The ministry said that the purpose of amending the regulations on the fitness tests those wanting to join the police force must pass was “to attract as many candidates as possible to serve in the police and to fill vacancies.”
The police headquarters, KGP, wrote on their website on Thursday that due to “research on the decline in physical activity levels among young people,” the police force has had to make the fitness exam, which has been in use since 2007, easier.
But the move has been criticized by police unions.
Andrzej Szary from the NSZZ police union told Polish legal and business daily newspaper Dziennik Gazeta Prawna in an interview on Wednesday that his union opposes the decision.
“Our position is unchanged on lowering of physical and psychophysical fitness standards,” he said.
“These are the most important elements of a police officer's job and should not be weakened. The regulation creates an opportunity to accept the highest possible number of candidates, regardless of their quality.”
According to the amendment, the fitness test will now eliminate exercises such as carrying a dummy weighing 28 kg and jumping over hurdles and jumping over a box.
The ministry is also considering permitting candidates to repeat the obstacle course test as well as the psychological examination if they score poorly on them. In the case of the physical fitness test, the waiting period for the exam retake changes from two months to 14 days.
The new regulation will also drop the assessment of effective communication.
