By Chief Michael A. Assad, Jr., MSCJ
Policing isn’t a spectator sport. It’s a physically demanding profession that requires officers to sprint, wrestle and sometimes carry people twice their size out of danger. A strong, well-conditioned officer is less likely to get injured, more likely to control a situation without excessive force and better equipped to protect the community.
“ Fitness isn’t vanity. It’s liability reduction. ”
ROI of reps
Some chiefs grumble, “We don’t pay cops to bench press.” But consider the costs of preventable injuries, overtime to cover sidelined officers and early retirements due to bad backs and knees.
A single injury can cost a department tens of thousands of dollars — not just in medical bills, but in overtime to cover lost shifts and soaring workers’ comp claims. Compare that to the cost of one hour of daily fitness, and the math becomes obvious.
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From donuts to dumbbells
Cops have taken enough jokes about coffee and donuts. Imagine instead the community seeing their local officers running drills, lifting weights or training in the gym. That’s not a bad look — that’s a billboard for professionalism and discipline.
“ Donuts don’t de-escalate. Cardio does. ”
Mental health has a spotter too
This isn’t just about biceps and bench presses. Fitness is proven to fight stress, anxiety, depression and burnout — the silent killers of this profession.
We all know that fitness:
🧠 Sharpens decision-making
😌 Reduces stress and anxiety
🚀 Increases confidence in crisis
🤝 Improves de-escalation skills
Exercise is therapy with a faster heartbeat. Officers who are encouraged to train on duty don’t just perform better physically; they make sharper decisions.
Lead by example
Culture starts at the top. Chiefs who dismiss on-duty workouts as wasted time are sending a message that officer wellness is optional. Chiefs who support it are saying the opposite: your health matters, and this department will invest in you. And let’s be honest — if the military has figured this out for decades, what’s stopping us?
“ The body is the one tool an officer can’t check back into the armory. ”
Final rep
Allowing officers to work out on duty isn’t about vanity or convenience. It’s about readiness, resilience and responsibility. We want our officers to study new case law and stay up to date with the latest trends; why wouldn’t we want them fit for duty? Chiefs who get it will build stronger officers, safer departments and healthier communities. Chiefs who don’t will be left holding the overtime slips when their workforce breaks down.
“ A fit cop isn’t a perk. A fit cop is public safety with muscle. ”
About the author
Michael A. Assad Jr., MSCJ, is police chief of the Rochester (Mass.) Police Department. He previously worked as a Detective Sergeant for the Mashpee Police Department on Cape Cod, where he supervised general detectives, task force detective and the court prosecutor. Chief Assad was also the Commander of the Community Service Unit (CSU), Bike Team, K9 Unit and Assistant Team Leader of Cape Cod SWAT’s Crisis Negotiator Team (CNT).
Chief Assad holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s degree in Police Administration and Operations. Chief Assad has also completed the FBI-LEEDA Trilogy and the Leaders Helping Leaders Network (LHLN) Trilogy.
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