The. Informant. The Official Publication of the San Diego Police Officers Association Volume XXX, No. 5 May 2010

Transcription

1 The Informant The Official Publication of the San Diego Police Officers Association Volume XXX, No. 5 May 2010

2 San Diego Police Officers Association 8388 Vickers Street (Office) San Diego, CA (Fax) Brian Marvel President Jeff Jordon Vice President Woody DuBois Secretary Randy Levitt Treasurer Tom Bostedt Board Member Mike Fender Board Member Paul Hubka Board Member Rob Lewis Board Member Paul Paxton Board Member Committees and Committee Chairs Legal Committee... Lewis (Chair), Bostedt, Levitt Political Action Committee... Marvel (Chair), Bostedt, DuBois SCALE/CCLEA/Big 11/PORAC Retirement... Business & Governance... Jordon (Chair), DuBois, Paxton Bylaws & Policy Administration Parliamentarian Member Relations...Bostedt (Chair), Hubka, Lewis Member Services Member Communication Public Relations...Hubka (Chair), Bostedt, Lewis Informant Website Charity Special Events/Scholarship...Jordon (Chair), DuBois, Hubka Paxton Budget & Finance... Jordon, DuBois Labor Management...Paxton (Chair), Jordon, Lewis, Hubka FIT / Safety Litigation (Ad Hoc Committee)... Chairs: Marvel/Jordon 2 The Informant Editorial and Advertising Information Editor, Emily Cox x 220 ecox@sdpoa.org Editorial Policy 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. 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 to the editor. Freedom of expression is assured within the bounds of good taste and the limits of available space. Our target audience is law enforcement, specifically POA members of the San Diego Police Department. Deadline 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.

3 In This Issue Member Spotlight...4 SDCMOA Law Enforcement Memorial Breakfast...4 Critical Incident Management Unit...5 Chaplain s Corner...6 The Crime Files th Annual San Diego County Peace Officer Memorial Run th Annual San Diego County Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony...9 California Peace Officer Memorial Schedule of Events...10 National Peace Officer Memorial Schedule of Events...11 FNGAL 40th Anniversary Pre-Season Bash SDPOA Widows & Orphans Fund Golf Tournament California POST: Taking Driver Training Into the Next Decade SDPOA Discount Tickets NLPOA San Diego Metro Comedy Night SDPOA Endorsements...18 PERT Perspective Proposed Fiscal Year Contract Approved by POA Members...20 RFPA Update...22 UC Code 4 Chronicles...24 Officer Down Motorcycle Rally...25 POA Media Highlights...25 Findings from FBI About Police Attackers and Their Weapons...26 Cops & Rodders...28 Donning and Doffing...29 Stranger than Fiction...30 On the Road At a Glance Calendar...32 Office Manager s Report...33 Classified Ads...33 Board Minutes...34 On the Cover: The California Peace Officers Memorial in Sacramento; photo by Greg Rathbun, CPOMF photographer President s Message By this point, everyone seems to be well aware of the fact that the POA has signed a two-year contract with the City of San Diego. After working under imposed terms and conditions for this past year and dealing with the mid-year cuts that down-sized our K-9 Unit and eliminated our Mounted and Harbor Units, it was incredibly important for us to reach an agreement with the City to prevent additional cuts. I d like to thank all of the directors for their hard work over the course of negotiations this year. After last year s impasse, we changed our strategy for this year, putting more emphasis on creating stability within officers work lives in an effort to create less stress on officers personal lives. For more information on negotiations, please see page 20 and/or register for the POA forum through our website (please note: the POA forum is restricted to members only). May is a month often designated to acknowledge peace officers and also those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. In 1962, President Kennedy signed a bill into law authorizing May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which that day falls is known as Police Week. In 1994, Public Law was enacted, authorizing American Flag to be flown at half-staff on May 15, Peace Officers Memorial Day. There are numerous opportunities within San Diego, in our state capital and our nation s capital to participate in recognition ceremonies. Between the Motor Officers Association s Memorial Breakfast, the San Diego County Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony and other events, I hope each one of us will find some time to reflect on the lives of those who were killed in the line of duty. Over 17,000 law enforcement officers have had their names engraved on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial wall in Washington, D.C. and this year, we will sadly be adding both the names of Border Patrol Agent Rojas and Deputy Sheriff Collier to the San Diego Memorial. As the law enforcement community still reels from multiple incidents of multiple officers down, we can only hope that these incidents never occur again. Remember that your top priority should always be to get home to your family and friends when your shift ends. Be safe, May

