New training program to help women applying for the Grande Prairie Police Service

The Eastlink Centre in Grande Prairie, Alta. in August 2019. (Source: Google Street View)

A new fitness program at the Eastlink Centre is aimed at helping women be successful with their application to the Grande Prairie Police Service.

The Alberta Physical Readiness Evaluation for Police (A-PREP) is just one of the examinations applicants must pass to move on in their application process.

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“The A-PREP is hard,” said Lana Sieben, who facilitates the Training for A-PREP program at the Eastlink Centre.

She said the passing rate for men and women is about 50 per cent.

“The amount of women that apply (to GPPS) versus men is extremely small, so if we want women in our police force, we need those women who apply to be able to pass the A-PREP,” she said.

GPPS said in an email to Town & Country News that the number of female applicants is unavailable.

“GPPS wants to be representative of the community we serve and we’re doing everything we can to attract diverse applicants,” it said.

“Running the Training for A-PREP program is one of the ways we’re working to ensure the success of those interested in a career as a police officer.”

GPPS said it has about 260 applicants for its next recruit class and hopes to add to its number of female officers.

GPPS partnered with Eastlink Centre to offer the eight-week course to help female applicants excel at the A-PREP and improve their overall fitness.

“A basic fitness level is required to start the program, but it is designed to significantly improve an applicant's overall fitness; it includes a weekly group session, personalized cardiovascular and strength training routines and ongoing guidance from a trainer,” said Sieben.

The Eastlink Centre has already run one course with 11 female GPPS applicants.

“The ladies I worked with are impressive; they already had good general fitness, and they like to train hard, so I am confident those females will, if they choose to continue in the application process to challenge the A-PREP, then they'll be fine,” said Sieben.

All police officers in Alberta are required to pass the A-PREP test that includes medical clearance from a physician before attempting the test.

“There are two components to A-PREP: There's a pursuit restraint circuit, a series of tasks that assess agility, speed, coordination, balance and strength; simulating real-life tasks police officers may encounter. It includes an obstacle course, control of an offender and a body drag,” said Sieben.

“The second part is the 20-metre multi-stage shuttle run.”

The run, or leger, progressively increases in speed at each stage, and applicants must make it to stage seven to succeed, which shows applicants sprinting.

The A-PREP includes using standardized machinery specific to the test, including stairs, a wall to jump over, a body control simulator that is weighted and needs to be pushed or pulled, an arm restraint simulator, and a 68kg mannequin.

Sieben says the program is essential due to the low number of female applicants and the passing rate of A-PREP, noting that a lower number of female applicants mixed with high failure rates means fewer women are making it further in the application process.

“If we want women in our police force, we need those women who apply to be able to pass the A-PREP,” she said.

Sieben said if interest and need arise, the program may also open up to male applicants.

The course is $189, and for more information, interested applicants can call 311 or contact the Eastlink Centre.