Ex-Cincinnati Councilman: Chief Eliot Isaac 'portly'

A former Cincinnati and Hamilton County politician has a criticism of interim Cincinnati police chief Eliot Isaac - about his weight.

In a post on what appears to be a personal website, former Hamilton County Commissioner and Cincinnati City Councilman Phil Heimlich disparaged Isaac's weight, calling him "portly. Heimlich also said Isaac is "so hefty the scales of justice wouldn't hold him."

"If he were a doctor or a lawyer, nobody would care. But, his job is to literally chase criminals. He doesn't look like he could keep up with the residents of my dad's retirement community," Heimlich wrote in the post on PhilHeimlich.com.

Heimlich goes on to criticize the Cincinnati Police Department's policies at large, saying: "If this were an isolated case of a cop who can't lay off the Krispy Kremes, it'd be no big deal. But this is an across-the-board issue because Cincinnati's police department has no physical fitness requirements for its officers. No matter how much you weigh, your job is safe. And if the city decided to require minimal standards for strength, weight and speed, they'd have to get the police union to agree.

"Former Hamilton County Sheriff Simon Leis set tough physical demands for his deputies. I believe you have the right to expect the same from Cincinnati cops."

Tiffaney Hardy, a spokeswoman for Isaac, declined comment.

Applicants to the Cincinnati police academy are required to pass a physical fitness test. Nationally, physical fitness tests are commonly included in the application process at law enforcement agencies.

Heimlich served as councilman from 1993-2001, and later as Hamilton County Commissioner from 2001-06.