http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local/scn-sa-fit.cops.9.11sep11,0,4403647.story?coll=stam-news-local-headlines
By Zach Lowe
Staff Writer
September 11, 2006
STAMFORD -- The police union is fighting a city proposal to penalize overweight officers and those who cannot meet physical fitness standards for recruits, state and police officials said.
City officials say the proposal would keep officers healthy, make the public safer and save taxpayers money by cutting worker compensation claims. But the police union does not support any plan to punish officers who fail the tests, said Officer Michael Merenda, union president.
Merenda supports a system that would reward officers for passing physical fitness tests and meeting weight standards -- the same plan the city offered other city unions last year, he said.
City officials introduced the proposal as part of contract talks last year, said Nancy Markey, assistant director of human resources. Stamford would be at least the fifth town in Fairfield County to have a physical fitness requirement for officers other than recruits. All but one, Westport, call for disciplinary action against officers who don't meet fitness goals, according to police contracts. At least two of the departments, Shelton and Monroe, ban officers from smoking while in uniform or on duty.
"The public is better served by a physically fit police department," said Dennis Murphy, head labor negotiator for Stamford.
The proposal would not punish officers who, for medical reasons, cannot meet the standards in time, Murphy said. They would be allowed to create their own fitness plan with a doctor.
"The goal of this is not to terminate any officer," Markey said.
But Merenda said he opposes disciplinary action against officers.
"I believe in having a fit police department," he said. "But I don't think it's fair to give officers six months of notice and put discipline on it."
Chief Brent Larrabee said the department is "already a very fit outfit" but acknowledged that "some people do need a little help." Still, Larrabee said he would not support a plan that would be too "punitive." .
"It costs a lot of money to hire a police officer," he said. "I would hate to lose one because someone got a little heavy as they got older."
Larrabee supports the city's plan "in principle" but said there is "much work to be done" on specifics.
The work will not be done at the negotiating table.
Contract negotiations broke down last month because the two sides are far apart on several key issues, officials on both sides said. A state arbiter will hammer out a new contract after hearing testimony from union and city officials, they said.
The fitness proposal, which would kick in early next year, would require all officers to take a fitness and agility test every three months until they pass, according to a copy provided by city officials. The tests, which would include the bench press, one minute of sit-ups and a 1.5-mile run, are based on standards the state requires of all police recruits, city officials said.
Passing scores vary based on age and sex, officials said.
Any officer who fails may take the tests again three months later. Officers who fail more than once face "an incremental progressive step of discipline" each time they fail, the proposal states.
The clause does not specify the disciplinary action. Other departments in Fairfield County, including Monroe, Shelton and Newtown, usually start with a verbal warning before suspending an officer without pay for one or more days, according to officials from those communities and copies of their police contracts.
Officers would have to meet weight standards based on sex and height, city officials said. If officers fail the weight test, they could choose to have their body fat measured instead. Officers who fail both tests would face "progressive discipline," the proposal states.
Officers who can't pass the tests in time can set up a personal fitness plan with a doctor, the proposal states. Those officers would not be suspended as long as the doctor says they are following the fitness plan, city officials said.
Merenda objected because he said the city offered every other city union an incentive plan last year. City officials acknowledged floating an incentive plan with other unions last year but said none accepted it.
The plan would have awarded employees with bonuses of up to $1,000 per year for losing weight, passing agility tests or quitting smoking, Markey said.
The incentive plan was never part of official negotiations with police, Markey and Murphy said.
Besides, they said, police should be in better shape than other city employees because their job demands it. City firefighters agreed to discuss fitness requirements in future contract talks, Murphy and Markey said.
Merenda countered by saying the department has several jobs that don't require employees to chase suspects. Officers can work in the records room, guard jail cells or take desk jobs, he said.
He questioned how much the city would spend on doctor's visits, gym memberships for officers and other expenses.
Markey said the officers likely would get free access to the Stamford Hospital's Tully Center or a similar facility.
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