Chicago Police & Physical Fitness Tests
Since starting his new job in February, Chicago's top cop Jody Weis has made a habit of announcing big changes meant to rebuild the image of a department plagued by scandals. Weis has floated the idea of physical fitness tests for Chicago cops. It's not all that surprising given that Weis comes from the FBI , where physical fitness is part of the culture.
FBI agents are allowed to take one hour per day three times a week to work out on the clock. That time is intended to help them pass a fitness test they have to take twice a year. Here's where the contrast with Chicago's cops comes in.
They also have a fitness test but the standards are essentially meaningless. Officers don't have to pass, in fact, they don't even have to take the test if they don't want to but officers receive financial incentives for passing.
Last year, out of Chicago's 13,500 police officers, only 2,400 passed the department's voluntary fitness test. The remaining 80 percent of officers either failed or didn't even try.
If superintendent Jody Weis wants to make physical fitness tests mandatory for the entire force, he'll have to get the okay from the police union. The yearly tests would be mandatory for new or promoted officers starting in 2009 and voluntary for everyone else. Chicago police officers could be teamed up with their very own personal trainers and given tailored diets if they fail the mandatory fitness tests.
Officers would have up to 90 days to buff up before retaking the test. If they fail a second time, they would be referred to the department's medical services section for "further evaluation regarding the officer's fitness for duty."
FBI Special Agent Michael Glasheen is the fitness coordinator for the Chicago FBI office. He administers the FBI test and tells us more about it in this interview with Chicago Public Radio's Criminal Justice Reporter Rob Wildeboer
Comments
I find it staggering that "basic fitness" is not a requirement for the Police Service. I look at a lot of police officers here in the UK and think, "you're really not going to be able to give chase to bag snatcher or mugger in that state?"
Mind you, if you the look at the physical fitness of a lot of the criminals they're probably not up to a prolonged chase either.
A very fit friend of mine once gave chase to a bag snatcher and spent a considerable part of the chase deliberately just running behind the guy, who was clearly suffering, berating him not only for his criminal tendencies, but also for his lake of stamina. I think the bag snatcher was quite relieved when he ran into the arms of a waiting policeman at the other end of the street?!?!