4 Member Spotlight: Detective Donna Williams Detective Donna Williams was born and raised in Santa Monica and moved to San Diego to attend SDSU, where she majored in Social Welfare. With her intention of becoming a social worker, Detective Williams gained experience in working with children at the Hillcrest Receiving Home (the precursor to the Polinsky Center). After seeing many detectives coming to the Receiving Home to talk with children, Detective Williams shifted her career path to law enforcement, hoping to join the Child Abuse Unit as soon as possible. Detective Williams joined the San Diego Police Department in 1980 and started out in patrol at Southern and then Southeastern. By 1987, she was working in Eastern Investigations and she transferred over to Child Abuse in Detective Williams has spent over two-thirds of her SDPD career in the Child Abuse Unit and with four years remaining in DROP, she will likely end her career there. Detective Williams sees the Child Abuse Unit as the best place to work in the department because of the impact that the detectives can have in helping the victims as children, the victims rely on the detectives since there really is no one else to stand up for them. She also noted that the unit is made up of really great people who are always willing to help each other out and everyone in the unit is deserving of recognition. On average, she is working on seven to ten cases at any given time and she stresses the need to pay attention to every detail in each case so that the back story is complete for when it comes time to interview the suspect in some cases, honing in on something that the suspect may have said to a victim or a victim s family member can lead to pushing the right button for a confession. In some of her notable cases, she was called in to assist with the Danielle Van Dam case and interviewed over 25 individuals. She was also involved in the investigation of a Rancho Bernardo molestation case in which she put together numerous photo line-ups until a suspect was identified and confirmed by DNA evidence, leading to an arrest. With God and family being of the highest importance to her, Detective Williams drew inspiration and advice from her late husband, Howard Williams, a former SDPD homicide detective. She has five children Howard, an attorney; Tiffany, a teacher in New York; Dekenya, who recently earned her degree as a criminalist; Brian, who has immersed himself in God and church; and Briana, a talented softball player. Detective Williams enjoys spending as much of her free time as possible following Briana in her travel softball games. San Diego County Motor Officers Association 17 t h An n u a l Law Enforcement Memorial Breakfast We d n e s d a y, Ma y 5, 2010 a t 7:30 a m MCAS Miramar Officers Club All law enforcement officers invited (Federal, Military, State, County, City) Cost: $10.00 per person if paid in advance ($20.00 at the door) (SDCMOA Members in $5.00 if paid in advance) Tables of 10 and individual seating will only be reserved if paid in advance For more information, call Bob van Wulven at The Informant

5 Critical Incident Management Unit The Critical Incident Management Unit is responsible for maintaining department readiness in the event of a major disaster whether that is a natural disaster, terrorist attack or massive accident. Though the unit has shifted some of its focus to homeland security and terrorist-related readiness, the unit was created after the September 1978 PSA jet crash. Without a specific major incident plan in place, the department did its best to respond and, much like how the SWAT team and STAR teams were created as ways to improve department response, the Critical Incident Management Unit grew into the pre-planning unit for unplanned events. The unit is responsible for maintaining emergency readiness for the department. CIMU regularly updates department emergency procedures, performs upkeep of equipment and arranges for trainings for other officers. With Readiness Pods strategically placed throughout the City, CIMU is prepared to provide equipment, gas masks, filters and other protective gear to police officers in the case of a nuclear, biological or chemical attack. They are constantly preparing for the next major incident while also hoping it never comes. Their usual office is located at the Department Operations Center, but they are ready to set up a mobile office whenever needed such as at the 2003 and 2007 wildfires. CIMU assists the Special Events Unit by providing equipment and expertise at scheduled events like Mardi Gras, Shamrock, Over the Line Tournament, 2008 U.S. Open, Biotech and the International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference, to name a few. They also help with gang or drug sweeps and numerous other instances when it is beneficial to have a command post nearby. Retired Sergeant Bill Wolf was behind the development of the unit, which started as a pilot program utilizing police officers who doubled as EMTs since the department still uses police ambulances at the time. The unit was staffed by one sergeant and one officer in the beginning, but staffing increased with the new emphasis on homeland security stemming from the September 11, 2001 terrorists attacks. The unit works on critical infrastructure protection throughout the region, performing regular assessments to identify vulnerabilities and determine ways to insulate the infrastructure from attacks. Critical infrastructure protection is broken into 18 sectors, which include government property, law enforcement buildings, and major venues where large numbers of people congregate (such as Qualcomm Stadium, Petco Park and the Viejas Arena). Since the vast majority of government buildings and many of the region s assets that are classified as critical infrastructure are located in the City of San Diego, CIMU spearheads this effort. CIMU works closely with the City and the Office of Homeland Security and also participates in at least 20 different area safety meetings with various agencies, including maritime and transportation groups. The unit writes homeland security grant requests to bring in federal money to the region and they also write investment justifications for awarded grants to prove that the money is appropriately used to upgrade and purchase response vehicles in order to prepare for, respond to and recover from terrorist attacks. Equipment purchased through federal grants must have regional application and other agencies can request assistance if there is an event that requires a command post. The unit has supported other agencies throughout San Diego County and has gone as far as Riverside County to provide a Skywatch tower at the Balloon and Wine Festival. The unit currently oversees millions of dollars worth of equipment including two command post vehicles, one dualpurpose decontamination and prisoner processing vehicle, five camera trailers and a skywatch platform. The unit recently received a grant for a third command post vehicle. They are heavily involved in the design process, which can last up to three years while working with up to 20 vendors, to ensure that the vehicle has all of the necessary components. A new program the first of its kind will soon activate and allow for video-conferencing capability on a command post vehicle. The Motorola program, called Nomad, will make it possible for someone at headquarters, another local agency, or even a federal agency to tap into what is happening in the field. Continued on page 21 May

