Pass the Police Fitness Assessment
You will need to get medically cleared by your physician. Your physician will need to fill out the following form:
Then you can schedule the police fitness assessment with your EPO coordinator.
You will need to successfully complete the RCMP's police fitness assessment (PFA), field standard; which is performed in the general duty police uniform or the equivalent. The field version includes a 500-meter run, a lift/carry/run evacuation task and a medicine ball throw for distance.
You will need to wear:
- general duty police uniform
- If you don't have one, wear a t-shirt and pants that can comfortably accommodate a duty belt or weighted belt
- soft body armour vest and duty belt
- If you don't have this apparel, we will provide them to you
- running shoes or duty boots, based on your preference
RCMP Police Fitness Assessment for Experienced Police Officers video
Transcript - RCMP Police Fitness Assessment for Experienced Police Officers
Police Fitness Assessment (PFA) for Experienced Police Officers
The Field Version of PFA is a simplified measurement tool to help members predict their success in performing common, essential, physically demanding police tasks. Unless medically exempt, performance on PFA is required by all members, every three years.
PFA is performed in regular working uniform and consists of three tasks:
- A Foot Pursuit - represented by a 500 m Run
- Performing emergency evacuation tasks - represented by 15 x 20.5 kg repeated lifts, 3 x 50 m runs, and 3 x 50 m carries of 90 lbs
- Demonstrating the strength and power required for physical controlling a non-cooperative client - represented by a 4.5 kg medicine ball throw
Attending your PFA
It will take place at a time scheduled by your Division EPO Coordinator.
Attend in uniform as you would for a general duty shift. If do not have a general duty uniform, wear a t-shirt and pants that accommodate a duty belt or weighted belt and soft body armour vest. Bring running shoes or duty boots based on your preference.
The EPO Coordinator will ensure you are carrying the minimum mandatory kit, or equivalent weight. Your kit should weigh at least 8.4 kg.
Your pre-screen will include:
- Informed Consent
- Heart Rate and blood pressure
- Explanation and demonstration of PFA
- Warm-up
- Opportunity to familiarize yourself with the equipment and movements
The order of assessment tasks may vary, but you will be provided with at least 5 minutes between assessments.
- Foot pursuit
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The 500 m foot pursuit assesses your ability to pursue a client on foot. You will run 500 m in uniform.
The course may take place indoors or outdoors and may be as long as a 250-metre course performed as an out-and-back, or as short as 9 laps of fifty-five metres.
The standard is 2 minutes 10 seconds.
- Emergency assistance task
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The Emergency Assistance task assesses your ability to provide urgent evacuation duties such as moving casualties or equipment.
It begins with lifting and tapping a 20.5 kg sandbag to a wall at 1.0 m, shuffling 1.5 metres sideways and lifting/tapping a second 20.5 kg sandbag.
You will then shuffle back to the first bag and continue lifting/tapping for a total of fifteen bags. Fourteen of the lifts are performed to a 1.0 m height. The last lift is performed to a 1.4 m height.
You will then proceed to run 50 m to reach a 'casualty.'
You will pick up 2 x 20.5 kg sandbags to simulate a stretcher carry.
You will carry the sandbags fifty metres. The 50 m run and 50 m carry is repeated for a total of three runs and carries.
The standard for this task is 3 minutes 10 seconds.
- Physical control task
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The Physical Control Task assessment predicts the strength and power you would require to successfully pull a client off their centre of mass.
It is measured by performing a seated medicine ball throw.
You will sit against the wall and ensure your shoulder blades maintain contact with the wall throughout the assessment. You will hold a 4.5 kg medicine ball with both hands and toss the ball forwards, aiming to land the ball as far as possible. You will perform one practice test and up to three trials of the toss. Your furthest throw is your score. The standard for this task is 2.8 metres.
If your performance falls below the standard in any of the three tasks and you need to, or would like to improve, you are permitted to return within 3 months to re-test the task that needs improvement.
Remember the PFA is new for everyone! Your first attempt at PFA may not fully represent your fitness potential. Once you become more familiar with the new assessment items and make some small adjustments to your fitness training, you may notice improvements to your score.
Start preparing now! Twice per week run 2 or 3 repeats of 500 metres with a couple of minutes walking in between. Lift and carry 20.5 kg, or 45 lb weights in each hand for a 50-metre distance, or fifty big steps. Repeat three times. When practicing, don't forget to warm-up first! Always remember to consult your physician if you are returning to exercise after a change in your medical status.
[Text on screen: Police Fitness Assessment]
[Text on screen: Royal Canadian Mounted Police / Gendarmerie royale du Canada
© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, 2026.]
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