Exercise Helps LEOs Stay Fit for Duty, Fit for Life

In July, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund released preliminary data revealing that in 2017 thus far, six law enforcement officers died of job-related ailments where they collapsed or suffered a cardiac event. The correlation between heart problems and police work has been studied for years. In 2012 the medical journal Cardiology in Review found that law enforcement is “prone to increasing the prevalence and incidence of cardiovascular disease” in addition to a “high prevalence of traditional risk factors, such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, metabolic syndrome, a sedentary lifestyle” and more.

There are many LEOs, however, that do not adhere to the research findings of living “a sedentary lifestyle.” Rather, they take physical fitness into their own hands and incorporate exercise into everyday life, both on and off duty. Physical fitness has not only helped in their overall health, but it has had its benefits in police work as well, including more energy, less sick time, less injuries and shorter recovery times.

The unforeseen benefits

To be crowned “Super SWAT Cop” at the Southeast Missouri (SEMO) SWAT Challenge this year, Officer Dustin Schmidt with the St. Louis County (Mo.) Tactical Operations Unit had to complete box jumps, kettlebell swings, front squats and shots on target with a pistol and rifle.

Schmidt has been in law enforcement for a little more than six years but has placed an emphasis on physical fitness for even longer. In 2009 he began dappling in CrossFit and fully committed to the sport once he got out of the Marine Corps in 2011. The benefits of CrossFit in correlation to his everyday police work are noticeable, he says. “There are a few cops who do CrossFit in my area and I’ve noticed that people who do this sport—or any circuit training to get their heart rate up for that matter—we tend not to tire out as quickly as other law enforcement,” he says.

In one example, while on patrol, Schmidt got out of his car to speak with a civilian, who ended up taking off on foot. “We covered probably 400 meters in the snow and I could tell the guy was gassed out and although I was tired too, I was able to keep going. We ended up in someone’s backyard and the fight just wouldn’t end, all the while the guy was going for my gun. But I kept going and I wasn’t giving up. That’s one thing CrossFit gives you—the mental edge to push further. That’s what I could do with this guy.”

More departments across the U.S. are seeing the benefits of having officers workout, says Sergeant Eric Baade with the Folsom (Calif.) Police Department. “There was a time when you’d get out of the academy and that would be the end of working out,” he says. “But now departments are finding that when their officers have time for fitness, less officers are injured and less call in sick. We have fewer workers’ comp injuries, better recovery if someone does get injured, faster recovery and we’re able to do our job better. We perform better.”

The Folsom PD chief of police agrees. “As far as the benefits of physical exercise in policing—it adds to health benefits and longevity; less injuries on the job; less stress for my officers,” says Chief Cynthia Renaud. But one of the biggest assets she sees is the camaraderie that comes from exercise. “It’s the camaraderie of working out together and challenging each other,” she continues. “I was in our department gym recently to see Officer James Dorris, a decorated title-holding amateur boxer, working circuit training with one of my motor officers and a patrol corporal. There are talks in the hallways about nutrition and everyone supports each other in their outside competitions, from marathons to CrossFit.”

Department-wide priority

Renaud, who has been running since she was a teenager, now sets an example of fitness for her department and encourages exercise throughout the ranks. This year the department partnered with Citrus Heights (Calif.) PD to compete on a combined team in the 120-mile Baker to Vegas relay race, a law enforcement race where teams from around the world run from Baker, Calif. to Las Vegas, Nev. “It is a fantastic team builder for our department,” she says. “In a relay race, each team member is dependent upon the others. There are no individuals out on that course. As such, it mirrors what law enforcement does every day…work together, depend upon each other with each person giving their all for the overall success of the team.”

With the support of Renaud, Folsom PD Sergeant Eric Baade has been able to combine running and law enforcement to participate in an extraordinary feat of physical fitness. In 2008, Baade began running after his wife received a kidney transplant and got into the sport. He ended up losing 40 pounds and gained a new sense of purpose in running. In 2015 he decided he wanted to run the California International Marathon—in full uniform. “I told my colleagues about it and they thought I was nuts,” Baade jokes. “Chief Renaud supported the idea and we began discussions with the city because here I was, a police officer, doing something in uniform while I was off-duty.”

