Armed policing does not use one fitness score. The bar moves with the role, and the gap between a standard constable benchmark and an armed response benchmark is wide enough to catch people out when they first look at a specialist vacancy.
This guide sets out what the figures actually are, where they come from, and what they do not cover. You will find the College of Policing benchmarks for an Authorised Firearms Officer and an armed response vehicle role, the treadmill alternatives, the counter terrorism test used by the Ministry of Defence Police, and a clear warning about applying England and Wales numbers to a Police Scotland application.
What the British police fitness test actually measures
The Job-Related Fitness Test (JRFT) is an aerobic assessment. The College of Policing describes it as being based on the physiological demands of Personal Safety Training (PST), which is the officer safety training you need before you can be deployed operationally.
There is no obstacle course and no upper-body strength component. The push/pull test was withdrawn from the JRFT in 2016, so the fitness requirements for the police now rest almost entirely on aerobic capacity.
Completion of the JRFT is a condition of successful recruitment as a police officer. The recruit standard was extended to serving officers in 2014, following endorsement of the Winsor Review (Part II) recommendations, and the annual test applies to those whose role requires PST.
The 15m MSFT: how the police bleep test works
The 15m MSFT is a shuttle run over a 15-metre track, timed against audio beeps. You have to beat the bleep and complete each shuttle before the sound. At the end of every level the gap between beeps shortens, so you run faster. One 15m run counts as one shuttle, and the early intervals sit around seven seconds apart.
Scores are written as level and shuttle. The standard for an officer who requires PST as part of their role is 5:4, meaning level 5 plus four shuttles. The College of Policing states that reaching this point takes 3 minutes and 35 seconds and covers 525 metres.
| Level | Number of shuttles required | Time per shuttle (seconds) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | 6.9 |
| 2 | 8 | 6.4 |
| 3 | 8 | 6.1 |
| 4 | 8 | 5.6 |
| 5 | 4 | 5.5 (required standard) |
One clarification worth making early. Plenty of people search for army bleep test requirements while preparing for policing, but bleep test requirements for the army are set separately by the military and are not interchangeable with the police benchmarks below. Train against the police standard for the role you want.
Armed police bleep test standards by role
Some operational roles need more than the baseline. The College of Policing explains that these higher standards come from physiological data gathered while officers performed training exercises designed to replicate the real-life physical demands of the specialist role, based on operational scenarios.
| Role | Recommended standard (level: shuttle) |
|---|---|
| Marine police unit | 5:4 |
| Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear | 5:4 |
| Dog handler | 5:7 |
| Mounted branch | 5:7 |
| Police cyclist | 5:8 |
| Police support unit | 6:3 |
| Air support | 6:4 |
| Police divers | 6:8 |
| Marine police (tactical skills) | 7:2 |
| Authorised firearms officer (AFO) | 7:6 |
| Armed-response vehicle | 9:4 |
| Dynamic intervention AFO | 10:5 |
AFO requirements: what AFO means in policing
AFO stands for Authorised Firearms Officer. It is the entry qualification for armed policing in the UK: an officer who has completed firearms training and is authorised to carry and use a police firearm.
The College of Policing lists the recommended AFO standard as 7:6, meaning level 7 plus six shuttles on the 15m MSFT. That is a specialist benchmark drawn from role-simulated training data, not an extension of the general officer baseline, which is why it sits well above 5:4.
In the usual armed policing route, AFO status comes first. You serve as a police constable, qualify as an AFO, then move into armed response, specialist firearms work and, for a small number of officers, counter terrorism selection.
ARV fitness: the armed response vehicle benchmark
An armed response vehicle crew provides mobile armed response to firearms incidents. The College of Policing sets the recommended standard for an ARV role at 9:4, level 9 plus four shuttles.
For officers using the treadmill route, the same College data pairs that 9:4 standard with a Chester Treadmill Police Run Test target time of 8:00.
AFO vs ARV: the difference between AFO and ARV
The difference between AFO and ARV is both a role difference and a fitness difference. AFO is the firearms authorisation itself, covering duties such as static armed guarding and patrol. ARV is a specific deployment within armed policing, crewing a response vehicle to unpredicted firearms incidents.
That shows up in the numbers. The College table separates AFO at 7:6 from ARV at 9:4, so the higher ARV figure should never be quoted as the requirement for every firearms officer. If you are applying for an armed response post, train towards the ARV figure, not the AFO one.
AFO vs SFO and CTSFO fitness requirements
A Specialist Firearms Officer (SFO) receives advanced training for complex tactical operations, and the firearms unit structure places that step after ARV experience. Counter Terrorist Specialist Firearms Officers (CTSFO) sit at the top of that structure and are selected from SFO ranks through a competitive and intensive assessment process.
