Bellevue police officer's firing overturned (Caption this picture!)

Omaha World-Herald ^ | March 17, 2009 | Leia Baez

[Parody]

A former Bellevue police officer fired for being overweight could be back patrolling the streets in a few months.

Christopher Parent The Nebraska Court of Appeals, in an opinion released Tuesday, reversed the Bellevue Civil Service Commission’s decision upholding the termination of Christopher D. Parent.

Parent, 52, had been a member of the Police Department for more than 25 years, mostly as a detective, but had been reassigned to road patrol. His firing stemmed from his performance during an Aug. 28 combat shooting exercise, which prompted fellow officers to report him to the command staff.

Parent was fired in 2007, after an internal investigation determined that he had not maintained a “high level of physical, mental and emotional conditioning.”

Bellevue Police Lt. Mark Elbert has said Parent, whose 2005-issued Nebraska driver’s license listed him at 5-foot-9 and 300 pounds, was fired under a policy that requires officers to be physically fit.

The court’s opinion states that under the Bellevue Police Department policy used to justify Parent’s firing, Parent satisfied the only objective standard imposed.

[Parody]

"My name is Matt Foley, and I am a motivational speaker!"

[randomhero97]

He duty is to stake out by the river in a van.

[randomhero97]

His duty is to stake out by the river in a van.

[mnehring]

Stick him on foot patrol. Make him walk himself back into shape.

[pillut48]

Seriously, what would happen if this guy had to get in a foot chase with a perp and had a heart attack on the street?

Political correctness jumped the shark a looooooooong time ago, but this is ridiculous! Desk duty I can see, but on the streets? The bad guys must be cracking up!

[IrishPennant]

[cripplecreek]

I’d put him back on the street alright, walking a beat.

[shelterguy]

He weighs 3-400 pounds yet still bought a suit five sizes too large???? Does he plan on growing in to it?

[randomhero97]

Lulz

[bolobaby]

He’ll be back on the street as soon as he comes off weight related disability pay.

[thefactor]

yeah, this is the guy i want next to me when things go bad.

i wonder why he was sent back to patrol.

[Big Guy and Rusty 99]

excuse me mom & dad my eyes don’t work so well . . . is that william shakespeare?

[rednesss]

I’m not fat, I’m big boned.

[randomhero97]

Well, he probably shops in the big & tall section. He’s only 5’9” so he’s just missing the tall part.

[SeaHawkFan]

Parent was fired in 2007, after an internal investigation determined that he had not maintained a “high level of physical, mental and emotional conditioning.”

Based on this standard, I suspect there are a lot of officers who should also be fired even if they aren't as obese as this guy.

I suspect his reassignment to road patrol was a pretext to get rid of him. 5'9" and 300#s is way to much for a patrol officer, but shouldn't keep him from performing as a detective.

[2harddrive]

Centainly that is a weighty matter now off his mind!

[rednesss]

Tip top shape.

[2harddrive]

Perhaps he could be Director of Midnight Basketball for the Hussein regime?

[SeaHawkFan]

Maybe so they could try and get rid of him. It doesn’t seem to have worked too well.

[rednesss]

"more than 25 years, mostly as a detective, but had been reassigned to road patrol"

In other words he realllllllllllly screwed the pooch on something. Me wonders what that was?????

[Yorlik803]

He is sooooooooo fat..he jumped in the air and got stuck.
He is sooooooooo fat, when he goes to church, he sits next to everybody.

[ErnBatavia]

He looks a lot like this willowy former golfer...

[cripplecreek]

He so fat, he cut hisself and bacon grease be comin out.

[squidward]

As a police officer myself I find that picture both upsetting and absolutely hilarious. By the way, I am 6’ 230 and work out regularly if anyone is wondering.

[ThisLittleLightofMine]

He should just move to Texas and he would fit right in.

[BossLady]

Rodney Dangerfield - 'Tall & Fat'

'Husky, Stout, Extra Stout and the New Hindenberg Line...'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iX055IcEECQ

[Bob]

I’m not fat, I’m big boned.

It's a good thing that he's got such big bones, especially considering all that weight they have to carry around. :=)

[az.b1bbomberfxr]

He’s soooooo Fat, he needs a boomerang to put his belt on!!

[Yorlik803]

He is soooooooo fat...he put his gunbelt on with a boomarang.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

They can use him for roadblocks!

[papasmurf]

He didn’t get that fat overnight, and he’s been with them for over 25 years.

All police depts have a fitness policy, yet how many time do we see a huge police officer? I know of one personally, bigger than this guy.

So, something smells like BS to me, in this case.

I’m not qualified to say whether he is fit enough to perform his duties, but, if not, maybe they should transfer him to desk duty and put him on a fitness program.

[newfreep]

Lighten up, people. Remember the camera always adds an extra 10 lbs.

[newfreep]

When he sits around the house, he sits AROUND the house.

[rabidralph]

Hey, cops’ gotta eat!

[Eaker]

Tip top shape.

Hey, round is a shape!

[TurtleUp]

As a police officer myself I find that picture both upsetting and absolutely hilarious. By the way, I am 6’ 230 and work out regularly if anyone is wondering.

I'm guessing he lifts something different from what you lift, but I'll bet he does a whole lot of reps, several times a day:

[Yorlik803]

So, how may were on him, a hundred?

[PzLdr]

At least all the Nebraska “Dunkin’ Donuts” shops will be safe.t

[irishtenor]

No, this is the guy I want IN FRONT of me in a shoot-out.

[DieNarrin]

He weighs 3-400 pounds yet still bought a suit five sizes too large???? Does he plan on growing in to it?

I am ashamed to say I was thinking the same thing

[pillut48]

Hey, hey! To whom are you referring? Texans in general, or LEOs??

[sniper63]

"Now that I have my job back it's time to get some donuts."

[sniper63]

Hide behind him....

[Towed_Jumper]

I think I got pulled over for a traffic stop by this cop. I tried to get around to his good side, but I ran out of gas.

[peggybac]

OMG, where did you find that picture?????????

[mad_as_he$$]

Hey you could just step behind him!!!

[rednesss]

http://fatcop.10-8.org/

[redstates4ever]

LMAO

[GoldMan]