6 Chaplain s Corner By Herb Smith, SDPD Chaplain The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple (Ps.19:7). King David was a warrior of extraordinary measure. A titan of testosterone, there was no challenge he didn t advance on or threat from the enemy he ever backed away from. As a young shepherd boy he faced off with bear and lion, and his first agility test as a young recruit was one-on-one with a 9½ foot giant name Goliath, with only a sling, five stones and no armor. He charged his adversary, dropped him in one throw and used the giant s own sword to decapitate him. His conquests and credentials went up from there. David set the standard for warrior excellence, and it wasn t due to a spider bite or Kripton DNA. David was the youngest and, perhaps, smallest of all his brothers, but he had the biggest heart, and that s what God was looking on when He told the Israelite Judge Samuel to anoint David as future King over Israel. No one could have guessed at that time what David was truly capable of until God s Spirit had divinely formulated the receptive heart of this enterprising shepherd boy. But David had a clarity, conviction and confidence that he was meant to do great things in the service of his God, and no doubt that his help would come from the Lord. Critical to the heart of every warrior, whether in the realm of parenting, providing, protecting, policing or just persevering, are a perception of reality and a persona of honest, upright, loyal and sincere integrity. The world is becoming a very perplexing and unpredictable place, and life s challenges are mounting and moving at times with withering intensity. We can t hope to keep up with and move forward on the battle line without knowing who and Whose we are, and the requisite heart that will enable us to be steadfast and sure as we face our giants. Knowing the Truth that sets us free from insecurity, and building a character of kindness, justice and righteousness formulates a heart of compelling courage and extraordinary expectation. The Psalms are a portrait of David s heart, and his theme was The reverence of God is the beginning of wisdom; understanding have all those who do His commands (111:10). There will always be giants to face. The wisdom of reverence and the insights of obedience produce DNA that is Not-Of-This-World. By Your commandments Thy servant is warned they make me wiser than my enemies and never forsake me they are a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (19:11; 199:98,105). Just as an aside, the 2010 Annual Law Enforcement and Emergency Personnel Prayer Breakfast took place April 9th with over 500 in attendance. The morning was rife with good food, great interaction amongst L.E. s from state, local and federal agencies, and a compelling program and speaker that left a deep impression on us all. We know you enjoyed it if you were able to attend, and hope that next year s 20th will be a must go for you all to calendar. It is an annual highlight of encouragement and inspiration, and I hope that for all the effort those who plan it put into this compelling event, you will be able to partake of its blessing. Hope to see you there next year. Bless 6 The Informant

7 The Crime Files By Steve Willard We have all seen the slogan America s Finest on the side of our police cars but what does it truly mean? The larger term America s Finest City is generally credited from the days of Mayor Pete Wilson. Putting aside philosophical differences about how the city was managed during his reign, when you consider the beaches, weather and everything else that goes with our lifestyle, such a moniker would be hard to argue. But what about America s Finest Police Department? Officially, that term came about in the final months of Bill Kolender s SDPD era. Along with the re-introduction of the black and white patrol car (which had been banished from the fleet some 20 years earlier), the idea was to instill pride within the organization. Such recognition was long overdue. I would argue SDPD began to achieve its title of America s Finest on May 9, the date it was founded. The year opened with crime at an all time high. Deputy city marshals were nowhere to be found and armed thugs could be seen walking the streets. Gambling was prevalent in almost every saloon and opium smokers and prostitutes could be found on almost every downtown street corner with little fear of consequence. Finally, citizens had enough and a Freeholders Charter was passed. Among other things, the office of the City Marshal was abolished. Its replacement was a force of sworn peace officers with a single purpose law enforcement. While that in itself was a step in the right direction, somewhere in that move the powers that be decided the amount of officers should be cut by more than half. So what was once a force of 25 deputy city marshals was cut to 12 police officers all to protect a population exceeding 40,000. Yep, even on day one we were America s lowest staffed (per capita) police department. Despite that, the men took to the streets and aggressively enforced the law and, by the end of the year, crime was down 70% and the department gained the respect and admiration of its citizenry. So how does that translate to today? For more than 120 years, we have always had to make do with less - sometimes a lot less - to keep the peace. Make no mistake, it hasn t always been easy and we have had to deal with some pretty major stuff. First there were the IWW riots of the early 20th century. With the jails packed to the gills and more trouble makers arriving daily, the men in blue found themselves working hours a day, seven days a week for more than two years. The stress was so great that ¼ of the police department resigned. Then came WWII where the population of the city doubled as department staffing was cut by 1/3. Officers who stayed behind found themselves working 12 hours a day, seven days a week under a blackout order and rationing so severe cops were not allowed to drive a police car more than 25 miles per shift. The Vietnam era was tough on law enforcement around the US. It seemed almost everyone hated the police because we represented the Establishment. Now throw in the Hub Loan company shootout of April That incident, which was the largest police shootout in American history at the time, led us to form the Anti Sniper Platoon, the first special weapons and tactics team in the United States. In the 1970s we dealt with the first major school shooting (Brenda Spencer), the nation s worst aviation disaster (PSA Flight 182) and a murder that would restart the process of executing death penalty inmates (Robert Alton Harris) in California. As all of this was happening, we were forced to bury a great many of our co-workers as we saw our city become the deadliest in the nation for police officers. Oh, did I forget to mention the McDonalds Massacre of 1984? At the time it was the largest single incident of mass murder in the history of the United States. As these changes and challenges were thrown at us, one thing remained consistent, we were still one of the lowest staffed police departments in the United States in comparison to the citizens were serve. That s bad enough but that number is arrived at only by comparing the ENTIRE force to the resident population. When you begin to consider the number of tourists added to who already lives here, versus the number of able bodied men and women available for calls, you see the number plunge to levels which many would find shocking. But here are a few things of which you can be proud: In 120 years, there have been less than a handful of scandals that any objective person would consider major. Not bad when you think about some departments in the U.S. that would be happy for less than a handful of scandals in one year. Even better; in 120 years no one can point to a single example where large-scale organized corruption was ever condoned or tolerated. Annually the majority of citizens rank the San Diego Police Department as either favorable, or very favorable, in opinion polls. Complaints are exceptionally low for a department our size. Our case cancellation rate is one of the highest in the nation. Annually the city of San Diego pays out far below the national average to for police-related lawsuits. Despite being the 8th largest city in the United States, we have nowhere near the 8th highest crime rate. So are we truly America s Finest Police Department? I would say yes, absolutely. And we have been for a very long time. May

