Taking on IMPD's revamped fitness test
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This week, I took on the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department's mock training course without tapping out or rolling my ankle.
Why it matters: IMPD is on the search for new recruits as it deals with an ongoing shortage that has left the department down about 300 officers, and this course is one of the ways they plan to give the public and potential talent a glimpse into what policing here is like.
Driving the news: The department kicks off a seven-day outreach program called "Join IMPD Week" on Monday.
- It includes recruitment workshops, a livestreamed ride along with a patrol officer and a free Saturday afternoon block party with food, music and a bounce house.
- Tuesday's featured program is the Pre-Academy Readiness event at IMPD's Training Academy on North Post Road.
Zoom in: That's where the course that I passed with fading colors comes in.
Context: I'm a month away from turning 40 and about six months removed from my last trip to the gym, so I went into this test as ice cold as it gets.
Yes, but: I did it! And actually had quite a bit of fun in the process.
How it works: The course is a functional test focused on using your body and mind in tandem as fatigue sets in.
- It starts with you being shown a photo of a suspect before throwing on a weighted vest and tackling an obstacle course that must be done in a specific order.
- Kettlebell sprints, crawling under bars, vaulting over walls and dragging an 180-pound body are stops along the way
- It ends with participants firing 30 shots from a mock pistol while counting the shots aloud and running to a board of headshots to properly identify the suspect you were shown at the start.
State of play: The course follows a new Indiana Law Enforcement Academy training standard approved earlier this year that goes into effect for all Hoosier police departments in August 2026.
If you go: The Pre-Academy Readiness event featuring the Colts starts at 6:30pm Tuesday.
- And if you're not up for a physical fitness test, the Northwest Community Day & Car Show is 11am-2pm on Oct. 4 at 3919 Lafayette Road.