This Editorial is so true.....one sentence that jumps out is "IT IS A HONOR & A PRIVILEGE NOT A CIVIL RIGHT"....
QUOTE....EDITORIAL
Easier fitness tests for police recruits are no way to shore up the NYPD’s ranks
It is an honor and a privilege — not a civil right. The training is strenuous and requires complete dedication.
The people of the City of New York deserve nothing less than the best the department has to offer.
Part of that training is physical fitness. Graduates of the NYPD Police Academy should be in the best physical shape of their lives, and able to handle a variety of assignments.
Removing the qualifying run from the academy’s curriculum, no matter how well-intentioned, is wrong and dangerous to both the public and police officers.
Officers who are not in good shape physically are more likely to get injured and not be able to protect the public, use an inordinate amount of sick days, and more likely to have to retire early because of the physical demands of police work.
Police Commissioner Sewell is absolutely correct in her position of not compromising standards. You do not get diversity with lower standards, you get individuals who can be a liability. UNQUOTE.