Overweight police officers

Sykk

Looking at that thread on the female police officer who sued the GMP over failing her fitness test reminded me of a thread I wanted to make before...

Even today I saw two police patrolling around Camden street.. One of them was so big, covered in sweat and red in the face from walking that I thought he was going to have a heart attack... I see big fat gardaí all the time.

I know the police are there for things other than theft, harassment etc, but these people are meant to keep the peace.. How could an obese man make chase should somebody cause distress nearby? He couldn't, so he doesn't deserve the job...

That guy would have struggled to get into his car never mind hastily catching and apprehending someone.

Should our police officers (all of them) not have to regularly pass fitness tests?! Yes/No?

southsiderosie

Sykk wrote: »

Looking at that thread on the female police officer who sued the GMP over failing her fitness test reminded me of a thread I wanted to make before...

Even today I saw two police patrolling around Camden street.. One of them was so big, covered in sweat and red in the face from walking that I thought he was going to have a heart attack... I see big fat gardaí all the time.

I know the police are there for things other than theft, harassment etc, but these people are meant to keep the peace.. How could an obese man make chase should somebody cause distress nearby? He couldn't, so he doesn't deserve the job...

That guy would have struggled to get into his car never mind hastily catching and apprehending someone.

Should our police officers (all of them) not have to regularly pass fitness tests?! Yes/No?

They should have to pass an annual fitness exam. If they failed, they would have 60 days probation. If they fail again, they are gone.

I think age and position (detective vs. foot patrol) can be taken into account (marginally) but I really really hate seeing fat, wheezing police officers - it does not inspire confidence.

flyaway.

Sykk wrote: »

Should our police officers (all of them) not have to regularly pass fitness tests?! Yes/No?

Yes... it only makes sense. Do they not have something like this in place already? That's weird.

biko

Well, anyone in "active duty" should be able to at least run properly.
Back office staff I guess can put on the pounds.

mikemac

Just add it to their appraisal.

How does the army do it? I'd imagine you get put on probation if you fail and are given time to get up to standard for a retest
I'm guessing here, seems the common sense way

Would be interested to hear from Maikkomi or any other serving soldiers

TimeToShine

I agree, seeing fat gardai patrolling O'Connell street at 1AM is quite a disturbing thing, they can hardly jog let alone give chase to someone causing disturbance. As someone said above, an annual fitness exam should be brought in, that is the same for both men and women. Also, if you fail you have 3 months leave before another chance at it, and if you fail then you're out.

YFlyer

Are they meant to beable to run a mile and a half or so in 10 minutes as part of their training?

minidazzler

biko wrote: »

Well, anyone in "active duty" should be able to at least run properly.
Back office staff I guess can put on the pounds.

Then back office staff should be civvies. Cops, whether frontline or not should all have to be relatively fit. (i.e. Able to sprint 200 meters in a reasonable time, able to run 2 miles in less than 15 mins (and that's being generous)) Among other strength tests. There is no excuse for someone being overweight and unfit. Most people do not actually have genetic disorders that predispose them and if a cop does, then why are they one?

Spread

If a guy that carries a truncheon lacks discipline with a knife and fork ........... he may similarly lack discipline with the truncheon. After all, we are talking addiction here. If it was drink, drugs, gambling etc, his bosses would send him for treatment. Or, should I say SHOULD.

papajimsmooth

There is a garda outside the American embassy who is going to pop one of these days

Sykk

^ I just spat coffee all over my screen....

starviewadams

Shift work and meal breaks spent in petrol stations/fast food places etc would lead to weight gain I'd imagine,army have fitness test's once a year iirc.

I've rarely seen a obviously overweight member of AGS.

TheFullDuck

Sykk wrote: »

^ I just spat coffee all over my screen....

Are you that guard? :pac:

Sykk

TheFullDuck wrote: »

Are you that guard? :pac:

Just the way it was worded was very... un-expected.. And I know what he means :pac:

u140acro3xs7dm

starviewadams wrote: »

I've rarely seen a obviously overweight member of AGS.

There are loads of them. The ones you see walking about town(it's in Dublin) are usually the new blood so they are not so over weight. Go down the county or into the station and they are everywhere. I bet ya you could out run at least 75% of them.

double GG

Stop complaining, one day will come when you're glad that, that donut scoffing, coffee guzzling officer is chasing you after you robbed that bank.

ejmaztec

papajimsmooth wrote: »

There is a garda outside the American embassy who is going to pop one of these days

Probably an extra thick coating of kevlar.

ejmaztec

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2TXJkb-5wc

Corsendonk

They be demanding Segways at the next Garda conference.

