Promote healthy police

Chicago Tribune * 5:09 p.m. CDT, September 19, 2011

We care about our police officers. Their courageous service keeps our community safe and protects us from crime. Police officers are key to the health of Chicago. While they are busy looking after us, the stresses of their profession often put their personal health at risk. There is now an opportunity to change that.

That is why we urge the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) to support and participate in Mayor Emanuel’s Wellness Plan for city employees.

We understand that police officers perform a stressful job that contributes to a higher than average risk of a health problems, including premature heart disease and stroke. It is this increased risk that makes police participation in a wellness plan so essential.

Mayor Emanuel's Wellness Plan for city employees addresses two problems: the poor health of Chicagoans (evidenced by high rates of heart disease, stroke and obesity) and spiraling health care costs. The Plan would offer city employees and their families health screening and wellness training, the tools needed to lose weight and manage conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes. The Wellness Plan also encourages and rewards increasing exercise and smoking cessation. There is no downside to these benefits unless one opts out of the opportunity to improve one's health.

At the American Heart Association, we support the goals outlined in the Wellness Plan. Knowing your risk factors makes a difference!

In a September 15th Sun-Times article, Mark Shields, FOP President, admitted that while his membership is not the healthiest, with officers that are overweight, have high blood pressure and more diabetes than the average citizen, he is reluctant to support the Plan. Apparently, his position is that the plan exposes his members to potential financial burden (possibly because of disease detection or perhaps because of surcharges for nonparticipation).

That logic seems flawed. The health risk of being a police officer should be a reason for the police union to endorse this plan. Mr. Shields is focusing on the "stick" in the Emanuel plan, not the carrot. The carrot is good health and longer life; the stick only applies to non-participating employees, who would be subject to a monthly surcharge ($50-$100/family). Rather than focusing on the hypothetical risk of increased health insurance premiums because diseases have been detected, Mr. Shields should boldly embrace this opportunity to improve the health of Chicago's finest.

-- Stephen L. Archer, President of the Board of the American Heart Association, Chicago

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