New Effort Aims to Keep Cops in Shape

Last week, Wauwatosa police officer Luke Vetter found himself chasing and wrestling a young crime suspect. In a matter of seconds, the boy got on top of him, forcing Vetter to sit up and push the boy off so the officer could take control of the situation.

That kind of physical exertion proves pretty typical during patrols because many suspects resist arrest, so it is important officers are in good shape, he said.

In at least a dozen U.S. cases per year, officers die from the taxation to their heart that comes from the quick transition of sedentary sitting in a patrol car to sprinting after a criminal, said Vetter, who also is president of one of the local police unions.

A new partnership between the city and police unions will attempt to get more staff involved in fitness training to lower insurance costs, reduce officer injuries and cut down on the number of employee sick days.

Fitness center gets an upgrade

With the help of a donation of about $10,000 worth of fitness equipment from the Wisconsin Athletic Club, $10,000 from officers and $10,000 from a grant, the Police Department was able to greatly improve its basement exercise center last week.

Department employees can work out 24 hours a day using treadmills, an elliptical trainer and countless weight-lifting and resistance machines. A flat-screen television donated by Best Buy now hangs on the wall by the cardio equipment.

All of this comes as part of a larger city effort to focus on wellness and take a proactive approach to finding and treating potential health problems before costly surgeries or hospitalizations become necessary, Capt. Dale Weiss said.

During the 2008-’10 bargaining sessions, the unions got on board with wellness concept and so far, 93 percent of all city employees, as well as a majority of the retirees who continue to receive insurance through Wauwatosa are participating.

At the citywide level, the Invest in Wellness program participants undergo health screenings, then meet with coaches to understand their risks and create goals to lower them. Age-appropriate tests, such as mammograms and colonoscopies, also are required. In early 2010, data from the program’s first year will be available, which will help human resources staff better refine the wellness program.

While the city has seen its health insurance costs decrease, other tactics of cost control must be implemented or “that bar will start ratcheting up again,” City Administrator James Archambo told the Budget Committee earlier this fall.

Fitness has some perks

Officers can use the new fitness equipment to train, then prove their progress by passing a physical fitness test based on one used by the U.S. Army. Those employees who meet the standards for each task, plus an overall score based on age and gender, will receive a day off, Capt. Jeff Sutter said. Those who are in top shape and reach a yet-to-be decided “super score” will qualify for two days off.

Taking the fitness test is voluntary and only represented employees qualify for the days off, but Sutter expects just about everyone in the department will get involved based on the nature of officers’ competitive personalities.

“I’m looking for some type of morale-boosting comraderie,” he said.

Vetter said he has no doubt the $7,500 his union paid toward the fitness equipment is a well-spent investment, especially at a time when municipal employees seem to be getting a bad rap from the public for being a drain on resources.

“We understand the perspective. We get it, and we want to help out,” Vetter said. “As a union, we have to participate and compromise.”

BY THE NUMBERS

Wauwatosa’s Invest in Wellness program has already helped employees catch some issues through routine health screenings. The following are a few examples:

2

early stage colon cancers detected

9

people referred for pre-diabetes care

31

with elevated cholesterol levels

2

with elevated prostate cancer levels

AT A GLANCE

Want to try the fitness test Wauwatosa Police Department will use next year? Here’s the breakdown:

Step 1: Perform as many push-ups as possible in a two-minute period, then rest for 10 minutes.

Step 2: Perform as many sit-ups as possible in a two-minute period, then rest for 10 minutes.

Step 3: Finish with a timed two-mile run

The city may not follow the Army’s scoring exactly, but for an idea of fitness standards, check out www.army.com/enlist/APFT.html

By Stefanie Scott

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