Fitness training offered to police
CRANBERRY TWP — Township police officers Tuesday welcomed a new fitness training program created by a former Pittsburgh Steeler.
The fitness program at E.T.H.I.C. Training, a facility owned and operated by former NFL tight end Darnell Dinkins and his wife, Melyssa, aims to increase physical fitness and overall wellness for police officers.
E.T.H.I.C. stands for “Effort, Toughness, Heart, Intensity, Commitment.”
“This is a blessing to be a part of this,” said Darnell Dinkins, a Pittsburgh native. “This will be really good for these cops as they move on.”
The voluntary program creates individualized activities for officers to enhance their physical fitness and overall wellness.
Program objectives include improved health, injury reduction and job readiness. Incentives, including service awards and time off, are given to officers achieving the program goals.
Dinkins and his wife have operated E.T.H.I.C. Training in the township for about a year.
Dinkins played in the NFL for eight seasons with multiple teams, including the Steelers, the New York Giants, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns and New Orleans Saints.
He was part of the Saints' roster during the team's Super Bowl-winning season in 2009-10.
Dinkins said the program's fitness part will focus on calisthenics to strengthen officers' hips, thighs and cores.
“Police officers have changing dynamics,” Dinkins said. “You have to be able to move. You need to always be prepared.”
Township Police Chief Kevin Meyer said he was expecting about 50 percent of the police force to be involved in the program. However, about 90 percent expressed interest.
“Fitness to be a part of their careers,” he said. “We're extremely excited. We have looked at programs like this for a number of years, but didn't have the pieces.”
Meyer said the wellness component also will be important to the program.“That's going to require the guys in order to get to those incentives to participate in a couple of wellness, nutrition, weight loss or smoking cessation programs,” he said.Officers will take a fitness test in April, which will be overseen by E.T.H.I.C. trainers.“You're going to be throwing up, but you're going to have fun,” Dinkins said to officers. “We're going to be having fun and do crazy stuff like flipping tires.”Township supervisors Chairman Dick Hadley said the program is “what we're all about as a community.”“This is a very unique and innovative program,” Hadley said. “It grew out of the township's commitment for a healthy, high-quality work environment.”The township formed private sector partnerships with Westinghouse, Alcoa and Mine Safety Appliances and others to achieve such goals.
