Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-06
HEAVY POLICEMEN
BECOMING PASSE
New York Officers Follow
WhaIen Idea of Getting
Rid of Fat.
BY LEMUEL F. PARTON.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK. August 6.-Tightening
up of discipline and routine exercise are
working the surplus poundage off
American police forces. New York po-
licemen we're worried about runor
that the local department would install
"shimmy" machines similar to those
now in use in Philadelphia for reducing
to normal size the few gargantuan cops
who still project over the curb line.
They we're treasured today with the
news that Commissioner Whalen In
tends to keep them fit by gymnasium
and setting-up exercises. but will not
install the electrical wiggling machine
unless 1t becomes absolutely necessary.
However, the policemen must watch
their step-and their waistline.
The fat cop is becoming paSse all
over America. Philadelphia has been
the last stronghold of the elephantine
policemen. and now the machines
quite different from the late presiden-
tial electric horse. they are-shakine
Philadelphia force.
New York Methods.
The New York force has arrived at
its 1.-the and lissome state by less
strenuous but self-imposed methods. A
few years ago the ponderous comic sup
plement cop could be seen here at al
most any street corner. The picture
has changed. Only among desk ser
geants nearing approximation does one
find the triple chin and the Zeppelin
paunch. Men on the beat are trained
down to running and fighting form.
Police commissioners of recent years
have seen to that.
The change has been partly due to
the increased pressure of departmental
discipline. facing obvious requirements
for fitness, and partly owing to chang
ing conditions of daily and nightly en-
counters with gunner. Cur fighting
and automobiles are responsible for
this. The chase now is apt to be a So
yard sprint for an automobile, rather
than a logged pursuit through city
Stun. A good cop must be self
starter. quick on the getaway and the
short dash. If he missed the fugitive.
the chances are that his prey takes to
an automobile. and the cop must make
a quick dive into another car and give
chase. To do all this he must be close
rugged. and overweight counts heavily
against him.
It Is true, of course, that overweight
has always been a drawback in these
days of track meets through crooked
streets and over housetops, but the gen.
eral conditions of the chase have
changed. A quick pickup has become
extremely important, along with marks
manship, as the new and desperate type
OF gangster is gunman, and the in
slant Of rough milling is no place for
fat man. Then, again, the big cop
used to have another advantage which
he does not now enjoy. His bulk was
impressive in those innumerable forays
of gangland or in saloon brawls where
Drawn and bicepS mixed in handily
But in these shooting days this equip
ment Is less important, and the over
size cop goes the way of the battleship
with the arrival Of airplanes. Range
and mobility Is priceless asset in the
modern city fighting force.
Whalen Is Example.
Commissioner Whalen, 9 feet tall and
hard as nails, is the symbol and en-
bodiment of physical fitness. He has
lambasted the rank and file about such
gross attributes as untidiness and over
weight, and there is now a premium on
r-trigger condition. In spite Of
some rather naive performances and
statements Of police duty, he has won
the good graces of the cops by abating
the fines previously imposed for slight
derelictionS of duty. They are snap
ping into his regime handily, and so
far as police discipline is concerned the
commissioner has made good start.
The police have been provided with
comfortable Summer uniforms, and as