“It was the run back,” he said.
See CPD applicant Jeremy Daw's physical aptitude test, part 1
The Crestview Police Department is looking for three good officers to bring the force up to its 51-member authorized staffing. Dixon and four other applicants gathered at the agency on a recent morning for one of the first of many steps required to eventually become a sworn police officer.
See CPD applicant Jeremy Daw's physical aptitude test, part 2
The officer hopefuls had already completed a 27-page application, which background investigator Chaise Rawles would pore through with a fine-toothed comb.
But first, Rawles joined training officer Cmdr. Andrew Schneider in coaching Dixon, Chris Lewis, Zach Phillips, Jeremy Daw and Jacob Preston through the physical abilities test, or PAT.
“It’s a standardized test used across the state,” Schneider said. “It’s a test to see if the person is physically capable of doing the duties of a police officer.”
Applicants have six minutes and four seconds to complete the test, he said. Reserve Officer Michael Harder set the agency’s record several years ago, completing the test in three minutes and 19 seconds.
See CPD applicant Jeremy Daw's physical aptitude test, part 3
Even if an applicant doesn’t finish by the time limit, he or she may apply to retake the test later.
“But you have to finish it,” Schneider said. “If you quit partway through, goodbye.”
After all five applicants successfully completed the test—with times ranging from Dixon’s four minutes, two seconds, to Preston’s five minutes, three seconds—Schneider and Rawles scheduled their next step: an interview before a panel including Police Chief Tony Taylor and Deputy Chief Richard Brown.
Taylor said most applicants find carrying the dummy the hardest part of the test.
“Your feet just don’t cooperate afterward,” Taylor said. “It’s like they’re not there.”
See CPD applicant Jeremy Daw's physical aptitude test, part 4
Not so for Dixon, though.
“The dummy wasn’t so hard, but the run back was the hardest,” Dixon said.
Dixon, who is getting married Nov. 12, was pleased by his performance on the test and was looking forward to the next step in the process of becoming Crestview police officer.
“After I separated from the Navy, I knew I still wanted to serve the community,” he said. “And I need to provide for my family.”
Finishing his PAT at the top of his applicants class doesn’t necessarily mean Dixon is a shoo-in for one of three open police officer positions, however. The Georgestone Technical Center student must first graduate from the academy, achieve Florida law enforcement officer certification, and even then faces a long series of further tests and background investigations to satisfy Crestview Police Department standards, which exceed the state's standards.
“About 80 percent of the people who apply to our agency are denied right off the bat,” Schneider said.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Becoming a Crestview police officer no easy feat