Medical standards are structured in line with the requirements of operational policing.
You are required to undergo a medical assessment which includes completion of a comprehensive questionnaire followed by a physical examination by a medical doctor.
This medical assessment is part of a health risk assessment to ensure that applicants can safely undertake the physical, mental and psychological demands of recruit training, and later operational police.
Duties as a community police officer can include:
- dealing with uncooperative members of the public
- attending domestic disputes
- crowd control
- surveillance duties
- shift work and working for extended periods
- exposure to physical and psychological stressors.
Initial recruit training and some specialist training courses will involve a high degree of physical activity in an individual and team capacity.
The emphasis is on “Operational Fitness”.
Operational Fitness
Due to the highly unpredictable nature of policing, our police officers need to be physically fit, healthy and skilled to effectively meet the demands of their roles which can change dramatically from screen-based data-entry duties to exercising use-of-force skills in dangerous circumstances.
While physically demanding incidents may be infrequent, they can be intense, critical and even life-threatening. Being physically fit to exercise these skills safely is essential. A police officer is expected to be in a state of readiness at all times.
During the 24 week live in recruit training at AFP College, you are expected to develop and maintain a standard of physical fitness. All recruits are assessed for their suitability for operational policing during “Operational Safety Training”. This involves:
- the use of verbal commands and conflict de-escalation techniques
- striking and holding techniques
- handcuffing
- the use of police baton
- the use of oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray
- the use of firearms.
Where a person is unable to meet operational fitness, ACT Policing will consider the individual’s circumstances to determine what action should be taken.
Medical Conditions
An applicant’s medical history and existing medical conditions are assessed against medical standards which relate directly to an ability to undertake operational policing duties.
It is not the diagnosis itself which is important, but rather the functional consequences of that diagnosis and related treatment. For example, a history of a shoulder or knee reconstructive surgery will not exclude an applicant; but rather the functional result of that surgery will be assessed in order to determine whether operational safety training can be safely completed.
A history of regular use of medication (for blood pressure control, for example) will not in itself be grounds for exclusion.
Hearing, Visual Acuity and Colour Vision
Police officers need to be able to hear normal conversational sounds, distinguish commands or instructions in a noisy environment, and hear radio and telephone broadcasts. A whispered voice should be understood at three metres distance. In cases of doubt, an audiogram test will be conducted and interpreted by AFP Medical Services staff.
You must have a satisfactory standard of near and distant vision in both eyes. Visual aids such as glasses and contact lenses are acceptable.
A history of eye surgery, including refractive surgery, is not necessarily grounds for exclusion, but may require specialist assessment.
You will be subjected to visual acuity tests at the time of the medical examination, the results of which will be interpreted by AFP Medical Services staff.
Defective colour vision is not necessarily grounds for exclusion. If you have defective colour vision you will be required to undergo specialist testing to ascertain the degree of defect.
All applicants are encouraged to declare all medical conditions, past medical history, use of medications, and the need for medical aids (such as orthotics) at the time of the medical assessment. Medical reports of previous treatment, or specialist referrals, should be made available to the examining doctor.