully recognised the

physiological differences there was clearly scope for a

discriminatory effect to exist.”

Joanne Dougan vs. The Chief Constable

**

“….if you sit by the river bank long enough

the body of your enemy will float past”

Remember the old Chinese Proverb