On this weekend's "Laura's Good News," Laura Oakes chats with Hennepin County Sheriff Dave Hutchinson about some personal good news of his own.
"So I'm down 50 pounds and I still want to go another 30," the noticeably slimmer sheriff told Laura. "And I'll never be a skinny guy and I don't really want to be, but I just want to be healthier."
Sheriff Hutchinson says the unrest in Minneapolis last year took a toll on his health. He says he wasn't taking care of himself, was on duty almost around the clock, and even slept in his car on occasion. The sandwiches and donuts at the department's command post didn't do him any favors either.
However, it was a suit-shopping trip that sparked him to get serious about his health.
"The guy said, 'Well, we may have to custom order something for you,' and not only did I feel bad about myself, but I also thought if I'm going to serve the community, and if I'm going to talk about wellness to all of my staff to make sure they're physically healthy, mentally healthy, financially healthy, all this stuff, I should practice what I preach," says Hutchinson.
So how's he been doing it?
Sheriff Hutchinson says he owes it to his profession to lose weight and thinks all law enforcement officers should be given time on the job for health and fitness.
"Basically I just re-evaluated my sugar intake,” explains the sheriff. “Going to Caribou every morning to get a mocha wasn't too conducive to weight loss. So I cut that out. I'll drink a coffee with no sugar. I do my carbs earlier in the day. I'm working out more. I was only working out once or twice a week. Now it's about three or four. And I just feel so much better."
"I really think it's important for public safety to have the opportunity to get themselves in decent shape,” he says. “We're not asking people to be in a magazine like models with their shirts off. But we have to keep ourselves decent. We are the only things standing between good and evil. And when we talk about that bond that we have with each other and the bond we have for service, 99% of cops - all they want to do is go help good people. Part of that is arresting bad people and getting them the services they need or jail. We have to be the peacekeeper. The protector. And in order to do that, you need to be in decent shape."
You can hear Laura's full conversation with Sheriff Hutchinson here.
Listen to Laura's Good News on WCCO Radio Sunday at 6:30 am or find a podcast of the show anytime on wccoradio.com and the Audacy app.
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