JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- It's not unusual to see police cars outside one Southside gym, but what you might find unusual is that you are paying for police and firefighters to go there to workout.

Taxpayers are paying for officers and firefighters to get their own personal trainer. It costs nearly a half-million dollars dollars for police to workout with a personal trainer.

That doesn't sit well with people like Leslie Glassburg, who has to pay for her own gym membership, not to mention a personal trainer.

"I think it's unfair," Glassburg said. "They should be allocating that money towards people with needs."

The city has a half-million dollar contract with the High Intensity Training, or HIT, Center, a private gym on the Southside where they train.

At taxpayers' expense, the city is allowing about 450 police and firefighters to take part in a program that involves personal trainers and intensive cardio workouts.

Those involved have to have known medical problems, like high blood pressure, or just be overweight and have to be recommended by the sheriff's office or fire department.

"But these are cops. Are they supposed to be shape?" HIT manager Aaron Marson said. "You would think so. You think so, but that is not always the case. We have people in this program that are 350 to 400 pounds."

Marson believes it's money well spent. He said it cuts down on medical expenses down the line.

"But isn't this something they could do on their own without my tax money?" he said. "What are you training them to do? That's a fair question. I think they do have a facility were they would be able to do some exercises down at the city."

And they do. Taxpayers already paid for a gym at the sheriff's office, although the equipment inside was confiscated or donated.

So the question is, why pay for private training when they can do it on their own?

Channel 4's Jim Piggott asked Charles Spencer, who runs the city's risk management department, that question. The program is his idea.

As odd as it sounds, he said it saves money because the officers and firefighters would be collecting workman's comp because of heart conditions brought on by work.

Instead, he said, the city is paying less to get them healthy, even if it involves trainers.

"Either that or have to pay for their medical bills or expenses or lost time from work due to a heart attack," Spencer said.