Code 3-Final July 2008
Transcription
Code 3-Final July 2008
CODE T H R E E A Palm Beach County P.B.A. Official Publication VOLUME 24 NUMBER 3 P U B L I S H E D Q U A RT E R LY F O R M E M B E R S July 2008 Palm Beach County PBA Awarded Over $103,000 in Scholarship Funds in 2008! (See story, photos and thank you notes on pages 22-27) T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S President’s Message John Kazanjian W ow, this year’s PBA’s scholarship awards topped a whopping $103,000! That’s right! We were able to distribute that much scholarship monies to our PBA members’ children, who have committed to the journey of higher education. The students will need a lot of help to offset the rising cost of education that they and their families will encounter. We are so proud of them; they all did a great job in their interviews. The PBA established the PBA Charity Fund four years ago, and with our tireless efforts fundraising, we have been able to raise well over $600,000. The PBA will continue to solicit funds from our generous donors in order to help those in need. Elections: we have finished our political screenings for the upcoming elections. The PBA knows how important it is that every member get involved in the elections. Two races, in particular, will see us deeply involved. They are the School Board and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s races. We will need volunteers to assist with our rolling billboard and on Election Day, to help staff the voting precincts. Finally, I would like to thank everyone that attended our Inaugural Police Officers’ Ball. It was a great success, and I am sure everyone that attended had a great time. We are currently planning the Officers’ Ball for 2009 and we will keep you informed as to the details as soon as they are available. Be safe and have a great summer. Officers of the Month - March 2008 School Police Officers James O’Connor and Dean Wells Nominated by: Det. Bob Walton, School Police PBA Rep Officers James O’Connor and Dean Wells responded to the Palm Beach Gardens High School media center regarding a student having a seizure. Upon arrival, they found a 16 year old male student laying motionless. After assessing the situation and called for the Paramedics, they realized the student was not breathing. Officer Wells began CPR and Officer O’Connor called for the AED. The student was hooked up to the AED which indicated the necessity of electrical shock which was administered by Officer Wells. The procedure worked temporarily and the student began to breathe on his own only to again stop breathing. A second shock was administered and CPR was continued. Palm Beach Gardens Fire Rescue arrived and administered a third shock. The student was transported to St. Mary’s Hospital and admitted in critical condition and unconscious. The student was then transferred to Jackson Memorial Hospital where after a few weeks, he is able to walk and eat on his own. The quick actions by these officers allowed this student to survive. Officers of the Month - March 2008 School Police Officers James O’Connor and Dean Wells ARE YOU CURRENT? Have you gotten married or divorced? Officer of the Month - April 2008 Delray Beach Officer Adan Pacheco Nominated by: Delray Beach Sgt. Scott McGuire Officer Pacheco began searching for a Nissan Murano or similar type vehicle that had been involved in a homicide the Had a baby? Changed numbers or address? Please contact Suzanne at the PBA Office at (561) 689-3745 to update your information. The PBA is not notified of changes made within your department. Page 2 Officer of the Month - April 2008 Delray Beach Officer Adan Pacheco C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S Officer of The Month Continued previous day. Officer Pacheco pointed out in a briefing session that a suspect vehicle (Mazda CX-7) had been involved in numerous burglaries a day earlier seemed to match the homicide vehicle description. Due to his diligence, Officer Pacheco continued to search for this vehicle and eventually, conducted a traffic stop on the Mazda – the burglary suspect vehicle. He arrested the driver for driving while license suspended and possession of narcotics. Officer Pacheco notified the Investigative Division as to the possibility of the vehicle in being involved in the homicide, in addition to informing them of the fact that the driver appeared to have a fresh haircut with his dreadlocks gone possibly in an attempt to change his appearance after the homicide. Subsequent to the investigation, it was revealed that the suspect did commit the homicide and was charged with 1st degree murder. Through Officer Pacheco’s initiative, persistence and diligent effort to locate this vehicle, a dangerous and violent criminal was removed from our streets and is currently awaiting trial. Officer of the Month - May 2008 West Palm Beach Officer Jay Donde Nominated by: West Palm Beach Sgt. Chris Roaf The Sun Trust Bank on Village Blvd was robbed at gunpoint by three suspects who stole thousands of dollars from the bank and its employees after terrorizing the bank employees at gunpoint. The suspects fled the bank and jumped into a blue Dodge Ram truck. Officer Donde began patrolling the area and observed a grey Mercury Grand Marquis with several occupants in the vehicle. When he passed the vehicle it immediately turned the opposite direction that he was heading. Officer Donde observed that when the occupants glanced at him, they appeared very nervous. Officer Donde pulled the vehicle over and noticed the occupants matched the description of the robbery suspects. The front seat passenger was very nervous and sweating (it was a cool day) and was immediately taken out of the vehicle. Back up arrived and the other occupants were removed from the car. Following further investigation, it was found that these suspects had committed the bank robbery. All the money and property taken from the bank was recovered, along with a firearm that was used. Due to Officer Donde’s keen observations in spotting the vehicle and assessing its occupants, the suspects were apprehended. These suspects have also been implicated in several other bank robberies in the area. Officer of the Month - May 2008 West Palm Beach Officer Jay Donde HAVE YOU MADE YOUR NOMINATION? Submit the names of your nominees before the end of every month. Send your submissions to Gail@pbcpba.org C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 Page 3 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y P B A EXECUTIVE BOARD John Kazanjian, President Ernest W. George, Executive Director Rick McAfee, Vice-President Lou Penque, Treasurer Vinnie Gray, Secretary Bob Odell, Sgt.-at-arms Gary Lippman, General Counsel Larry Fagan, Legal Counsel BOARD OF DIRECTORS BOYNTON BEACH Toby Athol Frank Ranzie Kelly Harris Craig Anthony Henry Diehl, Alt Doc Davis, Alt. DELRAY BEACH Adam Rosenthal Rod Stevenson Paul Weber Scott McGuire Sal Arena, Alt. Joseph Hart, Alt FAU Darren Courtney GREENACRES Josh Silvey Joseph Rendueles Dylan Vaughan, Alt. JUNO BEACH Tom Nicholson, Appt. JUPITER Chris Smith Jason Levinstein Jeffrey Bernstein Mike Lilienfeld, Alt. Quinn Harris, Alt. LAKE WORTH Mike Medelsberg Randy Collier Rich Frankiewicz Bill Evans, Alt. Ralph Brillinger, Alt. LANTANA Troy Schaaf Chris Decker, Alt. MARTIN COUNTY SO Bruce Pinkman Doug Moore Mike Ferguson Michael Dougherty Thomas Neild Brian Bergen, Alt. Richard Parks, Alt. Check out our website www.pbcpba.org Page 4 MARTIN COUNTY SO CORRECTIONS Jackie Gore Warren Rogers, Appt. Tommy Randazzo, Appt. Christina Bardzinski, Appt. NORTH PALM BEACH Damian Izquierdo Rob Coliskey, Alt PBSO Site Reps Cont. John Sylvester Kelly Whittles PALM BEACH COUNTY SCHOOL POLICE Bill Lammie John Hawes Bob Walton Harry Rawlings James Wilkerson, Alt. Rick Saxe, Alt. Greg Cafaro, Appt. PALM BEACH COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE CORRECTIONS Jerry Sneed Tammy Bussey Pete Tartaglione Willie Powell Jeff Jackson Sandra Nealy, Alt. Will Pinto, Alt. DJ Dowling, Appt. Patrice Quinn, Appt. PALM BEACH COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE Paul Vrchota Dan Burrows Mike Antonopoulos Charles Nicastro Ray Griffith Terry Maguire, Alt. Kevin Igo, Alt. John McGuire, Appt. John Navarro, Appt. Rich Diberardino, Appt. PBSO Site Reps Mark Alexander Rick Barnett Patrick Bolton Stanley Cale Ron Cohen Darren Curci Tim Daly Greg Fernandez Bill Gale Stan Jackson Ray Jimenez Dean Johnson Jason Johnson Tom Lunney Pat Lynch David McCormick Rick McDermott Jesse Miller Ryan Mugridge Barb Olson Dennis O’Rourke Michael Ott Emory Payne Margaret Picerno Jeff Pomerantz John Rivers Rick Ruffolo Jay Shears Steven Sherman Darren Stinnet C O D E PBSO Corrections Site Reps Willie Blackmon Calvin Robbins Beverly Morrison PALM BEACH GARDENS Bob Odell Richard Geist Greg Allen Cecil Wagner, Alt. Jim Shackelford, Alt. PALM BEACH SHORES Tom Clark Michael Simmons, Alt. PALM SPRINGS Rusty Lee, Appt. Sean Grant, Appt. STUART Tammy Farnham, Appt. TEQUESTA Charlie Weinblatt James Pike, Alt. WEST PALM BEACH Louis Penque Troy Marchese Ed Thomas Brian Gaudette Matt Bessette Chris Roaf, Alt. Tony Lutz, Alt. Rick King, Appt. Mike Leas, Appt. T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S Board of Directors Meeting Attendance - 6/11/2008 WELCOME NEW MEMBERS MARCH Matthew Martel - PBSO Joshua Plant - PBSO Hwanwoo Choi - Stuart PD Richard Serra - Stuart PD Nancy Plaza - Palm Beach PD Tasha Toppin - Palm Beach PD Mary Adams - Juno Beach PD Rafael Hernandez - Palm Springs PD Latoya Rouse - PBSO Corr. Gilbert Lopez - PBSO Corr. Ronald Paiva - PBSO William Testa - School Police Michelle Ferrara - Atlantis PD Christopher Armanini - PBSO Jonathan Belyeu - PBSO Ronald Boiuso - PBSO Quincy Defreitas - PBSO Charles Rhoads - PBSO Thomas Rodriguez - PBSO Franklin Schofield - PBSO Samantha Ward – PBSO APRIL Terry Jones - Delray Beach PD Richard Schaut - FAU PD Cheree Tolley - MCSO Corr. Patrick Auger - Manalapan PD Frank Felicetti - School Police Carl Schelling - School Police Michael Donovan - Lake Worth PD Tamica Hanks - PBSO Tracy Boggs - School Police Sheila Haywood - PBSO Corr. James Piatak - MCSO Gary Leblanc - Palm Beach Gardens PD Josias Emilcar - Delray Beach PD MAY Amanda Allaire - West Palm Beach PD Edward Burke IV - MCSO Corr. Kaydeen Hutchinson - PBSO Corr. Luis Skeberis - Delray Beach PD Rebecca Wright - PBSO Todd Baer - Lake Worth PD C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 MAY (continued) Jack Garman, Jr. - MCSO Craig Long - Lake Worth PD Horace Thompkins Jr. PBSO Corr. Adam Ballou - PBSO Corr. Lawrence Change - PBSO Corr. Honray Fairclough - PBSO Corr. James Hester Jr. - PBSO Corr. Marvin Hubert - PBSO Alexander Mccollum Jr. PBSO Corr. Saida Michel - PBSO Corr. Christopher Nebbeling - West Palm Beach