fat cops r us....

LOL...no Steve, I have never seen that case or article. Who in the hell wouldn't want to take down a criminal? Size does not really matter (I know that sounds ludicris coming from a female) as much as technique in my opinion. If you're 375lb cop...then yeah...I think the department should seriously consider the patrol cops ability to do their job safely. A little extra weight is desireable (you want some weight to leverage in a take down or fight), but not rolls of tubby blub that make a cop look like a blue whale and is made a target for the DNR to respond to a "fish outta water" prank call.

I am actually told that people fear the husky cops instead of the skinny cops. I am told that they don't know if they could push the weight of the husky cop in a fight. But a seriously over weight cop isn't taken very seriously either by citizens.

"Is your number still 911?" - Ofc. Rachel T.

RE: Court case

Steve, were you ever able to find the court case. I think it would be interesting to see how the courts factored being in shape against the amount of force used.

Personally I am out of shape. Ten years off the street in investigations has put about 30 extra pounds on me. Not good for my health, I know, but also not the image I want to portray on the street. I think that Rachel does have a point though, the bad guy may think twice about whether the cop is actually out of shape or not. I do know I have had a few teenage mopes try to outrun me. They have not been able to out run my radio though.

RE: Court case

I was just given another that was similar, Parker v D.C., which is also based on fitness and training.

I am now trained as a law enforcement fitness coordinator to help agents in my agency get back into shape. I am also on a diet and working out to get myself back into shape. I had some scares last summer (like a broken shoulder and blood pressure over 170) that convinced me. The new laws were just the prod I needed to get serious about it.