The New York Police Department today announced that the second annual “Fittest of the Finest Contest” will be held on Sunday, Sept. 14, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn. All members of the media are invited to attend.

As part of the New York Police Department’s commitment to promoting health and fitness, the contest will pit members of the Department against each other in a rigorous competition that requires strength, stamina, and dexterity. The event will be divided into 10 groups: five age brackets with a men’s and women’s division in each. First-place winners in each group will receive two round-trip airline tickets;
second-place winners get one round-trip ticket.

The “Fittest of the Finest Contest” will comprise four events, with points awarded in each. First, competitors will face the “Ladder Crawl” – a tough, 19-rung rope ladder. The faster you climb, the greater your score. Next, they’ll have to climb a massive cargo net. Then, there’s the strenuous obstacle course, where contestants will have to climb, crawl, tug, and swing their way to the finish line. Finally, they’ll complete the competition with a tough two-mile run.

More than 300 members of the NYPD, uniformed and civilian, have already signed up to compete. About 70 college students from Columbia University, Manhattan College, and St. John’s University will serve as contest judges. There will be clowns and face-painting booths for children, as well as other games and activities. Breakfast and a barbecue lunch also will be provided.

To further promote fitness, the New York Police Department will set up a Health Area with booths for checking blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as general health information from the Emergency Services Unit.

The “Fittest of the Finest Contest” is sponsored by the New York City Police Foundation.