Scores of officers on restricted duties because of physical and mental heath problems could return to real policing after a review of posts revealed fewer jobs than previously thought are unsuitable.

In the past fewer than 50 of the 403 posts within Hampshire police were believed suitable for officers on restricted duties.

That's because they were thought unable to cope with stressful situations or the physical demands of policing through injury or disability.

Now nearly 150 policing posts will be open to them after personnel managers assessed the risk of confrontation in each role and found there is little chance of them experiencing stresses they cannot handle.

They graded each post according to these demands and decided only 174 were high risk.

After a six-month trial in the Central policing area including Havant, Gosport, Fareham and Winchester – which had seen the highest sick rate among officers in 2006/7 – the review is to be introduced across the force.

Head of occupational health Steve Beards said: 'Previously, if an officer suffered an injury and was put on restricted duties it meant that officer being dumped in an office.

'Using this system officers are now being given the chance to take on a grade two role – such as working in the Youth Offenders team – which allows them to get out and about but without as much risk.

'It means we can get l restricted officers into substantive posts – real jobs that need filling and have real career prospects. Nobody has researched this aspect before.

'Previously it was thought that all police officer roles carry a high risk, but actually not all of them do.

The idea has already been awarded the Kays Medical Award for Innovation in Occupational Health, and 14 other forces have expressed interest.

Hampshire Police Federation chairman Geoff Crowe said: 'I think the majority of officers are pleased with the force policy.

'It's a lot clearer for them and it gives them the ability to look at how they want to develop their career.'

• In 2007/8, police officers took an average of 7.88 days sick across Hampshire.


• That's slightly higher than the force target of 7.5 per cent.


• In Portsmouth, officers took an average of 8.69 days off sick – a 2.3 per cent rise on 8.46 days in 2006/7.


• In the Central police area officers took an average of 9.19 days off sick – down 2.3 per cent compared to 9.41 in the previous year.