CTSFO work includes armed intervention during terrorist attacks and firearms incidents, high-risk arrests and building entries, covert surveillance and specialist vehicle operations, protection of high-profile sites, events and individuals, and joint working with intelligence, counter terrorism and military units. What separates a CTSFO from a standard AFO is advanced tactics, specialist equipment and the ability to operate in highly dynamic environments.
Here is the honest answer on the CTSFO fitness test: there is no published CTSFO MSFT level in the official standards. Selection is described in qualitative terms, exceptional fitness alongside firearms accuracy, teamwork, resilience and decision-making under pressure, with an intensive training programme running over several weeks.
Be careful with one figure that circulates online. The College of Policing’s 10:5 entry is labelled Dynamic intervention AFO. It is not labelled SFO and it is not labelled CTSFO, so treating 10:5 as the official CTSFO fitness requirement misreads the table. For SFO and CTSFO posts, the selection information published by the relevant force is the only reliable source.
The Chester treadmill test for police: CTPWT and CTPRT
The Chester treadmill police walking test (CTPWT) and the Chester treadmill police run test (CTPRT) were introduced in 2016 as alternatives for officers whose lower limb injuries prevent them completing the 15m MSFT because of the turn at the end of each shuttle. Individual forces decide when to offer them, so availability is not automatic.
The protocol runs on a treadmill. After a proper warm up, you walk at a brisk pace of 6 km/h, and every two minutes the gradient is raised by 3%. How long you must continue depends on your policing role.
| Role | Time (minutes and seconds) |
|---|---|
| Police officer | 10 |
| Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear police | 10 |
| Dog handler | 10 and 20 secs |
| Mounted branch | 10 and 20 secs |
| Police cyclist | 10 and 20 secs |
| Police support unit | 10 and 40 secs |
| Air support unit | 10 and 40 secs |
| Police drivers | 11 and 20 secs |
| Marine police | 11 and 40 secs |
| Authorised firearms officer | 12 |
For the running version, the College of Policing sets specific targets for armed posts.
| Specialist post | CTPRT Target time (min:sec) | Recommended standard (Level: shuttle) |
|---|---|---|
| ARV | 8:00 | 9:4 |
| DIAFO | 10:00 | 10:00 |
PES-JRFT: the AFO CT test at the Ministry of Defence Police
Not every armed force in the UK uses the bleep test alone. The Ministry of Defence Police runs a Physical Employment Standards Job-Related Fitness Test, the PES-JRFT, designed specifically for Authorised Firearms Officers Counter Terrorism.
Both parts of the PES-JRFT are performed wearing a 20kg weighted vest over 20-metre shuttles, which reflects the load an AFO CT officer carries operationally. Candidates get two attempts to pass both components, and passing advances the application to the next stage.
The MDP also uses the standard MSFT, with a minimum of 5.4 on 15-metre shuttles. Fitness there is assessed at application, during initial training and annually through the JRFT. If you are weighing an AFO CT route, the weighted vest element is the part most candidates underestimate.
What happens if you fail the police fitness test
Retest rules are set force by force, so there is no single UK answer. The Ministry of Defence Police publishes one of the clearer processes and it gives a useful example of how these things usually work.
On the MDP MSFT, failing the first attempt gets you a second attempt after a recommended training period. Fail at the second attempt and the application does not progress, although you can reapply after three months if there is a live campaign. The PES-JRFT also allows two attempts at both components, with reapplication after three months if you are unsuccessful.
Treat that as an illustration rather than a rule that applies everywhere. Access to the treadmill alternative is also a force-level decision, so check the retest policy of the force you are applying to before test day.
How to train for the armed police bleep test
Start with a baseline. The College of Policing recommends testing yourself against a recording of the bleep test to judge your readiness and to give you a reference point you can measure progress against.
Build aerobic fitness progressively. Ministry of Defence Police guidance suggests starting early and using running, cycling, hill-walking or gym work, with gradual progression to limit injury risk. Begin with lower intensity and shorter durations so your body adapts, warm up properly every session, and speak to your doctor first if you have any health concerns.
Practise the format, not just the running. Knowing the audio cues, the turn discipline and what counts as a warning removes avoidable errors on the day. Our guide on how to prepare for a police fitness test breaks that down session by session.
If you are targeting 7:6 or 9:4 rather than 5:4, the training gap is significant. Work backwards from the role benchmark, build a weekly interval session, and test yourself every few weeks rather than guessing.
