In November 1993, Ryan Mundt, an Indiana police officer was told to lose 100 pounds in five weeks or lose his job. At the time, Mundt was attending the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy. He was to lose the weight before the Academy’s December graduation or lose his job. Mundt was not able to lose the weight and was dismissed on February 17, 1994.

Mundt filed a discrimination suit with the Indiana Civil Rights Commission in August of 1994. The Commission launched an investigation and found probable cause for the suit. A hearing date was set for April 1999 after a couple of unsuccessful attempts to negotiate the case out of court.

The trial was uneventful as the case went as expected. The defense accused Mundt of being an irresponsible officer who deserved termination. But according to Mundt, some of the best testimony supporting his side came from the opposition.

On April 10, 2000, Mundt's attorney informed him that they had won their case. They had 15 days to wait and see if the city would appeal the case. He will be receiving all of his lost wages from the time of his termination.

“The best part of this whole ordeal is that there is now a decision on the books (Mundt v. Cambridge City) that shows that being fat is not a crime nor an offense deserving of termination," Mundt said. "I want to thank everyone over the past couple of years that have been supportive." Mundt also wanted to pass along his paraphrase from an actress which most of us can relate to: "Chalk one up for the fat folk!"

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