CUT KNIFE — Members of the Cut Knife RCMP detachment welcomed the public to an afternoon of police fitness training on April 8. Although only one participant came out for the session, Sgt. William Picard hopes to see more people attend their next event.
Prior to the session, Picard and Const. Braden Hamelin had the opportunity to complete the new physical fitness testing alongside Kyle and Cole, two Fitness and Health Promotion Advisors for the RCMP's “F” Division. The advisors support members with fitness and health while promoting positive wellness behaviours.
“They assist with more than just fitness; they will assist members with dieting choices, shift work, sleep, fitness routines, etc., to help members get through some challenging shift scheduling and day-to-day operations,” said Picard.
Picard explained the new fitness testing is more modern than the previous Physical Abilities Requirements Evaluation (PARE) test. The session gave members who hadn’t yet done the test a chance to try it and establish a baseline — whether to meet new goals or identify areas for improvement.
“The goal for the public workouts is purely just positive community engagement, opening up the dialogue for those possibly interested in joining the RCMP and showing the level of fitness recommended on a recruitment aspect of things, as that is always a topic people bring when wanting to apply,” added Picard.
For regular members, there is no set standard on how often the sessions are held, but many find working out helps not only with the physical demands of the job, but also with mental health.
“Within our detachment, we do this type of thing semi-regularly. This fiscal year, we are striving to do these public sessions once a month to engage with the public in a positive manner,” said Picard.
