and must be completed in 2 minutes , six seconds or less .
The candidate starts by completing 1¾ laps around the outside of the course before entering and following the pattern shown on the map .
Candidates must jump two small hurdles , climb a flight of stairs , descend the flight of stairs , go around a cone and continue back up and down the stairs again . The candidate jumps over more hurdles and must go under a bar that is 2 ½ feet high . If the candidate fails to negotiate the low crawl correctly , there is a two-second time penalty .
More running and a leap across a simulated 6-foot gap representing a large ditch . If either foot hits the tape , there is another two second time penalty . The candidate can opt to skip the jump and take the two second time penalty as well .
Running back across the floor , the candidate must negotiate a 4-foothigh chain link fence panel , round the cone and run back across the floor . Now the candidate must climb through a standard sized window , which is four feet high , and , once safely through it , drag a 150-pound dummy a distance of 20 feet until the dummy is across the designated line . Finally , one lap around the outside of the course must be completed to finish .
While it has not been a requirement for entry into the academy in the past , GPSTC has been running this PAT in the basic mandate courses for almost a year to gather numbers for the study . The PAT has a very high success rate and a very interesting correlation . GPSTC staff determined a large percentage of the candidates who had “ failed the test ” eventually had problems academically and / or behaviorally before they reached the end of basic training . Many of these students failed out . This suggests candidates who are not capable of meeting the minimum physical ability standards will likely also have academic and / or behavioral issues .
In closing , POST feels these rule changes and the inclusion of the PAT at the academies , will help in its mission to provide the citizens of Georgia with qualified ,
professionally trained , ethical and competent peace officers and criminal justice professionals .
Jeff Miller has been with Georgia POST for 6 years where he currently serves as Director of the Certification and Training Standards Division .
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