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PoliceNewsThe Voice of PoliceA day in the life of aN e w z e a l a n d p o l i c ephysical education officerBy Deb Stringer, Communications AssistantPolice work is often physically demanding so keeping fitness levelshigh is an important part of the job.Police Physical Education Officers (PEO) areon hand to offer practical help, advice andsupport to officers and recruits with theirfitness goals to maintain a level of fitness,which enables them to complete their dutiesproficiently.To achieve this, PEOs provide health andfitness testing, programming and remedial/rehabilitation exercise prescription.Nationwide, there are 10 PEOs and they doa crucial job in keeping the force up to themark with its fitness.Main dutiesA big part of a PEO’s job is managingthe Physical Competency Test (PCT) andthe Physical Appraisal Test (PAT) for newrecruits and serving police officers.New recruits must pass both tests beforebeing accepted into the Police. Servingofficers are subject to a PCT test every twoyears.However, the PCT is not compulsory forofficers above the rank of inspector. Officerscan apply for an exemption on medicalgrounds or because of injury.Wellington-based, Graham Wallwork, whohas been working as a PEO for 24 and a halfyears said he felt “great satisfaction” fromseeing people pass the test.PEOs are also involved in co-ordinatinghealth analysis tests (Cardiac Risk Profiling)for all staff, specialist squad testing andrelated pre-selection, remedial programmes,team building and exercise rehabilitation.Skills setA comprehensive knowledge of physicalhealth, health education and sports scienceis needed to do the job effectively. Goodcommunication skills, time management and120June 2010working independently as your own boss arealso important.“You are expected to write a lot of healthprogrammes and these can range fromrehabilitation programmes to more in-depthprogrammes for specialist squads,” MrWallwork told Police News.“You have to able to work on your own,as you are expected to come up with yourown ideas in relation to your own healthpromotions.”“A comprehensiveknowledge of physicalhealth, health education andsports science is needed todo the job effectively. Goodcommunication skills, timemanagement and workingindependently as your ownboss are also important.”Keeping yourself fit and healthy is anothermust, according to Peter Wells, MrWallwork’s colleague at Wellington Central.“You really need to practice what youpreach, as there is no point telling peopleone thing while you are doing somethingelse.“This is why I try and eat healthy andmaintain a healthy exercise regime,” MrWells said.Hours of workPEOs work standard working hours 0800–1630 Monday to Friday. However, hours canchange depending on what is needed, sothere is some flexibility required.“Weekend work is sometimes required –however this only happens around six timesa year,” Mr Wallwork said.Mr Wallwork said the best part of the jobwas helping people reach their goals.“Nothing beats seeing their sense ofaccomplishment once they get to where theyare wanting to go and this can range fromsomeone completing their rehabilitation toreaching the highest level of their sportinggoals.”He also said motivating people to adopt ahealthier lifestyle was a highlight.Mr Wells said it was great when peopleblitzed their remedial programmes.“It a great feeling for me as well as themwhen they come up to scratch and pass,”he said.Challenging conditionsOne aspect of the job Mr Wallwork foundchallenging was a lack of recognition fromsome quarters of the Police hierarchy of theimportance of the health and fitness modelsthat PEOs deliver every day.“I feel frustrated with how long some thingstake to get done because I believe we coulddo so much more with the right technologyand backing.Mr Wells said it was frustrating when peopledidn’t follow advice. Many sports coacheswould be able to relate.“It’s difficult when you set out a programmefor someone and then they don’t followthrough. It’s disappointing because youknow if they just put a bit of effort in, theywould be able to get it,” Mr Wells said.Changing timesMr Wallwork said a lot of things hadchanged since the PCT was first introduced.“Back then, all we had was the PCT. Nowwe have the PAT, the health analysistest, and more recently rehabilitation
New Zealand Police Associationprogramming and specialist squad testingwhich we have added over the years.”Mr Wallwork said that exercise regimenshad changed for people over the years too.In recent years there has been a movetowards more whole body full functionalmovements whereas previously trainingrevolved largely around more isolatingmovements. “It’s now about adopting amore holisview to exercise and we are reallyseeing the benefits of this change,” he said.Future initiativesMr Wells said Police were waiting on areview, which was looking into whether thePCT was relevant to policing today.“Once we get these results back we can workout where we want to take the things fromthere,” he said.Other projects included looking into the typesof injuries officers suffer even while wearingstab proof vests and the effect of theseinjuries on the body.“From this we can then incorporateprogrammes, which can alleviate theseproblems,” he added.Try our 5 minute quizOkay, morning or afternoon tea breakhas arrived. You have your cuppa inhand and you and your colleaguescould do with a quick brain workout. Soappoint your quizmaster and have a go atthese questions. The answers are underthe quiz (upside down, no peeking!).1. Which year was the deathsentence for murder abolished inNZ?2. Which animal communicates bytouch, smell and dance?3. What is the sixth planet from thesun in the solar system?4. The shape of DNA is known as?• Police Physical Education Officer Graham Wallwork looks on as new recruit Alice Wiggindrags a 75kg dummy 10 metres during her PCT (Physical Competence Test).5. What is the world’s mostcommon first name?6. Who invented the scissors?7. In which city would you findMichelangelo’s statue of David?8. What is the primary ingredient inGnocchi?9. What is Mancala?10. Where in Europe, is Leonardo daVinci Fiumicino Airport?Scoring: 0-2 – Hmmn, room forsignificant improvement (perhaps nextmonth). 3-5 Not bad, better luck nexttime. 6-7 – Good effort. 8 – Very good.9 – Excellent. 10 – Wipe your nose,take a bow and go to the top of the classEinstein.• Pete Wells, a Wellington Police Physical Education officer, demonstrating just one of thetechniques used for making it over the dreaded wall.Answers: 1. 1961 2. Bees . 3. Saturn.4. A double helix . 5 Muhammad. 6.Leonardo da Vinci 7. Florence 8. Potato9. A board game 10. RomeJune 2010121
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