Sub-Max bicycle test accomodation, need help!

[Okikumasan]

Guys,

I am trying to get into the police academy in Maine. I have a bad back and to shorten the story, I have been deemed "disabled" to the point that the academy has been told to make an accomodation in the agility testing, by the Attorney General's Office.
They offered me a sub-max bike test that measures your weight, heart rate and blood pressure. This is in lieu of a 1.5 mile run. The bike test literature states that it should not be used to replace a mandatory test as it is very inaccurate. I also believe that it is a medical test with the vitals checks and measuring your bodies response to the excercise. This would be illegal under the ADA prior to accepting me to the academy. Every police department advertises that they abide by the ADA and will make accomodations but have any of you out there actually seen it, and was it anything like this. I meet all the other criteria and have 13 years experience in law enforcement and corrections. The academy seems very reluctant to let me in as they do not want to alter the no exceptions way they have been doing things. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks! :confused:

[TPO]

many physical defects inhibit your ability to do the job. if the physical requirements are necessary to perform the job, then ADA doesn't matter. sure they can't discriminate based on disabilities, they have to give everyone the opportunity to test, but they can eliminate you for a physical disability. ADA really wouldn't even apply in your case, since you don't have a life altering injury (i wouldn't consider someone testing for police officer to consider themselves having such an ailment). i, for one, wouldn't want you and your bad back being the answer to my help call when the mess goes down. and then when you're out for 6 months due to that aggrevated back injury, i have to cover your shift. regardless of any accomodations made under the physical agility testing, no doctor is going to clear you for duty with a back injury so severe that you have to have special accomodations.

they abide by the ADA in that people can test, and they will make reasonable accomodations in the event that someone has a 'life altering' disability and still be able to do the job. say you had an amputated leg, they would have to make any accomodations you would need in the initial testing because someone with an amputated leg can get a prosthetic and function normally, thus meeting the job requirements.

i'm not trying to be a jerk, but i don't see any reason to waste your time raising cane to get through a hurdle you're not going to clear in the end anyway.

the last two people i knew with back injuries in police work were both terminated after being on medical leave for close to a year.

[Okikumasan]

TPO,
Thanks for your opinion. You seem to share the opinion of the academy. If I had a prosthetic leg, I would be OK but say bad back and look out! I would like to add that I have been in law enforcement for 13 years and have never had an issue where my injury prevented me from doing my job.(Never been out sick either) My back condition only limits me from running long distances without pain. I actually am very physically capable and many officers are very glad to see me coming when they yell for help (much more so that the 5'6" 140lb Barney Fife wannabees who can run like the wind that would otherwise show up!). I am 6'2" and nearly 300 pounds and can bench press well over 400 lbs. I am also a second degree black belt and fought in the bareknuckle knockdown world karate championships in Japan. Whether or not they need to make an accomodation is a moot point. The Maine Attorney General's Office has already concluded that under Maine law I have a qualifying disability and they MUST make an accomodation. I was more looking for someone with info on accomodations, but thanks anyway. I understand that an officer has to be fully capable of performing the job and I have shown that I am. I have numerous commendations from several departments, but am unable to complete the run in the allotted time. Many other states have a much longer time to do the test and females get much more time. Are you saying that they shouldn't be police officers because they run slower than me? In many states my time would pass! I do not think you are being a jerk, I just feel that you are biased against disabilities, but I've met lots of people like that, so you're not alone. Anyone with any accomodation information I would like to hear from you.
Thanks!
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