The Official Publication of the San Diego Police Officers Association
Transcription
The Official Publication of the San Diego Police Officers Association
The Informant The Official Publication of the San Diego Police Officers Association Volume XXX, No. 11 November 2010 San Diego Police Officers Association 858.573.1199 (Office) 8388 Vickers Street 858.573.1574 (Fax) San Diego, CA 92111 www.sdpoa.org Brian Marvel President Tom Bostedt Director Jeff Jordon Vice President Mike Fender Director Woody DuBois Secretary Paul Hubka Director Committees and Committee Chairs Legal Committee.....................................Lewis (Chair), Bostedt, Levitt Political Action Committee.................. DuBois (Chair), Bostedt, Fender • SCALE/CCLEA/Big 11/PORAC Retirement..................................................................................... Levitt Randy Levitt Treasurer Rob Lewis Director Paul Paxton Director Editorial and Advertising Information Editor, Emily Cox 858.573.1199 x 220 ecox@sdpoa.org Editorial Policy Business & Governance.................... Jordon (Chair), DuBois, Paxton • Bylaws & Policy • Administration • Parliamentarian The views or opinions expressed in The Informant are not necessarily the opinions of the San Diego Police Officers Association, the San Diego Police Department or any official body or agency of the City of San Diego. Member Relations.................................Bostedt (Chair), Hubka, Lewis • Member Services • Member Communication We encourage article ideas and photographs about or of interest to our members. Article abstracts, photos, story ideas, suggestions, letters to the editor, commentaries and information may be submitted in person, by mail or by email to the editor. Public Relations................................... Paxton (Chair), Bostedt, Lewis • Informant • Website • Charity Freedom of expression is assured within the bounds of good taste and the limits of available space. Special Events/Scholarship................Hubka (Chair), DuBois, Paxton Our target audience is law enforcement, specifically POA members of the San Diego Police Department. Budget & Finance..................................Levitt (Chair), Jordon, DuBois Deadline Labor Management....................Fender (Chair), Lewis, Hubka, Levitt • FIT / Safety Litigation (Ad Hoc Committee).......................... Chairs: Marvel/Jordon 2 | The Informant All copy and advertising must be submitted by the tenth of the month prior to the anticipated publication month; e.g. July 10 for the August issue. Content submitted after that date may be considered for a later issue. President’s Message In This Issue Member Spotlight..................................................4 A.D. Brown Christmas Luncheon..........................4 Drug Abatement Response Team/ Team 7...................................................................5 Chaplain’s Corner..................................................6 Thanksgiving Dinner at the SDPOA......................6 The Crime Files......................................................7 Volunteers Needed for STAR/PAL Jr. Charger Camps.................................................9 SDPOA Response to SDPD Cuts........................ 10 PAF Halloween Party.......................................... 11 Eighty Oakland Police Officers Get Pink Slips, More to Come............................ 12 Friday Night Softball Season Ends.................... 13 Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act Improvements Act of 2010................................ 14 SDPOA Discount Tickets.................................... 16 SDPOA Christmas Party..................................... 16 San Diego Housing Market Update................... 17 PERT Perspective............................................... 18 UC-7..................................................................... 19 RFPA Update....................................................... 20 National Law Enforcement Museum Breaks Ground................................................... 21 Code 4 Chronicles.............................................. 22 SDPD Officers Escort Burnaby, BC Fire Captain Through City.................................. 24 Watch the Charger Game at the SDPOA........... 24 Special Thanks to the Over the Hill Gang......... 24 In Remembrance................................................ 25 Stranger than Fiction......................................... 26 On the Road........................................................ 27 At a Glance Calendar......................................... 28 Office Manager’s Report.................................... 29 Classified Ads..................................................... 29 In the next few days, we’ll have final word on exactly where we can expect the City’s budget to go – the outcome of Prop D will determine whether the Department will have to face significant cuts next fiscal year (or sooner) or if we will be able to have the stability that we thought we had attained with our two year contract. If you are reading this before November 2, please be sure to vote YES on Prop D – it will give the City a cushion of revenue that will help prevent sworn officer cuts. I’ve said it before – no one likes the idea of higher taxes, but in this case we have already exhausted other options and new revenue is sorely needed to keep our Department afloat. Throughout campaign season, Councilmembers DeMaio and Faulconer were often heard saying that there would be no cuts to public safety and the Yes on D campaign was using this as a “scare tactic,” but the reality is that the Chief had to present a budget to the Mayor that cuts nearly $16 million and that budget will go to the City Council. There is nothing left to cut in the Department – the cuts are very real. While DeMaio and Faulconer say they won’t cut public safety, if their past practices are any indication of their future actions, we will very likely be seeing cuts unless Prop D passes. If Prop D fails, the POA will work with the Department to mitigate the impact of the cuts as much as possible and we will have until the end of June 2011 to work through solutions as best as possible. In other news, the POA is in the middle of the meet and confer process over active and retiree health care as well as DROP. The DROP study is expected to be completed in January 2011 and the DROP vote, originally scheduled for September, has yet to be rescheduled. We know that these topics are very important to all of our members and we’ll keep you posted on any developments in all of these items. On a final note, the POA board election will be conducted during the first week of November. I’d like to thank all of the applicants for their interest in serving the SDPOA membership. All active members are eligible to vote and you should have received a ballot and the candidate statements at your home in late October. If you did not receive a ballot, you may stop by the POA office to pick up a spare ballot and collection envelope. While you’re here, you may want to check that we have your current address on file. Be safe, Board Minutes.................................................... 30 On the Cover: Photo taken by Sergeant Ray Rowe November 2010 | 3 Member Spotlight: Sergeant Jason Weeden Sergeant Jason Weeden started to become a familiar face at SDPD at an early age and decided that he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps by pursuing a law enforcement career. He was first introduced to many members of his father’s law enforcement family at SDPOA picnics held at Big Oak Ranch, where he watched the PD Five play “Celebration.” When he turned 21, he applied to numerous agencies and was quickly picked up by the Border Patrol. He spent two years in Calexico at a time when there wasn’t much of an FTO program – his training included being handed keys to a car and night vision goggles. He soon got up to speed and detained groups of illegal immigrants on his own. Operation Gatekeeper in San Diego had shifted a significant amount of traffic to Calexico and it was always busy, as evidenced by one shift for the record books in which his squad detained a total of 863 people. In 1999, Sergeant Weeden transferred to SDPD and took a place on Southern Division’s Border Crime Suppression Team. After becoming a SWAT officer and FTO, he transferred to the Beach Team for a year and then shifted back to Southern. He then spent a year and a half at Southeastern before bouncing back to Southern after he was promoted to sergeant in 2008. He completed the SWAT academy again to become a SWAT sergeant and also is an FTO sergeant. He is now the supervisor of the Border Crime Suppression Team and is spearheading Southern Division’s portion of the Department of Homeland Security Stonegarden grant efforts to combat border crime and address drug, gang and quality of life issues in border areas. While at Southeastern Division, Sergeant Weeden developed the curfew sweep program as a way of fighting juvenile crime. By involving various community groups and stakeholders in the curfew sweeps, the effectiveness of the sweeps increased and Southeastern’s curfew sweep model was adopted department-wide. One of Sergeant Weeden’s proudest moments on the department came just a few months ago when he arrested Andrew Barrientos, a suspect who had just shot an officer in Oakland and was heading to cross the border into Mexico. SDPD was notified that the suspect was likely heading through San Diego and cell phone tracking showed his progress, but with a five minute delay. Knowing that the suspect must be close, Sergeant Weeden was at a stoplight when he looked in his rear view mirror. He noticed the passenger in the car directly behind him looked incredibly similar to the suspect he was trying to locate, even though the car did not match the descriptions provided by the Oakland Police Department. Upon running the license plates, Sergeant Weeden learned that the car was registered in Oakland and the suspect was likely a match. He conducted a stop and held the suspect until back-up arrived. The suspect was arrested and had a gun loaded with a 30+ round magazine in his waistband. This incident earned him Officer of the Shift distinction for Southern Division and his great work in making this arrest was recognized by police departments throughout California. In his off time, Sergeant Weeden enjoys traveling and spending time with his wife of 15 years and their three kids. The San Diego Police Historical Association proudly presents the A.D. Brown Christmas Luncheon A Tradition Since 1974 Thursday, December 2, 2010 9AM – 2PM Holy Trinity Church located at Ballard and Redwood in the City of El Cajon. Open to all active duty, retired and the few friends in between who once served but left us early. Come by and enjoy old friends and fresh food. To reserve your seat simply fill out the information below and mail it to: San Diego Police Historical Assoc. 1401 Broadway MS 734 San Diego, CA 92101 Call 619-726-6151 with any questions NAME:_______________________________________________________ PHONE:________________________ Number of seats @ $20 each: ___________________________________ Total:__________________________ 4 | The Informant Drug Abatement Response Team/Team 7 At a basic level, the Drug Abatement Response Team (DART) is a group of three SDPD officers, two clerical staff members and a sergeant who work with the City Attorney’s Office and Neighborhood Code Compliance to assist in rehabilitating properties that have continuous drug activities and serious code violations. On a larger scale, DART is also known as Team 7 within the Narcotics Unit. In addition to their DART duties, Team 7 members are responsible for three other major activities: keeping track of 160 medical marijuana dispensaries and representing the San Diego Police Department’s participation in San Diego Drug Court Program and the newly established Re-Entry Court Program. DART The Drug Abatement Response Team (DART) addresses narcotic-related nuisances at commercial and residential properties. Initially, clerical staff assigned to DART receive and process more than 1,000 general narcotic complaints each year from citizens and alert patrol officers who refer nuisance property cases back to the team. Approximately 30-35% of these complaints meet the criteria for opening a DART project. They start by creating a DART file on the location to keep track of the type of complaint. The file also includes a criminal history check of the property and tenants. Depending on the type of complaint and the condition of the property itself, DART team members may choose to conduct a follow-up investigation involving a “knock and talk” or complete a 4th waiver search at the location. If further surveillances and complaints suggest narcotics continue to be sold at the property, DART and Street Teams will complete an undercover buy and execute a search warrant on the property. operating without a business permit and are not zoned. Dispensaries are increasing throughout the City and Prop 215 has law enforcement sitting in a gray area trying to determine what is enforceable and what is not. Once the DART team determines who lives at the location, they send a 30 day compliance letter to the property owner and/or renter advising them of the complaint and providing them with recommendations on how they will need to solve the problem. If the property owners do not respond, a