Police lower height limit

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33577, 4 July 1974, Page 2

Police lower height limit

(New Zealand Prese Astodiation)

WELLINGTON, July 3. The Police Department is relaxing the minimum height qualification for recruits as part of the campaign to increase the number of policemen.

“The minimum height is still sft Bjin, but special consideration wlil be given to applicants of sft Bin who possess qualifications and, attributes desirable in policemen,” the director of training (Superintendent B. W. Gibson) said today.

Mr Gibson said the relaxation of the height qualification did not constitute a lowering of standards.

“Preference will still be given to suitably qualified taller men, but all candidates will be required to possess intelligence, a sound education, common sense, and physical robustness, and must display enthusiasm for a police career.” Mr Gibson said he was unable to forecast how many extra recruits would result from the change. Several other methods of stimulating recruiting were being examined, and details would be made public soon, he said.

The minimum height for policemen was sft Bin until

the mid-19505, when it was increased to sft Biin. Mr Gibson gave examples of minimum height requirements in several other police forces: Royal Canadian Mounted Police and London Metropolitan Police, sft Bin; Victoria, sft 7|in; West Germany, Chicago and the F. 8.1. in Washington, sft 7in; and Holland, sft 6in. He said the New York police had apparently waived all height and sex restrictions.