The city approved the participation, and the California International Marathon supported the decision as well. During the race, Baade recalls civilians approaching him to talk to him about their neighbors, their friends and family members. “I know they weren’t speaking to me directly—it could’ve been anyone in uniform, but I was just blessed because I got to get a lot of their good comments. They were supportive of law enforcement.”

Baade’s participation in the marathon gained much attention and a few months later, he was approached by Modesto PD Officer Sean Dodge who was interested in running the 2016 California International Marathon with Baade once again in full uniform to raise funds and awareness for the families of fallen officers. “Running drew Sean and I together, and I have a brother in law enforcement now,” says Baade. “Exercise helped create camaraderie and running with another officer in uniform was just awesome, being able to push each other through those 26.2 miles.” In 2017, Dodge and Baade plan to complete the Washington, D.C. Marine Corps Marathon in full uniform with nine other law enforcement officers from across the U.S. 

Fitness is important in the Folsom Police Department and is supported in contract form with the Union; officers each receive an hour of fit time per shift to work out and stay in shape.

Though this program isn’t offered in all departments, many are providing incentives for officers to stay active. David Millican of the Denton (Texas) Police Department and an IPMBA instructor has been active in advising fitness incentive programs for several years. “My question early on was, ‘How are we going to create something that will motivate people to get in shape?’” he says. “We spend hours training with our firearms and yet we weren’t doing the same for physical fitness which is just as important. I then asked myself, ‘What can we do for those not interested in working out?’” His solution was to create a voluntary incentive-based program. Today Denton PD officers have the option of taking one of two fitness tests (one based on the Cooper Physical Fitness Standard or one based on a timed 2,000 meter row test) to receive a one-time per year payment. “If we are in shape, it’s going to benefit the city” says Millican. He recommends that when creating an incentivized fitness program, it’s important to make sure it benefits all parties in the city. “We’re on the city’s insurance so if we’re healthier, the city saves money.”

Family-involved fitness

For many of the interviewees for this article, exercise is a hobby—stress relief away from the job. “If I don’t stay fit, I get moody and grumpy,” says Schmidt. “It’s my social life.” Schmidt will go to the gym, which he also coaches at, to spend time with friends and get a physically and mentally tough workout in.

In an average week, Schmidt spends about 14 hours in the gym, but with his department he is allotted two hours, three days per week to be in the gym on duty. This has helped him stay fit while also creating a good work/life balance. “It’s such a great benefit that they built that in for us, so we can stay physically fit for the job,” he says. “I have the energy for work and for my two kids, which I involve in exercise, too.”

He’s not the only one. Law enforcement officers who make fitness a priority oftentimes make it family-involved. Baade runs with his family, which includes his wife and two kids, making it a point to try and run with them almost every day.

The hardest part about physical fitness, says Baade, is making it part of a routine. But it’s never too late to start. “Incorporate something into your day everyday and don’t beat yourself up if you have to miss a day but try to make it a priority because eventually it will become a habit and will be part of your routine,” he says. “You’ll be able to do more things with your family and if you don’t take care of yourself, you’re not going to be able to do that.”

Schmidt agrees. “I was nervous about getting into CrossFit at first,” he says, “but I’ve gotten stronger because of it. It’s intimidating to get into, but once you get into it and learn what it’s about and why you’re doing it, the benefits are through the roof.”

Editor's note: 

After Modesto (Calif.) Police Department Detective Sean Dodge ran the California International Marathon in full uniform in 2016 with Folsom (Calif.) Police Department Sergeant Eric Baade, he wanted to take the concept to the next level. He created Project Remember.

Dodge sent the word out to all the law enforcement he knew, looking for runners for the 2017 Marine Corps Marathon. Today the group has 11 members participating in the full marathon set for Oct. 22 in Washington, D.C. to remember fallen officers and raise funds for their families. “The Project Remember team is already making plans for 2018 and we are waiting for a confirmation from the marathon director to announce the location,” says Dodge. “Our goal is to try completing a marathon every year in honor of fallen officers and their family.”

“We are running as a group, not for time,” says Baade. “This is not for personal gain, rather, we are a brotherhood and we want to run together to show our solidarity.” Dodge, as well as 40 uniformed officers will also be completing the Peace Officer Memorial Half Marathon in Modesto, Calif. on Oct. 1. Anyone interested in joining the group for future marathons can contact them at [email protected]. Find the group on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ProjectRemember262.