follow-up letter is sent and the owner or renter will have to meet with the DART team to be educated on the property owner’s responsibilities for cleaning up the property. Though the DART team generally has compliance by this stage, non-compliant cases are sent to the City Attorney’s office and Neighborhood Code Compliance for the next level of enforcement under nuisance ordinances. With the gray area posing a problem to law enforcement, complaints regarding medical marijuana dispensaries are often dealt with through building code channels. DART team members randomly inspect medical marijuana dispensaries based off of complaints from neighbors and nearby businesses or advertisements in local publications. Most of the co-ops are short term businesses that are trying to make as much money as possible in a short period of time before getting shut down. Following a complaint, Notice of Violation (NOV) letters are sent to medical marijuana dispensaries and a DART member will go to the dispensary with a City Attorney Investigator and Code Enforcement Officer to check on operations and determine if any changes have been made to the building without proper permits, such as false walls, security entrances and ventilation systems. The DART program helps to get to the root of the problem so that same complaints are not constantly being made on the same location. Medical Marijuana Prop 215 was passed by California voters in 1996 exempting patients with a physician recommendation and caregivers who possess or cultivate marijuana from criminal prosecution regarding marijuana possession. There are currently over 160 medical marijuana dispensaries operating in the City of San Diego – all of which are technically illegal because they are The law likely intended “caregivers” to be immediate family members or healthcare providers; however, dispensaries and co-ops generally claim to be caregivers in order to stretch the exemption. Though they are supposed to be non-profit operations, co-op income and expenditures are rarely transparent, suppliers are difficult to track and co-ops can rake in tens of thousands of dollars monthly or even weekly. The Marijuana Task Force convened in October 2009 to create recommendations on how to regulate the businesses, how to determine where the business are getting supplied with marijuana, how much clients are being charged and what codes should be enforced. Frustration has run high following the refusal to prosecute certain marijuana possession citations, leaving many officers wondering what the point of writing a citation is, but officers should still fully enforce possession (misdemeanor) or possession for sale (felony), particularly if you believe the suspect may be selling rather than acting as a caregiver (they have scales, baggies, ledgers and/or large amounts of cash). Continued on page 15 November 2010 | 5 Chaplain’s Corner By Herb Smith, SDPD Chaplain “The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests hearts” (Proverbs 17:3). Ironies abound in this world because down to the very uneasy interplay of our protons and neutrons, that “strong force” energy that keeps us together is only equal to that which wants to tear us apart. We are made up of a composite of contradicting elements of which the sciences have only begun to understand, and the laws of physics mirror the spiritual ions of energy we bounce between each day. The realities which govern the material universe are precise and predictable, given enough information. So too are those which govern in the issues of men’s hearts. There is a radical element in every human spirit that wants to break away from the realities of God’s order, and to the extent we do, we rip apart our lives. We inherently don’t always like having to live by God’s rules, and in fact without His help, we fail every time. Yet such it is that but for the strong and forceful principles of God’s moral law upon our hearts, there’s not much else to keep us from tearing ourselves and each other apart. We’re our worst enemy at times in destroying our loftiest aspirations and killing our most noble endeavors by venturing upon our own futile speculations, and it’s because of a quirky quark in the moral fiber of our being that just always wants to go our own self-interested way. This nature we inherited from Adam’s fall places us in enmity with the way God arranged us to be in relationship to Him and each other, such that were it not for the natural consequences of stupid things I did today, I wouldn’t make much progress at all. Ergo the axiom: “We learn more from our mistakes than our successes.” God made reality to be what he ordained, and when we contravene its principles, we venture into a relational wilderness without a compass. We were made for Him, and to reflect Him and His nature to each other. Even so, what is often represented on my outside does not always match up with what is actually going on inside. What ought to be predictable is incongruous with what really occurs, and, predictably, I fail. We turn away from negative aspects of reality because it compels us to do or think about or acknowledge things in our world we’d rather dismiss or assume were not so. Such matters cause pain or frustration, embarrassment, make us wait, or are just an inconvenience upon our own time frame and agenda. We’d much rather conceive a different reality and act as though its laws are now preeminent, which sometimes works for a while, until another incongruity presents itself immovable unless the new reality is yet tweaked again. Our web becomes quite tangled until our face-book becomes a fail-blog. God designed creation such that what is real would not be up to individual interpretation. And natural law teaches us that one reaps what one sows. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because I can look around and be thankful for God’s gracious provision in spite of myself. And I can truly be thankful for what He accomplished through the subduing influence of reality’s consequence. Instead of allowing me to spin off into an incongruent wasteland of fruitless pursuits, he kept me tethered to the Truth, and proffered another year’s worth of course corrections that constrained my quarks, curtailed further calamity, and helped cultivate a better character. With that kind of wisdom and faith in God’s grace, plotting a predictably provident path is certainly worth… going after. “Let integrity and upright-ness preserve me, for I wait upon You” (Ps.25:21). Thanksgiving Dinner at the SDPOA The POA will host a catered Thanksgiving Dinner for all watches on Thursday, November 25 at the POA building. We will start serving at 11:00 am and continue serving until midnight. With staffing permitting, the Chief’s office has approved flexibility in Code Seven policies to allow members from throughout the city to come to the POA office to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving meal. SDPOA members are encouraged to bring their immediate family to join them. Thursday, November 25 11:00 am - midnight SDPOA Hall No Cost 6 | The Informant The Crime Files By Steve Willard Often we hear public outcry demanding the execution (or worse) of convicted sex offenders. The arrest of John Albert Gardner is among the most recent, however, there are a host of others. But is such a thing legal? As recently as 2008 the United States Supreme court stated there is a “national consensus” against executing non-murderers. Has it always been that way? No. California death row inmate Caryl Chessman was the last person in the United States executed for a crime other than murder and the action brought international attention. Even though the execution occurred half a century ago, it is still spoken of in many institutes of higher learning and probably engendered more anti-capital punishment sentiment than any other case has, before or since. January 1948: 27-year old career criminal Caryl Chessman was arrested near Los Angeles as a suspect in the armed robbery of a men’s clothing store. The arrest came after a car chase and shootout. When officers searched his stolen Ford getaway car they found a penlight, a. 45-caliber pistol and numerous items that made them suspect that Chessman might be the “Red Light Bandit,” a man who had been driving up to couples in parked cars, flashing a red light to make them think it was a police car, then robbing them before forcing some of the women to perform sexual acts. Despite the fact that Chessman bore little physical resemblance to descriptions of the attacker, several victims identified him. The charge sheet ultimately included multiple counts of robbery, two counts of sexual perversion, and – most importantly – three counts of violating Section 209 of the California Penal Code. At the time one subsection of 209 was called the “Little Lindbergh Law.” Passed in 1933 in response to the kidnapping and murder of Charles Lindbergh’s infant son, the law stated if kidnapping was done with intent to commit robbery and if bodily harm could also be proven, the crime was punishable by death. Trial began on April 4, 1948, and it couldn’t have been more colorful. Presiding was Judge Charles W. Fricke, who in the course of his career, sentenced more people to death than any other judge in California history. The prosecutor was Deputy District Attorney J. Miller Leavy – a 16-year veteran of capital cases with a reputation of outmaneuvering his opponents at every turn. When the jury was finally selected it consisted of 11 women and one man. Chessman made his first mistake by dismissing his lawyers and announcing he intended to defend himself. The cocky, street-smart hoodlum with an overinflated opinion of his own cleverness then set about vigorously asserting his innocence, arguing throughout the trial, and later through the appeals process, that he was the victim of mistaken identity, or a much larger conspiracy to frame him. At times Chessman claimed to know who the real culprit was, but then refused to name him. Chessman further alleged his confession came only as a result of torture. The jury didn’t buy it and on May 21, 1948, they convicted Chessman on 17 counts of robbery, kidnapping and rape. The jury also determined that one of the kidnapping counts included bodily harm of the victim – a direct violation of “Little Lindbergh.” Because the jury did not recommend mercy, the gas chamber sentence was automatic. Controversy from the trial began almost immediately. While “Little Lindbergh” stated any crime involving kidnapping with bodily harm could be considered a capital offense, two of the convictions were for dragging 17-year-old girl named Mary Alice Meza a short distance from her car to demand oral sex from her. Despite that, Judge Fricke and the appeals courts ruled it sufficient to qualify as kidnapping. Then something unusual occurred. The elderly court reporter died from a coronary thrombosis. Left behind was his 1,800 pages of shorthand testimony. Chessman quickly appealed his conviction stating that under California law if the court reporter died before transcribing his notes in a civil case, a new trial must be held. On June 25, 1948, Judge Fricke denied the appeal by pointing out that this was a criminal case, not civil. The judge then sentenced Chessman to death twice. In September 1948, responsibility for transcribing the shorthand notes was given to Stanley Fraser, the uncle of prosecutor Leavy. Chessman appealed stating that Fraser was being paid $10,000 for the task, three times the going rate, and that Fraser had several arrests for drunkenness — once while actually taking dictation in court. Chessman argued that the transcription which Fraser provided was hopelessly biased and inaccurate. That appeal was also denied and Chessman was sent to San Quentin’s death row. Chessman spent the next 12 years filing dozens of appeals as well as writing letters, essays and books. During that time he successfully avoided eight execution deadlines, some by just a few hours. November 2010 | 7 Chessman ultimately wrote four books: Cell 2455, The Kid Was A Killer, Death Row and Trial by Ordeal. The Kid Was A Killer was originally seized by San Quentin Warden Teets in 1954 on the theory that it was “prison labor.” The manuscript was eventually returned and later published in 1960. In addition to giving him worldwide fame, the books earned Chessman hundreds of thousands of dollars in royalties. As Chessman’s appeals worked their way through the courts, his books ignited a worldwide movement to spare his life. California Governor Pat Brown’s offices were flooded with appeals for clemency from noted authors and intellectuals from around the world, including Aldous Huxley, Ray Bradbury, Norman Mailer, Dwight MacDonald, and Robert Frost, and from public figures such as former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and evangelist Billy Graham. In response to the litany of appeals stating the original trial was improperly conducted and that subsequent appeals were seriously hampered by incomplete and incorrect transcripts of the original trial proceedings, the US Supreme Court finally ordered the State of California to either conduct a full review of the transcripts or release Chessman. The review concluded that the transcripts were substantially accurate and Chessman was scheduled to die in February 1960. Emergency Equipment Engineering The Chessman affair put Governor Edmund G. “Pat” Brown, an opponent of the death penalty, in a difficult situation. Brown initially did not intervene in the case, but then issued a last-minute, 60-day stay of execution on February 19, 1960, just hours before Chessman’s scheduled execution. Brown claimed he issued the stay out of concern that the execution could threaten the safety of President Eisenhower during a planned visit to South America, where the Chessman case had inflamed anti-American sentiment. Governor Brown’s stay of execution, along with Chessman’s last appeals, ran out in April 1960 and Brown subsequently declined to grant Chessman executive clemency. Exhausting a last-minute attempt to file a writ of habeas corpus with the California Supreme Court, Chessman finally went to the gas chamber at San Quentin Prison on May 2, 1960. As the execution began and the chamber was filling with gas, the telephone rang. The caller was a judge’s secretary informing the warden of a new stay of execution. The warden responded, “It’s too late; the execution has begun.” There was no way to open the door and remove Chessman without Lawothers. Office of Dan Zeidman the fumes killing The secretary had initially misdialed the telephone number and this may have made the difference between there being time to stop the execution and not. The alleged new evidence which prompted the stay attempt appears in very few accounts. Dan ZeiDman, esq. Law Offices Of Dan ZeiDman 260 East Chase Avenue, Suite 201 El Cajon, California 92020 Phone: 619-440-3232 l Fax: 619-440-7864 dzlaw@att.net Nights are getting longer... Bring your Streamlight in NOW for a tune-up! 