Five Concordia Nebraska seniors pass Lincoln Police Department physical readiness test with “flying colors”

Three Concordia University, Nebraska seniors were put to the test on Wednesday, March 18 by the Lincoln Police Department (LPD) at the Walz Human Performance Complex. Two other seniors tested at an earlier time. LPD officers came to perform the physical fitness test for students interested in joining the department.  

The students were tested using the Physical Readiness Entrance Test, which includes five different events. These events are designed to test applicants’ cardiovascular and muscular endurance and anaerobic power.  

Senior Brock Ostdiek, a member of the United States Marine Corps, was one of the participants. Ostdiek has already applied to the Des Moines Police Department and will be moving there following his graduation. 

“I’m moving to Iowa for my wife’s school, so I’m just doing this for fun,” he said.  

Senior wrestling team member Cy Renney is joining the LPD following his graduation in May. 

“I’m just really looking to make a change in my family which was always all over the place,” he said.  

“Seeing our seniors pass the Lincoln Police Department’s physical readiness test with ‘flying colors’ is a testament to the discipline we foster here at Concordia. Whether they come from a military background or the wrestling mat, our students aren’t just earning a degree, they are proving they have the character and the physical resolve to meet difficult standards.”

All five seniors who took the test passed with “flying colors” according to the LPD officers evaluating the tests. For those like Renney looking to join the department, there are still several steps to take.  

Applicants to the department must take the Test of Adult Basic Education, the reading and writing portion of the test, and go through a panel interview. After this, applicants must go through background investigation. If the applicant passes these examinations, they are put into a hiring eligibility pool and receive a conditional offer of employment. The conditional offer means that the LPD wants the applicant to work for them but needs further testing before hiring.  

Edward Hoffman, director of Concordia’s criminal justice program, said: “Seeing our seniors pass the Lincoln Police Department’s physical readiness test with ‘flying colors’ is a testament to the discipline we foster here at Concordia. Whether they come from a military background or the wrestling mat, our students aren’t just earning a degree, they are proving they have the character and the physical resolve to meet difficult standards. Our university’s rigorous academic requirements and employment specific opportunities, such as in criminal justice, prepare our students to find meaningful job opportunities after graduation and to put their faith into practice in their careers.” 

With a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Concordia University, Nebraska, students learn to use scientific perspectives and methodologies to examine society’s response to crime in local communities and around the world. Students have the opportunity to examine the moral and ethical issues that arise when dealing with crime and justice, discuss how we can improve the justice system for the future, receive hands-on learning experiences through internships and class projects, better understand the careers that a degree in criminal justice can offer them and gain a deeper understanding of the field of criminal justice and the society in which it functions.