City, police are here to help in heat

As the heat wave continues, I just wanted to let you know that police are here to help in events like this. If you are concerned about a friend, neighbor or relative without access to air conditioning who you have been unable to reach, especially an elderly one, call 911, and we can check on their welfare.

The City also announced today that residents seeking relief from the heat can call the City’s 3-1-1 Action Center to request transportation to one of the City-provided cooling centers. The 3-1-1 Action Center can be reached by dialing 311 or 816-513-1313. This transportation service is provided by Kansas City Fire Department personnel.

Here's a complete list of Kansas City's cooling centers. If you're outside of Kansas City, Mo., call United Way by dialing 211 or 816-474-5112 for a complete list of community centers and hours of operation.

In their wool-blend uniforms and bullet-resistant vests, police are struggling through the heat, as well. KMBZ has an interesting piece on how our helicopter officers are faring. (Our helicopters don't have air conditioning.) We're giving our officers the same advice that everyone should heed in these extreme temperatures: don't overdo it, keep hydrated, and stay in a cool place as much as possible.  

We also all know how dangerous this kind of heat can be for any person or animal left in a car. In case you were worried, all cars assigned to our Canine Section are equipped with "hot dog" systems to keep the dogs inside cool while their officer partners are out of the vehicle.

Kansas City residents always step up in times of crisis, and we ask that you do the same during this deadly heat wave (the Jackson County Health Department has reported 10 heat-related deaths so far this year). Keep an eye on your frail friends and family during this time, and if you or someone you know needs a break from the heat, get to a cooling center.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org.

KCPD emphasizes employee health and wellness

At the Kansas City Police Department, we put a lot of emphasis on the health and wellness of our employees – law enforcement and civilian alike. Good health not only makes everyone more fit for duty but also increases productivity, reduces sick leave usage and decreases insurance costs.

We implemented a wellness program, Shield of Health, in spring 2010 with health fairs around the department. Almost half of the department’s 2,000 members participated and had screenings for height/weight/body fat measurements, a finger stick for blood sugars and cholesterol, and a blood pressure check.

Today, 93 department members are doing their post screenings for the “A Slimmer You” program. Some participants lost more than 25 pounds participating in this 10-week program. Our second annual Walk at Lunch Day will be April 27, and last year we sponsored two 50/100/150-mile challenges, asking our employees log this many miles over a period of weeks. A team of five KCPD members even competed in Ingram’s Fittest Companies Challenge and won the award for one of the most  “Most Improved Teams.” 

Nearly every KCPD station and building has a workout room, much of it with new equipment purchased through the wellness program. Webinars and lunch-and-learns have taught our department members about everything from workstation ergonomics to nutrition optimization. A wellness committee composed of department members plans these events and has several more in store in upcoming months, including another health fair, a kickball league and walking program.

Many department members also participate in CrossFit, an intensive physical fitness and nutrition program. You can even see our daily workouts on our web site. Also, our aerobics program offers department members days off for running or speed-walking a certain distance or completing an obstacle course in a certain time period (times vary by age).

We do all of these things to serve the public in the best way possible. Fit officers can better catch up with bad guys. Lower health insurance premiums save taxpayer dollars. And we do this because we care about our employees and want them to feel as good as they possibly can.



Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org.