8 19th ANNUAL SAN DIEGO COUNTY PEACE OFFICERS MEMORIAL RUN Saturday, May 15, 2010 Sponsored by the Carlsbad Police Department You and your family are invited to participate in the 19th Annual Peace Officers Memorial Run on Saturday, May 15, at 9:00 am. This run is being held in conjunction with Peace Officers Memorial Week. The run is not a race but a run to honor those peace officers who have died on duty. The run will start at Cannon Park located at the corner of Carlsbad Blvd. (Hwy 101) and Cannon Rd. in Carlsbad. The run is 2.5 miles and follows a course along the Pacific Ocean. The run is for all levels with a pace to keep all of the runners together. Refreshments will be served at the conclusion of the run. For questions, please call Officer Adam Young ( x6368) or Paula Melikian ( ) 8 The Informant

9 26 th Annual San Diego County Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony Wednesday, May 5, :00 pm Wall of Light Southwest lawn (bay side) of the County Administration Building 1600 Pacific Highway, San Diego. On that day, two new names will be added to the wall; U.S. Border Patrol Agent Robert Rosas and San Diego County Sheriff Deputy Kenneth Collier, who were both killed in the line of duty during the past 12 months. The program will include remarks from USBP Chief Michael Barlow and Sheriff Bill Gore, the reading of all 82 names listed on the wall, the reveal of the two added names, an aerial and water salute to the fallen officers, followed by a reception for all surviving families and law enforcement. The general public is welcome and encouraged to attend. Do you owe more on your home than it is worth & need to sell? We Can Help! Call Us! (619) AngieTaylor@remax.net Helping SDPD Buy & Sell the Nicest Homes! Patient, Experienced, Caring Service by SDPD Family, Jan Hickerson & Angie Taylor Happy Spring I am so glad that I have Jan & Angie helping me on the sale of my home! Even in this tough market, they have brought me several buyers and I am happy to report that I am in escrow! Joe Ruvido, SDPD Central Div. Jan and Angie took such good care of us and treated us as if we were family. They found us exactly what we wanted and made this whole experience pleasurable! Thanks so much! Bill Yoder, SDPD Mid City Div. Angie and Jan helped us find the perfect home for our new family. It was reassuring and important to have such great realtors. They were dedicated and had lots of great insight thoughout the entire process. Jan and Angie are two wonderful people and we would absolutely recommend them. Justin Mayer, SDPD Northwestern Divi. Thank you for always being so helpful, encouraging, straight forward and honest! Alisha Cates, SDPD Dispatcher (619) Jan Hickerson DRE# & DRE# Angie Taylor Angie is the wife of Tom Kowalczyk SDPD Northwestern Division May

10 34th Annual CALIFORNIA PEACE OFFICERS MEMORIAL CEREMONY CPOMF 1700 I Street, Suite 100 Sacramento CA Phone: Fax: cpomf@camemorial.org Schedule of Events HOST HOTEL: Hyatt Regency 1209 L Street Sacramento CA THURSDAY MAY 6, 2010 CPOMF LOGISTICS MEETING 8:00 10:00 A.M. HYATT REGENCY Capitol View 15 th Floor Final briefing prior to ceremony activities for CPOMF Board of Directors, advisors, key logistic personnel, and participating officers who wish to attend. SURVIVORS RECEPTION 2:00 3:30 P.M. HYATT REGENCY Capitol View 15 th Floor This time is set aside to give honored families, past-year survivors, and co-workers the opportunity to interact with each other, as well as members from Concerns of Police Survivors and representatives from the law enforcement chaplaincy. A great opportunity to extend encouragement and support to one another. CEREMONY REHEARSAL FOR PARTICIPATING OFFICERS 2:00 5:00 P.M. MEMORIAL MONUMENT 10th Street & Capitol Mall Mandatory participation required for all officers involved in ceremony activities. BUFFET DINNER 6:00 7:30 P.M. HYATT REGENCY Ballroom All honored families, past survivors, and participating officers are invited to a buffet dinner sponsored by the California Peace Officers Memorial Foundation. CANDLIGHT VIGIL 8:30 9:30 P.M. MEMORIAL MONUMENT 10th Street & Capitol Mall With welcoming comments from the CPOMF President, remarks from departmental and past survivor representatives, a Roll Call of Heroes, as well as music and prayer. FRIDAY MAY 7, 2010 BUFFET BREAKFAST 7:00 8:00 A.M. HYATT REGENCY Ballroom A buffet breakfast is provided for honored families, past survivors, and participating officers. Sponsored by the California Peace Officers Memorial Foundation. LAW ENFORCEMENT CARAVAN 7:30 A.M. CHP ACADEMY West Sacramento Staging for the Memorial Caravan begins at 0730 hours at the CHP Academy, 3500 Reed Avenue West Sacramento, departing the Academy at 0900 hours sharp. The procession travels through West Sacramento, concluding on 10th Street, at the Memorial Monument. HONORED FAMILIES PRIVATE CEREMONY 9:00 10:30 A.M. STATE CAPITOL Senate Hearing Room 4203 Private ceremony with state representatives for honored families, their agency escort officers, and department heads. ENROLLMENT CEREMONY 10:30 A.M. 12:30 P.M. MEMORIAL MONUMENT 10th Street & Capitol Mall Formal ceremony begins with the Walk of Honor from the State Capitol to the Memorial Monument. Presentations by state representatives, CPOMF s President, and a departmental keynote speaker. Ceremony concludes with a 21-gun salute, taps, and retiring of the colors. LUNCHEON 12:30 3:00 P.M. Immediately following the outdoor ceremony, lunch is provided for honored families, participating and attending officers, and past survivors directly across from the memorial monument on the Capitol lawn. 10 The Informant

