Skilled Police Program

• monocular visual acuity of 6/9 or better in each eye (you can wear glasses or contact lenses)
• binocular visual acuity of 6/6 or better (you can wear glasses or contact lenses)
• unaided binocular visual acuity of 6/36 or better (no glasses or contact lenses)
• near vision N8, aided or unaided
• hearing level averaging 25 dB or less between 0.5 kHz and 3 kHz in both the left and right ear without a hearing aid
• hearing level of 40 dB or less at 4.0 kHz in either ear without a hearing aid.

Our contracted health service providers will assess any medical condition that you have. They'll confirm whether you can complete the job safely and effectively. They may need you to provide reports from specialists, which you'll need to supply at your own expense.

You're unlikely to meet the medical standards if you have:

• an unreconstructed shoulder following dislocation (we'll likely need an MRI or MRA scan)
• unreconstructed anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears
• epilepsy, unless you meet the requirements for an unrestricted commercial driver's licence
• bleeding disorders, clotting disorders or current treatment with anticoagulants.

We consider some medical conditions on a case-by-case basis. The AFP Chief Medical Officer will make the final decision about any medical condition.

Vision

• Colour deficiency
• History of retinal detachment, glaucoma, radical keratotomy, full-thickness corneal transplant or acute keratotomy

Musculoskeletal

• Shoulder subluxation (an MRI may be required)
• Clinically evident osteoarthritis of the knee (X-ray changes and effusion)
• Shin splints or compartment syndrome
• Clinical signs of a lumbar nerve root (straight leg raise limitation less than 40 degrees)
• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Chondromalacia, patella dislocation or tracking disorder, cruciate ligament repair or meniscectomy
• Prior joint surgery or joint replacement surgery
• Back pain or injury
• Lumbar spine fusion
• Poor muscular development, abnormal gait and limitation of movement of a joint.

Respiratory

• Asthma (supporting reports will be required)
• Chronic obstructive airways disease, chronic bronchitis or bronchiectasis
• Cystic fibrosis
• Recurrent pneumothorax.

Neurological

• Migraines and cluster headaches
• Organic disease of the nervous system.

Endocrine

• Type 1 or type 2 diabetes
• Thyroid disorders.

Cardiovascular

• Systolic blood pressure over 140 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure over 90 mm Hg
• Organic disease of the heart or arteries
• A history of deep vein thrombosis.

Gastroenterological

• Liver disease
• Hernia
• Irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.

Other conditions

• Organic disease of the bladder or kidney
• Current chronic fatigue
• Leukaemia, polycythaemia or myelofibrosis
• Bleeding disorders, clotting disorders or current treatment with anticoagulants
• HIV, hepatitis B or hepatitis C
• Some chronic skin conditions
• Narcolepsy or sleep apnoea
• BMI far outside your healthy weight range
• Tinnitus
• Cancer

Any condition that results in a 'conditional' driver's licence under Assessing fitness to drive for commercial and private vehicle drivers – Medical standards for licensing and clinical management guidelines (2022 edition).

You need to demonstrate your psychological and emotional resilience through psychological testing and a face-to-face interview with a registered psychologist. As long as your personal situation doesn’t change, the results of this assessment are valid for 12 months.

We’ll assess you on your strengths in these areas:

• teamwork
• emotional self-control
• conflict resolution
• decision-making under stress
• ability to understand other people's behaviour.

We’ll also ask you about any current or past psychological or psychiatric conditions. Even if you don’t have a current or past condition, that doesn’t guarantee you’ll pass this gateway.

If you're neurodivergent or have a learning disability, you may need extra assessments.

If you have a prior diagnosis or history of a psychological or psychiatric condition, you'll be asked to provide relevant information. This includes whether you have been treated for these conditions with therapy or medication.

You will not pass this assessment if you:

• have a condition such as bipolar disorder, major depression, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders or another diagnosis that has led to psychiatric hospitalisation or has required treatment
• are currently taking any form of prescription psychotropic medication (prescription medication that can affect your mind, emotions or behaviour), such as sertraline (commonly sold as Zoloft), citalopram (Cipramian, Celexa), fluoxetine (Prozac), duloxetine (Cymbalta), mirtazapine, venlafaxine (Effexor) or diazepam (Valium).

If you decide to stop taking psychotropic medications, you must do this in consultation with a registered medical practitioner. The medical practitioner must also supervise your withdrawal. They’ll have to give us written evidence that you have successfully withdrawn from medication and have been symptom-free for at least 12 months before you can reapply.

Successful withdrawal from psychotropic medication doesn't guarantee that you will clear this gateway.