INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) — They are the women behind the badge.
And you can learn how to become one of them and see if you've got what it takes to be a Metro police officer.
Becoming an IMPD officer is a challenge to say the least. You have to be mentally and physically on top of your game. And ladies, if you've ever wondered if you'd make the cut, that's what the Women Behind the Badge event is all about.
"You can participate in the agility test, you can see where you are, you can see where you need to improve. We can provide you with tips on how to improve and how to come back and kill it the next time you do the physical agility test," said IMPD Lt. Catherine Cummings. "What does the physical agility test include and what how do I properly do a push up, how do I properly do a sit up, you would think that that's a fairly common thing for people to know but its not. It's okay if you don't know that. That's why we have events like this."
I decided to see if I could complete the IMPD physical fitness test.
Officer Dean Rich is 29-year veteran assigned to the Training Academy. He provided me instruction and encouragement at multiple stations in the test.
"The first one we are going to do is our vertical reach. Vertical jump is used to measure the explosive power in your legs. "Gotta go all the way down. Okay there's your hip, that would be the end of the test, ma'am."
"I can't get down that low," I said. "I didn't think I would struggle with the pushups."
And because I failed the test, the trainers also taught me how to get stronger at doing a push up.
"The last thing we've got is the mile and a half run," said Rich. "Then we come in and finish with our pull-ups."
And for the record, I'm really bummed that I didn't pass the physical fitness test.
Learn more about careers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department