Half of British police found overweight, fitness test looming

British police officers should undertake an annual fitness test and face a pay cut if they repeatedly fail, a report said on Thursday, after finding that half of London policemen were overweight.

'I think the public will be surprised that after passing a fitness test at the point of entry, except in special units like firearms, physical fitness is not tested again in a 30 or 35-year career,' said report author Tom Winsor.

The senior lawyer was commissioned by the government in October 2010 to review police pay and conditions as part of ministers' efforts to slash spending through cuts and reform of public services.

He found 52 per cent of male officers in London's Scotland Yard police force are overweight, 22 per cent are obese and one in ten are morbidly obese. For women, the figures were 32 per cent, 16 per cent and two per cent respectively.

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