blevine@thestamfordtimes.com

STAMFORD — A police officer's life is busy, and at certain times, dangerous.

The job puts men and women in highly stressful situations, asking them to make split second decisions. The job is demanding on their time, and it is not uncommon for an officer to neglect themselves for the benefit of others.

For the men and women of the Stamford police department — as well as their families — that chance came last week at the 2008 Sergeant Michael Lynch Memorial Health and Information Fair.

"The struggle for police officers are, they work so many hours they don't always get the medical care they need," said Jessica Bloomberg, vice president of the Police Association. "So (Thursday) is a day they can come, and not only get free testing and consultations, but also speak to doctors as well."

It was the second such fair put together by the Police Association and Stamford Hospital. Bloomberg said the event was started in honor of Sgt. Michael Lynch who died on Sept. 14, 2006 of melanoma, a form of skin cancer.

"It was born out of our love for Sgt. Lynch, and we vowed never to lose anyone else again," Bloomberg said. "Early detection and prevention is they key to preventing and combating all kinds of diseases."

So on Thursday, April 3, police and their families had a chance to go the health fair — held at the Marriott Hotel & Spa — and receive screenings and tests in everything from body fat, to pulmonary functions, to blood pressure, eye care and skin analysis. In the hotel's ballroom, officers entered an arena of health, and were able to move from station to station for the free, private consultations.

Mary Judge, manager of community health and education at Stamford Hospital, said that while police face the same health concerns as anyone else, they do face certain health risks associated with the job.

She said circulation can be a problem because of the amount of time officers spend on their feet, sometimes in tight shoes. Because officers spend so much time walking the beat, or patrolling in their vehicle, they also face elevated levels of foot and back pain — a specialist from each field was in the arena to offer advice.

Dr. Francisco Lago said tendonitis is not uncommon, and orthotics are usually the best way to go.

"Officers need to make sure to have arch supportive shoes with enough room in the toes. Ingrown toenails can become a problem otherwise," Lago said.

But there is one problem that Judge believes stands out from the rest.

"I think stress is the number one issue," Judge said. "Here at the fair, we have identified elevated blood pressures as well as high cholesterol and glucose levels."

These findings are not uncommon, according to Dr. Neil Boside. He said because of the nature of an officer's job, not all of them have the best eating habits. They tend to grab a bite to eat on the run, and a lot of the time it's the wrong food.

"We tell them to diet and exercise, just like anyone else, and (after the fair) consult with their regular physician," Boside said.

Judge said the fair was not meant to replace a yearly visit to the doctor, rather it was a chance for officers to take a break and get an idea of their current health. She encouraged all the men and women who stopped by to consult their doctor if they were concerned with any of the results.

"Last year there were a couple officers who found out they were hypertensive, and one who discovered he was diabetic," Judge said.

Judge added that she was very impressed with the number of officers who routinely get an annual physical.

Another health concern for police officers, and one that is often overlooked, is skin care. That is why Michelle Palazzo was on iste, conducting a simple skin analysis using a device courtesy of the American Cancer Society. Officers would stick there faces into what looked like a photo booth, about the size of a bread box. Behind the curtain officers looked into a mirror, and with the help of special black light they were able to see different kinds of dots on their skin.

"The device shows you the invisible sun damage," Palazzo said. "It doesn't mean skin cancer, but it does show you what the sun really does."

A dermatologist was on sight to inspect any spots that were troubling, Palazzo said.

"People are always surprised by what they see. And we tell them, sun screen, sun screen, sun screen. It's as simple as that," she said.

Joe Kennedy, president of the Police Association, said the health fair was well attended. Nearly have of the more than 400 department's employees came.

For Judge, the event was a chance for the city's health professionals to give back to the people who keep the community safe.

"It gives us a lot of satisfaction," Judge said. "We all think it's been a tremendous success. Officers have sent letters, expressing their appreciation. I can't say enough about them."