The Sacramento Police Department conducts the Female Fitness Challenge in order to attract more female applicants to SPD and to showcase the specialized units within the Sacramento Police Department. Nationally women only represent approximately 10% of all law enforcement. The Sacramento Police Department would like to increase the number of women. Although the department receives some well-qualified female applicants they often fail the physical agility test. This is what the Challenge was created to combat.

The Challenge typically begins with a commencement day at William Land Park. The Fitness Challenge will be accompanied by a Law Enforcement Expo. The Expo will consist of law enforcement demonstrations from units such as K9, Motors, SWAT, CSI, the Bike unit, Mounted unit, and our Bomb unit. This event will also include a vendor section with 20 - 30 health related vendors. The Expo will be open to the general public and is a free event. The Fitness Challenge is the only activity restricted to women.

California Family Fitness will be providing body fat testing at the commencement and a free three-month pass. California Family Fitness has also assigned a personal trainer to the women who are participating in the challenge. This trainer will be evaluating all of the women and creating a three-month program for them with the end result being the ability to pass the physical agility test. California Family Fitness will also be conducting a class once a week over the three-month course in addition to their fitness program.

There will be prizes for the most weight loss, the most increase in lean body mass, the fastest obstacle course time, the most improved obstacle course time, the person who most exemplifies a Sacramento Police Officer and a Grand Prize for the most improved overall.

The purpose of the commencement day is not only to attract female candidates to the Sacramento Police Department, but also allow anyone who is interested in law enforcement the opportunity to come out and see what the Sacramento Police Department has to offer as a career opportunity.