The Ontario police fitness test is the PREP (Physical Readiness Evaluation for Police). To meet the standard you must finish a 100 metre pursuit/restraint circuit (obstacles, two restraint machines and a 77 kg mannequin drag) in 2 minutes 37 seconds or less, then reach at least stage 7 on the 20 metre shuttle run. You prepare with interval running, shuttle practice, pushing and pulling strength, and full practice runs of the circuit. Most men need 8 to 12 weeks of focused training.
Where the PREP fits in Ontario police hiring
The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) Certificate is the written and personality testing that many Ontario services require before you apply. The OACP states that the PREP is no longer part of the Certificate process. Instead, individual police services may test you at some point in their own hiring, and every cadet must pass the PREP during Basic Constable Training at the Ontario Police College in Aylmer. If you’re unsuccessful there, you may be disqualified (OACP FAQ).
The Certificate package also includes a fitness log that you must keep for at least two full weeks and submit with your application. The OACP notes that police services treat it as an integrity check, so log honestly.
Services use one of two common assessments during hiring: the full PREP, or the 20 metre Léger shuttle run on its own (OACP Physical Preparation). Ask the service you’re applying to, whether that’s Toronto Police, the OPP, Peel, York, Durham or Halton, which test it uses and whether it runs practice sessions. The OACP strongly recommends attending any practice session offered, and says you get one opportunity to pass.
What the PREP involves
Part 1: the pursuit/restraint circuit
Based on London Police Service’s description of the PREP (London Police):
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Equipment you wear | 4 kg (9 lb) weighted belt and 4 kg (9 lb) vest |
| Course | Four laps of a 25 m circuit, 100 m total |
| Laps 1 and 3 | Pull up to look over a 1.9 m (6.5 ft) fence using a toe hold, climb up and down stairs, crawl under a 61 cm (24 in) barrier |
| Laps 2 and 4 | Scale a 1.2 m (4 ft) fence, stairs, crawl under the barrier, then the two restraint machines |
| Body Control Simulator | Push and pull handles to lift a 35.5 kg (78 lb) weight, moving it through 90 degrees each way |
| Arm Restraint Simulator | Depress grips needing 14.5 kg (32 lb) each and force the arms together; 16 kg (35 lb) to retract each arm |
| Victim drag | Drag a 77 kg (170 lb) mannequin 15 m over a resistive mat and around pylons |
| Pass standard | 157 seconds (2:37) or less, from start to the end of the drag |
You then rest 15 minutes before the shuttle run (PREP guide).
Part 2: the 20 metre shuttle run
You run back and forth between lines 20 m apart, timed to audio beeps that come faster each stage. Warning lines sit 2 m before each end line, and the test ends when you miss two consecutive warning lines. The standard is stage 7.0 (PREP guide). Sault Ste. Marie Police states that stage 7 must be reached to move on in its process regardless of other scores (Sault Ste. Marie Police).
What makes the PREP hard for men over 35
The test isn’t age-graded, so a 42-year-old career-changer faces the same 2:37 as a 22-year-old graduate. The parts that most often catch older applicants:
- Repeated sprints with turns. The shuttle run punishes men whose cardio is all steady jogging. Every 20 m ends in a stop and a turn.
- Getting up and down. Crawling under a 61 cm barrier and getting back to a sprint four times is hard on stiff hips and heavier bodies.
- Grip and pushing under fatigue. The restraint machines come after the obstacles, when your forearms and lungs are already working.
- The drag at the end. Dragging 77 kg after two minutes of all-out work is where many circuits are lost.
The PREP guide also adds a specific caution for older applicants: if you’re over 45 and not used to regular vigorous to maximal exercise, consult a qualified exercise professional before attempting the PREP, and it suggests a medical exam for everyone (PREP guide).
A 12-week PREP training plan
Four or five sessions a week: two strength, two conditioning, one optional shuttle or circuit practice.
| Weeks | Conditioning | Strength focus | Test practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 | 2 × interval runs (e.g. 8 × 1 min hard, 1 min easy) + 1 easy 30–40 min run | Push, pull, squat, hinge; carries for grip | Learn the shuttle run with a beep audio file; note your stage |
| 5–8 | 1 × shuttle intervals (sets of 6–10 shuttles) + 1 × 400 m repeats | Heavier pushing and pulling: sled push, rows, push-ups, farmer’s carry | Mock circuit: crawl, stairs, box step-overs, sled or mannequin drag substitute |
| 9–11 | 1 × full shuttle test every two weeks + interval run | Maintain strength; add power: medicine ball throws, step-up drives | Full mock circuit timed; target under 2:30 |
| 12 | Easy runs only, short and fresh | Light session early in the week | Rest two days before the test |
Strength exercises that carry over
| PREP task | Train it with |
|---|---|
| Fence pull-up and scale | Pull-ups or assisted pull-ups, step-ups, box step-overs |
| Barrier crawl and get-up | Bear crawls, burpees without the jump, quick get-ups from the floor |
| Body Control Simulator | Sled push and pull, cable push-pull, landmine press |
| Arm Restraint Simulator | Grip work, cable chest fly, band pull-aparts |
| Victim drag | Backward sled drag, heavy farmer’s carry |
Grip is a big part of the restraint and drag stations. The grip strength guide has an eight-week carry progression you can add.
Shuttle-run tips
- Practise the turns. Plant, touch the line with your foot, push off. Don’t run wide.
- Pace early stages. Don’t race the beep in stages 1 to 4; arrive just as it sounds.
- Build a base. A higher VO2 max makes stage 7 feel comfortable instead of maximal; see VO2 max for men over 40.
- Test yourself every two weeks with the audio file on a gym floor or flat surface, and log the stage.
The bottom line
The PREP has a fixed standard and, according to the OACP, one attempt, so there’s no room for under-preparing. Find out exactly which test your target service uses, practise the circuit and shuttle run, and give yourself at least 12 weeks if you’re over 35. If you want a structured 12-week block built around your test date, with an initial assessment and regular check-ins, look at the 12-Week Body Transformation. For another deadline-driven conditioning plan, see conditioning for men’s league hockey.
Questions people also ask
What is the PREP test in Ontario?
The Physical Readiness Evaluation for Police. It has two parts: a pursuit/restraint circuit with obstacles, two restraint machines and a 77 kg mannequin drag, completed in 2 minutes 37 seconds or less, and the 20 metre shuttle run to at least stage 7.
Is the PREP still part of the OACP Certificate?
No. According to the OACP, the PREP is no longer part of the Certificate process. Police services may test you during hiring, and every cadet must pass the PREP at the Ontario Police College in Aylmer.
How many chances do I get to pass the PREP?
The OACP's physical preparation page says you are given one opportunity to pass the assessment and that unsuccessful applicants are screened out. Prepare as if there is no second attempt.
Can I apply to be a police officer at 40 or older?
Ontario's minimum age is 18, and the requirements the OACP lists don't include an upper age limit. You still need to meet the same physical standard as every other applicant.
What is stage 7 on the shuttle run?
Stage 7 means you've kept up with the audio beeps through seven increasingly fast stages of 20 metre runs. The test ends when you miss two consecutive warning lines.