POLICE SHED DOUGHNUT IMAGE AND POUNDS MIAMI TEAM JUDGED TO BE THE LEANEST

South Florida police officers recently weighed in and a team from the Miami Police Department was pronounced the leanest in the 911 Fitness competition, part of a campaign aimed at helping police officers become and stay physically fit.

The city's so-called Blue Monsters team and 11 other teams were challenged by Miami Detective Jim Sayih to lose fat and increase their lean muscle tissue during a 12-week period. The winning team got a $2,000 check from 911 Fitness.

``Like in every line of work, some people are motivated and some are not. In our line of work, I think it is important to be physically fit,'' said Miami Police Detective Peter Pidermann. Injuries from a car accident earlier this year forced him to limit his physical activity, participate in physical therapy and pull office duty for two months.

Pidermann said he gained weight after the February accident. But during the 12-week fitness challenge, he lost 25 pounds and went from 24 percent to 12 percent body fat. He also gained nine pounds of lean muscle.

He and teammates Ernesto Sam and Tom Laura split the reward three ways.

``The program motivated the three of us to eat better and go to the gym. I know for me the weight loss made things easier on my back,'' Pidermann said.

Sayih, who is director of 911 Fitness, challenged police departments from Key West to West Palm Beach to participate in the lifestyle change and fitness program. This is the first year of team competitions. In previous years, there were individual contests among members of the same department.

Sayih challenged 12 teams this year from Miami-Dade and Broward County, but only seven showed up at the North Miami Beach Police Department June 26 for the final weigh-in.

Some of the teams included: the Deputy Hogs of Miami Shores, Blue Monsters and Lady Cops of Miami, the Body Fat Assassins of Pembroke Pines, Rookies and Seniors of North Miami Beach, Donut Busters of Oakland Park, and the South Beach Blues Brothers of Miami Beach.

Second place went to the Donut Busters of Oakland Park and third place to the South Beach Blues Brothers of Miami Beach.

Oakland Park Detective Clyde Davis lost 20 pounds and went from 15.4 percent to 10 percent body fat in the 12-week period.

``I am able to put on my uniform and feel comfortable. I have set a personal goal for myself,'' he said. ``In the next six weeks, I plan to get my body fat down to 7 percent. I want to set an example.''

Miami Beach Police Capt. Chuck Press lost five pounds and went from 8.9 percent to 7.8 percent body fat.

``Not only did we work as a team, but a lot of people on the department picked up on our diet and fitness program. Being in the position that I am in and given my age, I think I have an obligation to be physically fit,'' said Press, 45.

Another Beach team member, Robert Lawrence, 30, lost 14 pounds.

``Hopefully, this is not something that we did just as a team to lose weight but will incorporate this into our lifestyle,'' he said.

The proceeds from the event - $1,750 in corporate sponsorships - went to the Shriner's Hospital for Children Endowment Fund of Mahi Shrine.

Sayih plans to have a similar contest as early as October.

``I think that if we can begin with our public servants, awareness will start to spread throughout other communities. And if people can see that police officers are physically fit instead of the image as doughnut eaters, that would be a great start,'' he added.