Most people would agree that a police officer’s job is one that comes with a lot of risks.

In a line of work where dealing with criminals is a daily task, there’s always the potential for injury — or worse. And stress stemming from constantly being ready for the next arrest, the next traffic stop, the next warrant to be served can build up over time.

But there are other, less obvious points of working in law enforcement that pose risks to officers’ well-being — like long hours seated at the wheel of a patrol vehicle and powering through night shifts with meals from whatever fast food joint or gas station happens to be open.

At the Zachary Police Department, training coordinator Lt. Jordan Logan recognized the toll being taken on his fellow officers.

He saw the department’s recent move to its new headquarters — which includes an on-site gym — as the perfect opportunity to launch an officer wellness program. With help from Baton Rouge General Medical Center, Zachary officers are now getting lessons on topics like nutrition, physical fitness, injury prevention and stress management.

“Our goal is to have a healthier department,” Logan said.

Need for program

Logan knew who to call for help with getting the wellness initiative off the ground: Kyle Callihan, a retired Baton Rouge police officer who now is a health and performance program adviser at Baton Rouge General. Callihan and his colleagues lead educational outreach programs for law enforcement agencies in the area.

The hour-and-a-half wellness lessons are being built in to Zachary officers’ routine in-service trainings, which are designed to sharpen job-related skills like using firearms and handcuffs. Logan hopes to expand the program later.

Logan and Callihan know firsthand how being a police officer can affect the body.

Like many officers, Logan has back pain from years of sitting in a car and wearing a heavy duty belt. Another common issue in law enforcement is cardiac problems, including heart attacks, he said.

Callihan, who spent 25 years at BRPD, said officers sometimes are told that health struggles are normal, something to be expected.

“You get tired of the answer is, ‘Oh, that’s just part of the job. It goes with it,’” Callihan said. “You get tired of that.”

Looking at police officers as regular people with complex lives is important, he said. They’re not superhumans. They still need to consume healthful foods, get enough sleep, exercise regularly and be able to manage stressors — including personal factors like marriage problems.

“How their personal lives are translates into the performance they do as a cop,” he said.

He knows it can be a challenge, though, to accomplish those things alongside the unique demands of working in law enforcement. When he talks to officers, Callihan frames health as part of their training to get better at their jobs.

Exercising and eating well, for example, not only promote physical fitness.

“It’s a way to unload some of the mental and physical stress you have,” Callihan said. “If you’re physically fit, you handle stress better.”

He believes wellness efforts like the one in Zachary can help departments combat recruitment and retention issues, too.

Unique needs in law enforcement

On a recent Wednesday afternoon during one of the training sessions, a group of police officers took off their shoes and walked onto soft mats in the department’s gym. They had just finished listening to a lesson on preparing nutritious snacks and meals, and now, it was time for a foam rolling session.

Derek Léger, a lead health and performance coach with Baton Rouge General, directed each officer to a foam roller and demonstrated ways to relieve muscle tension.

Exercises like this are especially important for police officers, who tend to struggle with mobility because of repetitive movements required by their jobs, said Allison Robinson, a Baton Rouge General fitness supervisor.

“There’s movements that are consistent with what they do that cause chronic pain,” Robinson said. “I know that every single officer in their unit has to turn to the right to type on their computer. I know that every single one of them plant with their left foot when they come out of the unit in a fast pace.”

An athletic trainer by training, Robinson said working with the police is different from other groups. Most agencies have wide range of demographics and training needs.

“You will have somebody go through an academy who is 18, in the best shape of their life, who just won accolades the state track meet and now he’s training to be an officer,” she said. “And you’re also going to have a female who has had three kids, served in the military and comes to you after having four different surgeries because they’ve been wounded in the line of service. And they’re training to do the exact same job. They have the exact same expectations, but physically, they’re completely different individuals.”

There’s also a lot of variation within law enforcement when it comes to experience with exercise. For those who haven’t spent a lot of time in the gym, it can be intimidating to start working out.

She hopes Zachary officers will take advantage of the gym in the department’s new headquarters.

“You don’t have to worry about people at the gym judging you,” she said. “You don’t have to worry about showing up on the rack next to the person you just pulled over. You have a safe space.”

‘Keeping everybody well rounded’

Logan is optimistic that the wellness program will benefit officers now and in the future.

“It’s making sure our officers are taking care of themselves and we provide that to them so when they’re close to retirement, they’re not having back issues, health issues,” he said. “We’re focusing on the mind, body and spiritual aspects of our jobs — keeping everybody well rounded.”

Robinson applauded the department’s efforts. She believes that, as officers make improvements to their health, they’ll become even better public servants.

“They’re our protectors, and it’s important that the community understands they take it seriously,” she said. “They serve and protect the community, and we want them to serve and protect themselves.”