PD Matthew Parks - Manalapan PD Daniel Juliani - PBSO Corr. JUNE Brenda Gray - PBSO Corr. Geral Ramirez - PBSO Michael Bryant - PBSO Chrysantha Robinson - West Palm Beach PD John Weiss - Palm Beach PD Zachary Boyd - Palm Springs PD Anthony Hammer IV - Palm Springs PD Chad Knowles - Palm Springs PD Jacob Mayfield - Palm Springs PD Courtney Parker - Palm Springs PD Dustin Campbell - West Palm Beach PD Cathy Cognetti - West Palm Beach PD Sidney Fitz-Coy - West Palm Beach PD Glen Meyer - Riviera Beach PD Eric Morris - West Palm Beach PD Gerrit Moore - Palm Springs PD George Suarez - Palm Springs PD Shane Studer - North Palm Beach PD Page 5 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S Some Rights Among The Wrongs Submitted by Gary Lippman, General Counsel T here’s some good news to report here. A few weeks ago, an armed carjacking of an elderly woman resulted in a vehicle pursuit and capture, with a hail of bullets intervening. (That’s good, but not the good news). Also captured, by patrol car video cameras and officer microphone packs, was the entire incident; from initial lights and sirens to the last shot fired. (Getting closer). Your author arrived at the scene, swarming with officers and supervisors, including a Major. Upon receipt of an initial account of events while standing nearby the involved vehicles (blue lights still flashing on the patrol cars), I asked about on-board videos; specifically, if the equipment had been operational, and if the officers and I would be permitted to view the videos before statements were requested. To my surprise, no furrowed brows, no wringing of hands, no telephone calls, no deliberations, no rationalizations, no hesitations in the response: “Sure!” Hard drives immediately were pulled from the two (2) involved patrol cars and slid, like little drawers, into a computer at headquarters for review by the officers and me; and that’s the good news. Why is that remarkable? Because over the last few years a sea change appears to have been occurring, fairly characterized as running the gamut from a reluctance in some parts, to a full-blown refusal in another, to permit officers’ review of available videos of their incidents before being questioned about those incidents. To the extent that courts of law permit witnesses (including law enforcement officers!) to refresh their recollections while testifying in judicial proceedings, it just seems logical to provide an officer the opportunity to review the best available evidence of his or her conduct before testifying in investigative proceedings; especially so in “critical incidents,” and here’s why. “Critical incidents” are the culmination of officers’ split-second decisions. A very recent study by Thomas J. Aveni, of the Police Policy Studies Council, focused on police officers’ deadly force decision-making process. “The MMRMA Deadly Force Project: A Critical Analysis of Police Shootings Under Ambiguous Circumstances” (Aveni, February, 2008). While the focus of the study was the ultimate decision to shoot (the “micro-behavioral components” of the decision), some of the study’s findings are material to our focus, here. First, and foremost, Aveni found that the participants in his study had to decide whether to shoot “within a window in time that generally averaged less than .35 seconds.” (It just took you more time to read the short section I quoted than you’ll have to make your own life or death decision). The second finding material to our focus here actually was collateral for Aveni. Having structured his project to permit participants’ review of their actions in the various scenarios prior to completing a questionnaire/ “Debrief Form” addressing why they did whatever they did, Aveni noted: “When participants opted not to review a video replay of their performance they typically had difficulty Page 6 remembering many of the situational and behavioral elements embedded in those scenarios.” (Emphasis added). But it is precisely those “situational and behavioral elements,” or “cues” (processed by the brain in less than a second!) that inform the officer’s threat analysis and simultaneously animate his or her action (or inaction). And the officer’s ability after-the-fact to reiterate comprehensively all those “cues” to which training and experience have attached reflexive responses, will inform somebody else’s decision as to whether the shooting was justified. The problem is that officers’ split-second threat analysis often is the product of what has been referred to as the “threat focus;” the narrowing attention to suspects’ hand(s) with “hidden” or “unknown objects” and/or their “furtive movements.” This “threat focus,” by its very purpose and definition, sorts through, discounts or otherwise excludes extraneous or peripheral elements at the scene in that same split-second. It stands to reason, therefore, as Aveni suggests, “that what is suppressed or filtered out of the ‘input’ (perceptual) process will be unavailable (or unreliable) for retrieval at a later time.” Stated another way: observations the mind actually processes but discards as less significant/threatening in the heart-pounding micro-second race against sudden death, likely will not gain significance, if they are recalled at all, when the officer is asked to recount why he or she fired; albeit, those “elements” were part of “the picture” (i.e., what the officer was seeing) before the trigger pull. At the same time, the mind’s exposure to traumatic events itself causes perceptual distortions and can occasion what psychologists call “associations” (i.e., the connecting or correlation of facts/events that may be coincident, but are not related at all), among other phenomena. Ironically, two (2) of the best examples of the foregoing things come from fairly recent experiences at the very Agency which had denied officers an opportunity to review videos before receipt of their accounts. One involved an officer directed to generate a report with regard to an incident in a holding area under surveillance. There, an unhandcuffed arrestee swung at the officer and then wound up on the floor, to be handcuffed again. Directed to write a report without the benefit of the video, the officer’s account of the incident included that the arrestee had swung at the officer, whereupon the officer recounted pushing the arrestee to the ground and applying handcuffs. When the surveillance video was made available during the professional standards investigation, it was clear: the arrestee did swing at the officer; and, the arrestee did wind up on the floor and was handcuffed there. However, the officer did not push her to the floor; the momentum of the arrestee’s roundhouse in combination with the inebriation resulted in her falling to the floor, herself. The officer had nothing to do with the arrestee’s acquaintance with the linoleum! So, did the officer file a false report? Did the officer deliberately draft a less “favorable” public record of the conduct? C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S The second example arose from a critical incident resulting in a justifiable fatal shooting. In that one, a shirtless male swinging a machete and shouting threats was confronted by a couple of officers; one of whom deliberately positioned his vehicle to capture the incident on the dash-cam, in anticipation. Denied the opportunity to review the video before giving a statement, the officer’s account included the following: that the suspect stopped momentarily in response to the officers’ presence (if not their repeated commands); that the suspect then looked at the officers; that the suspect then raised the machete and walked quickly towards one of the officers; and, that the officer took a couple of steps back and then fired. When we were able to review the video after the officer’s statement, what was revealed was: that the suspect did stop momentarily; that the suspect did look at the officers; that the suspect did raise the machete; but that he charged at the officer (not “walked”); and, that the officer jumped back completely out of the picture while firing. So, did the officer give an untruthful statement? Did the officer deliberately give a less “favorable” account of the conduct? (These are not trick questions). Distilled to its essence, this is all about whether “investigations” are for the purpose of determining what occurred, and why the officers responded as they did. If we are in agreement as to that purpose, it seems to me that purpose is served best by permitting officers to review everything recorded about the incident, so as to reacquaint them with as many of the situational and behavioral realities they observed and processed in the split-second before their reactions. The argument that by denying officers’ review of readily available video/audio records, their accounts will be pristine, more forthright or otherwise free of any appearances of impropriety (“untainted”) exalts form over substance and, in my own experience, results in public records of conduct more likely to be incomplete and inaccurate. That argument also is at odds with recent research; thanks to Tom Aveni. As a result of our own situational and behavioral experiences in investigations, this office has forwarded to Tallahassee yet another proposed amendment to §112.532, F.S.: Whenever photographs, video or audio recordings, global positioning or computer electronic data relating to the investigation exist, have been reviewed by, or reasonably are available for review by, the subject officer’s agency, all such matter shall be presented for review by the officer subject of the investigation, along with legal counsel or any other representative of his or her choice prior to the beginning of the investigative interrogation. POST SCRIPT: The Agency subject of our “good news” in this installment is the Boynton Beach Police Department. Kudos to Chief Immler, Major Briganti, the Boynton PBA Reps and the men and women responding to the calls; taking care of business the right way. North Palm Beach News We have experienced several changes in the first half of the year. Obviously, some of these changes are good, and some are not. Staffing remains a hot topic; we have lost five officers since the beginning of the year due to resignations, terminations and a retirement. Even though we do not like to see people go, it does create opportunities for others. We currently have two new officers and a recently promoted sergeant and lieutenant. Some of our squads are still short, but this has generated numerous overtime slots which I know many have taken the opportunity to fill. Hopefully, these slots will be filled soon in order to reduce the burden on those of us on the road. The CALEA inspection has finally concluded. We passed with flying