Police Chief Fired Over 'Jelly Bellies' Memo
He Exhorted 80 Fellow Officers to Get in Shape
By TRAVIS REED, AP
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (Nov. 2) - Police Chief Paul Goward was tired of looking around his department and seeing blubber hanging over the belts of some of his officers. So he sent out a memo exhorting the "jelly bellies" to shape up.
The Oct. 11 memo 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.
Your thoughts.
2006-11-01 19:51:18 · 7 answers · asked by marnefirstinfantry 5 in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
I really think they did. He was trying to get is men in shape so that when they are trying to chase down a criminal they do not fall dead of heart attack or something. But with that said I am sure that was a better way of doing. Maybe they could have like put some money in a pot and who every lost the most won the money. He need to be tactful about it not rude and crude.
2006-11-01 20:37:07 · answer #1 · answered by aprils242001 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i have continually idea that if you're less than 18 the police do not have a correct to seek your own home without you or your father and mom permission. So who cares what you idea? Your being less than 18 makes no distinction.
2016-12-05 11:10:39 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
strange indeed, he would have been given a medal if he had said something detrimental about a officer who smoked.such as shortness of breath if he needed to chase someone , or it was a bad image for the force to exhibit, but, since we have so many Crisco butts in power he committed the ultimate crime,
2006-11-01 20:05:05 · answer #3 · answered by jim ex marine offi, 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
You don't know what was in his personnel record. When I hear a cop was fired, someone took action against an upcoming problem. Don't we wish it was always like that, rather than covering for them...
2006-11-01 23:33:21 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds reasonable. Must have been too blunt.
2006-11-01 19:56:33 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
sounds good to me
2006-11-01 21:46:13 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think he was just doing his job....
2006-11-01 20:19:21 · answer #7 · answered by MC 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