Fit to serve

Police physical fitness is a discipline that develops over time. It's necessary for safety, well-being and longevity in law enforcement. If you're considering a policing career, start working on your fitness today! Be consistent and practise fitness multiple times each week.

Applicants in the Project Red Serge process will be required to complete and pass the Field Physical Fitness Assessment in order to advance in the selection process and before going to Depot. 

Police Fitness Assessment (PFA)

The police fitness assessment measures fitness for RCMP duty. Each assessment replicates common, essential, physically demanding tasks that may occur in policing.

500 M Run – standard is 2 minutes 10 seconds

The object of this task is to complete the 500m course, as fast and as safely as possible. 

The course layout may vary, but simply put you will run 500 metres.  If your facility can only offer the smallest acceptable space, you will perform 9.5 laps of a 50-metre course with a directional change in the middle. In the largest acceptable space, you will run 250 metres in one direction and then return on the same 250 metres to the start line. Finally, you may run a square or circular course where the distance covered is 500 metres.

Repeated bag lift and carry – standard is 3 minutes 10 seconds

The purpose of this task is to assess a person’s physical ability to manipulate equipment and lift and carry patients and objects such as hospital equipment, supplies, road debris or even a small child during an emergency scenario or natural disaster. 

You will begin by lifting a 20.5 kg sandbag off the floor and tapping it to a wall at 1.0 metres.  Once it touches the wall, it can be dropped.  You will shuffle 1.4 metres and pick up a second sandbag, repeating your second sandbag lift and tap against the wall.  This lift, tap, and shuffle will be repeated until you have completed 14 lifts. You will then finish with a 15th lift performed to a height of 1.4 metres.

You will then move to the start line of a 50-metre running course.  You will proceed to run 50 metres, followed by picking up two 20.5 kg sandbags and carrying them for 50 metres.  You will repeat this run and carry process a total of 3 times.

Medicine ball toss – 2.8 meters 

The task is designed to assess your physical ability to apprehend an actively resistive client. It seeks to assess the underlying strength and power required to execute an apprehension.

You will begin by sitting with your back against a wall, legs straddled.  Knees can be straight or bent.  While keeping your shoulder blades against the wall, you will toss a 4.5 kg medicine ball as far as you can.  You will perform a practice throw, followed by 3 attempts for your best distance.

To sign up for a Physical Fitness Assessment Exposure Workshops visit – Recruiting Events. Our Police Fitness Assessment (PFA) workshops provide tips and techniques to help you start or improve your physical training for the PFA. You will have the opportunity to try the equipment and speak with PFA trainers. Get ready to work hard!

Fitness preparation

Fitness preparation is key in order to be successful in your journey to becoming a police officer.

View our calendar of events.

Perform fitness self-assessments periodically

Your recruiter will ask you to conduct some basic fitness self-tests to help gauge your readiness for cadet training. It's recommended you perform these tests and record the results every 6-12 weeks. Perform them more frequently if you're struggling with your fitness level. They are as follows:

5 kilometre run test

Mark out a route that covers 5 kilometres. Use a GPS or odometer and where possible, avoid using a treadmill! Compare your results to the times below:

• Minimum standard: 30 minutes
• Target standard: 23 minutes 30 seconds to 26 minutes 30 seconds
• Superior standard: 20 minutes 20 seconds to 23 minutes

Push-up test

Fold a hand towel into 3 parts and place it on the floor in front of you. Place yourself in a 'push-up' position, balancing on your hands and toes with the towel below your chin. Lower yourself down until your chin touches the towel. Press up to the starting position, ensuring your elbows are completely straight at the end of each repetition. Ensure your thighs do not touch the floor throughout the test. Do as many push-ups as you can without pausing or changing positions. Do not count push-ups performed on the knees in your total count.

• Minimum standard: 10 continuous repetitions
• Target standard: 25 – 40 continuous repetitions
• Superior standard: 40 – 60 continuous repetitions

The "minimum" standard identifies the lowest level of fitness where you have a reasonable chance of success in completing the physical requirements of cadet training. If you fall below these standards, your risk of failure in the program increases.

The "target" standard identifies a fitness level where you are performing at an 'average' fitness level compared to the cadet population. The range encompasses average performance levels across genders. If you’re falling within this performance zone, you’ll likely perform well in the fitness program and will have a decreased chance of failure in the program.

The "superior" standard identifies the top 10% of cadet fitness performance. The range encompasses top performance across genders. If your performance falls within this zone you are likely to excel in the cadet fitness program.

Services and information

Ready to Serve

The Red Serge selection process is open to applicants who currently reside in either British Columbia or the Yukon Territory.

Fit to Serve

If you're considering a policing career, start working on your fitness today! Be consistent and practise fitness multiple times each week.

Training at Depot

Learn more about Cadet training and life at Depot.