Page 56 - November2018

A worace woro i he h isric
■ BY ERIKA WURST
It’s not easy finding time to work out. It’s not easy finding time to eat right. As a po- lice officer, it’s not easy to find much time for yourself, but 6th District Youth Services Coordinator Dorothy Leaks is hoping to change that.
“I started hearing a lot of officers say they need to be working out, but they don’t want to do it by themselves,” Leaks said. “I said, ‘OK, let’s try something different. Let’s offer a cardio dance fitness class for the officers to come in, work off a few inches, have some fun and camaraderie with each other.’”
So that’s exactly what Leaks did. Every Tuesday and Wednesday from 3 to 4:30 p.m., officers from across the Chicago Po- lice Department are invited to the district’s community room for some fun fitness.
On any given day, between six and 12 officers participate in the class, which con- sists of a warmup, cooldown and cardio dance fitness video to get hearts pumping. Anyone is invited to attend the class. Par- ticipants are asked to bring a yoga mat and hand weights.
“Women prefer to work out in a group setting,” she said. “I hear them say all the
time that they want to go to the gym but don’t want to go alone. I pay attention to that. I like to work out, too, but I haven’t been doing it. I figured I’d take this oppor- tunity and see what happens.”
And the class isn’t just for women.
Sergeant Jeff West has kicked up his heels and cardio-danced his way to a healthier lifestyle with no regrets.
“For the guys, they’re a little shy about doing it. Most would prefer to lift weights,” West said. “But I’ve done the class and ap- preciate the low-impact workout. We get to goof around and have fun.”
West said it’s important for his district to raise its officers up and listen to their wants and needs.
“Community policing is not just dealing with residents. We have to have concern for our fellow officers,” West said. “This shows that it’s important that we care not just for the community, but for our officers’ well-being. Fitness is a big part of that. Eat- ing a healthy diet is hard when you’re work- ing these shifts.”
Leaks said it is her hope that the class expands and really catches on. She’s invit- ed anyone who has exercises they want to implement to come and lead the class once the cardio dance video is completed.
From left to right: Vonthea Collier, Officer Ra- sah Daily, Dorothy Leaks and Officer Monica Hughes-Cochran
“I hope that it expands, and with that ex- pansion, maybe we can take the class from district to district,” Leaks said. “It’s a lot of fun. We’re working out, we’re sweating, we’re laughing, and we’re enjoying each other’s company, having fun and building relationships with each other.”
For West, the class is important because it’s a way to combat stress and build a healthier lifestyle.
“Police oftentimes deal with a high level of stress,” he said. “Whether you’re on the streets or working inside, maintaining a certain fitness level helps reduce stress and is just good for you all around.”
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CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ NOVEMBER 2018 55
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