don's report archive

by Donald B. Ardell, Ph. D.

Wellness in the Headlines
(Don's Report to the World)

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Paul Goward, 60, of Winter Haven, Florida. Paul is the hero of my essay " Be Fit Or Get Fired: A Lesson Gained From The Sacking Of A Fitness-Oriented Police Chief."

Paul has been in police work for 36 years. Prior to taking his post in Winter Haven, he was chief of police in Wichita, Kansas. He has a long record of fitness advocacy -- the memo that led to his sacking was not the first time he urged officers to look after themselves, fitness-wise. A regular at the police gym, Paul encouraged his staff to make the most of health enhancement opportunities afforded by the town benefit programs. Regrettably, many, if not most, officers did not, despite the chief's frequent mention of the importance of exercise at police roll calls and other occasions.

I asked Paul what prompted him to write the fateful E-mail to his 80-member police force. He explained that, while he had thought about the matter for some time, it was an article entitled "Fit for Duty: How to Train For the Real Deal" in the September edition of Law Enforcement Technology that sent him into action. Written by Carole Moore, a career police officer, the article began by acknowledging the cliché of the fat cop "that won't go away: His belly spills over his leather gear, dimming any chance of a quick, accurate draw. His uniform looks sloppy and poorly fitted. And he can barely squeeze behind the wheel of his patrol car, which is littered with empty fast food containers and cardboard coffee cups."

Wow. That was even MORE politically incorrect than the chief's e-mail message. Did she get fired, too?

Officer Moore said that while Hollywood may play this stereotype for laughs, "in real life, out-of-shape officers pose a danger to both themselves and others." Comparing law enforcement work with military service, Moore noted how the two professions require similar skills. However, "overweight, out-of-condition soldiers don't show up on the Army's rolls." Why? Because the latter appreciates the fact that "those who can't pull their weight create a liability that reverberates throughout the entire organization."

No wonder the chief was called to action. I feel like sending a post to police officers myself, but alas I don't have the credibility of Officer Moore or ex-chief Goward, so I won't. Still, the article does show the merit of the ex-chief's initiative.

A few more excerpts from Officer Moore's article that inspired me, and chief Goward, might be of interest:

• All the training in the world won't help if the officer is a jelly belly and can't run more than a few hundred yards without gasping like a fish on a riverbank.
  
  
• Conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol are indicators that an officer needs a fitness routine.
  
  
• Police agencies are overly focused on age and gender equality, but will a female or older officer have to chase a suspect a shorter distance than a younger male officer, have to fight lighter and less physically able suspects than a younger male officer, have to climb, crawl, sit, stand or perform any field tasks less often or in a different way than a younger male officer? All officers should be given training suitable for the job, not dumbed down for political correctness purposes.
  
  
• Officers should quit smoking, lose weight and work out.
  
  
• Physically fit officers are more confident about their ability to handle a job. "Being in top-notch physical shape helps officers make better decisions about which level of force is appropriate to a situation. And it helps them relax and suffer less stress, which benefits personal relationships and frame of mind."

The chief told me he's been swamped with requests to do interviews on CNN, FOX and so on, but is already tired of the fuss and wants to move on, preferably in police work.

If I were mayor of a big city and had a police chief who was not promoting a fit officer corps, Mr. Goward would have to look no more. I would make him an offer he couldn't refuse!

I just hope someone who IS a mayor somewhere does the same.

Be well. Look on the bright side of life.

(Note: This essay will be filed in the archives in the MEANING DOMAIN under the skill area of applied wellness. Additional articles related to this theme may be found there.)

(Ed. Note: Views expressed in this and other columns are those of the author and not necessarily those of the SeekWellness Editorial Board.)

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