by Sabrina Salas Matanane

Guam - Senator Frank Aguon, Jr. has introduced the "Fit to Serve and Protect Act of 2014." The bill proposes establishing physical fitness standards and policies for public safety and law enforcement uniform personnel.

Bill 310 would create a "Fit to Serve and Protect Task Force" with the Chief of Police to serve as Chairperson. The task force would be comprised of representatives from the Judiciary of Guam, Guam Fire Department, Department of Corrections, Customs and Quarantine, Port Police, Office of the Attorney General, Airport Police and Department of Agriculture. The task force would be responsible for establishing physical fitness standards and an annual assessment policy for government of Guam uniform public safety and law enforcement officials.

The legislation states that the task force will have six months to formulate the policy and submit it to the Governor of Guam who will then have one month to approve and present it to the Legislature for consideration and official adoption.

According to Bill 310 "the overall average fitness levels of these uniformed personnel suggests that officers achieve an acceptable measure of physical fitness during academy training. However, without fitness maintenance standards, these gains achieved in the academy are shortly lost." The legislation goes on to state " Each uniformed public safety and law enforcement official should be encouraged to be both task-trained and physically fit at all times to more effectively serve and protect the people of Guam."