'No jobs' for fat or unfit police officers, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe warns

Fat and unfit police officers who fail fitness tests must lose weight or "we haven't got a job for them", Britain's most senior officer has said.

Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said officers had a "duty" to colleagues to maintain fitness standards.

Police who failed a compulsory fitness test would be given time to lose weight and get fitter, but "if they don't, then we haven't got a job for them," Sir Bernard said.

"I think you've got a duty to your colleagues. They don't want somebody waddling down the road who's never going to arrive, and when they get there they're out of breath," he told the Radio Times.

The Metropolitan Police Commissioner also criticised the standard of an annual fitness test that officers must complete as "too low".

Officers are currently assessed with a 15-metre shuttle run "bleep" test, which became compulsory from September.

Sir Bernard said he had passed his assessment "very well with no preparation".

"It's taken too long to get the annual test, but it will start to have an increasing impact.

"For me, the standard is too low: I think it should be higher. It's relatively easy to pass."