A FORMER cop weighing 15st has been stopped from returning to police work as she is classified as “extremely obese”.
The mother of two, 40, spent 16 years in undercover surveillance policing.
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She even claims she was one of the fastest runners on her team in Hertfordshire.
After taking a career break to have children and moving to Pembrokeshire, she reapplied with Dyfed Powys police — but was rejected due to her weight.
The 5ft 6in crime fighter has a body mass index of 34.5 — in the extremely obese category.
The Royal College of Policing demands forces take on new officers only if their BMI is 30 or below.
But the ex-officer, who has struggled with her weight through her career, says she passed the fitness tests required and doctors were happy.
She added: “I’m still able to catch people.
“I have a flawless record with the police.
“Yes, I’m overweight but nothing in my career about my weight has impeded my job.
“We are trying to recruit around 20,000 to 30,000 new officers and there’s no way we’re going to be able to do that if we keep stopping people for no good reason.
“Here they have an officer with 20 years’ experience, I have qualifications coming out of every orifice, and they’re turning me down because of my BMI.
“All that should matter is you pass your fitness test.
“Police are missing out on a lot of top people because of this rule.”
Dyfed Powys said it “adhered to recruitment guidelines”.