Short people can be cops, too, if …

Here’s good news for those aspiring to join the police force but can’t because they’re too short to qualify.

There’s hope for them to join the police force if House Bill No. 6203 abolishing the height requirement for police, fire and jail personnel will be enacted into law.

The House version of the bill was passed on third reading last week.

Police applicants are required under Republic Act 6975 to be at least 1.62 meters (about 5’4”) tall for male and at least 1.57 meters (about 5’2”) for female applicants.

The proposed law “will end decades of discrimination” in the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), said Rep. Pablo John Garcia (Cebu’s 3rd district), the principal sponsor of the proposed bill, in a statement.

“What difference will a few inches make? The most important skills needed for police officers to do their job well don’t have anything to do with height. These include investigation, judgment under pressure and community relations,” said Garcia during a House committee meeting.

He likened the bias against short people to the bias against women in the police force.

“There was this perception in the past that women will not make good police officers but now women are proving to be as effective as their male counterparts,” he said.

Garcia said he hoped that the bill would be passed into law before both houses of Congress adjourn in January 2013.

The Senate version of the bill was approved on third reading last month.