Police Scotland applicants: confirm the force standard
While the College of Policing sets job-related fitness standards for forces in England and Wales, some figures cited above also draw from Ministry of Defence Police guidance (e.g., PES-JRFT, weighted vest specifics) and other sources. Police Scotland runs its own recruitment process and its fitness assessment format is not identical, and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) uses a different assessment again that does not follow the same bleep test protocol.
No Scottish-specific AFO or ARV threshold is published in the College material, so do not assume 7:6 or 9:4 is the figure a Police Scotland firearms post will ask of you. Check the current Police Scotland recruitment guidance, and use our Police Scotland fitness test guide for the standard entry assessment.
Eligibility sits separately from fitness. Conditions such as continuous UK residence and holding a manual driving licence are part of the Police Scotland application criteria rather than the fitness test, and the current wording should be confirmed on the force’s recruitment pages before you apply.
Your next step is simple: fix the role you are aiming for, train against that specific benchmark, and clear the earlier stages of the process first. If the entrance exam is still ahead of you, sit a free PSET mock before you plan your fitness timetable.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the police fitness test for armed officers in the UK?
It is the 15-metre Multi-Stage Fitness Test, with higher role-specific benchmarks for specialist posts. The College of Policing lists 7:6 for an Authorised Firearms Officer and 9:4 for an armed response vehicle role. Those are England and Wales figures, so Scottish applicants should confirm the current Police Scotland requirement rather than assuming they transfer.
What level does an AFO need on the police bleep test?
The College of Policing specialist-role table sets an Authorised Firearms Officer at 7:6, meaning level 7 plus six shuttles. That is the College benchmark for forces it covers, not a Police Scotland publication, so check the force you are applying to before you set your training target.
What is the ARV fitness requirement?
The College of Policing lists an armed response vehicle role at 9:4, meaning level 9 plus four shuttles. The same table lists AFO separately at 7:6, so the higher ARV figure should not be applied to every firearms officer or quoted as a Police Scotland requirement without confirmation.
Is the AFO fitness requirement the same as the ARV requirement?
No. The College table separates AFO at 7:6 from ARV at 9:4, and the ARV benchmark is the higher of the two. Keep the categories distinct when you compare AFO vs ARV, because the training workload needed to move from 7:6 to 9:4 is substantial.
What are the fitness requirements for a CTSFO?
CTSFO selection is described in terms of exceptional fitness, firearms accuracy, teamwork, resilience and decision-making under pressure, but no single MSFT level is published for the role. The College’s 10:5 entry is labelled Dynamic intervention AFO, not SFO or CTSFO, so it should not be relabelled. Check the relevant force’s current specialist selection information.
What is the Chester treadmill test for police officers?
The CTPWT and CTPRT are treadmill alternatives for officers whose lower limb injuries prevent them completing the 15m MSFT because of the shuttle turns, and individual forces decide when to offer them. The protocol uses a brisk 6 km/h walk with the gradient raised by 3% every two minutes. The College data gives 12 minutes for an AFO on the CTPWT and an ARV CTPRT target of 8:00 at 9:4.
How long is 3.7 on the beep test?
The College of Policing publishes whole-level shuttle timings rather than a duration for 3.7. What it does state is that the 5:4 standard takes 3 minutes 35 seconds and covers 525 metres. 3.7 is not an armed-policing benchmark, so rely on current force guidance rather than a third-party conversion.
How long is AFO training?
No standard length is published for AFO training. The armed policing route places AFO qualification before ARV, SFO and CTSFO, and the CTSFO programme is separately described as running over several weeks. Check force-specific AFO training information rather than assuming the CTSFO duration applies.
What happens if I fail the police fitness test?
That depends on the force and the assessment. At the Ministry of Defence Police, the MSFT allows a second attempt after a recommended training period; failing again stops the application, with reapplication possible after three months if a campaign is live. The MDP PES-JRFT also allows two attempts. This is an MDP process, not a universal Police Scotland rule.
What does counter-terrorism policing do, and how does an AFO differ from an SFO or CTSFO?
Counter terrorism firearms work covers armed intervention during terrorist attacks and firearms incidents, high-risk arrests and building entries, covert surveillance, specialist vehicle operations and protection of high-profile sites and events. In the described pathway, AFO qualification comes first, then ARV and SFO, with CTSFO selected from SFO ranks. No separate numeric SFO benchmark is published.
Sources
Realistic mock exams in Language, Numeracy and Information Handling with complete explanations.
CTSFO: What It Is and the Police Scotland Route to Armed Policing
How to Become a Police Dog Handler in Scotland (2026 Career Guide)