11 Schedule of Events National Police Week 2010 Washington, D.C. Tuesday, May 4 Sunday, May 9 Monday, May 10 Wednesday, May 12 Thursday, May 13 16th Annual Blue Mass 12:10 pm St. Patrick Catholic Church 10th & G Streets, NW 15th Annual Law Ride 9 am Line up at RFK Stadium (Lot 8) 11 am Procession leaves for National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial; arrival ceremony follows 31st Annual DC Area Memorial Service 11 am Metropolitan Police Headquarters 300 Indiana Avenue, NW Police Unity Tour Arrival 2 pm National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial 22nd Annual Candlelight Vigil 8 pm National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Blessing of the Badge Service 3rd Annual Interdenominational Christian Service for Law Enforcement Families 10 am National City Christian Church #5 Thomas Circle, NW, Washington, Friday, May 14 National Police Challenge 50-Kilometer Relay Race 8 am Secret Service Training Center, Laurel, MD 8th Annual Steve Young Honor Guard Competition 8:30 am John Marshall Park (Pennsylvania Avenue at 4th Street, NW) National Police Survivors Conference Concerns of Police Survivors 9 am Hilton Alexandria Mark Center (advance registration required) Shomrim Society Kaddish Service 10 am National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial 15th Annual Emerald Society & Pipeband March and Service 4:30 pm Assemble at New Jersey Avenue & F Street, NW 6 pm March to National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial 17th Annual TOP COPS Awards Ceremony National Association of Police Organizations 7 pm Warner Theatre, th Street, NW (tickets required) Saturday, May 15 29th Annual National Peace Officers Memorial Day Service 12 noon West Front, U.S. Capitol Wreathlaying Ceremony Fraternal Order of Police/FOP Auxiliary 3:30 pm (approx.) National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Sunday, May 16 National Police Survivors Conference Concerns of Police Survivors 9 am Hilton Alexandria Mark Center (advance registration required) Law Enforcement Appreciation Day NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race Dover International Speedway, Dover, DE (tickets required) May

12 Calling all Grab-Ass Softball Players!! FNGAL 40th Anniversary Pre-Season Bash!! Friday May 7, hours until?? hours POA Building Vickers Street It s hard to believe, but department members, their families and a number of outside agencies have been playing Friday Night Grab-Ass Softball for 40 years now. The San Diego Police Athletic Federation will start hosting this year s league beginning on May 14, 2010 at MCAS Miramar. A department announcement is forthcoming and will have information on how to sign up. We hope to have a banner season this year so start getting your teams together. Diamonds Ltd. In celebration of 40 years of fun, the SDPAF will have a pre-season bash for all past and current FNGAL players, their adult family members or anyone else who wants to party. Music and dancing will be courtesy of Lou Tamagni and T-Mag Productions (of course). We will be selling tickets soon. Beer, wine, soda and water will be provided and you can also BYOB if you d like. Proceeds from the party will be used to help fund the league. Mark your calendar so we can kick off the season with a bang!! Diamonds Ltd. FINE JEWELERS a name you can trust Specializing in: Diamonds Gemstones Manufacturing Custom Design Gold & Platinum Appraisals by GIA graduates (Not pictured: Ed Zwibel SDPD # Eastern Division) 12 The Informant Gold, Jewelry, & Estate Buyers Cash paid on the spot! Any quantity, any condition, in strict confidence (Bonus paid for larger diamonds) Don t forget to ask for Work done on premises! Repairs Redesign Restoration Stone Setting Laser Repair/Weld Inside Ring Engraving The Zwibel family has provided over 30 years of exceptional service in San Diego With three generations in both Jewelry and Law Enforcement your POA discount! Fletcher Parkway, Suite 104 El Cajon, CA (Across from Parkway Plaza)

