HALF OF WOMEN FAIL GARDA FITNESS TEST
Younger candidates flunk out more
NEARLY half the women who took the garda fitness test last year failed despite a major crisis in the recruitment of police.
Overall, 162 potential recruits of the 520 who applied in 2022 crashed out due to fitness failings – a failure rate of more than 30 per cent.
Younger candidates fared worst with those under the age of 26 underperforming their older counterparts, figures from An Garda Siochana show.
The pass rates for female candidates were much worse than men, with 80 of 171 women flunking the physical test – a failure rate of 47 per cent.
In recent weeks, the Garda Representation Association warned of a “recruitment and retention crisis”, with numbers lagging 33 per cent below targets.
Figures released under FOI reveal that of the 11 women aged 20 or under who took the fitness test last year, five failed. Of 81 female applicants aged 21-25, some 45, a massive 55 per cent failed, while 35 of 57 women aged 26-30 passed muster and 15 of 22 females aged 31-35 were successful. There were just 16 male applicants aged 20 and under, with all but two passing the test, while 100 of 141 men aged 21-25 passed the fitness test.
Of 125 male candidates aged 26-30, 21 failed, while there were 66 males aged 31-35 who took the fitness test, with 18 not making the grade.
Overall, the figures showed that 520 people took the test, 171 women and 349 men.
The fitness test is one of two physical exams applicants must pass successfully to become a garda.
Figures released under FOI reveal that 455 took what is known as the physical competency test, with a gender split of around 30 per cent women to 70 per cent men. The pass rate for this test was far higher with only 28 failures in total, a rate of just six per cent. However, 19 of the failed tests were by female candidates, compared to nine for men. The highest rate of failure was again among women in the age bracket of 21-25 with 12 of the 64 candidates missing the targets set. A spokeswoman for An Garda Síochána said all applicants were required to be aerobically fit so they could safely undergo the training programme and the rigours of a policing career. Recruits have to pass two separate tests, the first involving shuttle runs, sit-ups, press-ups, and the second an obstacle course. Slightly different standards apply according to gender.