Police Service of Northern Ireland

1. Police Service of Northern Ireland

2. Functional Physical Competence Testing – The Challenges John Henderson Director of Physical & Health Education Occupational Health & Well-being September 2010

3. “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.”

4. What components combine to make up physical fitness ?

5. Speed Power Anaerobic Endurance Motor skills Coordination Nutrition Reaction Time Flexibility Aerobic Endurance Strength

6. 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

7. 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”

8. PSNI Concept of Physical Competence: Job-Related • Task Analysis • Identified Core Physical Competencies • Designed an assessment

9. 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.

10. 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

11. The agenda for structured interview... • Mobile patrols • Vehicle check point • Beat patrols • Joint Army patrols • Searching • Accidents • Brawls • Public order • Arrests • Rural route checks • Maintenance

12. 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.

13. Physical activities most frequently recorded... Lifting Stair-climbing Climbing Jumping Crawling Pushing/Pulling Balancing Weaving Carrying Dragging Running

14. 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

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

16. Scope of the Independent Review 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)

17. OUTCOME OF REVIEW Confirmed: • Validity of the circuit content & push/pull system 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)

18. 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.

20. Analysis of Key Parameters 1. Handle height. 2. Slide length. 3. Isokinetic test speed. 4. Test standard.

21. Handle Height(Operational Range) • Xiphoid Process • Sternal Notch.

22. 1.21 1.23 1.25 1.29

23. 1.21

24. 2. Slide Length “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

27. 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.

30. 4. Push-Pull Test Standard

31. 4. Circuit Test Standard

32. IMPACT OF PCA • Gender • Age • Stature

33. What is the effect of height on circuit time ?

34. What is the effect of weight on circuit time ?

35. What is the effect of age on circuit time ?

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

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

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

39. Outcomes 2003/2010 • Employed 3900 (no entry test – except for medical appeals). • Dismissed 28 student officers (26F/2M) • and 2 (F) probationer officers 2003/2010. • Decision taken to introduce regular in-service medical and fitness screening.

40. EQUALITY LEGISLATION Test must be: • Job-Related(correspond to a real need) • Inherent Activities • Gender Neutral • Can’t Overtest or Undertest (appropriate & necessary)

41. LEGAL TERMS • Remember: Indirect discrimination is not illegal • Applicant • Respondent • Justifiability • Disparate Impact • Proportionate to Need • Intentionality

42. 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

43. Disparate impact on females acceptable as it justified Legal Justification to apply a test TRIBUNAL FINDINGS X Circuit Content Push/Pull Content & Standard Circuit time not sufficiently justified

44. Joanne Dougan vs. The Chief Constable - 2001 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

45. 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.”

46. Joanne Dougan vs. The Chief Constable “ ..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.”

47. 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.”

48. 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.”

49. 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.” **

50. Remember the old Chinese Proverb “….if you sit by the river bank long enough the body of your enemy will float past”