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Successful litigation in breach of right to privacy case for 90 law enforcement households, totaling over 300 family members 8. $1,425,000.00 settlement for San Diego police officer No Recovery No Attorney Fees 260 Prov fam 1 2 3 Volunteers Needed for Jr. Charger Camps The San Diego Chargers and STAR/PAL are looking for volunteers for Volunteers Junior Chargers Training Camps Needed: Enthusiastic law enforcement officers, non-sworn police personnel and fire rescue personnel who are willing to assist STAR/PAL with running youth football camps. These camps will consist of five different football drill stations, with each station designed to teach young children the fundamentals of football, goal setting and better fitness practices. VOLUNTEER DETAILS • Volunteering meets educational incentive guidelines. • All camps are on Tuesdays from 4:00-6:00 pm. • Please arrive at 3:00 pm to assist with camp set-up. • Chargers players are scheduled to attend each camp. Diamonds Ltd. 2010 Junior Chargers Training Camps Schedule November 2 November 9 November 16 November 23 December 7 Encanto Recreation Center (6508 Wunderlin Ave, San Diego) Sportsplex USA Santee (9951 Riverwalk Drive, Santee) Mission Middle School (939 East Mission Ave, Escondido) Jr Seau Sports Complex (900 Park Plaza Drive, La Mesa) Lincoln High School (4777 Imperial Ave, San Diego) Hosted By STAR/PAL (www.starpal.org) STAR/PAL brings youth & law enforcement together today... to build safer communities tomorrow. To sign up, please contact Officer Edwin Garrette at STAR/ PAL: 619-531-2668 or egarrette@pd.sandiego.gov. Diamonds Ltd. FINE JEWELERS…a name you can trust Specializing in: Work done on premises! Gold, Jewelry, & Estate Buyers Diamonds Repairs Cash paid on the spot! Gemstones Redesign Any quantity, any condition, in strict confidence (Bonus paid for larger diamonds) Manufacturing Restoration Custom Design Stone Setting Gold & Platinum Laser Repair/Weld Appraisals by GIA graduates Inside Ring Engraving The Zwibel family has provided over 30 years of exceptional service in San Diego (Not pictured: Ed Zwibel SDPD #5475 - Eastern Division) Don’t forget to ask for your POA discount! With three generations in both Jewelry and Law Enforcement 619-442-0671 www.diamondsltd.com 450 Fletcher Parkway, Suite 104 El Cajon, CA 92020 (Across from Parkway Plaza) November 2010 | 9 SDPOA Response to Proposed SDPD Cuts Proposed SDPD Cuts Harmful to Public Safety Closure of two area stations and elimination of 169 sworn positions will result in longer response times and less effective investigations San Diego, CA – October 6, 2010 – The San Diego Police Officers Association, Inc. (SDPOA) is extremely concerned for the future of public safety in San Diego if the proposed cuts announced today by Chief Lansdowne come to fruition. For a department that is currently staffed at 1993 levels, bringing the budgeted strength down by an additional 169 sworn positions will be detrimental to investigations and the safety of both citizens and officers. Of those 169 positions, 30 detective assignments are slated for elimination. Staffing for patrol will have to be drawn from specialty teams and units, further decreasing the opportunity for pro-active police work. Over 100 of the newest San Diego Police Department officers will find their jobs on the chopping block. The shortsighted elimination of these officers does not take into account the over $13.5 million of taxpayer money invested in their training. This significant investment, along with the investment the City made in its previous recruiting efforts, will have been made in vain. Policing efforts are spread evenly across the City through nine area stations. This helps in ensuring acceptable response times; however two area stations – easily representing over one-third of the City’s square mileage and population – have been identified for closure. “Chief Lansdowne was given a difficult task of cutting nearly $16 million from a department that has already been cut to the bone,” said Brian R. Marvel, president of the San Diego Police Officers Association. “Any San Diego business, resident or visitor who believes that these cuts will not affect them is kidding themselves. You cannot close two stations and cut nearly ten percent of our budgeted strength without knowing that public safety will be compromised.” Additional proposed cuts include the elimination of numerous non-sworn police department employees. Identified in the cuts are: • Eight police code compliance officers – Code compliance officers help to rid our city of establishments connected with criminal activity. • Six police service officers – Police service officers perform valuable outreach to the community and the few remaining PSOs are Asian language and cultural experts who allow SDPD to fight crime in otherwise underserved communities. • Two latent print examiners – Latent print examiners identify criminal suspects and help ensure that detainees are not released if they are matched to wanted persons. • Six dispatchers – SDPD dispatchers answer over 1.2 million calls for emergency services each year. Fewer dispatchers can mean longer wait times for emergency calls. About the San Diego Police Officers Association The San Diego Police Officers Association (SDPOA) is the only recognized bargaining unit for the over 1,800 members of the San Diego Police Department. The SDPOA was established in 1912 and incorporated in 1953 to assist San Diego police officers in issues related to wages, hours and working conditions. The SDPOA also aids members and their families in sickness, distress and death, and strives to improve social relations and welfare among the members. The San Diego Police Officers Association members include over 98% of the San Diego Police force and represent all ranks within the department, including the Chief of Police. Visit www.sdpoa.org. ### Please realize these are proposed cuts. We still have a long way before June 30th. 10 | The Informant Third Annual PAF Halloween Party By Tom Bostedt The San Diego Police Athletic Federation (SDPAF) hosted its annual Halloween party/fundraiser on Saturday, October 16. Each year, the SDPAF chooses a charity to support with this extremely popular event. The proceeds, which should total between $2,500 and $3,000, will benefit the hard work being done at San Diego’s Rady Children’s Hospital. This year, a sold out crowd of 125 people put on their finest costumes and headed out to the POA’s Hall of Valor for a great night of dinner and drinks, rock and roll music, dancing and great camaraderie. Prizes were handed out for the best costumes and raffle tickets were sold for a variety of cool gifts. The night’s entertainment was provided by all SDPD-based rockers. SRT’s Dave Garcia started the evening playing all your favorite hits solo on guitar. Dave did an outstanding job with plenty of backup singers joining him in the crowd. Rock and Roll Bands All Liquored Up and Love Handles were next, each playing about an hour and a half set of heart-pounding rock and roll. Both bands were outstanding and had the crowd dancing and singing along until the very end. Both these bands play regular gigs and if you missed them Saturday, check out their Facebook pages for updates on upcoming events. Putting on an event of this size and detail is no easy task. It takes about four months of planning and a lot of hard work. I would like to thank the SDPAF Board members for their dedication in putting this fundraiser together. In particular, I would like to thank Board member Bill Brown and his wife, Christie, for all of their efforts. Bill handles most of the logistical needs and Christie organized all of the raffle prizes and set up. Great job guys!! Prizes for the fundraiser come from a number of local businesses. Check out the donor list and show your appreciation by using their services when you can. We will continue this event so keep your eyes open for next year’s flier and get your tickets early!! Thanks to the donors & sponsors! Express Performance Center Fiber-Tech Cycle Gear Pro Kids Golf Excalibur Cigars Outback Steakhouse (El Cajon) Viejas San Diego Chargers Off Road Warehouse Hot Heads Salon Best Buy (Santee) Cottonwood Golf Course Hornblower Cruises Ace Uniform Sport’s Authority (La Mesa) Seau’s The Restaurant Zoological Society of San Diego Crest Beverage Maritime Museum San Diego Advertising Edge Riverwalk Golf Course A & B Cycle Ruth’s Chris Steak House McGregor’s Grill & Ale House Pacific Beach Cruisers San Diego Brewing Company Armstrong McCall San Diego POA San Diego PAF NLPOA San Diego Metro Chapter Pan Pacific Law Enforcement Assoc. November 2010 | 11 Eighty Oakland Police Officers Get Pink Slips, More to Come From American Police Beat magazine In Oakland, residents are hoping for the best but preparing for the worst after the city recently laid off scores of police officers. Oakland recently fired 80 police officers, and unless the city and the police union can come to terms sometime soon, another 122 Oakland police officer positions could be eliminated. Police Chief Anthony Batts recently told reporters from the San Francisco Chronicle that there would be some minor changes in the kinds of calls police have the personnel to respond to. The Oakland PD will no longer send officers to respond in person to register sex offenders, or for reports of vehicle accidents, grand theft, identity theft, burglary, embezzlement, vandalism, stray animals and others. Victims in most non-emergency situations are being directed to file reports over the Internet. Police say the move will help them better focus on emergencies and violent crime. In Oakland, a city with the country’s fourth highest crime rate, non-violent reports make up about a quarter of 911 calls, according to area reports. The 80 officers laid off constitutes about 10 percent of the police department’s total manpower. Union and city officials had been in talks to save the jobs by requiring police to contribute 9 percent of their paychecks to pension funds. But the police union balked and demanded Oakland ensure that if they agreed, no officers would be laid off for another three years. The city could not make such a promise and the stalemate grew. According to the Associated Press, “Police Chief Anthony Batts said many of the officers laid off were on the front lines last week, trying to control protesters after former Bay Area Rapid Transit officer Johannes Mehserle was convicted of involuntary manslaughter.” Layoffs leave the Oakland Police Department with just under 700 officers to enforce laws in a city of nearly 400,000. It’s Tax Season! Juan R. Gonzales SDPD Retired Specializing in Law Enforcement Returns As a 30-year member of the Police Department, I know what items are deductible to help you get a larger tax refund. 