A SURVEY of the country’s police forces has revealed that Cheshire Constabulary is one of the fittest forces in the UK.

Results revealed by HR relations news magazine Personnel Today showed that the county’s police force had just 1% of officers currently unable to be deployed due to ill health.

Data obtained using the Freedom of Information Act highlighted the Metropolitan Police as having one of the largest sick-list with 1,957 officers on restrictive duties – 6% of its workforce.

Officers are placed on restrictive duties when returning to work from an illness.

Cheshire Constabulary spokeswoman Joanna Preihs said: “A police officer’s fitness for work is assessed against their ability to perform the ordinary duties of a police officer.

“Restricted duties are used in these circumstances and an officer may be placed in an alternative role to their normal role, where their skills can be used to the best advantage.

“By doing this the levels of sickness absence are reduced and officers are able to return to work sooner after periods of illness and in some cases absence is prevented completely.”

The information highlighted only 13 forces, of the 43 asked, were able to provide details, which showed an overall increase of 4,082 officers placed on recuperative duties since last year.