Jagle

there is a fitness test to join the gardai tho after joing there isnt

i have a cousin who failed joining the gardai because he was such a fat bastard. and i mean huge, luckily mammy made a phone call to a local councilor, who i shall not name, got him a retest in a months, my cousin lost all the weight in the month, passed with flying colours and put it all back on again.

just saw him last night, HUGE

i do agree that gardai should have to pass a fitness test at least annually.

exceptions for age & office staff maybe

Aishae

i used to think the gardai had similar rules to the army - for fitness, strength, endurance and even stature. it seems silly to have a load of people who cannot run after, even jog after, subdue, apprehend and cuff someone. there should be different 'rules' for people who work in the field.

arybvtcw0eolkf

I can't remember the last time I seen an overly obese member of AGS.. But I understand people's concern's here re. a member who can not run after an offender - but then I think to myself 'self, when was the last time you seen a member of AGS run need to run after someone' - and I can't remember when!.

At least in Dublin they have fast car's, motorbikes, bicyles & helicopters to help find someone.

And its a little unfair to compare guards to members of the defence forces.

There is huge focus on physical fitness in the defence forces, so much so that we have the Defence Forces school of Physical Culture (you'll have seen its personnel on Operation Transformation).

In most barracks we've got state of the art gymnasium with PTI's (Physical Training Instructors) and time set aside for personal training.

And at unit level we have both PTI's & PTL's (Physical Training Leaders).

We've an annual fitness test, if you fail this your retested.. I'm not sure how many times your allowed fail, but its not a lot.

Continue to fail and you'll be given a programme to follow, with the guidance of a PTI and dietary advice if needed.

The last resort is that you can be taken away from your unit for a period of time and sent on a special full time programme - can't remember what its called but the lads unkindly refer to it as 'Fat Camp'

Members of AGS don't have all that at their disposal, but then again we don't work their awful shifts

When we're expected to run its with a weapon, flakjacket, battle vest, back pack.. Through mud, tree lines, up and over hills and mountains etc etc.

So its not fair to compare the two jobs.

Given the nature of a guards job I think to expect them to do all that you'd have to double their numbers & halve their workload.

Lastly, if your really concerned about the fitness profile of AGS or anything else you'd be best advised to lobby your local government TD and protest at the embargo on recruitment - talking from experience with the D.F. - when there's a recruitment embargo the age profile shoots up rapidly, with that you'll get more sickness & medical issues, moral will suffer - guards will be less motivated and criminals will be pissing themselves laughing all the way to the bank and home again with YOUR money

Ellis Dee

A lot of them in Portlaoise are fit enough. It's the least you'd expect considering how much time they spend playing golf out at the Heath.:rolleyes:

arybvtcw0eolkf

Ellis Dee wrote: »

A lot of them in Portlaoise are fit enough. It's the least you'd expect considering how much time they spend playing golf out at the Heath.:rolleyes:

Golf keeps people fit?..

Damn, gonna cast off the Judo jacket, feck the gym and jogging - and I'll buy a set of golf clubs :cool:

maddragon

There is talk of taking away the military service allowance portion of soldiers pay if they fail the fitness test. Also, for entrants to the DF since 2000 (I think), they have to have their medical and fitness test passed in order to extend in service from 9 to 12 years and also from 12 to 21 years. As Makikomi says, continued failure of the fitness test will have you medically boarded and discharged from the DF. Longer serving soldiers have a bit more leeway.

arybvtcw0eolkf

maddragon wrote: »

There is talk of taking away the military service allowance portion of soldiers pay if they fail the fitness test. Also, for entrants to the DF since 2000 (I think), they have to have their medical and fitness test passed in order to extend in service from 9 to 12 years and also from 12 to 21 years. As Makikomi says, continued failure of the fitness test will have you medically boarded and discharged from the DF. Longer serving soldiers have a bit more leeway.

Yup, thats an important inclusion.. We also undergo an annual medical and in order to pass that (important for extending your service, promotions, career courses, oversea's service etc) you must also have passed your fitness test.