colors based on the inspectors’ exit interview. This is a great display of how our Agency comes together when it needs to get a particular task accomplished. Many citizens also expressed their gratitude when given the opportunity to speak about our Department. I believe this is due to the professionalism displayed by our personnel when dealing with the public. I anticipate that everyone will maintain their high standards and professional demeanor in order to continue to provide our excellent level of service to the Village. For all those who may not know, we should have a new 800 MHz radio system in place. We have been waiting for a new system for years, and it seems that it will soon become a reality. This is an officer safety issue, so I would like to thank the staff for making this a priority. Now, I would like to take this opportunity to speak about the C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 elephant in the living room; AKA the pension plan. As you all know, the pension is the only re-opener in our current Contract, which expires in September of 2009. The reason we left this article open is due to the various issues pertaining to the pension plan as a whole. Many may not know this, but there are about a dozen or so individuals involved with the pension. This has created an enormous obstacle in negotiations. I do not know if this was intentional or not, but it is very difficult to plan around everyone’s schedule, which in turn stalls pension meetings and negotiations. Like many past issues, I believe this issue will be resolved, but it is very difficult to say when and to what extent. The current budget cuts, which include possible layoffs, do not help our situation, either. Fortunately, Public Safety is not on the list for layoffs, but these cuts will influence how the Village will spend on future benefit enhancements. I am asking everyone to be patient; the pension has probably not seen an enhancement in decades, so please do not think that all of our pension problems will be resolved overnight. I, like everyone else, want this issue resolved as soon as possible. Remember, I also benefit from the pension. Please feel free to approach me if you have any questions pertaining to the pension; I have been dealing with this issue for about a year now, and I should be able to answer your questions. I would also like everyone to review the Union bulletin board periodically, as I will post important items from time to time. Submitted by: Damian Izquierdo, North Palm Beach PBA Rep Page 7 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S PBSO News By the time this Code Three is sent out to our members, it will be about four months to election. As family members of the Sheriff’s office, we all have to show our support for Sheriff Ric Bradshaw. Let’s all start telling the public who is the best person for the job. I really can’t believe there’s anyone who will disagree with me on this matter. He’s turned this Agency around and put us with the times, so for this, we owe him this respect. We all know times are getting bad. We can’t blame him. There are two people who I blame and they are President Bush and Governor Christ. Cutting taxes hurt a lot of working class people. This war should be stopped. We lost enough young men and women due to this war. Sheriff Bradshaw is and will always be there for us. He knows what the people of Palm Beach County need and knows how to get the job done. It’s time now to give him whatever he needs. As of now, I don’t know who is running against him. To tell you the truth, I can’t believe anyone will. How can they make this Agency any better than it is now? Of course, there are always that 1% who think differently. So people, when the time comes, please don’t turn your backs. Remember united we stand, divided we fall. We know who and what we have. We don’t know what we will get. I thank you again. Submitted by: Charles Nicastro, PBSO PBA Vice-President Palm Beach Shores News Congratulations are again in order for Officer Sean Alex and Officer Steve Deck. Because of their efforts, training, and experience they have been assigned as the new Department Detectives. Work on the new Contract is going well, and the hope is that that trend will continue. Mayor Mills and I have met over a number of issues with positive outlooks for each side. The FRS pension and the issues with Principal are still open, but we have been told that by mid-July all funds due the members should be paid out and/or directed to a financial plan at the members’ request. Detective Steve Deck lost his grandfather this month. Our prayers and condolences go out to him as his grandfather was his source of strength and inspiration after the loss of his father at a young age. Officer Vince Walasek is dealing with some health issues that have kept him out of work for a number of weeks, and we are hoping for a recovery that will get him back on the street to fill the large void his absence has caused. Our number of part-time dispatchers is at an uncomfortable low and we are actively looking for applicants. In the meantime, the current dispatch staff is doing a great job at keeping the shifts covered. Remember: Live simple, Love generously, Care deeply, Speak kindly - Leave the rest to God. Be Safe Out There... Submitted by: Officer T. Clark, Sr., PBA Representative Page 8 Boynton Beach News First off, I would like to express my thanks to the PBA committee members for making the First Annual Police Officers’ Ball a success. What a great time! The event was fantastic and I’m looking forward to attending next year. For those of you who did not attend, you not only missed a great time but great food, great conversation and great entertainment. The memorial ceremony was well put together and gave the utmost respect to those that gave the ultimate sacrifice. Job well done people! Now back to Boynton. I don’t normally complain about much around here but lately I’ve noticed something in regards to details. Listen, the economy is bad enough and I don’t need to get into that discussion, but when a client hires us to do a job for them and the job doesn’t get done, they tend to look elsewhere. With that said, if you sign up for a detail, you are there to work, not talk on the phone or not show up or not cover it or whatever. All it takes is for one person to screw something up and it affects us all. It’s not like the phone is ringing off the hook with prospective clients wanting our services. Bottom line, you sign up for a detail, you’re there to work, so do it! Uniform Services has recently changed the way we patrol our streets from zone to sectors. I’ve heard both good and not so good things around the hallways. As a cop, change is always a difficult thing to embrace, however, it is the will of this administration to do this, and your concerns can always be heard at the Chief’s quarterly Quality Circle meeting. It doesn’t mean anything will change, but at least there is a forum in place for you all to be heard without fear of repercussions. I also serve on the City’s Health Insurance Committee, and I can’t say it looks pretty. We are currently looking at making some changes to make our health insurance dependant coverage a little more affordable. This is in no way an easy task as this problem is on the national level. All I can say is that the plans the City offers are great plans, but they are becoming unaffordable. Rest assured we are trying our best to find something equivalent to what is currently offered, but I know not everyone will be happy with what is eventually decided. If anyone has any suggestions, please feel free to contact me. Your input is always greatly valued. In regards to the new Police Facility, I’m told it is still a go under the City’s Capitol Improvement program and is currently in the planning and development stage. If all goes well you should see the results in a couple of years. Today we were all informed of the new changes to the DROP plan and I’ve got to say WOW! Should you decide to take advantage of this when the time comes I’m sure you will all be very comfortable in your retirement. Kudos to the BBPD Pension Board members for their diligent work in accomplishing this task. Well, I think I’ve covered it all, so as always, stay safe out there! Submitted by: Sgt. Craig Anthony, PBA Rep C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S Lake Worth News The City of Lake Worth is currently negotiating with the PBSO to contract police services with the City. The potential is there for this to be an excellent law enforcement partnership. The City of Lake Worth would benefit greatly from the assets that PBSO has to offer. PBSO would get a group of hardworking, dedicated LEO’s that just want to catch bad guys & need the assets to do it. The future of successful law enforcement is going to be a large metro police department. Whether the City of Lake Worth and other cities will recognize this remains to be seen. But with crime on the rise and government ability to pay for police services on the decline, consolidation makes sense for everyone involved. The American way of life is deteriorating, and keeping the Centurions divided by political and geographic boundaries will only further the decline of our society. Submitted by: Sgt. Mike Mendelsberg, Lake Worth PBA Rep School Police News It is about that time when we have to think about bargaining again. After the last couple of years, everyone has a right to be a little angry and discouraged. However hard it is, we must remain optimistic and continue to fight on. Please forward all ideas that you have for the upcoming contract to one of the Reps so that we can put a package together that represents what everyone wants to see included. We will continue to include tuition reimbursement, longevity, bereavement, Glades Supplement, personal vehicle use and, of course, salary. Please start sending in your suggestions. Another important event is the upcoming School Board Election. We all need to be involved to make a significant change on the School Board. Our activities in the spring have brought us an overwhelming amount of support from other Labor groups, and civic organizations. Candidates have sought us out and want our support. In the past, it was not uncommon for School Board members to run unopposed; that has changed this year. We plan on a group effort by all the Labor groups that represent School District employees, to make a change in this election. The entire Palm Beach County PBA membership is behind us 100%, as is the State PBA. We are planning on having a members’ meeting in the near future to discuss our plans. You will be notified by mail of the meeting. If anyone has not been receiving their Code 3 or other mail-outs from the PBA, please call Suzanne at the PBA and make