1206 Third Avenue Chula Vista, CA 91911 (619) 420-5464 www.JRGTAX.COM 12 | The Informant Take time to compare your insurance coverage. As a 30-year SDPD Veteran, I know what an officer needs to be properly protected. Call me for a FREE Quote. I can provide: Auto, Home and Life Insurance We offer several discounts, including a Police Officer Discount. Get a Million Dollar Life Insurance Policy for $33.18/month (Based on a 30 yr old, non-smoker) Call me today! Juan R. Gonzales Retired SDPD, Insurance and Financial Services Agent 1206 Third Avenue Chula Vista, CA 91911 Bus: (619) 420-5464 License # 0A68887 JGonzales3@FarmersAgent.com This document is for informational purposes only. You should consult your attorney, accountant, or tax advisor for legal or tax advice. FNWL020026 Ad space is available! Suppor t your Police Officers Association & adver tise your business! For more information on how you can advertise your business to Informant readers, call 858-573-1199 x 220. Friday Night Softball Season Ends By Tom Bostedt Another season of Friday Night GrabAss softball with the San Diego Police Athletic Federation is in the books. This summer was the 40th year we have sponsored the league and the eighth year we have been on the fields of MCAS Miramar. This year we fielded 14 teams, eight from SDPD and six from outside agencies, including Probation, IRS, P.E.O., S.D. City College Police, U.S.M.C. Provost Marshall’s Office and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. September 17th was championship night with Northern beating Gangs in the early league and SWAT edging out the defending champion I.R.S. team in the late league. Northern and SWAT played a great game under the lights but in the end, Northern Division took the championship. They win the coveted Gluteus Maximus trophy for their division and bragging rights for a year. always looking for people to help out during the season, especially umpires. If you would like to help, contact one of the Directors and let them know. Looking forward to seeing you all next season. Photo credits: Jeff Napier Here is a list of the PAF Board Members: Tom Bostedt, Eastern Patrol Dan Lasher, Eastern Patrol, Terrance Oh, Gangs Jason Jarrells, Eastern Patrol Larry Leiber, Mayor’s Detail Bill Brown, SRT Laura Zizzo, Eastern Investigations Tom Miller, STAR/PAL Ed Garrette, STAR/PAL I would like to thank the entire SDPAF Board for all of its hard work week after week. Without them, there would be no season. It takes a lot of work behind the scenes in order to set up and tear down fields, provide umpires, shop and prepare food and drinks, track results and prepare for the next week. We are November 2010 | 13 d Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act Improvements Act of 2010 Changing qualification requirements to read “during the most recent 12-month period, has met, at the expense of the individual, the standards for qualification in firearms training for active law enforcement officers, as determined by the former agency of the individual, the State in which the individual resides or, if the State has not established such standards, either a law enforcement agency within the State in which the individual resides or the standards used by a certified firearms instructor that is qualified to conduct a firearms qualification test for active duty officers within that State.” To amend title 18, United States Code, to improve the provisions relating to the carrying of concealed weapons by law enforcement officers, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled. This Act may be cited as the “Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act Improvements Act of 2010.” AMENDMENTS TO LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER SAFETY PROVISIONS OF TITLE 18 “For the purposes of this section, a law enforcement officer of the Amtrak Police Department, a law enforcement officer of the Federal Reserve, or a law enforcement or police officer of the executive branch of the Federal Government qualifies as an employee of a governmental agency who is authorized by law to engage in or supervise the prevention, detection, investigation, or prosecution of, or the incarceration of any person for, any violation of law, and has statutory powers of arrest.” Ronald Hauser, Attorney AMENDMENTS AFFECTING RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS Amending “regularly employed as a law enforcement officer for an aggregate of 15 years or more’’ to ‘‘served as a law enforcement officer for an aggregate of 10 years or more.” Numbered Pro Sound/Music For AllOdd Occasions MonthsParties Weddings Retirement/Birthday Professional DJ/Gear/Engineer Indoor/Outdoor Events Reasonable Rates Please Call Or Email For Quote “anything else is just noise” TMAG SOUND Phone: 619-540-8202 Fax: 619-589-1900 Email: tmagproductions@cox.net Law Enforcement Owned & Operated 14 | The Informant price through your current contract is $113/month Under the new amendments, qualifications can also be conducted “by a certified firearms instructor that is qualified to conduct a firearms qualification test for active duty officers within that State that indicates that the individual has, not less than 1 year before the date the individual is carrying the concealed firearm, been tested or otherwise found by the State or a certified firearms instructor that is qualified to conduct a firearms qualification test for active duty officers within that State to have met— “(I) the active duty standards for qualification in firearms training, as established by the State, to carry a firearm of the same type as the concealed firearm; or “(II) if the State has not established such standards, standards set by any law enforcement agency within that State to carry a firearm of the same type as the concealed firearm.” Having passed in identical form in both the House and Senate, this bill now awaits the signature of the President before becoming law. at Law May 13, 2010: This bill passed in the Senate by Unanimous Consent. September 29, 2010: This bill passed in the House of Representatives by voice vote. September 30, 2010: Presented to President. dIVoRCe BankRuptCy discount to law enforcement Ronald a. HauseR attorney at law (619) 206-3811 (619) 741-3961 national City ♦ san diego ♦ la Mesa DART/Team 7 - Continued from page 5 If you locate an indoor grow operation, the Narcotics Unit should be called regardless if the resident claims medical marijuana use. With Proposition 19 on the November 2 ballot, there will soon be a little more clarity on the approach that law enforcement should take. If Prop 19 does pass, Department Policy and Procedures will be updated to reflect the changes in the new law and appropriate training will be administered. In addition, City Council will need to create zoning guidelines and business license procedures for marijuana dispensaries to follow. Drug Court One DART officer is assigned to the downtown courthouse and another DART officer is assigned to the Chula Vista courthouse, where they each handle approximately 80-90 clients at any given time. Drug Court is an 18 month drug rehabilitation program to treat non-violent offenders in lieu of incarceration. It is collaborative effort between the San Diego Superior Court, the District Attorney’s Office, defense attorneys, social services and the San Diego Police Department to provide structure for participants who must meet numerous obligations (attend court each week, stay away from all drugs and alcohol, submit to random drug tests and attend mandatory counseling sessions) or face immediate consequences (warrant, arrest and return to jail). The program has about a 65-70% success rate and many participants see significant positive changes in their lives, from gaining employment to rekindling relationships with once alienated family members. DART officers are involved with every aspect of the clients’ lives, from meeting their family members and conducting home checks to keeping track of any slip-ups. Drug Court participants are in the Officer Notification System (ONS) so that drug court officers can be made aware if a client is stopped and in violation of one of their requirements. Many clients end up relying on the DART officers for support if they find themselves falling back into their old ways. Drug Court was developed over a decade ago by District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis and the success of this program became a model for the new Re-Entry Court program to prevent recidivism among recent parolees. Are you looking to buy a home in San Diego County, but just can’t afford it? T he San Diego Association of REALTORS ® Ambassadors Foundation may have the program for you... the Everyday Heroes Program! SDAR’s Ambassadors Foundation will provide interest rate buydowns and/or mortgage insurance buy-outs for qualified officers. The reduced fixed loan rates will allow you to save on your monthly mortgage payments, providing you and your family a better quality of life as you become vested in the “American dream” of homeownership. Re-Entry Court Many parolees do not have the resources to re-enter society after prison release and statistics show that nearly 70 percent of parolees will re-offend within three years of release. Through a partnership between the San Diego Superior Court, County of San Diego Health & Human Services Agency, Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, San Diego County Probation Department and San Diego Police Department, ReEntry Court gives participants and opportunity to close the revolving door to prison. Re-Entry Court is a comprehensive rehabilitation program that monitors participants while also teaching life skills and providing interview and employment advice, medical care and psychological counseling. Participants will be limited to defendants who have committed non-violent, non-sexual crimes while on parole, or who violated the terms of their parole. Defendants must plead guilty to their offenses, but similar to Drug Court, they will be diverted from incarceration to the Re-Entry Court program. The program aims to save taxpayer money since it costs between $35,000-50,000 per year to incarcerate a repeat offender (plus an additional $23,000-30,000 for the County to care for the offender’s children, if needed), but the Re-Entry Court program is estimated to cost a fraction of that amount at $5,000-15,000 each year per defendant. The first two years of the program will be funded through a $1.5 million grant from the California Emergency Management Agency. The Re-Entry Court program is scheduled to accept its first client in the first week of November and expects to divert approximately 250 participants to the program in its first two years. Current Drug Abatement Response Team members include Officer Ruben Hernandez, who will head up the Re-Entry Court effort and Drug Court Officers Andrea Ries and Vernon Peterson. The DART is under the supervision of Sergeant Phil Terhaar and is supported by two administrative aides, Lori Labnao and Rena Blades. DART falls under the Narcotics Unit along with five other Narcotics Street Teams and three narcotics teams that are based out of the Mid-City, Southern and Central area stations. The Narcotics Unit operates under the supervision of Assistant Chief Solis, Captain Swanger and Lieutenant Hutchinson. (Sources: Special thanks for Sergeant Terhaar for the unit overview) Cal. Uniforms Inc. 3755 Park Blvd. ♦ San Diego, CA 92103 ♦ 619-298-7504 For more information visit www.ambassadorsfoundation.org or call (858) 232-9501. If you missed the grand re-opening, you still have a chance to get free engraving on your flashlight or handcuff with any purchase! - and - Take 10% off of any one item of your choice November 2010 | 15 090908_GenericAmbassadorAd_3.75x2.5.indd 1 9/9/09 2:36:28 PM SDPOA Discount Tickets ATTRACTION AGE MEMBER REGULAR EXPIRES Limits CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE -ORADULT (10+) $67.00 $76.00 12/11/2010 8/Member DISNEYLAND 1 DAY PARK PASS CHILD (3-9) $59.00 $68.00 per month (Black Out Dates Apply) CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE -ORADULT (10+) $82.00 $101.00 1/3/2011 8/Member DISNEYLAND 1 DAY HOPPER CHILD (3-9) $74.00 $91.00 per month CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE AND ADULT (10+) $128.00 $161.00 1/3/2011 8/Member DISNEYLAND 2 DAY HOPPER* CHILD (3-9) $110.00 $146.00 per month * Second visit MUST be used within 13 calendar days following the first date of use CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE & DISNEYLAND ANNUAL PASSES - Please visit Disneyland.com to determine which annual pass best fits your needs, then come into the SDPOA to purchase tickets. Credit Cards ONLY! KNOTT'S BERRY FARM REGULAR $27.99 $53.99 12/31/2010 8/age group JUNIOR (- 48") $19.99 $23.99 per month LEGOLAND-GET A SECOND DAY FREE ALL AGES $49.00 $67.00 12/31/2010 8/Member per month LEGOLAND TRIPLE PLAY – LEGOLAND, ALL AGES $60.00 $87.00 12/31/2010 8/Member SEALIFE AQUARIUM & WATERPARK per month MAGIC MOUNTAIN ADULT $23.99 $54.99 12/31/2010 8/age group CHILD (- 48") $15.00 $29.99 per month MEDIEVAL TIMES CA ADULT (13+) $41.74 $55.95 No 8/age group CHILD (-12) $31.45 $37.95 expiration per month PIRATE’S DINNER ADVENTURE ADULT (12+) $43.50 $56.95 11/30/2010 8/age group CHILD (-11) $32.50 $37.95 per month SAN DIEGO ZOO ADULT (12+) $31.00 $37.00 1/6/2011 8/age group CHILD (3-11) $22.50 $27.00 per month SEA WORLD - 2 DAY ADULT (10+) $55.00 $69.00 10/1/2011 8/age group (Black Out Dates Apply) CHILD (3-9) $48.00 $59.00 per month UNIVERSAL STUDIOS – 3 DAY ALL AGES $59.00 $69.99 12/31/2010 8/Member per month WILD ANIMAL PARK ADULT (12+) $31.00 $37.00 1/6/2011 8/age group CHILD (3-11) $22.50 $27.00 per month MOVIE THEATERS AMC – Restricted AMC GOLD - Unrestricted ULTRA STAR REGAL / EDWARDS / UNITED ARTIST – Restricted REGAL / EDWARDS / UNITED ARTIST – Unrestricted MEMBER $6.25 $7.75 $6.25 $6.75 $7.75 REGULAR $11.50 $11.50 $11.00 $12.00 $12.00 EXPIRES No expiration No expiration 12/31/2013 No expiration No expiration Limits 12/Member per 7 days Save the Date You must show POA membership card before purchasing any member tickets - NO EXCEPTIONS! Please call the POA store to verify ticket availability. All prices are subject to change without notice. SDPOA Christmas Party Saturday, December 18 Hard Rock Hotel Gaslamp, San Diego Tickets: $25 for member and first guest. Additional guests are $75 Tickets will be sold from November 15 - December 10 in the POA Office. Black tie preferred. Rooms are available at the discounted rate of $109/night for the nights of December 17, 18 and 19 Reserve online at www.hardrockhotelsd.com using the code 1012SDPOA or reserve by phone at 619-702-3000 Be sure to reserve rooms early, the last day to reserve your room is November 18! 