To Protect and Serve

A police chief in Florida was forced to resign after his memo to his staff requesting that they get in better shape hurt some of his officers’ feelings. 'Jelly bellies' memo costs police chief his job

WINTER HAVEN, Florida (AP) -- Police Chief Paul Goward was tired of looking around his department and seeing blubber hanging over the belts of some of his officers. So he sent out a memo exhorting the "jelly bellies" to shape up.

In the end, the department lost 190 pounds -- all of them belonging to Goward. He was forced out as chief because some of his officers took offense at the memo.

The October 11 memo bruised feelings on the 80-member force, drew at least one anonymous letter of complaint from officers about the chief's management style and made his department the butt of jokes about fat cops and doughnuts. (Watch what people who depend on cops to protect them said about the memo -- 1:48)

"If they got their feelings hurt to the extent of `Do something about it,' then I did what I was intending to do," said an unapologetic Goward, a trim 6-footer who was forced to resign his $92,000-a-year post last week.

Some of the chief's defenders said his ouster was a big overreaction.
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I’m sure local gang leaders will stand in solidarity with their uniformed brethren and will be sending the officers a year’s supply of Kripsy Kremes in support of their position. No officer of the law should ever have to be in shape to chase down criminals and protect the citizenry.