EDITORIAL — Here’s to fit cops

New PNP chief Police General Nicolas Torre III has decided to enforce a weight limit on overweight police officers.

“Kung may standard weight and height, hindi ka dapat sobra ng five kilos, hindi ka mababa,” he said.

He added that police officers who fail to reach their ideal weight after one year may be sacked.

This wasn’t the first time policemen have been ordered to keep fit. Way back in 2000 when Senator-elect Panfilo Lacson was PNP chief, he also said the waistline of a policeman must not exceed 34 inches so they can stay fit and healthy, and also because a fat policeman gave the illusion that he was prone to corruption.

But back then, policemen of all stripes and ranks were only given a scant few months to get into shape. What followed was series of activities meant to slim down those perceived too big for the service, even those whose waistlines exceeded 34 even at their fittest form.

Regular physical fitness tests became the norm in the PNP, with one high-ranking police official assigned to a DILG task force even catching flak from Lacson after he missed one such test.

But, yes, we agree with such a policy. As do many in the police service itself. Police officers who are in better shape are more likely to be able to fight crime effectively. This is because their job will involve the occasional running after and subduing criminals and sometimes defending themselves against physical attacks or even scrambling for cover from bullets.

There is also no doubt that police officers looking fit in their uniforms are sure to attract more young people to the service on one hand, or intimidate criminals on the other. It is also good for the image of policemen in general, as opposed to one who is overweight and hardly looks like he can run down a criminal if needed.

At least this time they have a year to get into shape, as opposed to the few months policemen were given 25 years ago.