16 | The Informant San Diego Housing Market Update By Ray Shay So you want to talk about the current San Diego housing market. Let’s start with a question. Are you in the herd or out of the herd? It might help to know before we get started. The residential market is not for the faint of heart. The herd mentality is alive and well – lots of followers. Times are honestly not good if you are selling your home, unless you are re-investing. Just when it seems homes are stabilizing at one price point we see a dramatic shift of value of homes in another price point. Luxury estates over one million dollars are getting hammered by short sales and foreclosed property sales. Borrowing money is currently incredibly cheap. Home loans are available at 4.5% (or less) on 30 year fixed. Combine this extremely low rate with less competition to purchase homes and depressed prices and you have a perfect storm. The last time homes were this affordable to purchase was 39.7 years ago! That is not a misprint. It is reality. About a third or half of most realtors businesses (who are still in business) today are related to short sales. Our company is no different. The biggest trends Theresa and I have been seeing is a significant attitude change by sellers. Many clients who are strategically short selling no longer “feel bad.” They believe the banks caused this crisis by colluding with appraisers and Wall Street investment funds. The banks on their end have generally improved their processes to make a short sell much easier and quicker. With so many of their loan papers being flawed, the banks do not want to go to foreclosure and face further litigation (i.e. “You improperly foreclosed on me and I want my home back”). Many banks want to cut their losses, get help from the feds and move on. The Obama Administration also has implemented programs to make a short sale more appealing to the homeowner. With all this “help” some owners are saying, “why stay and fight?” First Time Home Buyers You know who you are. You are the ones who recently bought a home and let me guess this one… You paid 60% of what the previous owner bought the home for a few years ago. If you purchased in San Diego, Escondido or many other cities you also likely got a grant from the City to help with the down payment. Did you use your VA with no money down and no closing costs? Did you use many of the special loan programs for medical personnel or teachers? Is that you? Let me reinforce your quizzical look. You really are brilliant! Of all the homes currently being sold in the market about 47% are first time home buyers. The average age of these buyers is 30 years old and single females make up half of all new buyers. These women are a powerhouse of purchasing. They are also very smart. Several national experts point to about an 18 month window before there is actually a housing shortage. The reasons are rather simple. Since January of 2008 our country essentially reduced our building of homes and condos to the level of building which occurred in 1932, (550,000 homes/condos per year) when there were about 120 million people in our country. The problem is we now have about 340 million people. That is what we call constricted supply. Where are all these people going to live? One of our clients put his condo up for rent last week. He received 29 phone calls in one day! It turned into a bidding war to see who got the home. Just wait another year or so. The question you should ask yourself now is do you follow the herd or do you stick your head up out of the crowd, carefully research the situation and take action? I don’t know about you but I am saving my pennies to follow a close friend’s advice. His family lives in a home with about as much square footage as a Walmart. He recently told me, “Ray, just buy one small, cash producing, investment property a year. In ten years you won’t have to worry anymore.” I think he is right. Where did Theresa put that spare change jar? Ray Shay is a retired SDPD Lieutenant and co-owner of Shay and Associates Realtors of REMAX Ranch and Beach. Your referrals and our terrific staff are the winning combination. We're #1 in Home Sales for RE/MAX Associates. ATeamYouCanTrust SM 858-449-SELL (7355) RAY SHAY - DRE Lic# 01354548 • THERESA SHAY - DRE Lic# 01349286 SDPDhomes.com SM November 2010 | 17 PERT Perspective: Juveniles with Mental Illness By Dr. Kathy Rose, PERT Team Leader and Eastern PERT clinician Dealing with juveniles with mental illness is an area officers sometimes approach with trepidation – the process may not seem as straightforward as with an adult, since there are other considerations to take into account when your client is a juvenile. Recent changes in SDPD policy now allow officers more options in where they can transport 5150s, including juveniles. Where can I take juveniles? There are a limited number of LPS facilities in the County which can accommodate juveniles with mental illness: ESU (“Juvenile CMH”), Aurora Hospital, Mesa Vista Hospital, and UCSD CAPS (Child & Adolescent Psychiatric Services). It is always advisable to call the facility first to determine whether they have bed availability. ESU’s phone number is 619-4216900 (dial 0 for Intake); their address is 730 Medical Center Court in Chula Vista. Aurora Hospital’s Intake Department can be reached at: 858-675-4228, and their address is 11878 Avenue of Industry, San Diego; Mesa Vista’s Intake number is 858-836-8434, and their address is 7850 Vista Hill Avenue, San Diego. UCSD CAPS is accessed through ESU, who must first grant authorization. This authorization may be done over the phone, or may require that you transport the client to ESU, who will then do the transfer to UCSD CAPS. If they are able to authorize the admission over the phone, you can notify UCSD CAPS at 619-229-3700; their address is 6535 Alvarado Road, San Diego. How do I determine which facility to use? ESU is utilized primarily for unfunded clients, but will screen for Kaiser 5150s and UCSD CAPS. Clients with insurance should be transported to the psychiatric hospital where they have previously received treatment or where their doctor has privileges, for continuity of care. What about active duty military families? Children of active duty military must go to Balboa Hospital ER. They can be reached at 619-532-8274; their address is 34800 Bob Wilson Drive, San Diego. What if there are medical concerns? When there are medical issues involved, such as potential overdose, acute intoxication, severe lacerations, or any medical condition requiring immediate attention, the juvenile should be transported to a hospital ER by paramedics. Is parental consent necessary for treatment? Parental consent is ideal, but not mandatory, if the client meets 5150 criteria. In the majority of cases, the parents will be present on scene and can provide you with information about the client’s treatment history, doctor’s name, and other pertinent information. If a parent is not present, reaching them by phone is advisable. If the child meets 5150 criteria, you are obligated to hospitalize the child, even if the parents disagree with your decision. What if the juvenile doesn’t meet 5150 criteria, but the family still needs help? Parents have the option of contacting their child’s doctor and transporting the child to a psychiatric hospital themselves. Officers can also offer parents the option of a PERT evaluation if a unit is available, or advise that a PERT referral will be completed and a clinician will follow-up with resources. Dr. Kathy Rose is the PERT Team Leader and Eastern PERT clinician. Please feel free to email any questions, or suggestions for future topics to: krose@comresearch.org Schroth & Schroth is licensed to practice in all courts in the states of California and Wyoming. We offer free consultations, and focus in the following areas of law: Injury & Death Transportation Injuries • Birth Injuries • Auto Accidents • Brain Injuries • Auto Defects • Catastrophic Injuries • Bicycle Accidents • Child Injuries • Boating Accidents • Construction Injuries • Jet Ski Accidents • Dog Bites • Motorcycle Accidents • Personal Injury • Pedestrian Accidents • Skiing Injuries • Train Accidents • Slip & Fall • Trucking • Wrongful Death 18 | The Informant Consumers & Families • Breach of Contract • Business Litigation • Class Action Consumer Protection • Construction Defects • Dangerous Drugs • Elder Abuse • Medical Malpractice • Nursing Home Negligence • Product Liability • Swimming Pool/Drowning • Unfair Debt Collection Practices The Law Offices of Schroth & Schroth, LLC 2044 First Ave., Suite 200 San Diego, CA 92101 (619) 233-7521 www.schrothandschroth.net John L. Madigan Of Counsel Professor of Law Retired Captain - SDPD Commissioner - SDPD Museum Board Member - Sheriff’s Museum Third Page: • $261.25/month with member UC-7: An Anonymous Eater Highlighting cop-friendly eateries in the City of San Diego that provide a full meal for under or around $8.00 using a strict 5 badge rating system. One of the great things about writing this column is that I occasionally stumble on to the sleeper hit, the hidden gem, the corner shop where you might never stop. Take a walk inside one of these places and rich flavors suck you into their greedy clutches, overloading the palate with the joy and wonder of great food. This week I was happily caught in the web of AChau; a small, low-key, corner shop in Mid-City Division that produces some of the best sandwiches around. A-Chau is located at 4644 El Cajon Boulevard (619) 2814066. They take cash only. Parking is limited depending on the time of day. They are open everyday from 7-6. A-Chau specializes in Banh Mi, which is a Vietnamese style sandwich served on a crusty baguette. Most Banh Mi is served with meat and topped with carrot, cilantro, daikon, cucumbers, green peppers and mayonnaise. Exercise caution when requesting extra peppers, as these are not polite bell peppers, but rather small green slices of a mini-inferno that could melt steel. Jacob D joined me on this excursion and we absolutely stuffed ourselves. Our first round consisted of the house specialty, Banh Mi. I chose the chicken and Jacob D chose the BBQ pork. The chicken was incredibly juicy and the portion was more than enough for a healthy sized lunch. The vegetable toppings were absolutely crisp and fresh. Jacob D’s pork was my favorite. A-Chau uses some kind of magic spell on their pork meat because the rich flavors blew me away. We finished our meal with Vietnamese Iced Coffees, which were made fresh to order. Our sandwiches were $3.50 each and the coffees were $2.50 each, bringing our total for a filling lunch to $13.05. 2011 Fiesta For round two, we decided to try the rice Vermicelli noodles with pork and four egg rolls. The buttery pork was countered by a small crowd of mint, green leaf lettuce and cilantro. This was an unusual dish and well worth our intrepid spirit. The pork was rich and juicy, and the vegetables were wonderfully crisp. The delicious egg rolls were stuffed with pork and carrot, and surprisingly light, not greasy. The Vermicelli was $6.95 and the egg rolls were .45 each, bringing our total for a lighter lunch to $9.70. A-Chau is fast, their food is top quality, and their portions are generous. I am giving A-Chau 4.5 badges. I welcome all comments, my e-mail is UC-7@live.com Drew Auto Center Our Goal ... Customers For Life 2010 F150 www.drewauto.com Fleet Pricing Huge Inventory Large Service Department Complete Parts & Apparel Store State-of-the-Art Collison repair Center Finance & Lease Programs extended warranty & Security Protection For an appointment, call one of your PoA representatives: FLeet DePArtment - 619 464-7777 Mike Safford x7729, 25 years Jerry Miller x7727, 20 years toll Free 888-373-9367 (888 Drew Ford) November 2010 | 19 RF&PA Update By Bill Farrar, President, Retired Fire & Police Association Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act Improvements Act On September 29, 2010 the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass S. 1132, the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act Improvements Act. This important legislation addresses problems that have occurred in the implementation of the original Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (LEOSA) of 2004 (HR 218). The Senate passed the bill back on May 13, 2010. Chris Cox, NRA’s chief lobbyist, stated, “The security challenges we face as a country are immense. Our law enforcement has to deal with threats from terrorists, criminals, and other unsavory elements on a daily basis. These challenges are further complicated by financial cutbacks resulting in furloughed criminals and laid-off law enforcement officers. Amending the law to make it easier for retired law enforcement officers to carry a firearm is a commonsense measure that benefits everyone.” Among other things S. 1132 would: • Ensure availability of required training by allowing a retired officer to meet the standard of any agency in his state or • • • • • of his own former agency. (Currently officers have to meet state standards which not all states prescribe.) Address departmental liability concerns by allowing training to be conducted by state-qualified private firearm instructors. Make it clear that LEOSA carry rights extend to retired officers who served with one department, but retired from another. Reduce the required time in service to qualify for LEOSA carry rights from 15 years to 10. Strike language that conditioned retirees’ carry rights on eligibility for retirement benefits. Make clear that the law also applies to all federal officers and officers of the Amtrak Police Department. Purchase Of Service Credits In September, I reported that SDCERS would be studying their options and receiving input from members about the Court ruling regarding certain Purchase of Service Credits. The SDCERS Board voted 8-0 on October 1 to follow staff’s recommendation to recalculate certain PSCs that were applied for during a 2003 “window period.” Stacy M. King, Esq.