Initial Evaluation

Additional Medical Information
When additional information is needed by the police physician, the police physician may request opinions and/or medical records from treating physicians, appropriate consulting specialists and/or institutions. For confidentiality and integrity, medical records should be sent directly to the police physician. The request for further information is processed through the applicant. The law enforcement agency may be made aware that a request has been made, but should not know the content of the request.

Recommendation by Police Physicians
The police physician should communicate a medical opinion to the law enforcement agency. This opinion should identify work limitations, if any, that are needed for the applicant. In this report, no medical information (such as a diagnosis) is provided to the agency.

The scope of practice of the police physician is to identify work limitations based on medical conditions and not to disqualify applicants from employment. The agency will then decide whether these limitations will be accommodated. This is an administrative rather than a medical determination (see Appendix E: Police Physician Report).

Examples of typical limitations in law enforcement include, but are not limited to:

• No driving
• No emergency driving
• No night driving
• No use of firearms (handguns and/or long guns)
• No firearms training
• Limited lifting
• No defensive tactics training
• No prolonged standing
• No prolonged sitting
• No shift work
• No night work
• No running
• No situation where the applicant may be involved in physical confrontation
• No physical confrontation
• No hearing-critical tasks
• No vision-critical tasks
• No olfactory-critical tasks
• Frequent changes between standing and sitting as needed (for comfort)
• No work requiring full attentiveness
• No task where sudden incapacitation is a danger to self or others

Drug Testing
Drug testing may be performed by the law enforcement agency. If performed, drug testing is a qualification requirement separate from the medical evaluation. Drug testing is not within the scope this document. Legal requirements regarding drug testing vary from one jurisdiction to another.