If you want to be a correctional officer, there are physical requirements that you have to meet. What physical requirements do you have to meet? You are able to read about physical requirements for correctional officers below.
Physical Requirements for Correctional Officer
According to The Nest site, here are several physical requirements for being a correctional officer.
- Strength
Before entering a training academy, you will have to complete a physical examination. During an exam, your physical strength will be tested and you need to prove that you are able to complete a set of pushups and situps within a minute. There are some states such as Georgia which have different standards for female applicants. The other states such as Washington use a point-based system and score both genders equally based on the number of pushups and situps that they have done. Strength is important to have by correctional officers because when they are on the job, they have to be able to subdue an inmate if they get out of control. - Agility
Besides you have to be strong, you also have to be reasonably fast and can move quickly. So, one of the tests to be a correctional officer is that you have to run a mile. It is part of the fitness exam. Usually, they are required to be able to complete their mile runs in 13 minutes or less. Why is iit important to test your agility? It is because you have to be able to respond quickly if there are some prisoners who fight in prisons and you also have to be able to avoid incoming blows if there is a prisoner who tries to attack you. - Vision
If you want to be a correctional officer, you must have good vision. It is because they will have to be able to visually identify potential threats, inmates and co-workers. So, when your vision is tested, you have to be able to prove that you have good vision with or without glasses or contacts. A lot of states want correctional officers to have at least 20/40 eyesight in both eyes. Not only that, a correctional officer also needs peripheral vision so that they are able to observe the things that are happening around them. You will also be tested about your depth perception and the ability to differentiate colors. For your information, depth perception is important to measure your distance from an inmate when there is a physical altercation. - Hearing
Relying on your vision is not enough when you have to identify threats and problems. It is because attacks can come from any corner. It may come from behind or there may be a fight which starts outside your line of vision. So, it is important for you to have good hearing so that you are able to identify issues that you are not able to see necessarily. Depending on the state, hearing requirements vary. However, in Georgia, if you have hearing loss, it must be no greater than 24 decibels. Let’s say that you have partial hearing loss. If so, you have to make sure that it must have a DEA average of 500, 1,000, 2,000 and 3,000 in your better ear with or without using a hearing aid.
Fitness Test To Do by Correctional Officer Applicants In Arizona Department of Corrections Rehabilitation & Reentry
According to the Arizona Department of Corrections Rehabilitation & Reentry site, here are the fitness testing requirements for new ADCRR correctional officers. It is explained that all eight components need to be completed in 45 minutes.
- Eye-hand Coordination and Dexterity Testing: Minnesota Manual Dexterity Test (MMDT)
Cited from the Arizona Department of Corrections Rehabilitation & Reentry site, all pegs will be tested with the similar side up to begin and you will be required to begin in the top right corner. You will take the peg with one hand, turn the peg into the other hand and then put the peg in the hole with the opposite side up. You have to complete all 4 ros and have to lead with a different hand each time you begin a new row. You must complete 2 trials of the 2 hand place and turn in 2 minutes and 30 seconds for both trials. - Mobility Testing: Squat and Rotating Test
The time is 1 minute and 5 seconds. You have to squat 20 times with your feet at 16” from the middle of toes, knees over toes for ½ squat. You have to rotate at the waist, 10 times to the right and 10 times to the left.
- Flexibility Testing: Sit and Reach Test
You have to sit on the floor with your legs out straight ahead. You have to place your feet against the sit and reach box. You need to sit and reach 6 inches. - Strength Testing: Sit Ups
You have to do this for 1 minute. You have to complete 16 sit ups. It is done by laying on the ground with your arms crossed against your chest, thumbs laced together. Your feet must be no more than 12 inches from your rear. One complete sit up is from the ground touch forearms to thighs and shoulder blades hitting ground. - Strength Testing: Push Ups
It is done for 1 minute. You have to complete 4 push ups. It is done by straight back, supporting the body on both hands and toes. One complete push up is from start position, and then go down so the arms break the 90 degree position and push up to straight arms. - Endurance Testing: Step Test
It is done for 3 minutes. You will have to stand facing the step. When you are ready to start, you have to march up and down on the step to the metronome beat (up, up, down, down) for 3 consecutive minutes. Then, you will have to sit down and rest for 1 minute. After 1 minute rest, your heart rate will be measured by the testing proctor. Your heart rate needs to be equal to or less than 136 beats per minute. - Job-Specific Testing Circuit
You have to do all the tests 2 times in 2 minutes.- Forward and Backward Crawl
You have to crawl forward 5 feet and crawl backward 5 feet. - 50 lbs Bag Lift
You have to grasp a 50 lb property bag and lift it to the waist 3 times. - 50 lbs Bag Lift and Carry
You have to lift the 50 lb bag at least to the waist area and carry the bag 100 feet.
- Forward and Backward Crawl
- One Mile Run/ Walk
You have to complete a mile run/walk within 17 minutes.
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