* KING & LEMLEY, LLP sking@kinglemleylaw.com ATTORNEYS AT LAW Zachary M. Lemley, Esq. Estate Planning starting at $495 zlemley@kinglemleylaw.com 2515 Camino Del Rio South, Suite 110 San Diego, CA 92108 Telephone: (619) 584-4711 Facsimile: (619) 342-0312 Call us for an appointment today Areas of Practice Personal Injury ~ Wrongful Death ~ Medical Malpractice Premises Liability ~ Product Liability Wills & Trusts ~ Business and Real Estate Law *Stacy King is the wife of Officer Shawn King, SDPD Northern Division 20 | The Informant Attorneys licensed to practice in the State of California I found it disappointing that options holding City officials and various advisors to City and SDCERS officials accountable were ignored. Since the SDCERS Board has decided not to pursue those options the litigation will begin. Millions of dollars will be spent that could have been used to resolve this issue. Hundreds of your fellow retirees, DROP participants and current employees will suffer endless anxiety while the lawyers get rich. The Sticking Place In March, I discussed former SDPD Sergeant Tim Smith’s upcoming sequel to Cop World, a 1984 book that examined the Central Division of the San Diego Police Department. Tim’s time table has been adjusted and instead his novel, The Sticking Place, will be released in November. In the story, it’s 1978 in “America’s Finest City” – San Diego, California – and one rookie cop is learning the hardest lessons the streets have to teach. “The Sticking Place” is the first in the Luke Jones series, which follows one cop’s career from rookie to retirement. You can visit Tim’s website at http:// copworld.wordpress.com. EvErgrEEn TrEE SpEcialiST Tree Care and Removal Affordable Rates Certified Arborist #WE-3509-a Complete Tree Service Lacing Stump Grinding Pruning Complete Removal Edward Gross - Owner 619-850-9583 Cell 619-255-3719 Fax Fully Licensed & Insured Expert Witness Contractor’s Lic #731377 National Law Enforcement Museum Breaks Ground By Craig W. Floyd, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, NLEOMF The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) formally broke ground on October 14, 2010, to begin work on the new National Law Enforcement Museum in Washington, DC. The groundbreaking ceremony took place at the future site of the Museum in the 400 block of E Street, NW, across the street from the existing National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in historic Judiciary Square, the symbolic seat of the nation’s criminal justice system. The ceremony marked the official start of construction work on the Museum, ten years after Congress authorized the project. United States Attorney General Eric Holder spoke at the ceremony, highlighting the recognition the Museum will give to law enforcement officers across the nation and throughout history. Also in attendance was U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano, along with hundreds of other law enforcement, corporate and government leaders, surviving family members of officers killed in the line of duty and citizen supporters. “Today marks a major milestone for this important institution,” said Craig W. Floyd, NLEOMF Chairman and CEO. “With this groundbreaking, we are taking a historic step in realizing our mission to tell the story of American law enforcement through exhibits, collections, research and education.” “We recognize that public safety is a partnership between law enforcement and the citizens they serve,” he added. “This Museum will strengthen that partnership by helping people to better understand and appreciate the value of policing in America. I am tremendously grateful for the support and cooperation of so many who have helped to make this day possible, including the U.S. Congress, the National Park Service, the DC Government, corporations, law enforcement officers, and organizations and citizens across this country who have dug deep into their pockets to make sure this Museum is built. To- day we bring our remarkable vision an important step closer to reality.” Scheduled to open in late 2013, the 55,000-square-foot, mostly underground institution will be a world-class experiential Museum with high-tech interactive exhibitions. The Museum will include a vast collection of law enforcement artifacts and dedicated spaces for research and education. Visitor experiences will range from assuming the role of a police dispatcher in the Motorola 911 Emergency Call Center; to making split-second, life-or-death decisions posed by the use-of-force judgment simulator; to solving crimes in the Museum’s Target Forensics Lab. Other major exhibitions will focus on the history of law enforcement, corrections, tools of the trade and a fascinating look at a day in the life of an officer. The “Reel to Real” exhibit will give visitors the opportunity to compare reallife law enforcement with depictions in movies and on television. The National Law Enforcement Museum will offer a wide range of educational programs for school-age children, families, adults and law enforcement professionals. In the Museum’s Hall of Remembrance, visitors will learn the inspirational stories of the nearly 19,000 fallen heroes whose names are engraved on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. A changing exhibition gallery sponsored by DuPont will focus on topical issues and delve deeper into some of the milestone moments of law enforcement’s past. One of the most comprehensive collections of law enforcement artifacts found anywhere in the world will be used by the Museum for its exhibitions, educational programs and research activities. The Museum’s collection already comprises more than 14,000 objects, including a sheriff’s writ from 1703, the earliest object in the collection; artifacts associated with infamous crimes, such as the Lindbergh baby kidnapping case, and infamous criminals such as gangster Al Capone; handcuffs, nightsticks and other tools of the trade dating back to the 1850s; and pop culture items, such as the RoboCop movie costume and one of Jack Bauer’s sweatshirts from the television show, “24.” The Museum has also been designated as the official repository for oral history transcripts from members of the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI and, earlier this year, the Museum acquired the J. Edgar Hoover estate, which includes thousands of personal and professional objects belonging to the legendary director of the FBI. The Museum will feature material from the Memorial Fund’s files on the nearly 19,000 federal, state and local law enforcement officers in the United States who have died in the line of duty since the first recorded death in 1792. Funds for the construction and development of the Museum, which was authorized by a public law enacted in 2000 and authored by U.S. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, a former deputy sheriff, are being raised privately by the Memorial Fund. The cost of the Museum is approximately $80 million. To date, law enforcement organizations, corporations, foundations and individuals from across the country have donated over $40 million toward that goal. The District of Columbia Government has also been a strong supporter of the project, authorizing up to $60 million in industrial revenue bonds to help with financing, and providing a 20-year sales tax credit for the Museum worth up to $10 million. The mission of the National Law Enforcement Museum is to tell the story of American law enforcement through exhibits, collections, research and education. The Museum seeks to build mutual respect and foster cooperation between the public and the law enforcement profession in an effort to create a safer society and to uphold the democratic ideals of the U.S. Constitution. For more information, visit www.LawEnforcementMuseum.org. November 2010 | 21 Code 4 Chronicles Presented by the Law Offices of Dan Zeidman Southeastern and K-9 Officers are commended for their restraint, tactics and teamwork that resulted in a peaceful end to a potential deadly encounter. On September 11, 2010 officers were dispatched on a report that Markeith Davis had a baseball bat and was strangling his sister after attacking his mother. Officers Eric McCoole, Randall Mills, Miguel Garcia, Jose Mercado, Nicole Campbell and Sergeant James Chiles responded. Communications updated information as it became available. Officers were told that Davis kept a handgun under his bed. His mother told Communications that Davis was a gang member. Sergeant Chiles requested a K-9 unit. As officers neared the location, Communications advised that Davis had moved to his bedroom. Several additional officers including Sergeant Allan Butchart responded to assist. Sergeant Chiles and Officers McCoole, Mills, Mercado and Campbell were the first to arrive on scene. Davis’ mother told Communications that her daughter and the suspect were coming outside. As arriving units were parking, a single gunshot was heard followed by four to five rapid shots in succession. Believing that an active shooter scenario was taking place, Sergeant Chiles decided to address the situation immediately to avoid injury or a potential hostage incident. Sergeant Butchart began assigning officers to certain tasks. A perimeter was set to contain Davis. Sergeant Chiles and Officers Carlos Garcia and Mercado were armed with AR15s and confronted the suspect. Sergeant Chiles gave Davis numerous orders to drop what he had in his hands. Davis had a 40 oz. bottle of Budweiser in his right hand. His body was positioned such that officers were unable to see what was in his left hand. Sergeant Chiles continued to give Davis orders to drop what was in his hands and he refused. Sergeant Butchart had Officer Lorenzo Ruiz retrieve the bean-bag shotgun and he took over as the contact officer. He continued giving the suspect commands to drop what he had in his hands and lie down or he would be shot. The commands were loud and clear. Officers on the other side of the perimeter said they could hear Officer Ruiz’s commands. The suspect continued to disobey the orders. Davis demanded that officers shoot him. He still would not reveal what he had in his left hand. While Officer Ruiz continued to give commands, Sergeant Butchart assigned officers to an arrest team and added another less-than-lethal force option (Taser). K-9 Officer Rick Widner and his partner, Matese, arrived on scene to assist with the apprehension of the suspect. Once the arrest team was in place and all resources were available, officers began to approach Davis. At this point, he began complying with orders to get on the ground. Officers Campbell and Jonathan Bamba took the suspect into custody without further incident. Once the exterior was secured officers went inside to check the welfare of the residents. More firearms, including a shotgun, were found in the suspect’s bedroom. A .357 Magnum was recovered from the mailbox, which was only a few feet from where the suspect was standing when officers first engaged him. A records check revealed the weapon used by Davis was reported stolen on January 5, 2009. Davis was transported to County Jail and booked for assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm, battery, drunk in public, discharging a firearm within city limits and possession of stolen property. Code 4 Chronicles is a monthly segment of The Informant. It is edited by Debbie and Bill Farrar (dlance@pd.sandiego.gov or billfarrar@cox.net) Send items for the C4C to Debbie by e-mail or in writing to MS 790. Please include your name & phone number. STOP, DROP & ROLL!! Everybody’s talking about it, but, what does it mean to YOU? Make the best days of your life your retirement years! Our professionals at Focus Investment Advisors will analyze, strategize and execute a plan that will offer you a more secure retirement. To find out what your options are before you roll, call or email for more information: (760) 230-1880 ext: 100 StopDropRoll@FocusInvestment.com Securities offered through Girard Securities, Inc. A registered Broker-Dealer. Member FINRA/SiPC. Girard Securities, Inc. is not affiliated with Focus Investment Advisors. 