Nov 4, 2009 5:52 pm US/Eastern
'Ray' Workouts Get City Police Fit To Fight Crime
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
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Baltimore Ravens' Ray Lewis is now teaming up with Baltimore's police department to turn the city's finest into its fittest.
CBS
Speed, endurance and strength win football games. Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis knows that.
Gigi Barnett reports he's now teaming up with Baltimore's police department to turn the city's finest into its fittest.
For one hour every Tuesday night, Baltimore City police officers are at the mercy of Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis.
Whether it be jump rope, push ups, sit ups, Lewis won't let up.
"You can't get a better inspiration than Ray Lewis. He's out there and pushing you every minute of every step. And you hear him at the end of every workout, 'finish it, finish it,'" said Sgt. Dennis Raferty.
It's this kind of action on the field that qualifies Lewis to whip city officers in shape.
He's the department's newest trainer, and starting a workout plan with officers was Lewis' idea.
"It's a great opportunity for me to come out and share mind, body and spirit with people. It's kind of how I was created," said Lewis.
In a matter of weeks, officers are feeling the pain.
"Grueling. It was very competitive and challenging. But just after four weeks, you definitely see results," said Deputy Maj. Sabrina Tapp-Harper.
Since training with Lewis, Sgt. Raferty is seeing changes.
"I might get three or four times of a jump in, and now I"m getting to four and five, and that simple jumping rope is a hit," said Raferty.
The police department doesn't require officers to maintain a certain fitness level, so the Ray Workouts are completely voluntary.
But the payoff comes when officers hit the streets.
"These are things we teach in the police academy, but we get caught up in the daily crime fight and our lives and it's not something we continue. But Ray teaches it's not just a physical workout, it's a mental workout," said Commissioner Fred Bealefeld. "That great fitness and mental attitude transcends out into the street."
Baltimore County Police are focusing on fitness, too. The police department there just started a volunteer fitness program for its officers. The first workout begins Thursday.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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