13 The Second Annual SDPOA Widows & Orphans Fund Golf Tournament Monday, June 14 Check-in: 7:00 am * Shotgun Start: 8:00 am Four Player Scramble Closest to the Pin, Longest Drive, Straightest Drive, Hole-in-One and Putting Contests Early Registration: $90 (on or before May 14th, 2010) Registration: $110 (May 15th - June 4th, 2010) (Includes green fees, cart, range balls, event t-shirt and lunch) Riverwalk Golf Course 1150 Fashion Valley Road * San Diego, CA Reserve your spot early - space is limited! Online registration is now available - visit and search for SDPOA Sponsors and raffle prize donors are wanted - contact the POA office for more information on how to get involved! ANNOUNCING THE OPENING OF KING & LEMLEY, LLP ATTORNEYS AT LAW Stacy M. King, Esq.* sking@kinglemleylaw.com Zachary M. Lemley, Esq. zlemley@kinglemleylaw.com Estate Planning starting at $ Camino Del Rio South, Suite 110 San Diego, CA Telephone: (619) Facsimile: (619) Call us for an appointment today Areas of Practice Personal Injury ~ Wrongful Death ~ Medical Malpractice Premises Liability ~ Product Liability Wills & Trusts ~ Corporate and Business Formation ~ Business Transactions ~ *Stacy King is the wife of Officer Shawn King, SDPD Northern Division Attorneys licensed to practice in the State of California May

14 California POST: Taking driver training into the next decade Every so often, the next big thing really is big, in part because it also gets back to the basics The following article originally appeared on PoliceOne.com, the online resource for Law Enforcement, and is reprinted by permission of the Police One editorial team. Visit PoliceOne to access articles, information, and resources that help officers across the United States protect their communities and stay safe on the streets. Time and time again, we in the law enforcement profession are told about the next best thing for policing. It may be the newest, greatest technology or the latest leadership trend. I ve been around just long enough to figure out that these ideas or trends usually don t last and it always comes back to traditional police work. There is nothing wrong with a focus on the basics. We all came to this profession to throw bad guys in jail and take care of the helpless in our society. It likely won t get you on the national speaking circuit but the basics of policing do work and they are successful. Ronald Hauser, Attorney at Law Every so often, the next big thing really is big, in part because it also gets back to the basics. California POST VOTAC The latest idea in emergency vehicle operations training is the California POST Vehicle Operations Odd Training Numbered Advisory Council (VOTAC). The focus of the committee s Months work is to respond to the POST Objective to enhance and continue the study of driver training methods and vehicle-related highrisk activities to improve training, enhance safety, and reduce preventable collisions and injuries. Formed in March 2008, VOTAC reviewed a 124-page preliminary report prepared by the California POST Staff that focused on the study of traffic collisions involving law enforcement vehicles. The State of California not only requires ongoing driver training but they had exhaustive records on the individual driving records of peace officers in their state as well as the training records of those officers. Multiple researchers were brought in to look at this data in an effort to begin a process of best practices and standards for law enforcement driver training. The early consensus from the committee was that training Pro Sound/Music For All Occasions Weddings Retirement/Birthday Parties Professional DJ/Gear/Engineer Indoor/Outdoor Events Reasonable Even Numbered Rates Please Call Or For Months Quote anything else is just noise TMAG SOUND Phone: Fax: tmagproductions@cox.net Law Enforcement Owned & Operated 14 The Informant price through your current contract is $113/month should emphasize sound judgment within a realistic context. Some examples included: Officers that drive at night should be trained at night High speed training should be given if the officer is likely to drive at high speeds on duty Interference vehicles should be utilized in training to simulate the real work environment Additional concerns came up within the discussions, including whether agencies are requiring the wearing of seat belts, safety of vehicle equipment installment, the lengths of officers shifts, and how fatigue factored in as a causal factor in collision rates. While the initial findings were impressive and have begun to shape the training programs throughout the country, the team that POST has assembled to develop these and future recommendations is just as impressive. It serves as a who s divorce BankRuptCy who in the field of training including instructors such as Los Angeles County Sgt. Dave Hontz, Michigan State Police Lt. Doc Halliday, Dr. Geoff Alpert, and many others in the profession and representing various organizations. discount to law enforcement Ronald a. HauseR The work of VOTAC is not merely the latest fad or trend. It has the potential to shape driver training for decades to attorney at law come. This work that the State of California has undertaken can save lives and reduce injury in our profession. It is groundbreaking and their initial efforts were published earlier in (619) (619) national City The san Problem diego la Mesa The report quickly identifies the national trend of vehicle collisions being the leading cause of death and injury to law enforcement but what is glaring in the initial research conducted is that the State of California is encountering officerinvolved fatalities in vehicle incidents at a significantly higher rate than the national average. living trust law enforcement price: $ In-Home appointments available Includes Wills and powers of attorney Ronald a. HauseR attorney at law (619) (619) national City san diego la Mesa

