The Ridgeland Police Department’s Wellness Center has made a big impact on the health of police officers since opening in January of 2020.
Police Chief John Neal said when the department received the Bluecross Blueshield Healthy Heros Grant, they immediately knew what they wanted to use it for: a gym. It had been 15 years since the police department had an in-house gym after the original one was converted to office space due to growth in the department. Neal wanted officers to know that their mental well-being and their physical well-being was a top priority to him and the administration.
“We wanted to bring something like that back on site because officer wellness is a huge issue right now with police departments across the country and something that is certainly in police administrators’ minds,” Neal said. “Everybody knows if you spend time in a gym, keep your cardio in good shape and keep your strength up, it also makes you think clearer and just have a healthier mind.”
With the grant money and donated services from White Construction, the Wellness Center was built and equipped with workout equipment and opened at the beginning of 2020. Several months ago, the Madison County District Attorney’s Office made a $5,000 donation for additional equipment requested by officers to be provided for the center. Neal said this facility has made a big impact on his department and the officers.
“In my opinion, it certainly has made a big impact,” Neal said. “The officers see the commitment from the city administration and from the department’s administration in their physical wellbeing and what we are willing to contribute to them if they’ll take advantage of it.”
Neal said many have taken advantage of the opportunity to work out at the facility. He said it has become so convenient for officers to take 15 steps out the back door of the office and be able to work out after their shift that it has taken away excuses.
“We have seen an increase in the number of employees who are focusing more on their physical wellbeing,” Neal said. “Those that you would normally see around the building that weren’t in the best of shape, you look at them a couple months later and they’ve lost 10 or 15 pounds. They’ve put on a little bit of muscle mass or have a bit more pep in their step. I’m asking them ‘What’s changed about you?’ and it’s frequently we hear ‘Well, I’m using the gym more.’”
One of these officers is Jokabi Jenkins. Jenkins said he gained a significant amount of weight during the COVID-19 lockdown last spring. One day, his wife took a picture while Jenkins and his son were playing basketball, and he didn’t like what he saw in the picture.
“I looked at that picture, and I said ‘Hey baby, we are going to eat what we want this weekend because next week we are going to start something different,’” Jenkins said.
At the end of May 2020, he started working out everyday in the Wellness Center and changing his eating habits. He took his lunch break at the end of each shift to workout faithfully and started to notice a difference.
“I saw a change in my body,” Jenkins said. “It made me a much healthier person.”
He said not only has he seen a change in his body, but it also makes his job easier. He said the belts officers wear around their waist are heavy with all the equipment attached, but it is even harder to do your job carrying an extra 30 to 40 pounds. He said carrying that extra weight makes one get tired faster, and now he doesn’t have to deal with that while on the job.
“You have to be physically fit for this job,” Jenkins said. “You don’t have to be an athlete, but you have to be physically fit.”
Jenkins said officers will sometimes die on the job due to their own health issues.
“Some police officers just die chasing people and have a heart attack,” Jenkins said. “All this stuff comes along with weight. If you can drop weight, get on the treadmill to get your lungs together and get your body in shape, it most definitely helps on the job. It has helped me tremendously.”
Neal said he doesn’t ever want officers to get in any physical encounter while out on the street, however, having officers in better shape makes these encounters safer for all parties involved.
“By having these officers in a better physical shape, they are able to gain control of situations quicker and with less use of force than if they weren’t in good shape,” Jenkins said. “Anytime we can stay lower on the use of force then the better off for the officers and the better off for the violators too.”
The Wellness Center is also being used as a recruiting tool for the police department, Neal said.
It allows officers to workout in a gym that only their department uses for free, and Neal said this has improved both the physical and mental wellbeing of officers in his department.
