As a recruiter, Sarah's focus is on attracting the very best recruits to Police.
She’s passionate about the role, so when she saw several applicants not quite hitting the mark with their Physical Appraisal Tests (PAT) – and heard about the challenges they faced – she decided to get a better understanding by giving it a go.
She wanted to show if a mum of three juggling a full-time job can do it, so can others. You can watch an overview of the PAT and why we do it, in this video...
Sarah teamed up with Southern Physical Education Officer (PEO) Sean Richardson, who provided a training programme, and there was no stopping her.
“The most vital thing I learned and truly believe is that the PAT is not just a test of your physical ability, but also of your grit and determination to push through adversity and achieve a goal, and a display of your dedication to the process.”
That includes defying potential setbacks – whether that’s injury, illness or terrible weather. “You really have to keep yourself accountable.”
Sarah started gently as it had been years since she’d engaged in such activities, building up to run 2.4km and beyond, and some speed work.
“The 2.4km is tricky as you need to be able to sustain yourself over the distance, as well as having the speed to clip along at a decent pace.
“I really enjoyed watching my performance improve across all disciplines – you get out what you put in, as they say. Some training sessions involved pushing one child in the buggy with the other two on bikes to get it done!”
Completing the test was a personal achievement but has given Sarah insights into her role.
“We witness a lot of setbacks during the application process around PATs, so being able to understand what goes into achieving the standard (or exceeding it) can be really valuable when assisting applicants.”
She says most challenging was keeping herself accountable, working up to the optimal speed for the 2.4km and knowing how to pace herself.
“Some of the best advice I got was that the run was going to hurt, particularly midway before the endorphins kick in… Having the resilience to push through is crucial.
“On the day of the PAT, the departing words before we kicked off were ‘Don’t leave anything in the tank’, and I took that with me to come away with max points. My lungs were on absolute fire for 48 hours, but it was worth it!”
Sean agrees Sarah’s experience gives her a deeper appreciation of the effort required to meet Police standard.
“It allows her to speak with authenticity and empathy when guiding candidates through the process.
“As all our staff in blue appreciate, lessons learned from training, testing and ultimately passing the PAT are invaluable. Further reinforcing that our standards are totally achievable and everyone’s training journey is unique.”
Sean and Sarah work together closely to support candidates through the fitness testing process.
“Sarah has always been proactive, engaged and genuinely invested in understanding the physical demands we place on recruits and sworn officers.”
He’s proud of her commitment and determination – a testament to her character and professionalism.
“What’s even more impressive is how she managed to juggle her training alongside a busy work life and raising three young kids.
“She showed that with the right priorities and mindset, it’s absolutely possible to make it work.”
And the question on everyone’s mind – could we see Sarah in the blue uniform?
She says she’s been asked a few times but will keep helping the frontline as she does best – recruiting top quality candidates.
For more information about joining Police and the PAT, check out the New Cops website.