15 The State is also encountering a higher rate of vehicle related injuries to their officers. The report points out that while the population of California s peace officers grew at a rate of one percent per year from , injury collisions grew at a rate of 11 percent per year. The Causes The data analysis revealed that more than 7,100 injury collisions involving a peace officer occurred in California from 1997 to Three factors were the primary cause for the collision. Unsafe Speed led in all factors and was the cause of the officer involved collision 35% of the time Right Of Way was a distant second with being the primary cause 12% of the time Improper Turning was the primary cause 10% of the time It was not a surprise that unsafe speed was the leading cause in officer-involved vehicle collisions. In fact, in the officer deaths from , unsafe speed was listed as the primary cause 83 percent of the time. It bears repeating: unsafe speed was the primary cause of officer deaths in 83 percent of officer-involved vehicle collisions from Driving fast is no doubt a job requirement but another statistic should make us even more vigilant in safety. Just 55 percent of those officers killed in a high speed collision were actually responding to a call for service. Volume 1 of the VOTAC Report states: This indicates that officers are driving fast when it may not be required. The implications are that there may be policy and agency culture issues. The Boom! There it is. On page 36 of this 110 page report are the words that I believe will resonate to police leaders, trainers, and officers for the decade to come: agency culture issues. After losing three officers to fatal collisions in 2009, Clark County Sheriff Doug Gillespie gets it. Policy is just that: policy, he says. What we re truly talking about here in the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is a cultural change in our driving habits. Yes, it is about training and policy but unless the culture is changed nothing will truly be accomplished. I am convinced that VOTAC has the opportunity to impact the culture not only in the State of California but across the country. The committee is off to a good start but there is much work to be done. The committee continues to meet and work is currently being done to develop a pilot study at several basic academies to assess the integration of driving simulation into the basic training. Case studies are being conducted to determine the common factors that play a part in preventable vehicle collisions and exhaustive interviews are being conducted with officers, supervisors and managers. Agencies that are having a low collision rate will be examined closely in order to identify what leads to success. In his introduction to Volume 1 of the VOTAC Report, California POST Executive Director Paul Cappitelli summed up what I believe will occur through these efforts: Together, I am confident that we will realize better and safer vehicle operations in the years ahead. I concur with Mr. Cappitelli. I am confident that VOTAC will bring real change to the law enforcement community in regards to driver training both in lower fatality rates and in the culture. VOTAC is about getting back to the basics a safer environment for our Nation s Finest. Captain Travis Yates commands the Precision Driver Training Unit with the Tulsa, Okla. Police Department. He is a nationally recognized driving instructor and a certified instructor in tire deflation devices and the pursuit intervention technique. Capt. Yates has a Master of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Northeastern State University and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy. He is the owner of a website dedicated to law enforcement driving issues and the Director of Ten-Four Ministries, dedicated to providing practical and spiritual support to the law enforcement community. You may contact Travis at Policedriving@yahoo.com. and Powerwashing, Inc. Jay Jacob / Owner SDPD Northern Division Specializing In: Interior/Exterior Residential/Commericial Power Washing Acoustical Ceiling Removal Stucco Repair Drywall Repair Cell: Main Street, Suite E 435 Ramona, California Thinking of RENTING? BUYING? SHORT SELLING? INVESTING? REO? LAND? TRADING? Want $ $8000 Buyer Tax Credit? Now is the Time to Act! Maureen Byers GRI Realtor Michelle English Loan Specialist maureen@coastalrealestateserviceteam.com menglish@ambermortgage.net DRE# Direct Lender - FHA/VA Financing - Low Rates! May

16 SDPOA Discount Tickets ATTRACTION AGE MEMBER REGULAR EXPIRES Limits CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE -OR- ADULT (10+) $67.00 $ /11/2010 8/Member DISNEYLAND 1 DAY PARK PASS CHILD (3-9) $59.00 $62.00 per month (Black Out Dates Apply) CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE -OR- ADULT (10+) $82.00 $ /3/2011 8/Member DISNEYLAND 1 DAY HOPPER CHILD (3-9) $74.00 $87.00 per month CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE AND ADULT (10+) $ $ /3/2011 8/Member DISNEYLAND 2 DAY HOPPER* CHILD (3-9) $ $ 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 JUNIOR(- 48") $27.99 $19.99 $53.99 $ /31/2010 8/Member per month LEGOLAND-GET A SECOND DAY FREE ALL AGES $49.00 $ /31/2010 8/age group per month LEGOLAND TRIPLE PLAY LEGOLAND, SEALIFE AQUARIUM & WATERPARK ALL AGES $60.00 $ /31/2010 8/age group per month MAGIC MOUNTAIN ADULT $23.99 $ /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 $ /30/2010 8/age group CHILD (-11) $32.50 $37.95 per month SAN DIEGO ZOO ADULT (12+) $31.00 $ /6/2011 8/age group CHILD (3-11) $22.50 $27.00 per month SEA WORLD - 2 DAY ADULT (10+) $55.00 $ /31/2010 8/age group (Black Out Dates Apply) CHILD (3-9) $48.00 $59.00 per month UNIVERSAL STUDIOS 3 DAY ALL AGES $59.00 $ /31/2010 8/Member per month WILD ANIMAL PARK ADULT (12+) $31.00 $ /1/2010 8/age group CHILD (3-11) $22.50 $ /19/2010 per month MOVIE THEATERS MEMBER REGULAR EXPIRES Limits AMC Restricted $6.25 $11.50 No expiration AMC GOLD - Unrestricted $7.75 $11.50 No expiration 12/Member ULTRA STAR $5.75 $ /31/2013 per 7 days REGAL / EDWARDS / UNITED ARTIST Restricted $6.75 $12.00 No expiration REGAL / EDWARDS / UNITED ARTIST Unrestricted $7.75 $12.00 No expiration 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. Best Value in Town! $2 99 Breakfast Starting at 6:30 am 16 The Informant $ 5Dinner Baked Chicken Country Fried Steak Grilled Mahi Mahi Spaghetti with Meat Sauce 2547 San Diego Ave Old Town % Discount for POA Members

