12 December 2022.
4040241 Constable Matthew Arnold
2 Rounds for Time:
40 Wall Ball Goblet Squats 9kg (M) / 6kg (F)
40 Burpee Over Wall Wall
24 Wall Balls at 10ft (M) or 9ft (F) target height with 9kg (M) or 6kg (F)
100m Bear Crawl Pushing the wall ball 9kg (M) or 6kg (F)
Writer: Thomas Saxby | Content approved by Terry & Sue.
Matt was a gentle giant, he was a tall lad, who loved fitness, muay thai and camping. He joined the police service to make a difference and help his local community. On the afternoon of Monday 12 December 2022, Queensland Police Service Constables Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold from Tara Police Station and Constables Randall Kirk and Keely Brough from Chinchilla Police Station, responded to a request for police assistance relating to a missing person investigation. The officers were tasked to attend an isolated rural address at Wains Road, Wieambilla. This area consists of remote large acreage properties of heavy scrub and bushland with limited public services and limited visibility of residences from the road. Upon arrival at the address, the Constables parked their police vehicles outside the boundary fence and jumped a locked gate across the unsealed driveway.
The Constables walked together in the direction of the residence, which was situated several hundred metres along the driveway and not visible from the front gate. As the Constables walked towards the residence, they came under fire by offenders armed with high-powered rifles who had concealed themselves at the side of the driveway, Constable Arnold was fatally shot. Constable McCrow was also shot at this time and commenced treating her own wounds whilst using her body worn camera to record her observations at the scene. She defended herself by firing her service Glock in the direction of the offenders and was then fatally shot. Constables Kirk and Brough were able to escape the initial gunfire and call for back-up. Constable Kirk shot at the offenders and withdrew from the property under heavy gunfire. Constable Brough was able to take cover in bushland until her extraction from the property.
(1) Design process
Reason for 2 rounds – 2 officers paid the ultimate sacrifice that day, hence 2 rounds. We have used Matt’s QPS rego number as the rep range plus TWO zeros added to the ‘1’, cause 1 is just too easy.
Reason for wall balls – Matt conducted a lot of squats / leg work with his trainer.
Reason for burpees – Everybody loves burpees, but the high rep count of 40 is very difficult and makes you remember why you are doing this workout.
Reason for wall balls – Keeps the heart rate up, very explosive movement just like Matt’s trainer got him to do with box jumps and single leg work.
Reason for bear crawl push – the wall ball is a burden and can represent life, task or problem and having to push it a total of 200m during the workout, makes you remember why you are doing this workout.
(2) – Named after Matthew Arnold
(3) – Matt was a gentle giant, he was a tall lad, who loved fitness, muay thai and camping. He joined the police service to make a difference and help his local community.
(4) ‘Matt’ was first performed at the Queensland Police Academy gym at Oxley, Queensland , Australia on the 12 December 2023 (1st year anniversary). Where all Queensland Police Officers are trained.
(5) N/A
(6) The rep count is Matt’s unique police service number 4040241 and the two rounds account for both him and Rachel who made the ultimate sacrifice on that day.
(7) Designed to be short, sharp and keep heartrate high. The burpees are a grind and really remind you of why you are doing this workout.
(8) Matt Arnold lost his life in the ambush approximately 20 minutes prior to Rachel passing. It is intended to complete Matt Arnold’s HERO WOD – 20 minute recovery and set-up, and then complete Rachel’s HERO WOD.
