In 2019 the Minneapolis Police Department is considering changes to its physical conditioning test for new recruits–trading sit-ups and push-ups for 2,000 meters on a rowing machine, which they say would be a more accurate assessment of an officer’s physical readiness for street work. According to this recent Star Tribune article (”Minneapolis Police Weighing New Fitness Standards,” Jan 1, 2019), the current test includes running 1.5 miles in 15 min and 44 sec., doing 30 sit-ups, 25 push-ups, and having a vertical jump of at least 13 inches. The proposed change is in conjunction with new wellness programs aimed at keeping officers’ waistlines in check and teaching effective strategies for dealing with chronic conditions like obesity, diabetes, and hypertension.
In 1932, the Minneapolis Police Department proposed a police training school which would provide instruction in the nature of crime, police authority, types of criminals, and calisthenics. The physical fitness portion was known as the “Girth Control” campaign. “But don’t get the idea that this proposition is meant to make fat policemen thin, said Alderman A. G. Bastis, committee chairman. “It’s meant to make policemen efficient.” Until an official training program could be put in place, policemen worried about extra poundage engaged in regular exercises at the YMCA under the leadership of H.L. Ankeny, physical director.
