Changes Proposed for Police Officer Weight and Height Requirements

A draft has been submitted for public discussion that proposes to replace the minimum weight and height thresholds for police officers—155 cm and 46 kg—with a Body Mass Index (BMI) measurement. The Ministry of Internal Affairs indicates that using BMI, which is internationally recognized and objective, is more relevant than specific height and weight metrics that may not reflect the true physical condition.

According to current regulations, individuals cannot become police officers if they have a substandard level of physical development, characterized by a weak muscular system, inadequate subcutaneous fat, a narrow chest, a height below 155 cm, or a weight less than 45 kg.

Based on the Minister of Internal Affairs’ order defining the physical fitness and health requirements for police officers, the criteria for assessing physical development rely on minimum height and weight standards. The justifications for the proposal argue that these standards do not adequately represent body symmetry, overall health, and physiological suitability.

The authors note cases where an individual’s physical development is sufficient, yet they do not meet the existing height or weight criteria, which may not always be medically justified. Consequently, the current approach does not provide an objective assessment aligned with contemporary medical practices, necessitating a change to the ministerial order.

It is proposed to replace the wording "height below 155 cm or weight under 45 kg" in the ministerial order with a BMI requirement that should not be below 16 kg/m². This approach means weight will be calculated according to height, resulting in the same kilogram weight being evaluated differently for different individuals.

It is noted that under current regulations, a person with a height of 170 cm and a weight of 46 kg meets the requirement, even though they are considered underweight for their height. With the proposed method, the minimum weight standards for individuals of different heights, such as 165 cm and 180 cm, would differ, eliminating the fixed threshold of 46 kg.

The justifications for the draft state that adopting this change will allow for a more objectively assessed health status of police officers using medical criteria, align the standards with international medical practices, and streamline the health assessment process while excluding unnecessary restrictions.