22 | The Informant and Powerwashing, Inc. Jay Jacob / Owner SDPD Northern Division Specializing In: Interior/Exterior Residential/Commericial Power Washing Acoustical Ceiling Removal Stucco Repair Drywall Repair 760-789-0525 Cell: 760-445-5445 1672 Main Street, Suite E 435 Ramona, California 92065 November 2010 | 23 SDPD Officers Escort Burnaby, BC Fire Captain Through City Burnaby Fire Department Captain Rudy Pospisil completed the final leg of his 3 Countries, 3 Cancers Bike Ride through San Diego. He started his journey on September 5, 2010 in Vancouver, BC, rode down the Pacific Coast through Washington, Oregon, and California. He finished on Saturday, October 9, through San Diego and into Mexico. Pictured (left to right): Woody DuBois, Jay Graves, Jim Johnson, Burnaby Fire Captain Rudy Pospisil, Tom Jacques and Bruce Byrd. Along the way, Rudy, a 10-year cancer survivor, was supported by law enforcement and fire departments in an effort to raise money for pancreatic, prostate and breast cancer research. On Saturday, October 9, 2010 at 10:00 A.M., a group of off-duty San Diego Police officers joined Rudy Pospisil at the northern edge of the City of San Diego near Torrey Pines to ride with him on the last leg of his journey. The officers escorted Rudy to the Border taking side streets, bike paths and thoroughfares. The ride ended near the pedestrian gate at the International Border. The San Diego Police Department Motor Unit provided an escort at various stages throughout the route. Special Thanks to the Over the Hill Gang! The Over the Hill Gang was originally created in 1973 and has close to 200 members. During Mother’s Day weekend, the Club hosts one of the largest and longest local shows in San Diego County called the “STREAK.” Their 37th year of the STREAK Car Show was held at Campland on the Bay in San Diego, California. With approximately 400 vehicles, 200 campsites and an estimated 8,000 plus attendees and spectators present at the two day event, this year’s STREAK raised a grand total of $7,000 to donate to the San Diego Police Officers Association’s Widows & Orphans Fund. Thank you to the Over the Hill Gang for your generous donation, it is much appreciated! Watch the Charger Game at the SDPOA Chargers vs. Houston Texans Sunday, November 7 Doors open at 9:30 am * Game starts at 10:00 am Beer, Soda, Hot Dogs and Burgers! The SDPOA received a donation of five large-screen TVs from SONY electronics and it is time to test them out! 24 | The Informant In Remembrance Thomas A. Keays End of Watch: 20 November 1937 Fifteen minutes after pulling a body from beneath a streetcar, Sgt. Keays died of a heart attack. Yosemite M/C Run Reunion A group of retired officers are looking for anyone who went on the annual Yosemite motorcycle trip in the 1980s. A reunion trip is planned for April 29 - May 1, 2011. We will be meeting up with the Oakland P.D. crew for a weekend of reminiscing and camaraderie in Arnold, California, in the mountains near Yosemite. A motorcycle is not required to attend, but many of us will be riding up. Contact Randy Hill (SDPD Ret.) at wolf543@cox.net or Brad Bickel (NCPD Ret.) at bradbickel@cox.net for details. Archie C. Buggs End of Watch: 4 November 1978 Officer Buggs was shot and killed during a routine traffic stop of two suspects under the influence of PCP. Michael J. Bushman End of Watch: 25 November 1963 Officer Bushman died after his car left the road in a single-vehicle accident. Agent Bill Boye passed away unexpectedly over the summer and his funeral services were held on September 16 at Fort Rosecrans with a reception following at the SDPOA Hall. He will be missed. Pictured with him in 2007 are Jon Cherski, Steve Holliday and Brian Keaton The POA Store has mugs, t-shirts, polos, sweatshirts, bathrobes, hats and glasses. Come see what is new! Visit the POA Store for all San Diego Police goods & gifts! The POA Store is located at the SDPOA office 8388 Vickers Street San Diego 92111 November 2010 | 25 Stranger than Fiction A North Carolina man is second-guessing his decision to try robbing an unsuspecting female convenience store clerk – or at the very least his decision to set the gun down. The man Bayasked Park for Realty and When the clerk walked into the store and change. Financial - Jon asked him what he wanted, change forKern a dollar or for a five, etc., the man showed her a gun and simply said that he wanted “all of it.” The clerk threw money at him and let him start digging in the cash register. With too much to grab at, the suspect set his gun down on the counter. The clerk quickly picked up the gun and the suspect, realizing his mistake, took off running. He ran away so fast that ran straight out of his shoe – seriously, police later found a shoe near the front door. appropriately charged with domestic battery after her striking, scratching and kicking episode. Most people who are fed up with noise might politely ask the person to keep it down – or call the police as a last resort. No way, says a 67-year-old Croatian retiree. Well he didn’t so much say no way. He went fairly “medieval” as they say. Chamber pot and all, he threw a bucket of, um, stuff out his window on to a group of guests enjoying dinner at a restaurant Do notcharge below his flat in Croatia. He received a misdemeanor allow a resfor this incident and a second charge for walking into the foreclosure taurant with a large wooden plank. to ruin your Another alert store clerk prevented a robbery creDit & Bay PaRK Financial An Australian woman who believed she was home alone was terrified to hear someone at the Long Island Dunkin’ Donuts – this taking a shower in her house. No, it’s not time not by stealing his gun, but by spraya leftover Halloween ghost story – just a ing him with water. The suspect, wearFull Brokerage drunk neighbor who was so many sheets to ingService a “Scream” mask, barged in through Jon Kern Realtor ® SaleS: the wind that he thought heHome was in his own a back door after closing and demanded Retired Represent or buyerThe clerk, who was in the middle SDPD home. The man decided to•take a showerseller money. of • Residential - Investment to sober up, but the woman called police. When police ar- - Commerical washing the donut trays, turned the high-powered rived, they found the man, fully dressed again, theas an alternative kitchen faucet the suspect. The suspect ran away never • sitting Short on sale to on foreclosure woman’s porch. He ended up apologizing to • herCall andbefore the po-you make to bewhat seencould again.be a costly mistake lice repeatedly. Hey, at least he’s a nice drunk.FInanCIng: He was taken into protective custody to sleep it off. Cincinnati police received an easy arrest call when a pros• new home purchases titute caused a slight panic at an area motel. The woman • Re-financeexistingloans You would think that a woman wouldn’t be quite so surprised called and said that there were two hostages being held at • Restructure loansgunpoint. to avoid In surrender of your property because Dept. of Real when her husband didn’t listen to her request the first time reality, she was just upsetCa herestate cus• ask about a “no Cost loan” on home purchase DRe #10483034 around… A 33-year-old Florida woman called her husband to tomer was refusing to pay her. Two women were arrested tell him that she was home along and had drunk all the vodka on prostitution charges and one of them also faces an addiso he needed to bring home vodka. Her husband did not bring tional charge for making a phony police report. Both women any vodka home and the woman was none too happy with him. also had other outstanding warrants for unrelated charges, Domestic violence is no laughing matter though and she was like assault and child endangerment. Office: 858-832-1939 Ad space is available! Suppor t your Police Officers Association & adver tise your business! For more information on how you can advertise your business to Informant readers, call 858-573-1199 x 220. 26 | The Informant Cell: 619-994-5447 Do not allow a foreclosure to ruin your creDit & Bay PaRK Financial Office: 858-832-1939 Cell: 619-994-5447 Full Service Brokerage Jon Kern Realtor ® Home SaleS: SDPD Retired • Represent seller or buyer • Residential - Commerical - Investment • Short sale as an alternative to foreclosure • Call before you make what could be a costly mistake FInanCIng: • new home purchases • Re-financeexistingloans • Restructure loans to avoid surrender of your property Ca Dept. of Real estate • ask about a “no Cost loan” on home purchase DRe #10483034 On the Road... Sponsored by Officer Kelly Besker of Central Division stopped by Duke’s Canoe Club with his Informant while on a trip to Kauai. Retired Det. Sgt. Ed Becker and his wife, Connie, went to Vancouver, Canada for the first week of the 2010 Olympics. Here they are at BC Place with Sgt. Margaret Campbell of the Edmonton (Alberta) Police Department. Sergeant James Kistner brought a copy of The Informant to the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island, Bahamas. Officer Ray Clark celebrated his 25th wedding anniversary with a trip to the Great Pyramids of Giza, in Cairo, Egypt, and brought his Informant along for the ride. If you’ve recently taken your copy of The Informant on the road with you, please share your pictures! If your picture is featured, the member who sends in the photo will receive a pair of movie tickets, as well as our appreciation! Active and retired SDPOA members should send submissions to Emily via email at ecox@sdpoa.org. November 2010 | 27 Sunday An at-a-glance listing of SDPOA, law enforcement and local events Tuesday Wednesday November Friday Dates to Remember Thursday Saturday 6 Monday 5 4 13 3 12 20 2 11 SDPOA Office Closed in Observance of Veteran’s Day 19 1 10 DATE CHANGE DUE TO VETERAN’S DAY: SDPOA Board Meeting 8:30 am SDPOA Board Room 18 9 17 RFPA Board Meeting SD Firefighters Credit Union 16 8 14 15 SDPOA Christmas Party Tickets On Sale Today SDPOA Office 27 24 26 23 SDPOA Office Closed 22 SDPOA Office Closed 21 29 30 25 Thanksgiving Day Thanksgiving Dinner at the POA for all Watches 11:00 am - midnight 28 7 Charger Game Viewing Party at the SDPOA HAll of Valor 10:00 am 28 | The Informant POA Office Manager’s Report Reminder: The next POA Board Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 10 8:30 am POA Board Room If you have a specific topic you would like to address with the board, please call the POA office by Thursday, November 4, to be added to the agenda. If you’d like to sit in and listen to the discussion, but do not have a specific topic, please feel free to drop in. There are quite a few ways to get involved in some fun SDPOA events coming up in the next several weeks – something for everyone between football, food and parties! First up, we’ll be having another Charger game viewing party for the November 7 away game. The game starts at 10:00 am and the POA hall will be open with all of our TVs going, so come by to root on the Chargers as they take on Houston. The POA will host a Thanksgiving dinner for all watches again this year and the Chief’s office has granted flexibility in Code-7 to allow officers to come from all over the City to the POA, staffing permitting. Food will be served from 11:00 am until midnight, so we’d love to have you over for dinner! See page six for more info. As many of you already know, the POA Christmas Party will be on Saturday, December 18 at the Hard Rock Hotel. Tickets will be on sale at the POA office from November 15 until December 10. Come by to buy your tickets early – we’re expecting a huge crowd this year! For those of you who haven’t seen the announcement yet, the November board meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 10 instead of the usual second Thursday of the month date. This is to accommodate the Veteran’s Day holiday and we’d also like to advise everyone that the POA office will be closed on Thursday, November 10. On a final note, I can’t say THANK YOU enough to retired Sergeant Ralph Garcia and the Over the Hill Gang for their HUGE $7,000 donation to the SDPOA Widows & Orphans Fund. They donated the proceeds from the Streak Car Show and we greatly appreciate it! Be safe! Khristina L. Smith Classified Ads Looking for police patches and badges from California agencies, including current and older patched, specialized units, tabs, badge patches, etc. I have a large collection to trade from or will purchase. Let’s get together for coffee and do some trading. You may contact Dan Weiss at dweiss@pd.sandiego.gov. Dan is California Law Enforcement Historical Society Member #33 Vacation Rentals North Shore, O’ahu, Hawaii – Sit up in bed each morning and see the blue Pacific! There’s a 4 bedroom (K/Q/Q/2 Twin), 3.5 bath Hawaiian home away from home waiting for your visit! Steps from the ocean, “Ka’a’asa Liona” has a full kitchen, outdoor gas BBQ, sunroom with full ocean view, 52” flat screen TV, two car garage, A/C, new pillowtop beds, laundry room, linens, beach towels – everything you’ll need to relax & enjoy your well-deserved Hawaiian vacation! Sleeps 8. Rent by the day. Special law enforcement rate! Call Lynne or Jim Tucker, SDPD retired at 858.967.5257 – Website: www.kaaasaliona.com Rosarito Beach, Mexico – just steps from the beach, beautiful ocean view with spectacular sunsets. Gate guarded, located at K38, a world-renowned surfing spot and only 20 miles from the border. Outside firepit and sundeck, living room, family room both with fireplaces. Two bedrooms, sleeps eight, two bathrooms. Enjoy the clean skies and stars at night, smell the ocean air and listen to the waves. Reasonable rates, come relax and enjoy! Call Sandy Redding at 619-444-9174. Big Bear Lake – Beautiful two-story mountain cabin. Secluded in pine trees with