Just thinking, the ladies really should be chucking themselves at us - such a fine, fitter body of men you won't find

i71jskz5xu42pb

People think the police need to be fit because they see cops chasing ne'er-do-wells on the telly.

In real life how often does a cop actually need to chase somebody?

If you really think cops are out there "chasing baddies" then being fit is not enough. They'd really need to be the fittest - we should be importing Kenyans for the force.

Corsendonk wrote: »

They be demanding Segways at the next Garda conference.

The cops in Dublin airport have them. I've never seen anything so ridiculous looking in all my life.

Fozzydog3

In real life how often does a cop actually need to chase somebody?




More often than banks get held up I'd presume , shall we dispose of the ERU ?

MagicSean

In all my time in uniform I have only ever had one criminal take chase yet I have been in loads of physical altercations. I think people have no clue what is involved in actual policing. If things get rough I'd rather have a twenty stone immovable object next to me than a scrawny guy who can run fast. Being thin is no use when you're trying to restrain a guy who's off his head.

EDIT: Sorry, make that two. I didn't bother chasing the other guy. Just waited outside his house for him. Same result.

LighterGuy

Generally, its ok for a gardai to gain weight after being in the job a good few years. Like say some 39yo gardai who is overweight but has been in the job 15 years... thats grand.

But some young bloke or girl, new in the job and overweight? Makes you think how they got the job knowing "fitness" is a required thing. Me thinks its the old "who you know" type of thing going on.

Handsome Bob

Jagle wrote: »

there is a fitness test to join the gardai tho after joing there isnt

i have a cousin who failed joining the gardai because he was such a fat bastard. and i mean huge, luckily mammy made a phone call to a local councilor, who i shall not name, got him a retest in a months, my cousin lost all the weight in the month, passed with flying colours and put it all back on again.

just saw him last night, HUGE

i do agree that gardai should have to pass a fitness test at least annually.

exceptions for age & office staff maybe

I find these two statements slightly conflicting.

sollar

Nothing funnier than a fat guard trying to run after some young yob on a saturday night.

policarp

Does'nt matter now .
Templemore is closed for business.

Aishae

chasing the baddies as it were - that may be rare but it DOES happen and as was pointed out - physical altercations happen more. people fighting the arresting officer etc. if they were heftily built but able to stand their ground then thats hardly a problem. but by the same note, if they were really scrawnily built they might have problems subduing folks or being taken seriously when arresting someone.
so perhaps its not so much physical fitness as how well people use what they have and how confident they are about it. a very confident but pint sized woman (for example) who knows how to twist the arms in the right way - can do as much as a bigger fella (who might just have to threaten to sit on someone, lol)

aligator_am

southsiderosie wrote: »

They should have to pass an annual fitness exam. If they failed, they would have 60 days probation. If they fail again, they are gone.

I think age and position (detective vs. foot patrol) can be taken into account (marginally) but I really really hate seeing fat, wheezing police officers - it does not inspire confidence.

Yeah, but will they be getting paid over(weight)time for that fitness test? and danger money too.

imagine if gardai were given one day a week for fitness training.........

seems fair, does it not? if you expect them to be fit enough and undergo fitness tests then time and equipment should be provided.

im sure no-one on boards would have any problem with the guards being paid to keep fit ....................

aligator_am

bubblypop wrote: »

imagine if gardai were given one day a week for fitness training.........

seems fair, does it not? if you expect them to be fit enough and undergo fitness tests then time and equipment should be provided.

im sure no-one on boards would have any problem with the guards being paid to keep fit ....................

Have seen a few (over the years) fit and good looking female gards, if your plan could get rid of the "their arses start at the bottom of their neck" syndrome from female gards then I'll sign up

shockwave

A lot of the army is just as bad, fat, middle aged and pot bellies.

God help us if we ever get invaded

Capt'n Midnight

If only they could put the mind of a cop in a never tiring body...

Where is Garda Frank Murphy ?

Jagle

LZ5by5 wrote: »

I find these two statements slightly conflicting.

thats fine, but he was massive, failed based on that, fasted and barely, and jogged his fat arse off to lose enough to just be able to joint he force, then put it all back on again, im sorry but whats so hard to understand haha.

Capt'n Midnight

Judge Frank Murphy may be taking it a bit too far.


I know there is a recruitment freeze but it could get out of hand

Keith186

They should sent the fat ones to a mini Garda prison in Templemore where they're locked up for 9 hours and spend the rest of the time in the yard training doing weights and cardio.
Fed healthy food only.

