Chattanooga Police Academy recruits train for their entry exam at the Tennessee Riverwalk.IF YOU GOWhat: Out Run the Police.When: 7:30 a.m. Saturday.Where: Coolidge Park, 150 River St.The course: The 10K includes the crossing of both the Market and Walnut street bridges and a large stretch of the Tennessee Riverwalk; the 5K also crosses both bridges and goes out the Riverwalk as far as Battery Place.Cost: $20 Fuzz Run, $30 5K or 10K (an additional $5 on day of race).Web: www.sceniccitymultisport.com.
Ever wanted to outrun the police? Leave them in your dust?
Your chance comes Saturday when members of the public get the opportunity to test their speed against the guys who sometimes have to chase bad guys for a living.
The first Out Run the Police, a collaboration of the International Brotherhood of Police Officers and Scenic City Multisport that begins and ends at Coolidge Park, includes a One-Mile Fuzz Run, a 5K and a 10K.
The event, said Tim Tomisek, president of the IBPO Local 673, "will let us get out with the community, bridge that gap, show us in a different light."
Proceeds from the race will help fund law-enforcement education for members of the employee labor group.
Tomisek said the idea in theory is that officers attend training schools to achieve higher ranks, which, in turn lead to promotions, which, in turn, lead to pay increases.
However, he said, police who attend the schools often have to pay for their training and their lodging.
"Everybody knows we're in a recession," Tomisek said. "We don't expect [the departments] are going to come out and spend that much money. But continuing education is essential."
So he and others attending a recent training school were trying to figure out how to finance the training for officers in need. The idea, he said, was a foot race.
Tomisek said planners, in addition to wanting to "get across to the general public that we're people too," wanted to have fun with the idea.
Doughnuts, the stereotype police snack food, will be offered at the race.
"We're taking extreme measures to poke fun at ourselves," Tomisek said.
Ken Radley, director of Scenic City Multisport, said the race T-shirts will look like prison uniforms, age-group winners will be photographed in mug-shot fashion, a bail bondsman will be on hand and awards will look like traffic citations.
"Police are great about stereotypes and about making fun of themselves," he said.
The race, according to Tomisek, also might motivate some officers to improve their physical fitness. While cadets in police academies are focused in running, many officers who patrol eight hours a day in their cars get stiff and lose their desire to run. What can happen down the line, he said, is obesity and heart disease.
"We want to conquer that sedentary [tendency]," he said.
Radley, who said he is aware many members of the police force are runners, cyclists and triathletes, estimated the race could attracted as many as 300 participants.
"We think it's going to be pretty big down the road," he said.
Radley said he understood some officers even were going to run in uniform.
"I hope it will bring runners out of the woodwork," he said.