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Part 9. Criminal Investigation

Chapter 2. Skills and Training

Section 2. Physical Fitness Program

9.2.2  Physical Fitness Program

9.2.2.1  (05-18-2005)
OVERVIEW

  1. Effective March 31, 1993, participation in a Criminal Investigation (CI) Physical Fitness Program (PFP) became mandatory for all GS–1811 special agent personnel. All special agents must undergo medical screening and, after receiving a medical clearance, must also participate in fitness assessments. Additionally, while not mandatory, all GS–1811 personnel are strongly encouraged to engage in an approved health and fitness improvement program. Physical Fitness Program Guidelines are found in the Physical Fitness for Special Agents Handbook. The following topics are covered in this section:

    • Authorization

    • Guidelines for Official Time

    • Authorized Program Activities

    • Responsibilities

9.2.2.2  (05-28-2004)
AUTHORIZATION

  1. Criminal Investigation Directives Nos. 3 and 5 provide for participation in the PFP and the use of a government vehicle to travel to a physical fitness facility during official duty hours.

9.2.2.2.1  (05-28-2004)
Criminal Investigation Directive No. 5 - Physical Fitness Program

  1. The physical fitness program aims to maintain and improve the fitness level of employees. It encourages life-style changes that increase productivity within the work force. Proper fitness conditioning is essential for special agents to be able to meet the physical demands of their law enforcement duties.

  2. All special agents must participate in the physical fitness program.

  3. Each head of office will establish and support a physical fitness program for all special agents in his/her office. Each Special Agent in Charge (SAC); Director, Field Operations; and the Chief, CI, are responsible for executing a three-part physical fitness program:

    1. Part I - mandates yearly health and medical screening consisting of a health and fitness questionnaire, blood analysis, and physicals

    2. Part II - requires participation in periodic fitness assessments of flexibility, strength, and aerobic capabilities

    3. Part III - while not mandatory, strongly encourages special agents to engage in an approved health and fitness improvement program

  4. Special agents who participate in an approved health and fitness improvement or maintenance program will be allowed up to three hours of official on-duty time (non-law enforcement availability pay (LEAP) hours) per week for approved fitness activities. Designated Physical Fitness (PFP) Coordinators will maintain and local management will review records of official time charged to fitness activities.

9.2.2.2.2  (02-09-2005)
Use of Government-Owned Vehicles - Physical Fitness Program

  1. Special agents are authorized to drive a government vehicle during official duty hours, to a fitness facility to participate in the PFP. (Criminal Investigation Directive No. 3, IRM 9.1.4)

  2. Special agents are allowed to use a government-owned vehicle to drive to a workout facility before or after the core-hour day as an extension of the core-hour day. This is allowed provided the special agent goes directly from his/her residence to the workout facility/area and then to the work station (mornings) or directly from the workstation to the workout facility/area and then to his/her residence or back to the workstation.

  3. The Special agents are also authorized to use the government-owned vehicle during their core-hours, provided they go directly from their workstation to the workout facility/area and then return to the work station, work related event or to their residence.

9.2.2.3  (02-09-2005)
GUIDELINES FOR OFFICIAL TIME

  1. Special agents are authorized up to three hours per week of official time to engage in approved fitness activities. The following guidelines apply:

    1. There is no accumulation of unused clock-time hours.

    2. Hours cannot be carried over from week to week.

    3. Official time for fitness activities cannot be taken on full days of leave.

    4. LEAP, compensatory time, or overtime will not be utilized for physical fitness activities.

  2. Special agents authorized to work on a part-time basis are authorized to charge official time to engage in approved PFP activities. The following formula will be used to calculate allowable official time chargeable to PFP:

    (Part-time hours / 40) X 3 = allowable PFP hours
    (rounded to nearest whole number)

9.2.2.3.1  (05-28-2004)
Fitness Activity Logs

  1. Each participant who charges official time to fitness activities will maintain a fitness activity log which records the date, time, duration of official and personal fitness time, and fitness activity. Participants will forward the log directly to the PFP Coordinator within five workdays of the end of each month on a monthly basis. Form 9839 is utilized for this purpose.

9.2.2.4  (02-09-2005)
AUTHORIZED PROGRAM ACTIVITIES

  1. For purposes of coverage under the Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA), the US Department of Labor only recognizes physical fitness activities authorized by the employing agency. When examining claims under FECA, the Department of Labor will compare the activity/activities on which the claim is based against the agency’s approved activity list to determine whether the claim may be covered under FECA. The Department of Labor does not establish an approved list of activities for each governmental agency. Instead, the Department of Labor allows each individual governmental agency to establish its own list of approved activities for its employees.

  2. Approved activities are those that address one or more of the following three areas of fitness:

    1. aerobic/cardiovascular endurance

    2. strength training

    3. flexibility

  3. The following activities are authorized as fitness activities for PFP:

    1. brisk walking

    2. jogging

    3. running

    4. cycling

    5. cross-country skiing

    6. stair climbing

    7. rowing

    8. the use of fitness equipment related to items (a) – (g) (such as treadmills, stationary bikes, etc)

    9. swimming

    10. rope-skipping

    11. skating

    12. aerobic exercises (such as aerobic classes, calisthenics, etc.)

    13. strength/resistance exercises (such as weight training, including the use of free weights, calisthenics, etc.)

    14. flexibility exercises (such as stretching, yoga, etc.)