Proper criminals in jail should only be fed McDonald's to fatten them up and shouldn't be allowed do weights either.

That should even things up

southsiderosie

Margaret Petite Wall-to-wall wrote: »

Just thinking, the ladies really should be chucking themselves at us - such a fine, fitter body of men you won't find

LoL, the ex is ex-US Marine Corps/current cop. Nyom nyom.

aligator_am wrote: »

Yeah, but will they be getting paid over(weight)time for that fitness test? and danger money too.

they shouldn't. It's really one hour a day. If they are too lazy to run a few miles and lift a few weights, then they need to find a new line of work.

Kojak

policarp wrote: »

Does'nt matter now .
Templemore is closed for business.

No, they'll do the same thing as they did with the speed camera's - hire it out to private contractors.

discus

A light police officer may have the speed to chase down a man, but not the strength or mass to pin him down successfully.

A heavy police officer may not be able to chase down someone, but should he be involved in an altercation, he shall be able to use his mass as leverage, and will be able to keep control of a person.

There are plenty of examples in between too. Jesus, who would have guessed it; An Gardai Siochana are made up of a representative population. Until us Irish become triathelete competing, powerlifting ju-jitsu champions, we'll make do with the gardai we have.

They happen to do a fine job. After all, they keep catching criminals. All we need are some judges with the stomach to put offenders away

arybvtcw0eolkf

shockwave wrote: »

A lot of the army is just as bad, fat, middle aged and pot bellies.

God help us if we ever get invaded

You should read the thread, it's not that long or complicated.

Read posts 22, 25 & 26.

AeoNGriM

Seanbeag1 wrote: »

In all my time in uniform I have only ever had one criminal take chase yet I have been in loads of physical altercations. I think people have no clue what is involved in actual policing. If things get rough I'd rather have a twenty stone immovable object next to me than a scrawny guy who can run fast. Being thin is no use when you're trying to restrain a guy who's off his head.

EDIT: Sorry, make that two. I didn't bother chasing the other guy. Just waited outside his house for him. Same result.

Or.....OR, and I'm just throwing this out there mind you, we could combine the two in the large hadron collider and create some sort of super cop who would be able to run down suspects AND bate the sh!te out of them. No, nevermind, this idea is waaaaaay too far fetched to actually work :rolleyes:

SteoL

I once saw 2 gardai chasing some scummer down the canal (over by the Luas line - Blackhorse, Drimnagh etc etc). Both gardai were enormous. The scummer was actually able to take rest breaks where he'd stop and put his hands on his knees in order to catch his breath before legging it again.

It would be funny if it wasn't so serious.

charlemont

A funny one happened at Clonmel District Court years ago, A young fool was charged and brought in from Fethard and as the charges were been read out by the arresting Gardá, He came to the accused's reply to the charge which was "Im a fat bastard Gardá". Whole court laughed, The arresting Gardá was huge with a massive pot belly ..

df1985

My gym is attached to a large hotel that had hundreds of gardai from outside dublin staying there for the queens visit. The gym was very busy and some of them looked like professional athletes and bodybuilders-I was very impressed. thinking gardai these days are in good nick.

Walking through the hotel to the car park however........bar even busier, like a templemore reunion or a wedding. beer bellies galore.

Have to remember they work horrible shifts, sometimes relying on petrol station delis or other ****e during the night for grub. Theyre also normal guys/girls who like to drink like the rest of us when they have time off-They arent thinking about the odd 100m dash they might have to do now and then.

DenMan

df1985 wrote: »

My gym is attached to a large hotel that had hundreds of gardai from outside dublin staying there for the queens visit. The gym was very busy and some of them looked like professional athletes and bodybuilders-I was very impressed. thinking gardai these days are in good nick.

Walking through the hotel to the car park however........bar even busier, like a templemore reunion or a wedding. beer bellies galore.

Have to remember they work horrible shifts, sometimes relying on petrol station delis or other ****e during the night for grub. Theyre also normal guys/girls who like to drink like the rest of us when they have time off-They arent thinking about the odd 100m dash they might have to do now and then.

I'm sorry but honestly that sounds like a load of rubbish. There's nothing stopping them making their own lunches/dinners in advance and refrigerating them for the week. Relying on station deli's every day sounds like an excuse. It doesn't take much effort to put together a few days worth of food in advance.