Winnipeg police want gym time

40-minute workouts during shifts would help officers keep pace with criminals: Union

Winnipeg's police union is pressing the city to pay officers for 40 minutes of gym time to help them keep up with a fitter class of criminals.

Police have noticed many prisoners do nothing but train for three or four hours every day while in jail, said Mike Sutherland, president of the Winnipeg Police Association.

Many officers work out on their own time to prepare to handle these well-muscled criminals, said Sutherland.

While the city provides space for a gym, officers pay for their own equipment through union dues, said Sutherland. To encourage more officers to get fit, the city should pay for work out time during their shifts, just like in Calgary, which pays police officers to work out one hour for every 12-hour shift, he said.

While 40 minutes would give officers a good workout, Sutherland is proposing the city give officers 20 or 30 minutes of paid time and the rest will be unpaid time.

The workouts could be staggered so there would always be enough patrol officers on the street, he said.

On-duty workouts could also help reduce injuries and sick leave, said Sutherland.

Latest stories