FBI agents will now have to pass fitness tests

Agents, get ready to drop and give me 20.

For the first time in 16 years, the FBI is reviving its fitness requirements — meaning 13,500 agents will need to complete a physical exam by October to confirm they are fit enough to perform their jobs.

"The lives of your colleagues and those you protect may well depend upon your ability to run, fight and shoot, no matter what job you hold," James B. Comey, the FBI director, said in an internal memo obtained by The New York Times. While the requirements vary according to an agent's age and gender, they include exercises such as push-ups, sit-ups, sprinting, and a 1.5 mile run.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up

The Times notes that the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks marked a shift in the bureau's priorities, forcing many agents accustomed to working long hours in the field making gang- and drug-related arrests to spend increasing amounts of time at their desks working on projects related to cybersecurity and intelligence. This tense and demanding environment caused some agents to gain weight, while others suffered anxiety and depression.

So far, at the FBI's Washington office, just 75 out of 800 agents have taken the test. At least all of them passed.