The 111 Files: Police officers remaining fit for duty

Inspector Ed Van Den Broek

All police officers, whether uniform or plain clothed CIB members, are required to keep up a certain level of fitness to remain at an operational standard. Fitness levels are tested through the Police Competency Test on a two-yearly basis. The majority of our people fly through this test, and there can be a certain amount of fun competition within our work groups as to who can set the fastest times.

But how do our people keep themselves fit to maintain the required standards?

Recently we have celebrated the success of Constable Melissa Ruru for being selected as the annual Police Council of Sport sportsperson of the year. Melissa has set her goal to compete in the 2016 Olympics playing beach volleyball.

We also have 19 of our people entered in the Goat challenge. This is a run from the Whakapapa ski field to Turoa ski field. It's 21km of pretty gnarly country.

Early next year sees four of our police dog handlers challenge themselves in the 100km Oxfam Trailwalker event. We virtually always have police staff entered in the Rotorua marathon, with around 10 having completed the event this year.

Our very own acting Area Commander Tim Anderson has just completed the Auckland half marathon, and entered the Tauranga Half Ironman earlier this year. Three other staff members are training for Ironman New Zealand in Taupo next year.

Kris Edgington has recently won the police surf champs and entries into the police national rugby league 7s competition saw our open men's team get runner-up, with the same result for our masters team. Other police staff work out in our police gym.

It is therefore no wonder that our people have high levels of personal motivation to do well making the Rotorua police station a great place to work.

Inspector Ed Van Den Broek this year finished the Rotorua Marathon in 4hrs 10mins and 11secs.