Police Chief to Cops: Get in Shape! - City to Chief: You're Fired!
Police Chief Paul Goward thought some of the cops on his police force were putting on a bit too much girth. So he sent out a memo telling the ''jelly bellies" to shape up. In the end, the department lost 190 pounds - all of them belonging to the Chief. He was forced out as chief because some of his officers took offense at the memo.The Oct. 11 memo reportedly bruised feelings on the 80-member force, drew at least one anonymous letter of complaint from officers about the chief's management style and made his department the butt of jokes about fat cops and doughnuts. In his memo, titled ''Are You a Jelly Belly," the chief never singled anyone out, and apart from the title, didn't call anyone names. Instead, he provided a list of 10 reasons police officers should be in shape. He said overweight police poorly represent the profession, poop out when chasing suspects and might have to resort to ''a higher level of force" if a criminal got the upper hand in a fight. He said out-of-shape cops are a liability to the city and their families.
Acting on anonymous complaint letters, the City Manager ousted the Chief, making the citizens of Winter Haven, Fla. safe once again for portly police.
Source: Boston HeraldTechnorati Tags:employmentlaw