sure your mailing address is correct. I want everyone to know that the Department of Labor Relations has assured me that our payroll schedule will not change this year. We will continue to receive 26 equal pay checks. Submitted by: Bob Walton, School Police PBA Rep Lake Worth News We would like to take this time and welcome back Officers Steve Robertson and Scott McAndrew to the ranks of the Lake Worth Police Department. Both have completed their Field Training and now are assigned to road patrol duties. Also, over the last several months several officers have graduated from the Palm Beach Community College Criminal Justice Police Academy. Here is a list of the officers: Officer Bobby Dail, Officer Carl Jolimeau, Officer Charles Johnson, Officer Christian Padilla, Officer Diane Christian, Officer Giselle Winer, Officer Jonathan Mock, Officer Joshua Eley, Officer Justin Clayton, Officer Mark Lozano, Officer Michael Donovan, Officer Timothy Rebholz, Officer Daniel Weiner, Officer Dennis Soto, Officer Javier Santos and Officer Devin Zuchowski. The above listed officers have completed their Field Training Program and have been assigned to road patrol duties, or are in the final phase of their training. Officer John Tatum should be recognized for being selected as the best Overall Officer in his class; job well done. Officer Javier Santos should be recognized for being the Top Shooter in his class; job well done. Officer Joshua Eley should be recognized for earning the highest grade average in his class and receiving the Academic award; job well done. Good luck in the future to all the officers listed above, and be safe. Submitted by: Sgt. William Evans, PBA Rep The more things change, the more they remain the same. T he following quote from an anonymous Police Officer was found in a book published in 1906 called “Guarding The City” by then NYPD Police Commissioner William McAdoo. “Go down tomorrow and tell the District Attorney that you have a charge against a policeman and every assistant will be fighting to see which will get you into his room. “Go down to the newspaper offices tomorrow and tell them you know something to the credit of the police and watch the janitor getting you into the elevator as quick as he can...” As much as things change, that’s how much they remain the same. Submitted by: Charlie Weinblatt, Tequesta PBA Rep To Contact the PBA Office: (561) 689-3745 Visit Our Website at: www.pbcpba.org C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 Page 9 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S MCSO News Martin County Sheriff’s Office PBA Reps Mike Ferguson, Brian Bergen, Tommy Neild, Bruce Pinkman and Mike Dougherty met candidates being endorsed by the PBA. They met with Commissioner Lee Weberman who is running as a candidate for re-election to the County Commission, District 3. Commissioner Weberman stressed to the Reps the importance of our voters getting to the voting precincts and bringing a friend with them. In addition to Commissioner Weberman, the PBA is endorsing Doug Smith for re-election to the County Commission District 1 and, of course, Sheriff Bob Crowder for re-election as Sheriff. Stuart News “It’s just a scare tactic.” I think everyone has heard this phrase. I think everyone understands what it means. I think everyone has felt the impact. I know we have felt the impact of the property tax cuts here in Stuart. Our City has been hit very hard by budget cuts, and it looks like there is no end in sight. Just a week ago, we were given notice to cut another $120,000 from the budget. Where is that going to come from? We have already cut everything down to the coffee service! What’s next? Equipment, supplies and uniforms have been reduced. We just hope that we don’t lose any officers. The City of Stuart and the PBA have been at impasse since October 2007. The City has proposed that all merit raises be frozen until further notice. The Union disagreed and the issue went before an arbitrator. The City argued that all City of Stuart employees have lost merit increases and will receive a merit bonus. The City further said that it would not be equitable to allow the PBA to receive merit increases. The PBA argued that the job of a police officer is not the same as other positions within the City and, therefore, should not be lumped together. There are no other employees within the City who are expected to respond to dangerous situations or wear a bullet resistant vest every day. The arbitrator agreed with the PBA. The matter then went before the City Commission. They decided to impose the proposal and further stated that the proposal would be retro-active to Oct. 1st, 2007. The PBA General Counsel researched this and found that the City could not “take back” merit pay already awarded unless the PBA ratified the Contract proposals. We are now voting on the issue and expect to reject the proposal. Unfortunately, the City will impose the merit “bonus” on the PBA and no further merit increases will be awarded. And if that isn’t bad enough, the City just notified the officers that there will be a fuel surcharge for take-home vehicles. Officers will also be required to carry ENOA insurance coverage for take home vehicles. (For those of you who don’t know what that is, it is insurance coverage for a non-owned vehicle). The City has decided that they will not be liable for ANY accidents that occur outside the City jurisdiction, regardless of whether or not the member is driving to or from work. When will it end? Oh, and has anybody actually saved any money on property taxes? Submitted by: Tammy Farnham, Stuart PBA Rep PBSO SCHOLARSHIPS PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS PBSO has set up a payroll deduction for the PBA Charity Fund, Inc. If you are interested in giving towards this worthy cause, please contact the PBSO Payroll Department and a request a payroll form. If you have any questions regarding the payroll deduction, call Kaz at 689-3745. Page 10 C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S Integrity Check W ebster’s definition of integrity is: Strict adherence to a standard of value or conduct, personal honesty and independence. I have heard many define integrity as what you do when no one is looking. If the latter is true of many, we have allowed our personal conscience to deteriorate to the point where pride and ego win out over truth and what is ultimately right. Check yourself! Your word is your bond. Once your word is no longer trustworthy, what do you have? We all err. It’s how you respond and learn from those errors that makes the difference. Do you accept responsibility for your mistakes? Or do you blame others in an effort to get the heat off of you? Do you make a concerted effort to adjust your thinking when you realize you have erred? Or do you continue on the same destructive path? Do you tell untruths in order to keep your pride intact, not fully realizing the residual effect it may have on others. We all have Codes of Ethics which we are to adhere to; they are put into practice to keep us honest. They are the standards and values we live and work by. Business aside, our integrity or lack thereof is a personification of who we’ve allowed ourselves to become. Do we want to be known as honest hearted? How do we want to be known? Do we conduct ourselves in a professional manner? Do we seek to maintain high standards regardless of the situation? Are we able to accept the consequences of the errors that may be made? Or are we satisfied to be known as someone who lacks humility because of our own haughtiness. Are we unwilling and incapable of being truthful because we have bought into our own deceitfulness? Whatever your responses are to these questions, be ready to accept the consequences whatever they may be. Just remember… Integrity is Everything or Nothing at all! Submitted by: Sgt. Patrice Quinn, PBSO PBA Rep Know Your Rights! If you are under investigation, remember, as a law enforcement officer, you have rights. They include: THE RIGHT . . . to have a PBA representative present during an interview THE RIGHT . . . to know who's in charge of the investigation THE RIGHT . . . to know what the charges are and the name of the person bringing the charges THE RIGHT . . . to have the interview at a reasonable time and for a reasonable length of time THE RIGHT . . . to have any interview tape-recorded from start to finish THE RIGHT . . . not to be threatened, bribed or to have to listen to offensive language THE RIGHT . . . not to be forced to resign C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 Get Involved I have used this space in the past to call attention to the (past) Administration for not treating all of us fairly, to the membership for not getting involved, and to point out the need to perform our duties properly on details. I am going to continue in this vein and once again call on ALL PBA MEMBERS to GET INVOLVED! Some will say they are afraid of being thrown out of the PBA if they say something the leadership doesn’t like! I say that is nonsense! If you say something that is untrue, malicious or simply wrong, expect that the article will not be published, and the President will call you on it, but you will NOT be kicked out of the organization! As I said in previous articles, membership can be revoked, but only on “Just Cause,” which generally involves working actively against the organization as a whole. It then requires the members (through the Board of Directors) to vote on a properly presented motion, after a hearing called to address the issues, at which the subject(s) of the vote MAY provide a defense or explanation for their action(s). You will not be dismissed simply because you say something that you believe in! Now, how does one become involved? To begin with, start attending the meetings when they are called! How many times have I and my fellow representatives written about the poor showing of members at meetings? Quite a few times! The recent meeting held to discuss Permits was very poorly attended! Only about 50 members met to decide how to change the Permit process for the many of us who work these details! When a meeting is called, an Outlook message is sent to ‘All Users’ within the PBSO network. As we ALL utilize this email feature EVERY WORK DAY there is no way to say ‘I didn’t get notice of this meeting’. You may have to go into your ‘junk mail’ feature and accept a PBA issued message, but that will only need to be done ONCE. After that, the system will accept any message from the PBA! You can also submit an article to ‘The Code Three’ for publication. Depending on what you write, and how it is written, some changes may need to be made, editing done, or due to space limitations, the article may be held up. ANY member can write