Should overweight police officers have pay cuts?

[caz81]

My local police force (it might be national as well but was in local paper) is going to be introducing a new scheme where there are health and fitness tests for police every year and those that are unfit and overweight will receive pay cuts. At the moment there are no fitness tests apart from the initial one when you join and there are a large % of officers who do not keep the fitness needed.

What are your thoughts?

 

[tina3747]

What??! I don't think being overweight has anything to do with being unfit. I'm 8st 10 and couldn't run for 5 minutes!

 

[Nibblenic]

Where as im 15 stones and could Lol

 

[tallybee]

Well if it were done by weight or BMI alone obvs itd be completely stupid, but an actual fitness test, maybe different...

 

[tina3747]

Where as im 15 stones and could Lol

I was being generous there thinkng about it. 1 minute would do me! I've not ran since Playing knocker-door run in 1985

 

[alaskagrown]

I don't think if they are overweight they should receive a pay cut.

However, I do think they should be able to maintain a certain level of fitness. Police officers have to pass a fitness test before they get the job, so I think it is sensible that they be able to maintain that level of fitness, and then if they can't they be put on a probation and/or receive a pay cut.

 

[smelly07]

I agree it shouldnt be about weight, lots of larger people are fitter and healthier than some less larger people.

Fern briton comes to mind she is a bigger lady but OMG is that women fit and she can do the splits she would beat me hands down in any fitness test and im like kate moss in comaprison to fern.

so yes there should be a fitness test every year all police officers/fire fighters should keep fit as it plays a part in their job role however weight/size shouldnt come in to it.

i'm around 10 stone which is my ideal weight for my height and i struggle to walk let alone run, im out of breath after going up the stairs! so unfit its unreal!

 

[Lightworker]

My first instinctive answer was "yep". I think that police officers should be at peak fitness and health. Their job depends on it. They need to be able to run long distances, be agile enough to haul themselves over fences (or maybe thats me watching too much TV) but still. Its paramount, and the police force should show its commitment to this by ensuring wages are proportionally awarded.

Its not comforting/reassuring to me to see an overweight police officer because I think if something started happening to me, would they be quick enough to catch my attacker?

I also think the same goes for under-weight police officers.

 

[emilyjade]

wow no i dont, my dad is overweight and his BMI would make him have a pay cut then but hes so fit its unreal! I dont think it would work by just standing on the scales and saying pay cut your fat. Some fitness tests and if they fail get a warning and told to improve their fitness and go from there but a pay cut is a little steep in my opinion!

 

[lindseymw]

Purely based on weight? No, I don't think they should get a paycut. Based upon fitness test, then I think some type of discipline should come in, not sure whether a straight paycut would be fair but maybe given a 6 month review first.

 

[sparkle_1979]

I dont think it should be about weight at all, but as other said fitness. I think all police officers who are out on the job should be fit for their safety alone.

 

[Sarahkka]

I would say that any job that requires a certain level of fitness in order to do the job safely and well should be open to disciplinary pay measures if that level of fitness isn't maintained. So firefighters, police, paramedics, construction - many many job descriptions would include this.
However, I think it's probably of more urgent concern in the emergency services. People's lives (including the lives of the emergency service personnel) could depend on someone's level of fitness. A yearly re-testing to ensure that skills and fitness are up to par makes perfect sense to me.

 

[mum22ttc#3]

I agree with most, I don't think it should be based on weight but rather a fitness test instead?
Like another poster said, I weigh 8 stone 10lb and I honestly couldn't run for more than 5 minutes, yet I know people heavier than me that are so much fitter than myself and that could run for alot more time.