Post reporters Julia Marsh and Jennifer Bain’s story about aಌ morbidly obese city cop suing the NYPD for making him sick shined a spotlight on the city’s failure to require officers to remain in good shape. Will the police un🎐ions allow reform?
Ex-cop Jose Vega, retired on a disability pension at age 43, is now suing the NYPD, saying job-related stress contributed to✤ his obesity, heart disease and unhealthy eating. Over 17 years on the job, Vega’s weight ballooned from 18𒅌0 pounds to nearly 400.
The city rejected his application for a three-quarters disability pension, which would’ve boosted his payments from $4,000 to $6,200 a month — but taxpayers are still shelling out for his half-pay r🌟etirement earlier than they otherwise would’ve had to.
Followup Post reports noted (with photographic evidence) that more than a few active cops have weig💟ht problems, with one veteran officer ca🃏lling the NYPD 🌟“the fattest police department in the country.”
City firefighters must pass a yearly physical-fitness test, but New York’s Finest are 🅠safe once they graduate from the Police Academy. Then-Commissioner Bill Bratton looked at imposing fitness exams back in 2015, b꧋ut the idea died once brass realized union contracts don’t allow it — and (presumably) feared labor leaders would demand major concessions in exchange.
But out-of-shape cops po🌳se risks to their fellow officers: How can your partner provide backup when he can’t make it up a few flights of stairs?
🍨Alternately, if commanders shift fat cops to easier duty, that means tougher assignments for the rest.
At least one union chief wants change: Sergeants Benevolent Association President Ed Mullins favors weight and ♍strength requirements as “vital to officer safety.”
To be fair, the NY𝔉PD has still made New York the safest large city in the country. But that doesn’t make this situation right — for the taxpayers or for the cops put at risk by t♊oo-hefty fellow officers.
City Hall could at least challenge the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association to⭕ allow a secret ballot of its memberജs on amending the contract to OK fitness tests.