something, though. If you have questions, or want us to look into something, write a letter to the editor. If you have a complaint, bring it to a representative, and have one of us write about it. Should the members have a need to know about your district/ divisions activities or successes, let all of us know! Be proud of what you have accomplished! I am going to start a new column soon to bring everyone some up-to-date information on what kinds of grievances have been filed or decided. The specifics are still being worked out, but look for that in coming issues. Hopefully this will keep us all updated on things within the Agency and how the PBA will work for YOU! DO NOT BE AFRAID TO GET INVOLVED! Any organization needs diverse points of view to be a growing successful entity, and the PBA is not immune to this need! Remember, we have to take action in the best interest of ALL the members, not just some, but do not be discouraged or upset if we cannot resolve your issue. But by being involved, you will have a voice in determining the direction the PBA goes in! Submitted by: Terry Maguire, PBSO PBA Rep Page 11 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S Complacency – The Silent Killer Submitted by Louis Penque, West Palm Beach PBA I t was my last midnight shift before I was due to start vacation and my mind drifted as I patrolled the darkened streets. I thought of what to pack, what was a good time to leave home the following day, when to get to the bank, would my wife be ready, and on and on. I was a twelve year veteran with the Police Department, a prior street narcotics officer and F.T.O. for eight years; I felt I had forgotten more than most would ever know. As I patrolled my zone I was in my environment, comfortable at every turn, making familiar eye contact with those that I would swear to protect the community from. As each street became each alley the night seemed to wane as sporadic calls came in. A delayed burglary report; the mundane investigation where simply the location and faces change, but the song is always the same. An hour backed into a closed bank writing a report I had seen countless times before, glancing up intermittently at passing headlights and the slow moving vagrant pushing a shopping cart muttering unintelligibly to himself. As the night begins to pass I find myself less at work and more in thoughts of my impending vacation. A call comes in where I am dispatched as the cover unit on a trespass call at an area hotel known for it’s seediness. A stretch of private hotels which flourished in years past had fallen into the shadow of western sprawl and an interstate peppered with corporate lodgings. These privately run motels became the haven for drug activity, prostitution, and transients. I had responded to this establishment so routinely in the past that as patrol units would arrive we would park up onto the sidewalk in familiar fashion. The caller, a night manager who was all too familiar with the clientele drifting through his property, apparently did not think too kindly of a trespasser. In this case, the sliding glass door was partially ajar and a light was on in the room no one had rented. As a senior officer on the platoon and arguably the leader in producing ‘numbers’ monthly, I saw this as just another ‘tick’ before my vacation was to kick-off as I parked in front of the motel in our imaginary police parking spaces. The primary unit was still minutes away, and because it was simply a possible trespass call, there was no need to await cover. I met briefly with the manager. He pointed to the second floor and restated that no one should be in the room. I reached the top of the stairs and leaned in to the opening from the sliding door to hear a voice. Ah, ‘voices’ plural; several arrests for trespassing. Without hesitation I slide open the slider and pull aside the curtain spontaneously stating, “Guess who is under arrest for trespassing” without having a chance to focus on the occupants. Before me were two standard motel beds with a prostitute seated on the bed closest to me facing away from me, and a male standing between the beds facing my direction. In the seconds as my eyes adjusted to the room I followed the male’s eyes as they darted to the bedspread on which the female was seated. A handgun was resting on the bedspread easily within the subject’s reach. The male subject lunged for the weapon and without hesitation I dove for it as well. The male was the first to touch the weapon and was grasping it with both hands as I ended up on his back reaching frantically around him to grasp the weapon. We wrestled for the Page 12 weapon for what seemed an eternity, as I pulled him to the floor and, now having a better angle and grasp over his own hands, began to force his arms to the floor while repeatedly trying to strike the weapon free from his grasp. Finally, the weapon flew free under the adjoining bed and I arm-barred the male. My cover unit arrived and assisted me in handcuffing the male. My adrenaline was pumping full-bore as my cover officer asked if I was all-right. My cover unit was a junior officer with approximately three years road experience and someone I had worked beside for the past several years. He shook his head with a disconcerting grin as we escorted the male down the stairs to my patrol car. As I closed the door so the arrestee was no longer in earshot, the officer simply said, “You should’ve waited for me.” Now, for those senior officers with a lot of street experience; sometimes we have conversations with the “bad-guys” we arrest, almost as if we are conducting a post-game report. I found out from this arrestee that he thought upon seeing me enter the room that I was going to rob him, as I was silhouetted against the exterior lighting, and he planned on shooting me. He had not identified me as an officer even during the struggle; as quickly as he focused on the weapon, I was upon him and the seconds that passed were seconds involving a fight for our individual lives. As a seasoned officer I was attuned to not personalizing any encounter I was involved in but solely would maintain my identity as a police officer. As we spoke there existed a strange kindred, as if we were part of the same whole, that we had both just survived this conflict; albeit with each other. But as men, there was this unmistakable comfort in discussing what had just transpired. If this man had shot “the robber” entering his room, I would have been dead; tragically, he would have mistakenly killed a police officer. If I had the opportunity during the struggle, I may have shot and killed “a trespasser.” Either way, this would have been a tragedy for my family, my fellow officers, and the community and because of what..............my complacency. It is now twelve years later in my 24th year of policing, but that scene replays itself for me as clear as had it been yesterday. I have been promoted several times through the years and now sit far removed from the midnight shifts of past. I now cringe as I monitor the police radio and hear officers cancelling their cover unit prior to their own arrival because it appears as a “business as usual” call for service. I hear officers arriving on silent alarms alone without making prior radio contact with other officers to develop a perimeter and arrive in unison. I hear officers calling in traffic stops on vehicles without any of the in-service units responding for cover. At one point, I informed the Division Captain of a like substandard silent alarm response and he vehemently defended his officer; citing that workers were on-scene and had accidentally activated the alarm as if, “No harm, no foul.” Complacency at any level in an organization can infect the entire organization. The result can be fatal to the line officer, while staff is comfortable behind a desk. Absolutely nothing in police work is routine and no officer should be lulled into that false sense of security. We as officers put our game face on for the ‘hot calls’ and drop everything to get involved. However, it is the silent calls, C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S the mundane, the status-quo calls that get our officers hurt. We lose more officers on traffic stops than on any other police action, yet how frequently do you as an officer not cover your brother or sister officer on a routine stop? How many times have you cancelled cover on the “typical” call or “routine” traffic stop? Our officers die routinely alone, without cover. We can only hypothesize how many instances officers with cover have approached a scene where suspects would have assaulted them, but due to the presence of additional officers they did not. We all want to take vaca- tions with our families, but you have to do the right thing each and every shift to ensure you get that opportunity. That same then junior officer approached me the other day, now a grizzled veteran street officer, and mentioned that some of the younger patrol officers were speaking of me wondering what I had ever done in the Department to ever get promoted. He replied simply: “He has forgotten more than you will ever know.” I kidded him and replied, “Thanks for the cover.” FRS Reports Retirement System In Good Shape A recent article in the Wall Street Journal was recently quoted saying “State and local governments are amassing huge obligations in the form of unfunded retirement benefits from their workers,” and calling states’ unfunded retiree and health benefits “a $2 trillion fiscal hole.” The most recent annual study of state pension funding by an investment consulting and management company, found the following: • The ratio of pension assets-to-liabilities, or funding ratio, for all 125 state pension plans was 88% in 2006, up from an estimated 87% in 2005. • Of the 64 state retirement systems which reported actuarial data for 2006, 80% have market value of assets less than pension liabilities, or are underfunded. The average underfunded plan has a ratio of assets-to-liabilities equal to 79%. • Of the 108 state retirement systems which reported actuarial data for 2005, 84% are underfunded. The average underfunded plan has a ratio of assets-to-liabilities equal to 82%. In going through the most recent annual reports for state retirement systems around the South, it was determined that North Carolina and Florida are the only two states reporting fully funded pension plans. We also found that Mississippi’s retirement system is not the only one struggling; Louisiana’s is in worse shape, and Kentucky’s is dead last. To make up the shortfall, states are resorting to a variety of measures, such as increasing taxes, issuing bonds, and requiring employee payroll contributions to their pension plans. One solution being discussed is to move away from defined benefit