  4. An employee who is ranked fair or better after completion of their aerobic assessment may also be certified to perform the following four physical fitness activities:

    1. racquetball

    2. squash

    3. handball

    4. singles tennis

  5. Activities not listed above are not part of this program, and are not covered by the Federal Employees Compensation Act.

9.2.2.5  (02-09-2005)
RESPONSIBILITIES

  1. The following subsections cover the responsibilities of the PFP Coordinator, the Supervisory Special Agent (SSA), and the special agent.

9.2.2.5.1  (05-28-2004)
Physical Fitness Program Coordinator Responsibilities

  1. The role of the PFP Coordinator includes providing special agents and management with necessary materials and guidance for the administration of the program.

  2. Each PFP Coordinator is required to successfully complete the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center's Physical Fitness Coordinator Training Program or the Cooper Clinic Physical Fitness Coordinator Training Program. While other training may be acceptable, it must be approved in advance by the National Use of Force Program Manager at the NCITA.

  3. The PFP Coordinator is responsible for the following:

    1. Arranging blood analysis for employees and retaining copies of medical screening results.

    2. Receiving Health History Questionnaires and the cardiac risk profiles from special agents (in sealed envelopes), and logging in the receipt of this information and forwarding it to the Medical Review Officer. (The PFP Coordinator will not have access to individual special agents' personal medical histories or data on personal medical issues.)

    3. Reviewing and signing participants' monthly fitness logs and retaining these reports on file. Review should ensure that fitness activities listed on the log conform to program guidelines.

    4. Meeting with each participant individually to review or develop a personalized, progressive, and systematic health and fitness improvement program geared toward reaching specific goals. The exercise prescription will be developed based on the individual's current level of fitness and fitness goals, and should address cardiovascular, strength, and flexibility conditioning as specified in the Physical Fitness Special Agents Handbook. The PFP Coordinator should emphasize to the participant that the plan is flexible and can be adjusted if necessary.

    5. Administering or arranging the periodic fitness assessments. In addition, the PFP Coordinator will monitor the participant's records to ensure that periodic assessments are completed on a timely basis.

    6. Notifying management of the date, time, and location of the periodic fitness assessments and make up dates to ensure maximum participation.

    7. Informing management when a special agent fails to attend a scheduled medical screening appointment.

    8. Apprising management of special agents who fail to pass the medical portion of the medical screening, as well as those who have not been cleared to participate in an approved health and fitness improvement or maintenance program.

    9. Considering safety factors during all aspects of fitness testing, and program development and administration, in an effort to eliminate liability and prevent injuries.

    10. Identifying possible health risk factors.

    11. Maintaining necessary certification in basic life support (CPR).

    12. Reviewing annually the procedure for recognizing and treating injuries caused by heat or overexertion.

    13. Knowing and properly using the Rest, Ice, Compression, Evaluation, Stabilization or Support (RICES) treatment for injuries.

    14. Thoroughly documenting all exercise-related accidents or injuries.

    15. When possible, taking corrective action to prevent future accidents and/or injuries of a similar nature.

    16. Checking each piece of fitness testing equipment to ensure that it is in safe working order before each use and before it is returned to storage.

    17. Maintaining all fitness and medical information for all participants in a secure file cabinet or safe, and complying with the provisions of the Privacy Act.

  4. The Physical Fitness Program Coordinators are encouraged to attend the basic first aid course offered by the National Red Cross (or its equivalent).

9.2.2.5.2  (05-28-2004)
Supervisory Special Agent Responsibilities

  1. Each SSA is responsible for:

    1. Ensuring that special agents have been approved to participate in a health and fitness improvement program. This includes ensuring that all medical screening and assessment results indicate that the participant meets all necessary criteria.

    2. Discussing the program with each participant to determine an anticipated fitness schedule for pre-approval and ensuring participants keep management informed of the location of fitness activities during the workday.

    3. Identifying and discussing with special agents, as situations arise, when official duties will preempt pre-approved fitness program activities.

    4. Periodically reviewing fitness logs of participants for completeness and adherence to approved program activities.

    5. Ensuring that LEAP, compensatory time, or overtime is not utilized for official time fitness activities.

    6. Ensuring compliance with all safety guidelines.

    7. Upon notification of an injury, ensuring the appropriate Workman's Compensation forms are timely filed and the special agent is placed on short-term or Temporary Restricted Duty (TRD).

9.2.2.5.3  (05-28-2004)
Special Agent Responsibilities

  1. Each special agent is responsible for:

    1. Participating in the CI Physical Fitness Program, including Part I (medical screening) and Part II (physical assessment).

    2. Notifying the PFP Coordinator of any changes in his/her medical or physical condition that may effect participation in the PFP. The information will be provided to the PFP Coordinator in a sealed envelope for forwarding to the Medical Review Officer.

    3. Ensuring the SSA is informed of his/her location during participation in Part III (approved health and fitness activities) on official time.

    4. Ensuring that monthly fitness logs are maintained and submitted on a timely basis.

    5. Ensuring compliance with all safety guidelines.

    6. If a special agent is unable to participate in a scheduled fitness assessment because of injury (for example, a broken leg) he/she will, after a rehabilitation period, attempt to participate in fitness assessments during future assessment cycles.

    7. Ensuring official time for physical fitness activities does not negatively impact on official duties.

    8. Promptly notify management of any injuries sustained during PFP activities (during official and non-official duty hours) and prepare all necessary Workman’s Compensation forms.


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