The City’s Hefty Hazards: Overweight Public Servants
The counterterrorism unit of the NYPD had to eliminate an obstacle course because some cops couldn’t get over a 4-foot wall. (“Excessive Force,” Feb. 19)
I’ll bet they’d have no trouble if there was a box of Dunkin’ Donuts on the other side of the wall. I’m a 61-year-old woman, and I’m sure I could have completed that course. Krista Becker East Meadow
Prior to 1973, the NYPD required male applicants to be a minimum height of 5-foot-7 and proportional weight.
But then-Commissioner Donald Cawley announced to a fawning liberal media that a police candidacy no longer included a height requirement.
This notion has encouraged the infiltration of unfit candidates to enter the ranks, much to the peril of their colleagues. Patrick O’Connor The Bronx If the FDNY has em- ployees who cannot climb ladders and rescue people, it’s time to fire them, unless they have specific physical injuries due to on-the-job incidents and are expected to recover (“New York’s reclinest,” Feb. 18).
Why are the 1,100 firefighters and officers on light duty being given overtime when they cannot perform the tasks necessary for a fireman? The chiefs can hire chauffeurs for salaries a lot lower than these people are getting.
When you can no longer perform in the private sector, you either retire or you’re let go.
It’s time we started requiring the same of all public employees. Steve Becker East Meadow
I am just as openminded as the next guy when it comes to weighing the merits of exNYPD cop Jose Vega’s claim that his line of work contributed to his obesity and weight-related disability.
It might be charitable to say, but not every person responds to the same stressors in the same way. I believe the evidence in this case needs to be heard and examined. Aydin Torun Manhattan
I was appalled at The Post’s article targeting our police. Body-shaming with pictures of these officers is unacceptable. L. Cohen Wantagh