A FITNESS test for Wiltshire Police has shown that officers are performing above the national average.

Tests carried out by the College of Policing between September 2014 and August 2015 show an overall fitness pass rate of 98.8 percent meaning that out of 690 officers who attended, 682 passed.

For women officers during the same period, 226 attended with 219 passing to score 96.9 percent. The male pass rate was 99.7 percent showing that out of 464 who attended 463 passed.

Chief Constable Mike Veale said: “These fitness results are heartening to see, especially because they show that our officers here in Wiltshire, both male and female, are performing above the national average.

“It may seem old fashioned in these days of modern technology, but maintaining the personal fitness of our officers is as important now as it has ever been.

“Recent events, both here and abroad, have shown us how vulnerable all public servants, but particularly police officers, are. They need to be able to physically track down and apprehend offenders, as well as protect themselves if they are in danger.

“Sometimes we forget the incredible public service and duty they perform. At times when others run away from danger they run towards it. At times of tragedy they are there to support you. At times they have to deal with some of the most dangerous, sickening and depraved criminals who commit crimes against the most vulnerable in our society.

“We all now live in an increasingly litigious society where there is a lot of blame against public servants. This has undoubtedly created a culture of fear and risk aversion. But be reassured that our staff and officers have an unstinting commitment to the public and will continue to do their best to protect you, help you and provide you with kindness and humanity when you are most in need.

"This very often means putting the public’s safety before their own health and wellbeing.

“We regularly hold our Force Awards where we see real-life examples of situations where our staff and officers have put themselves at risk to protect the public. These have included an incident where one of our superintendents was assisted by two off-duty staff members to tackle a 6ft 8ins man armed with a hammer, as well as a time where a PCSO protected a shop employee from an offender armed with a knife.

“As Chief Constable I am responsible for the personal safety of all my staff and officers and believe I am putting them in the strongest possible position if I make sure they are maintaining an appropriate level of fitness.

"It makes me incredibly proud to see the good work they do and it is vital that this Force provides the right support to allow them to do that. This not only includes looking out for their physical health, but also their mental wellbeing as well, which is why we have invested heavily in improving our occupational health facilities.

“I want to publicly applaud my staff and officers and let them know that the service they provide for the public is not taken for granted. ”

The national test included 43 regions with the top overall score of 99.3 percent achieved by Avon and Somerset.