programs to defined contribution programs, such as 401(K)s. Already the generally accepted standard in the corporate world, defined contribution plans shift the financial risks and management responsibility from the state and its taxpayers to individual employees. Some states are offering defined contribution plans in addition to the state’s existing defined benefit plan, others offer a choice, and still others are phasing-in defined contribution plans for new hires. The AFL-CIO is also monitoring the situation, and has this state-by-state “pension threat level” map. The map shows a “red alert” for Kentucky, and “yellow alerts” for South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Grey, “is a good thing.” It should be noted again that these facts and figures are for “State Pension Plans” only. Individual municipalities did not participate in this particular study, however, municipal plans are suffering from underfunding as well. Ask your pension board member to check yours. Take a look at the map below before you decide to “hit the road” for greener pastures. I personally have found there is no greener grass; just different grass. Be sure to check out my blog: copspeak.blogspot.com I welcome articles, tips, and general blather about the job. Email me any contributions you have and if appropriate, I will post them. As always…be safe! Submitted by: Det. Charlie Weinblatt, Tequesta P.D. REMINDER The legal defense policies of the Florida and Palm Beach County PBA have an important provision regarding representation. If a member elects to secure representation by anyone other than the PBA (a private attorney, for example) that member is considered to have waived representation by the PBA. Once this happens, it is the PBA’s option whether or not to continue to represent the member in that matter. Please call the PBA office if you have any questions regarding this policy. C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 Page 13 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S The 4th Annual Bacon Ball T his year, the Palm Beach County P.B.A. had the pleasure of sponsoring the West Palm Beach Bacon Ball Tournament. The Bacon Ball is a Law Enforcement only slow-pitch softball tournament which was held at Okeeheelee Park. The tournament was held on June 7th & 8th. Twenty teams from throughout the United States participated. Some of the participating teams were from California, Michigan, New York and Kentucky, to name just a few of the states. The organizers were John Scollo from West Palm Beach and Jack Olsen from Iowa. There were several occasions at which all the participants got together for some camaraderie and law enforcement story-telling. There were three teams participating from Palm Beach County. The winners from this year’s tournament were NYPD Blue. All the participants had a great time. This year we were able to raise over $5,000 for our Charity Fund, and we hope to raise more in next year’s event. Come on out next year and show your support. Submitted by: Sgt. Lou Penque, WPB PBA Rep EMERGENCY NUMBER! Members, please be advised the emergency number is for CRITICAL INCIDENTS ONLY. Please contact our attorney(s) after hours only for critical incidents; that is, an officer-involved shooting, an in-custody death, or an on-duty vehicle accident with injuries. If you have questions about an IA or any other work-related incident, please contact the Legal Assistant, Amy, at the PBA Office (689-3745) during business hours 8:30 AM– 4:30 PM Monday through Friday. NOTICE: LEGAL ADVISORY POLICE SHOOTINGS, IN-CUSTODY DEATHS OR SERIOUS TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS WHAT TO DO? STAY CALM Have you been ordered to write a statement about an incident that may be investigated? DON’T FORGET YOUR RIGHTS! CALL PBA AT (561) 689-3745 Do not talk to anyone until you have consulted with a PBA ATTORNEY PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS The following statement should be written as the first sentences on any statement, report, or memorandum an officer is ordered to write when the officer knows or has a reasonable belief that discipline may result: It is my understanding that this report is made for administrative, internal police department purposes only. This report is made by me after being ordered to do so by lawful supervisory officers. I have not been permitted a reasonable amount of time to confer with a PBA representative or attorney. It is my understanding that by refusing to obey an order to write this immediately, that I can be disciplined for insubordination and that the punishment for insubordination can be up to, and including, termination of employment. This report is made only pursuant to such orders and the potential punishment/discipline that can result for failure to obey that order. Page 14 C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S NEW BENEFITS OFFERED THROUGH THE PALM BEACH COUNTY PBA The Palm Beach County PBA has recently negotiated additional benefits that will be available to ALL its actively employed members. These new benefits are now available. PBA Tag Emblems: $3.00 $5.00 Here is a brief summary of the offering: • Funded in total by the Palm Beach PBA • $5,000 of group term life • Available on a Voluntary Basis • Permanent Term Life Insurance ■ Available for member and spouse ■ Children coverage available as a rider ■ Guaranteed Issue for active member – no physical exams ■ Guaranteed premium – no increases ■ Accumulation of Guaranteed Paid-Up coverage • Accident Coverage ■ Off the job coverage ■ Simplified Issue – no physical exams ■ Benefits paid in addition to other coverage ■ Accidental Death and Dismemberment ■ Hospital confinement benefit ■ Additional riders • Critical Illness Coverage ■ Available for member and family ■ Simplified Issue – no physical exams ■ Lump sum benefit payment ■ Benefits paid regardless of other coverage ■ Covered conditions ■ Heart attack ■ Stroke ■ By-Pass Surgery ■ Alzheimers ■ And more!! • Cancer Coverage ■ Available for member and family ■ Benefits paid directly to member ■ Benefits paid regardless of other coverage ■ Simplified Issue – no physical exams Mag Lite: Bulbs: Batteries: $93.00 $5.00 $34.00 Sure Fire Batteries: $25.00 Mini-Flashlight: $16.00 PBA PBA PBA PBA T-Shirts: Men’s Polo’s: Women’s Polo’s: Hats: $8.00 $20.00 $20.00 $12.00 PBA PBA PBA PBA PBA PBA Throw: Keychain: Cufflinks: Tie Pin: Travel Mug: Notepad: $25.00 $5.00 $5.00 $5.00 $7.50 $8.50 WPB O/T Polo’s: WPB O/T 511 Polo’s: $20.00 $36.00 All plans issued by “A” category rated companies by A.M. Best. Memorial Bands: $1.00 Misc. Lapel Pins: $5.00 Handcuff Keys: $7.00 James O. Born Novels: C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 $20.00 Page 15 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S STRENGTH Any organization, ours included, is judged or perceived by the power it possesses. That power lies in the undying commitment and unity that portrays that strength; the strength to act as one, towards a common purpose, focused first and foremost on the resolve to attain our goal. If we allow ourselves to separate, we will fail under pressure. If we retreat in a time of crisis, than we have lost our strength. Our Union’s success is based on a unified front. I’m not saying that we can’t disagree, because that’s where the common goal is born. There’s disagreement, communication, and then finally, negotiation to achieve that goal. Once that goal is defined, all our resources can be used together until we have achieved success. And it’s this process that gives us the strength to win. The contractual or working condition problems or issues are not the reason for failure; they will always be there. Disputes or conflicting interpretations of the Contract is why we are here. It’s a fact of life. If we are focused, strong and unified in our commitment, these problems will be resolved. Along with strength, drive, determination and attitude are needed to succeed. Drive is the force of unity. Everyone “on the same page” after the process of disagreement and communication has occurred. Determination is the resolve to fight the fight to the end; to never give up, always reevaluating, but always going forward. And last but certainly not least, is attitude. The “in your face, I’m not gonna stop coming” persona that finally wilts the other side’s resolve. This Union possesses all of these attributes. The only thing which can cause us to fail is distractions from within. These distractions show a vulnerability which can be eyed as a lack of strength; the strength and unity which has helped us reach the goals we have attained. Strength of our honor, wealth and name are at stake. We must all have trust in each other as well as ourselves. And we all rely on our union to be our strength. I sit in my office thinking over what I should write about as I read my newsletter from the Department I have left so many years ago. The more things change the more they stay the same. This article is exactly what I wanted to write about. But I cannot take credit for it, that would be plagiarism. This article, written by a friend 1000’s of miles away, hit the nail square on the head. Let’s all take a moment and reflect about were we are, were we are going and what we need to do to get there. I can’t express it enough: UNITY, UNITY, UNITY! In closing, I take this article from Mr. Brian Englehardt, the Editor of the PBA newsletter from my old Dept. It is his and his alone, but expresses my sentiments 100%. I hope it does the same for you. Submitted by: Harry Rawlings, PBA School Police Rep Keep informed via e-mail! Sign up for E-PBA at www.flpba.org Page 16 817.311 UNLAWFUL USE OF BADGES, ETC. (1) (817.311 SS)From and after May 9, 1949, any person who shall wear or display a badge, button, insignia or other emblem, or shall use the name of or claim to be a member of any benevolent, fraternal, social, humane, or charitable organization, which organization is entitled to the exclusive use of such name and such badge, button, insignia or emblem either in the identical form or in such near resemblance thereto as to be a colorable imitation thereof, unless such person is entitled so to do under the laws, rules and regulations of such organization, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in S. 775.082 or S. 775.083. (2) This section shall be cumulative to any and all laws now in force in the state. Florida Statutes (1987). PLEASE NOTE 843.085 Unlawful Use of police badges or other indicia of authority: (l) Unless appointed by the Governor pursuant to chapter 354, authorized by the appropriate agency, or displayed in a closed or mounted case as a collection or exhibit, to wear or display any authorized indicia of authority, including any badge, insignia, emblem, identification