‘Workout with the Chief’ builds connections in Stamford community
The program, which was the brainchild of Chief Tim Shaw, builds strength but, perhaps more importantly, builds connections between police and young people.
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Dozens of kids and police officers sweat it out side-by-side under the hot sun at Lione Park in Stamford Wednesday morning. It was part of a police outreach initiative called “Workout with the Chief,” which returned to the city after a three-year hiatus. The program, which was the brainchild of Chief Tim Shaw, builds strength but, perhaps more importantly, builds connections between police and young people.
“You see ‘Coffee with a Cop,’ right? You see that all over the country. It's a great initiative. That's what this is. It's just a different version. It's going outside the box so see if we can get some people here to try and have dialogue with them,” Shaw told News 12. “We're brothers, we're sisters, we’re fathers, we're coaches—that’s kind of what we want to do, send that message.”
“It's getting larger and larger each time we do it. Kids are getting more comfortable with officers. You're seeing police officers in a totally different light out here,” said Barry Woods, director of outreach and young adult programming for the Boys & Girls Club of Stamford.
Woods is one of multiple youth community leaders who are all in on the effort, collaborating with the chief. So are Wilner Joseph and Carl Michel. They helped Asst. Chief Silas Redd lead the group through drill after drill. The day included sprints and a training circuit.
“A lot of us haven't worked out in a while. We need this, but not just for our bodies, but for our minds,” Michel explained.
That's because the workouts also include discussions and encourage healthy habits that go beyond the field.
“It's also about all the things you consume. The people you hang around with, the music, the tv shows, all the nonsense. There's a lot of junk coming into our systems. We need to get rid of all of that,” Michel said.
“One of the things I love about the chief's whole program—it’s not just about being an athlete. It's not just about being in shape and getting out here and doing these athletic things. Academics is what's important. You got to be able to get your schoolwork done so you can reach your goals and get to where you want to get to in life,” Woods added.
Shaw said he’ll also invite all the kids who take part in the summer series to the police department in December for pizza and to go over their report cards “just for that extra layer.”
He and Woods said they’ve seen a big change in kids from the start of the first workout to this one.
“They're more open. They're more relaxed. There’s more conversation. Some of the officers got invited to a basketball game—one kid plays for a local team. That's the connect. If we don't do this, it's not happening,” Shaw told News 12.
Woods said some of the kids he brought were a little shy at first and now are joking around with officers and racing them.
“The follow-through comes when they see each other in the community. Seeing how much power a police officer has saying to a young person, 'Hey, Fred. Remember me? We were at the Workout.' That stuff right there, it registers different, you know, and it makes a kid feel like, my community officers, they know me,” Woods added.
Mayor Caroline Simmons joined Wednesday’s workout and former Knicks star Allan Houston stopped by, both invested in keeping the city's next generation on the right track. They echoed the message the kids heard over and over that morning, “Don’t cheat you.” Shaw even had t-shirts made with the slogan on the back.
“It's a community collaboration that I’m happy to continue,” said Shaw.
There’s still one more “Workout with the Chief” event. It’s Wednesday, Aug. 2. Registration starts at 9:30 a.m.
