A Basic Requirement Should Be????

[NOLACOP]

Im sick and tired of seeing fat, sloppy and overweight cops. I think one element that ALL departments should utilize in their PT preemployment screenings is a 6 foot wooden fence jump. Do you know how many guys and girlsl cant do this basic task. I would hate to be getting my *** kicked in the back yard of a residence at 2am and a wooden fence hindering my backup from helping out. Ill get off my soapbox now :D

[Taxx]

I can understand your point. Our department has begun to initiate a PT program that allows officer to earn a percent increase in pay if they pass. This should encourage officers to stay in shape. However, there will always be officers that "let themselves go." I don't think it is reasonalble to believe that officers that have 20+ years in and are counting the days to retirement to keep in shape. They know the streets and they know what they can do to stay out of the 'physical' side of law enforcement. We also have the guys that are in better shape than me and have 15 yeasrs on. A perferct world and reality are two different things.

As far as me? I am not in tip-top shape, however, I usually can go through fences instead of going over them. :D 604, 260lbs

[mobrien316]

I would like to see a difference in health insurance rates based on level of fitness.

I work out every day, am very careful about what I eat, and I don't smoke. My blood pressure is 106/60 and my resting heart rate is 60. It irks me that I pay exactly the same for health insurance at work as someone who is at least a hundred pounds overweight, eats bacon cheeseburgers with a stick of butter on the side, and smokes three packs a day.

Maybe hitting them in the bank account would make an impression. Instead of paying 7.5% of the allocation rate for health insurance maybe such a person would have to pay 30% or more. Since it doesn't seem to matter to them that they are (in my opinion) physically incapable of doing this job maybe when their pay gets cut they'll decide it's time to make some changes.

I'm hardly a health Nazi and even though I wish I was in perfect shape I'm actually far from it. But if I am ever at the point where walking down a single flight of stairs necessitates leaning against the wall for a minute to catch my breath I hope I'd have enough self-respect to do something about it.

Okay, now my rant is over. ;)

[Lawson]

I can understand your point. Our department has begun to initiate a PT program that allows officer to earn a percent increase in pay if they pass.

I heard that Washington agencies were not allowed to do that anymore due to some Supreme Court ruling about age discrimination. There was a lot of chatter going on about it at the PD I explorered with. I will have to look into that again a little deeper.

[Penguin]

I work out every day, am very careful about what I eat, and I don't smoke. My blood pressure is 106/60 and my resting heart rate is 60. It irks me that I pay exactly the same for health insurance at work as someone who is at least a hundred pounds overweight, eats bacon cheeseburgers with a stick of butter on the side...

Oh, so you haven't heard of the deep-fried, butter-bacon-burger diet yet?? It's the latest craze sweeping the dieting nation since Dr. Atkins died... :D

[DeltaV]

I think one element that ALL departments should utilize in their PT preemployment screenings is a 6 foot wooden fence jump. Do you know how many guys and girlsl cant do this basic task. I would hate to be getting my *** kicked in the back yard of a residence at 2am and a wooden fence hindering my backup from helping out.

+1!!!

I was having this exact discussion with another officer last week about a certain squadmate of ours. I bet there are LOTS of officers who couldn't do that--maybe they could have at one point in their careers, but not now.

[madsnax]

Maybe hitting them in the bank account would make an impression. Instead of paying 7.5% of the allocation rate for health insurance maybe such a person would have to pay 30% or more. Since it doesn't seem to matter to them that they are (in my opinion) physically incapable of doing this job maybe when their pay gets cut they'll decide it's time to make some changes.

Since Health Insurance is so affordable, and only a commodity..

NOT!

[Taxx]

I heard that Washington agencies were not allowed to do that anymore due to some Supreme Court ruling about age discrimination. There was a lot of chatter going on about it at the PD I explorered with. I will have to look into that again a little deeper.

It is between the union and the ageceny. I am sure the union looked into it being illegal before proposing it. Our contact is still waiting to be ratified, but this particular issue is not the problem.

[mcsap]

My PD offers a 3 days of pay as a bonus for NOT using any sick leave for a year. I am finishing up my 5th year of being eligible but if I get sick towards the end of the year, it is an incentive to come to work SICK !!

I am all for at least a voluntary fitness standard on an annual basis with a similar reward system. Perhaps if you can meet the PT hiring requirements for your age group , that should do it. As it i snow , there is NO incentinve to maintain any kind of shape.

And my BP is 110/ 70 and I can get my resting heart rate down to 48 If I lay still a while , I can hit 40 which caused the nurses some distraction the last time I had surgery !