card, or uniform, or any colorable imitation thereof, of any federal, state, county, or municipal law enforcement agency, or other criminal justice agency as now or hereafter defined in S. 943.045, which could deceive a reasonable person into believing that such item is authorized by any of the agencies described above for use by the person displaying or wearing it, or which displays in any manner or combination the word or words “police,” “patrolman,” “agent,” “sheriff,” “deputy,” “trooper,” “highway patrol,” “Wildlife Officer,” “Marine Patrol Officer,” “state attorney,” “public defender,” “marshal,” “constable,” or “bailiff,” which could deceive a reasonable person into believing that such item is authorized by any of the agencies described above for use by the person displaying or wearing it. (2) To own or operate a motor vehicle marked or identified in any manner or combination by the word or words “police,” (etc.) Or by any lettering, marking, or insignia, or colorable imitation thereof, including but not limited to, stars, badges, or shields, officially used to identify the vehicle as a federal, state, county or municipal law enforcement vehicle or a vehicle used by a criminal justice agency as now or hereafter defined in s. 943.045, which could deceive a reasonable person into believing that such vehicle is authorized by any of the agencies described above for use by the person operating the motor vehicle, unless such vehicle is owned or operated by the appropriate agency and its use is authorized by such agency, or the local law enforcement agency authorizes the use of such vehicle or unless the person is appointed by the Governor pursuant to chapter 354. (3) To sell, transfer, or give away the authorized badge or colorable imitation thereof, including miniatures of any . . . (4) NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL PROHIBIT A FRATERNAL, BENEVOLENT, OR LABOR ORGANIZATION OR ASSOCIATION, OR THEIR CHAPTERS OR SUBSIDIARIES, FROM USING THE FOLLOWING WORDS, IN ANY MANNER OR IN ANY COMBINATION, IF THOSE WORDS APPEAR IN THE OFFICIAL NAME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS OR ASSOCIATIONS. C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 Page 17 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S New Workers’ Compensation Benefits Available To Law Enforcement Officers By Robert S. Winess, Esq. T he State of Florida has taken another step in providing first responders, including law enforcement officers, with new and important workers’ compensation benefits in the form of Florida Statute 112.1815. This is one of the most important statutes to be recently enacted that affects the rights of all of Florida’s law enforcement officers. This statute can potentially provide you with Florida Workers’ Compensation benefits for mental or nervous injuries. What does this mean? It means that the State of Florida appears to have taken note of the realities of your careers as law enforcement officers. Specifically, the reality that law enforcement is a demanding job that can not only result in physical injuries, but can also result in, as the State puts it—mental or nervous injury. Let’s be candid, there are many law enforcement officers who are affected by the demands of their job to such an extent that they may be described as suffering from a mental or nervous injury. Additionally, there are officers who have suffered physical injuries, which may have given rise to emotional complaints, i.e., mental or nervous injury. Today we often hear words like anxiety, depression, or some other clinical term used to describe mental or nervous injuries. For these officers that suffer from a covered mental or nervous condition, benefits/ treatment may now be available through Florida Workers’ Compensation in the form of F.S. 112.1815. Unfortunately, the legislature did not include corrections officers under this statute. However, hopefully in the future, the legislature will amend F.S. 112.1815 to include corrections officers in its definition of “first responders” available to receive these benefits as it did with the “Heart-Lung” bill in claims for hypertension or heart disease benefits. You Should Not Be Afraid To File A Claim For Workers’ Compensation Benefits It seems to be increasingly prevalent that our officers are reluctant to file claims for workers’ compensation benefits because of fears of some sort of backlash or retaliation. This is unfortunate because in Florida we have very specific laws against an employer taking adverse action against employees, including law enforcement and corrections officers that claim or attempt to claim workers’ compensation benefits from their employers. No employer should discharge, threaten to discharge, intimidate, or coerce any employee because of an employee’s valid claim, or attempt to claim Florida Workers’ Compensation benefits. This includes or law enforcement and corrections community. What Types Of Benefits Are Available? Generally speaking, the Florida Workers’ Compensation system provides for two types benefits: (1) medical benefits and (2) lost wage benefits. In this article I am focusing more on the medical benefits. The benefits that you may be entitled to are specific to the facts of your case. Everyone’s situation is unique. Although two people may suffer from apparently the same condition or injury, the benefits available are unique to the facts of their case. That means that two people with similar injuries or conditions may be entitled to vastly different benefits. Generally speaking, if you are entitled to medical benefits, Florida Workers’ Compensation should pay 100 percent of your medical bills relating to treatment of your condition, including payment of prescription medication costs until such time that your workers’ compensation doctors have determined that you have reached “maximum medical improvement” for your condition. Once you have reached maximum medical improvement, although you may still be entitled to receive Florida Workers’ Compensation benefits, you will most likely be required to pay a co-payment for your doctor’s visits and prescription medication costs. If you have incurred out-of-pocket expenses for treatment of a work related injury or condition, it is possible that you could have these expenses reimbursed. This includes out of pocket payments for prescriptions for medications and/or devices that were medically necessary (such as crutches, bandages, etc.) for treatment of your work injury. This reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses could include payment for mileage incurred in driving to and from doctors’ visits and pharmacies for treatment of the work related condition. Who Makes The Payments? If your condition or injury has been accepted for treatment under Florida’s Workers’ Compensation system, there is usually an insurance company or something called a third-party administrator (“TPA”) that is responsible for making payment arrangements to the doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies for your treatment. Of course, as stated above, if you are ultimately deemed to be at maximum medical improvement you will be required to pay your copays, however the employer and its insurance company are still EMERGENCY CONTACT PROCEDURE To contact a PBA Attorney, day or night, seven days a week, use the following numbers: Regular Business Phone: ..................................(561) 689 3745 Digital Pager: ..................................................(561) 326-8252 Regular Business Fax: ......................................(561) 687 0154 24 Hour Emergency Voice Pager: ....................(561) 751-6298 Page 18 [Call voice pager, leave message including a contact number, hang up. The machine will automatically dial the attorney's pager, and play back your message] Keep calling. You will get a response. NOTE: For updated PBA information, please visit our website at www.pbcpba.org C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S responsible for paying the medical providers directly for their portion of the payments. This is not your responsibility. Florida’s Heart/Lung Bill For those law enforcement officers, corrections officers (and firefighters) who have been diagnosed with hypertension, heart disease, and even tuberculosis, access to workers’ compensation benefits under Florida’s Workers’ Compensation system is particularly important. Contingent upon satisfying certain criteria, hypertension, heart disease, and tuberculosis may be considered work related. If you suffer from hypertension, heart disease, or tuberculosis, and it is determined to be work related then you could potentially have access to lifelong Florida’s Workers’ Compensation benefits including cardiac treatment regardless of whether you remain employed or have health insurance coverage. This is particularly important because under Florida’s Workers’ Compensation law if you suffer from any non-work related medical condition (example- diabetes), that affects the doctors ability to treat your work related condition (hypertension or heart disease or any other work injury), then you may be entitled to have these non-work conditions treated under Florida’s Workers’ Compensation. The cost of health insurance has skyrocketed. It is important you know your rights and the extent of the benefits that you have available to you. Many former law enforcement and corrections officers who have retired or are no longer working in their field are unaware that they be entitled to Florida Workers’ Compensation benefits for hypertension or heart disease claims. Many former officers are unaware that if they were diagnosed with hypertension or heart C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 disease while they were employed with their respective agency or department, they may still be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits today regardless of how much time has passed. There are certain threshold criteria that must be met and established for entitlement to these benefits. These criteria are strict and are not necessarily easily met. However, if you indeed meet the criteria, one of which is that you were first diagnosed with your condition while you were employed as a law enforcement or corrections officer, regardless of when this diagnosis was made, you may indeed be eligible for benefits under Florida’s “Heart-Lung” bill. If it is ultimately determined that you are eligible for benefits under Florida’s “Heart-Lung” bill, then your medical care for treatment of these conditions may be covered under Florida’s Workers’ Compensation laws. There may also be money benefits available to you. For more information, you may contact Robert Winess directly. He is a local attorney who handles Florida Workers’ Compensation matters including