view. Fireplace, sundeck, stained glass windows, beautifully furnished. Sleeps 9 people comfortably. Nearby boating, fishing, swimming, water skiing, parasailing, jet skiing, wind surfing, golfing, horseback riding, hunting, hiking, snow skiing (winter). Or simply just get away and relax. Visit Big Bear’s Zoo, take an exciting ride on the Alpine Slide, or unwind and take a dip in Pan Hot Springs (Big Bear’s own natural hot springs mineral pool). Experience the crisp, clean, pine-scented mountain air and leave your cares behind. Rent for the weekend, week or month. Reasonable rates. Call Sandy Redding 619-444-9174. Coconut Coast in Kapaa, Kauai – One bedroom condo with full kitchen in the Planation Hale, a 160-unit, 9-acre complex run by the Best Western Hotels as week-to-week vacation rentals (www.plantation.hale.com). Special law enforcement rate (active and retired police, firefighters and friends in San Diego County) $95 per night – as space is available – first come first served. Regularly from $165 to $205 per day, depending on the time of year and condo. To book, call Elsie and use “code law,” at 1-800-775-4253. Sleeps 4 adults and 2 children, with daily maid service. Any problems, call Jack Freitas, SDPD retired. Lake Havasu City, Arizona – New vacation home in the heart of Lake Havasu City. The home has three bedrooms and two baths with an additional detached guesthouse furnished as a second master suite, making it perfect for two couples plus kids/guests. Amenities include full granite kitchen, in-ground pool and Jacuzzi, fireplace, 50” TV & entertainment center, BBQ, and lots of off-street parking. The home is 5 minutes from all attractions including London Bridge and the lake, golf, desert sports, and shopping! Available by the day or get the week discount. Great law enforcement rates. Call J.K. Hudgins, CIU 619-247-6978, or Chuck Arnold, ICAC 619-890-8527. Lake Tahoe – A great vacation home on the west shore, located in the very quiet and private Rubicon area, just north of Emerald Bay. Come enjoy the lake with its fishing, boating, skiing, sightseeing, etc. The home includes beautiful forest views, large outdoor decks, two fireplaces, a two-car garage, 6 nearby ski resorts, and all just one block from your own private beach and pier. The home is a 4/3, newly remodeled and furnished in a tasteful mountain theme. This house will sleep 10-12 in comfort! Deep discounts for fellow law enforcement officers. Available by the day or week. Call for photos and maps: J.K. Hudgins, CIU 619-2476978, or Chuck Arnold, ICAC 619-890-8527. Havasu – Vacation rental, 3 bedroom / 2 bath, 1 king and 2 queen beds. Near downtown and the launch ramp. $100/night + $100 non-refundable cleaning deposit. 928-680-7289 home / 928-208-2483 cell. For photos, email kaycaddy@hotmail.com. November 2010 | 29 SDPOA Board Minutes September 9, 2010 0830 hours Directors present: Marvel (excused from 0845- 1145), Fender, Paxton, Bostedt, Hubka, Lewis, Levitt (arrived 1015 hrs.), Jordon, DuBois Directors excused: MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE: C. Morrison, S. McMillan, S. Rose, M. Springer, L. Maggi, M. Sullivan, T. O’Daniel. E. Herbert OTHERS PRESENT: A. Cates, A. Springer, S. Lehan, J. Olen, J. Clem, B. Nemec, T. Degelder, B. Farrar, C. Hogquist, R. Pinckard, B. Fields, K. Smith (recorder) OPENING OBSERVANCES: President Marvel called the meeting to order at 0830 hours and led all present in the Pledge of Allegiance. There was a moment of silence for the Officers killed in the line of duty in the past. There were 10 officers killed in the line of duty Nationwide since the August Board Meeting. There were 5 San Diego Police officer killed in the month of September. Henry Goodrich (9/7/40), Kimberly Tonahill (9/14/84), Timothy Ruopp (9/16/84), Ronald Davis (9/17/91), Robert McPherson (9/30/29). NON-AGENDA MEMBER COMMENTS: No Report. MEMBER PRESENTATIONS: • Stephanie Rose requested the POA’s support of $500 for her to participate in a half marathon to support cancer. Moved to Charity. • Mark Hanten requested to POA donate t-shirts for the security volunteers for the Susan G. Komen Walk. Moved to Charity. PRESENTATIONS: • Bostedt gave a presentation to the first Honorary SDPOA Member to Dispatcher Alisha Cates. Cates donated her kidney to Member Mike Springer’s wife, Anne. • Jill Olen with the San Diego Police Foundation gave an update on the Foundation and stated there will be changes in how the Foundation will be run. They plan on mending fences with organizations that have been treated poorly in the past. • Herb Smith requested the POA donate money for new Chaplain shirts. Moved to Charity. • Kathleen Hoot requested the POA make a donation for her participation in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day 30 | The Informant Walk. Moved to Charity. • Dan McAllister gave an update on legislation regarding Roth 457 plans for public safety workers. • Terry Degelder and Bill Nemec gave an overview of starting a private business with a government agency partnership to GPS monitor sex offenders. Degelder and Nemec requested the POA support the program by writing a letter of endorsement. Discussion occurred. • Bill Farrar and Charlie Hogquist requested information regarding the change to the Associate Membership. • Officer Chavez thanked the Board for the donation towards their unit refrigerator. PAC Status report: • SCALE- No report. Had meeting on Board Meeting Day. • CCLEA- Fender spoke about the recent meeting; updated regarding the various Association issues that were addressed, including L.A.’s budget crisis. • Big 11 – Presentation of Big 11 letterhead. • PORAC – DuBois reported on the November conference. • Prop D - DuBois updated on the recent meeting. • DuBois updated on candidates the SDPOA has supported this year. PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE Charity: • Request for POA to sponsor the SDDSA Star 6 Foundation Golf Tournament. Declined. • Request for POA to sponsor the CNOA 2nd Annual Fallen Officers Golf Tournament. M/S Hubka/ DuBois for $400. Unanimous. 8-0-1. Marvel excused. • Request for POA to sponsor a member’s participation in a half marathon to support Crohn’s and colitis disease. M/S Bostedt/Lewis for $200. Unanimous. 8-0-1. Marvel excused. • Request for POA to sponsor four members and one retired officer’s wife in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Breast Cancer Walk. M/S Levitt/Hubka to split $2,500 equally amongst those who have already made the request, and any other members who make the request by October 14th. Unanimous. 8-0-1. Marvel excused. • Request for POA to donate t-shirts for the security volunteers for the Susan G. Komen Walk. Tabled. • Request for POA to donate money for new chaplain shirts. Tabled. • Request for POA to sponsor the Crime Stoppers Light the Night event. M/S Jordon/DuBois for $750. Unanimous. 8-0-1. Marvel excused. Informant: • The Unit Spotlight will be the DART and the Member spotlight will be Jason Weeden for the November issue. Website: No report RETIREMENT • Mark Sullivan gave an update on SDCERS activities. His presentation included discussion of ongoing issues with PSC’s and DROP. Discussion occurred. Closed session MEMBER RELATIONS Member Services: • There was a member request for a two consecutive day use of the POA Hall. • Discussion occurred regarding the design of the Hall of Valor. M/S Marvel/Hubka for the mural without “Sony” on it. Unanimous. 9-0. LABOR/MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE Status Report: • Kanaski announced the dates for the Captain interviews. • Kanaski discussed budget issues. • Kanaski talked about a couple pursuit rated vehicles. • Discussion occurred regarding HIPPA violations. Safety: No report LEGAL • No report LITIGATION COMMITTEE – Brian Marvel / Jeff Jordon, Co-Chairs • No report SPECIAL EVENTS / SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE Status report: • Hubka gave an update on the recent POA picnic. BUDGET-FINANCE Status report: • M/S Jordon/Hubka to accept the Treasurer’s report. Unanimous. 8-01. Absent for vote: Lewis. BUSINESS AND GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE Administrative: SDCPOA will have their Christmas party at the POA Hall By-Laws: No Report Minutes: M/S Levitt/Hubka to accept the August 2010 Board Meeting Minutes with no corrections. Unanimous. 9-0. MILESTONE REPORT No Report OLD BUSINESS • Hubka updated the Board regarding the Hall of Valor painting. • Bostedt gave an update regarding the Valor awards. • Levitt updated regarding agency fees San Diego Police Officers Association Staff Non-Members 8388 Vickers Street 858.573.1199 (Office) 858.573.1574 (Fax) San Diego, CA 92111 Alonzo Alexander, Jr. Michael A. Moller Bryon J. Barmer Jose Oliveras www.sdpoa.org Kerry J. Bauman Shannon P. Palenschat Michael W. Brindell Heather Petty Mark Bua Michael Power Christina D. Burhans Kenneth E. Rawls, Sr. Martha G. Sainz Fenella Custer Thomas R. Gardenhire Ryan P. Schultz Nicolas Gonzales Thomas T. Slater Scott Greenwood Steven Southerland Eric B. Hays Anthony Spagnolo Henry B. Ingram Todd N. Turner James E. MacKay Robert Wells Khristina Smith James Nemec Emily Cox R. Shane Martin Donald Williams, Jr. Office Manager Accounts Communications Coordinator Mark M. Zdunich David J. McAnnally Exec. Assistant to the Board Administrator Editor, The Informant Vito A. Messineo If you know any of these non-members, the Board asks that you inquire if they would be willing to join or re-join the Association. We welcome all San Diego police officers and hope that they would want to be a part of theLaw Asso-Offices of Scott O’Mara ciation, showing solidarity in improving working Attn: William conditions for San Diego police officers. If a Fax: 619-744-0835 non-member has questions regarding the benefits of membership, please direct them to contact any of the POA board members. Brenna James Deborah Flores Candice Walsh NEW BUSINESS Special Events Planner Receptionist/ Admin. Asst. Store Clerk No Report ADJOURNMENT at 1602 hours. Are you READY TO RETIRE? Whether you plan to play golf, travel the world, or spend more time with your family, determining your retirement needs is the first step in defining how the assets you’ve worked hard to build, keep working for you. Planning for your retirement can be a daunting task. If you’re nearing retirement, we can work with you to evaluate your needs and develop a sound strategy that seeks to achieve your goals and provide peace of mind. Contact our office today for more information or to schedule a consultation. Experienced with direct rollover options for DROP and 401k plans. Securities offered through LPL Financial Member FINRA/SIPC Christine L. Dellacato Registered Principal, Branch Manager 8356 Allison Avenue, Suite C La Mesa, CA 91942 619.697.8792 www.lpl.com/christine.dellacato We know what Law Enforcement Officers Need. Automobile & Motorcycle Accidents Bodily Injury Workers’ Compensation Death Claims Retirement Law On & Off Duty Our Outstanding History of Success For Our Clients Includes: $63,000,000 verdict for medical malpractice $6,000,000 recovery for a workplace injury involving negligent operation of a forklift $3,700,000 verdict for a propane explosion $3,500,000 recovery for a motor vechicle accident $3,250,000 recovery for a fire aboard a ship $3,200,000 recovery for a motor vechicle accident $2,800,000 recovery for a fall from a skylight in an unsafe work environment $2,750,000 recovery for a motor vehicle accident We have also been successful in litigation regarding a police officer’s right to have uninsured/underinsured coverage extended to his work as a motor officer. 1-800-LAW-1199 or 1-800-CHP-1222 www.LAW1199.com The Law Offices of Scott A. O’Mara O’Mara & Padilla San Diego Del Mar Riverside & Orange Counties Making a false or fraudulent workers’ compensation claim is a felony subject to up to five years in prison, or a fine of up to $50,000, or double the value of the fraud, whichever is greater, or by both imprisonment and fine. November 2010 | 31 The Informant San Diego Police Officers Association 8388 Vickers Street San Diego, CA 92111-2109 NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID San Diego, CA PERMIT No. 1144 Change Service Requested The San Diego Police Officers Association Thanks Our Generous Sponsors of The Informant The San Diego Police Officers Association is looking for Corporate Sponsors for The Informant. Professional towing services throughout San Diego County www.RoadOneSanDiego.com Corporate sponsors will have their logo featured on the back cover of The Informant as a part of the sponsorship package. Interested parties should contact Emily Cox: 858-573-1199 x220 - or - ecox@sdpoa.org Don’t Forget to Vote - November 2 SDPOA Ballot Recommendations SAN DIEGO CITY COUNCIL Council Member, District 6 - Howard Wayne Council Member, District 8 - Felipe Hueso STATE ASSEMBLY State Assembly, District 78 - Marty Block State Assembly, District 79 - Ben Hueso SAN DIEGO COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Supervisor, District 4 - Ron Roberts LOCAL PROPOSITIONS Proposition B. Amends City Charter to Add Good Cause Requirement for Certain Terminations Or Suspensions of Deputy City Attorneys YES Proposition D. If Financial Reform Conditions Are Met, Authorizes Temporary One-Half Cent Sales Tax YES SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE Superior Court Judge; Office 20 - Richard R. Monroy