Being physically and mentally ready to take immediate action during an emergency is a critical part of the job for many police officers.
But long, uneventful shifts on patrol; working odd hours that disrupt sleep and meal routines; and the everyday stress that comes with police work can make maintaining the necessary level of fitness a challenge.
To help the 40 officers in the Northern Regional Police Department meet the physical demands of their job, $50,000 worth of fitness equipment was donated by the owner of a national fitness company who has ties to the Pittsburgh area.
Jack Daly, a native of Dormont and owner of TRX Training marked National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day on Jan. 9 by outfitting the department with a complete fitness system that was set up in a section of the public safety garage.
Daly’s donation was made in conjunction with Performance Inspired, a nutrition company based in Cranberry that is owned by Tom Dowd and actor Mark Wahlberg.
Daly said company officials contemplated postponing Monday’s presentation out of respect for slain Brackenridge police Chief Justin McIntyre.
“We’re very mindful of what’s happened here locally in the past week, it’s truly heartbreaking and in many ways reminds us of how important your work is,” he told a group of officers.
Daly said company officials left the decision on whether to proceed with the presentation to Northern Regional Police Chief John Sicilia.
“The chief told me we should follow through because sometimes it helps when you can do some good to counteract the bad that has happened,” Daly said.
Sicilia said he gave the decision great thought before concluding that it could serve as a morale booster for people in law enforcement throughout the region.
“I really appreciate your acknowledgement of the tough time we are all going through; Chief McIntire made the ultimate sacrifice,” Sicilia said.
“Sometimes we forget that we are appreciated by our business leaders and our community,” he said. “I think this is a good reminder for all our officers that you are thinking about us, and we appreciate that.”
Whalberg, who is filming in Atlanta, apologized for not being at the presentation.
“I wish I was there,” he said by telephone.
The actor joked with the officers briefly before urging them to “stay safe.”
“I hope to see you guys in person,” he said. “God bless you.”
Daly noted during the presentation that TRX’s founder, Randy Hetrick, is a former Navy Seal squadron commander who developed the suspension training system by incorporating straps he found on ships so team members could work out when there was no gym available.
“We recognize that, like the Navy Seals, you have chosen a field in which you take great risks on behalf of all of us,” he said. “Donating this equipment is a small way to recognize the work that you all do.”
Sicilia said he encourages his officers to take fitness seriously.
“We try to have a culture here of being fit,” he said. “It helps an officer present well and carry themselves better.”
Having the opportunity to workout before or after a shift or even during lunch breaks also can help officers make workouts a part of their routine “even when life happens” and they are too busy with family and other responsibilities while off work.
A high fitness level can help police officers avoid some of the injuries common to law enforcement, such as pulled muscles and ligaments or back problems.
Working at an accident or fire scene sometimes require physical exertion, and officers never know when they might have to sprint after or wrestle with an uncooperative suspect.
“The better your physical condition is, the better your chances of avoiding injuries in those situations,” Sicilia said.
The in-house gym also will also allow officers to work out when getting to a gym is difficult or impossible.
“They’re working 12 hour shifts and different hours, so sometimes even if they want to get a workout in the gym isn’t open,” he said. “We truly appreciate having this fitness room on-site, which also gives our officers the opportunity to workout with their colleagues, which helps with team building.”
Tony LaRussa is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tony by email at tlarussa@triblive.com or via Twitter .