It's Not the Size That Matters: Physical Skills among Tall and Short Police Students

A literature review suggests that height has always been a part of the assessment of suitability in police culture, and this may be linked to myths about a tall person's better physical skills and suitability for police work. In contrast to the above-mentioned assumptions, this study shows that short police students of both sexes generally perform better in physical tests than tall police students. Despite this, short women assess their physical skills as poorer than do tall women. This discrepancy is discussed, and several factors seem to explain this phenomenon. Police culture seems to link being tall with physical ability. The value placed on height can be explained by the fact that tall men represent and symbolise the police best. A contributing explanation to the discrepancy could be that height creates a natural physical authority among tall police officers, which short female officers are missing. Another explanation of the discrepancy may be that height and long arms can be beneficial in situations in which the police have to use physical force. However, it is argued that the police rarely use physical force, and that several other factors seem to reduce the importance of height in this area.