claims for treatment of hypertension and heart disease under Florida’s “Heart/Lung Bill”, occupational disease claims, and job related death claims. Mr.Winess also handles matters that arise from workers’ compensation claims, such as regular and in-line of duty disability retirement/pension matters, and complaints relating to the filing or attempt to file a claim for Florida Workers’ Compensation benefits. Mr. Winess may be reached at: Robert S. Winess, Esq. Of Counsel to Bichler & Kelley, P.A. 500 Australian Avenue South, Suite 614 West Palm Beach, FL 33401 (561) 820-4863 PH (561) 820-4864 FAX or e-mail: rob@winesslaw.com Page 19 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S Photo Highlights of the Inaugural Palm Beach Page 20 C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S County PBA Police Officers’ Ball April 26, 2008 C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 Page 21 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S 2008 Scholarship Awards T he Palm Beach County PBA Charity Fund (which is comprised of the Palm Beach County PBA, the Kaitlin Kazanjian Scholarship Fund and the Brian Chappell Memorial Scholarship Fund) is pleased to announce that there were 94 applicants interviewed on Saturday, May 31, 2008 with a total of over $103,000 in scholarship monies being awarded to the children of PBA members. PBA President and Charity Fund Chairman John Kazanjian would like to thank the following Committee members for their participation in the interview process: Charlie Nicastro, Joe Berkery, Bob Brown, Rick McAfee, Billy Gray, Mike Antonopoulos, Jeff Jackson, Lou Penque, Rick King, Mike Licata, Sandy Licata, Greg Allen, Bill Lammie, Tommy Randazzo and Mr. Tom Chappell. All Scholarship applicants received awards to assist them and their families with the cost of higher education. We wish all of our Scholarship recipients much good luck with all future endeavors. The students below should be recognized for the following awards: Montgomery & Associates 1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place $2,500 $1,500 $1,000 - Steven Belford Kaitlyn Igo Nicole Nugent Bob Preston Awards $1,000 - Brian Chappell Awards 1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place Page 22 $1,000 $ 750 $ 500 - Ryan Rowe Noah Elwell Molly Anderson Robert Bruton Derek Davis Lindsay Heysler Patrick McCandless James Shackelford Matt Weiner Award (Computer Science) $500 - Zachary Lammie C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 Page 23 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S Page 24 C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 Page 25 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S Page 26 C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 Page 27 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics O n Friday, April 18th, the 25th Annual Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics traveled through Palm Beach County. Over one hundred officers participated in this multi-agency event, which covered 5.5 miles from Lantana Public Beach to the Royal Palm School. At the conclusion of the run, the participants met with the special students at the school and then had a continental breakfast reception made possible through a donation from the PBA. In addition to sponsoring the breakfast, additional money from the PBA donation helped to increase the total money raised within the County by participating agencies. Participating agencies sold hats and shirts in addition to doing other fundraising events, with all proceeds going toward the support of Special Olympics. Palm Beach County law enforcement agencies consistently raise about twenty thousand dollars each year, which enables Special Olympics Athletes to travel and participate in events throughout the State at no cost to their families. This year, there was a great turn-out including runners, motorcycle officers, bicycle escorts, in addition to marked vehicles to include several command posts and SWAT vehicles from throughout the county. The participation of all of the officers involved was a tribute to local law enforcement’s commitment to serve the community. The agencies actively involved in the fundraising efforts as well as participating in the Run itself included Palm Beach County SO, Boynton Beach PD, Delray Beach PD, Department of Corrections, Federal Probation and Parole, North Palm Beach Public Safety, Palm Beach Gardens PD, Jupiter PD, West Palm Beach PD, Lantana PD, Boca Raton PD, and the FBI. In this case, the beneficiaries of the event, the Special Olympic Athletes, were very appreciative of the efforts of the officers. They cheered as the caravan of runners and support personnel arrived at the school and were absolutely thrilled with the interaction with the participants whether it was giving “high fives” or receiving “honorary badges” from the officers. It was an honor to participate in this event, which is made even more special by the fact that so many fellow officers from so many different agencies participate simply because it is a great cause. This event is held every year, usually in April. There are a few officers who have participated since the inception of the event; the feeling of good will and camaraderie during this event is contagious. Thanks to everyone who participated this year and I hope to see you (and some friends) next year! Submitted by Lt. Sarah J. Mooney, WPBPD PBA Rolling Billboard The Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Association gears up to “OUST” Palm Beach School Board members Monroe Benaim - District 1, Carrie Parker Hill - District 4 and Mark Hansen - District 5 by unveiling the new PBA rolling billboard. Please show your support by volunteering to drive our trailer. We are requesting two (2) volunteers at a time to drive the rolling billboard trailer. If interested, please call the PBA Office or e-mail Gail@pbcpba.org or Suzanne@pbcpba.org. Page 28 C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S National Police Week 2008 N ational Police Week was May 11th through May 17th, 2008 in Washington, D.C. PBA President John Kazanjian, Executive Director Ernie George and PBSO Sgt. Billy Gray attended the 20th Annual Candlelight Vigil, which was held at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial to pay tribute to Palm Beach County Fallen Officers Donta J. Manuel and Jonathan D. Wallace. C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 Page 29 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S Palm Beach County PBA Following Candidates U.S. Representative State Senator (continued) Dist. 16 - Thomas Rooney Dist. 19 - Robert Wexler Dist. 22 – Ron Klein Dist. 86 - Maria Sachs Dist. 87 - Adam Hasner Dist. 89 - Mary Brandenburg Dist. 90 - Kelly Skidmore State Senator Dist. 25 - Jeffrey Atwater Dist. 27 - Dave Aronberg Dist. 78 - Kevin Rader Dist. 82 - William Snyder Dist. 83 - Carl Domino Dist. 85 - Joseph Abruzzo Page 30 Circuit Court Judge Group 14 – Lisa Small Group 23 – Richard Wennet Property Appraiser Richard Machek C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S Is Proud To Endorse The In The 2008 Election Sheriff County Commission Ric Bradshaw Dist. 1 - Karen Marcus Dist. 3 – Robert Kanjian Dist. 5 – Burt Aaronson Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher School Board State Attorney Dist. 1 – Kelly Sturmthal Dist. 4 – John McGovern Dist. 5 – Frank Barbieri Michael McAuliffe County Court Judge Group 3 – Reginald Corlew C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 Page 31 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S Page 32 C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 Page 33 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S Page 34 C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 Page 35 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S BUSINESS DIRECTORY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! Please show your support for Palm Beach County School Police by volunteering to pull our trailer. We are requesting two (2) volunteers at a time to pull the rolling billboard trailer. If interested, please call the PBA Office at (561) 689-3745 or e-mail Gail@pbcpba.org or Suzanne@pbcpba.org. Page 36 C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 Page 37 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S Andy Bilardello Franchise Owner CustomLogo Outfitters of Palm Beach Phone: 561-644-1358 e-mail: andy@customlogooutfitters.com School Apparel • Business Logo Wear & Products • Fundraising • Team & Cheer Uniforms Law Office of Mark Bannon, P.A. Mark E. Bannon P.O. Box 5478 Lake Worth, FL 33466-5478 Page 38 Attorney at Law markbannon@bellsouth.net Phone: (561) 964-5719 Fax: (561) 964-5720 C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 T H E V O I C E O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y L A W E N F O R C E M E N T O F F I C E R S Riggins Too 30' Grady-White Richard Tschernia Executive Vice President rtschernia@aol.com 175 Pinelawn Road • Ste 400 Melville, NY 11747 (800) 462-8178 (631) 806-9478 Cell w w w. 1 s t w m o r t g a g e . c o m Licensed Mortgage Banker Discount Mortgages For Union Members and the Families of the PALM BEACH COUNTY POLICE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION • No Application Fee • No Processing Fee • Reduced Attorney Fee • Reduced Title Charges • No Commitment Fee • No Document Prep Fee • No Courier Fees • No Underwriting Fee APPLY ONLINE: www.1stwmortgage.com We have all the following programs available: • FHA/VA, SONYMA, Fannie Mae, FreddieMac-Direct lender • Refinances, Second Mortgages and Equity Lines • Second Home, Investment Properties and Relocation Mortgages • Zero point loans available on most programs • Officer Next Door Program • 100% Financing Programs Available RACHEL GELLIN OWNER • Fishing Charters • Sunset Cruises • Customized Dive Charters Capt. J.J. Morrissey USCG LIC. #1068157 GRADUATE GEMOLOGIST PHONE 561.626.4267 WWW.SAMANDCOJEWELERS.COM 561-301-2462 Show your support for Palm Beach County PBA! See the list of PBA wearables and collectibles on page 15. C O D E T H R E E / J u l y 0 8 Page 39 Palm Beach County PBA 2100 N. Florida Mango Road West Palm Beach, FL 33409 www.pbcpba.org Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Tallahassee, FL Permit No. 154 PBA “SUPPORT LAW ENFORCEMENT” TAG SELLING FAST! Y ou can get your very own Florida PBA “Support Law Enforcement” Tag at your county tag office. You may purchase the plate with random numbers and letters or create a personalized tag for your vehicle(s). Over 37,000 have been purchased so far! The proceeds of this tag will be deposited into a charitable fund—Florida PBA Heart Fund—for the Association’s members. The great thing about the contributions made to the Heart Fund, they are taxdeductible!