17 May

18 2010 Taurus SHO 2010 F150 Drew Auto Center Our Goal... Customers For Life 18 The Informant SDPOA En d o r s e m e n t s Remember to Vote on June 8, 2010 The SDPOA Political Action Committee (PAC) interviewed numerous candidates and elected officials who sought our endorsement and completed PAC questionnaires. The PAC recommended endorsement and/or support to the full Board of Directors for a vote and the individuals and initiative listed below received our support. Our endorsement is incredibly important both to our political ability and to the community who look to our organization for guidance on which candidates are law enforcement supporters. We will only support individuals who are willing to work with us in the future on the various issues that impact our members. Per our SDPOA PAC Policies and Procedures, the purpose of our endorsement is To ensure that our members safety, livability, and working conditions are protected, the San Diego Police Officers Association shall participate in the elective process in a proactive manner through political endorsements. These endorsements are also intended to enhance the viability of the San Diego Police Officers Association and the San Diego Police Department, as a whole, through cooperative working relationships with various organizations, individuals, and legislators. Endorsements made by the San Diego Police Officers Association are on behalf of the organization and are strictly recommendations to the membership which in no manner infringe on its members right to democratic choice. For more information on our political process, please visit the SDPOA website at State Offices County Offices Alberto Torrico... State Attorney General Mary Salas... State Senate - 40th District Jim Duffy... County Sheriff Ron Roberts... Board of Supervisors - District 4 City Offices Kevin Faulconer... City Council - District 2 Tony Young... City Council - District 4 Howard Wayne... City Council - District 6 Judges Lantz Lewis... Superior Court Judge - Seat 14 Richard Monroy... Superior Court Judge - Seat 20 Bob Longstreth... Superior Court Judge - Seat 21 Joel Wohlfeil... Superior Court Judge - Seat 34 Initiatives Opposed... Measure D - San Diego Strong Mayor Fleet Pricing Large Service Department State-of-the-Art Collison repair Center extended warranty & Security Protection For an appointment, call one of your PoA representatives: Huge Inventory Complete Parts & Apparel Store Finance & Lease Programs FLeet DePArtment Mike Safford x7729, 25 years Jerry Miller x7727, 20 years toll Free (888 Drew Ford)

19 PERT Perspective: Mental Health Training Offered by PERT In addition to providing PERT clinicians to your divisions to assist you with calls regarding persons with mental illness or people who are in crisis, PERT also provides several venues that offer education and training on mental health issues that are designed to give you another tool to perform your duties as a police officer. Recent research indicates that 5-10% of all calls into dispatch are related to mental health issues. That is a large volume when taken on a yearly basis and as you all know, these calls can be very time consuming, sometimes frustrating, and on rare occasions dangerous. The Achilles heel of the PERT program is the relatively small number of clinicians that we have throughout the County and the limited coverage we are able to provide to divisions due to this. We all know that the 1145 and 5150 calls don t stop when your clinicians are off work. Providing trainings on PERT and mental health issues, helps officers resolve these calls when there are no PERT units available to respond to the call. PERT offers several different trainings designed to give you more education and training on mental health issues. PERT offers a MENU training on a regular basis. The PERT MENU training objective is to inform officers of the purpose and goals of the PERT program and the role of the officer and clinician. It is a three hour course offered at the Regional Training Academy (posted in their quarterly training schedule). The MENU training is also available on-site at stations and departments. PERT conducts a PERT training day on a quarterly basis for PERT officers and clinicians. The purpose of this training is By Dr. Jim Fix, Psy. D, Executive Director PERT to provide various trainings on mental health topics, PERT policy and procedures, and connection with new resources. Our most recent training day had a presentation by the medical director of CMH, an advanced suicide assessment training, officer and clinician safety training, and presentations from several programs about their services. The PERT Academy is the training that is offered to give you a solid understanding of mental health issues, intervention techniques for officers and better understanding of community resources. The PERT Academy is now POST certified and is offered several times throughout the year. Topics offered consist of the major mental health diagnoses (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, mood disorders, PTSD, etc), developmental disabilities, suicide-by-cop, de-escalation techniques, mental health laws and patient advocacy, overview of the PERT program, a panel with persons living with mental illness, and a community resource fair to name a few. The Academy is held at Marina Village and breakfast and lunch are served daily. The remaining dates for 2010 are June 22-24, and September To register for the PERT Academy, SDPD officers can contact Gloria Shick at the Regional Training Academy at All other law enforcement personnel can contact the PERT administration office at to register. Dr. Jim Fix is the Executive Director for the PERT program. Please feel free to any questions, comments or suggestions for future topics to: jfix@comresearch.org SDPDhomes.com We Are Experienced in Short Sales! RAY SHAY Realtor and Retired SDPD Lieutenant DRE Lic# THERESA SHAY Realtor DRE Lic# #1 in Home Sales 2009 A TeamYouCanTrustSM SELL (7355) SM We re Never too Busy for Your Referrals May

20 Proposed Fiscal Year Con t r a c t Ap p r o v e d by POA Me m b e r s The Board of Directors presented a two-year contract proposal to the POA membership during a series of membership meetings on Friday, April 9, The contract proposal was the result of months of negotiation with the City of San Diego and was overwhelmingly approved by 84% of POA members who voted in the ratification election. While this contract does not allow for across-the-board pay raises, the contract will prevent further compensation cuts over the next two years. Under this contract, the SDPOA will be allowed to offer an additional health care plan administered by the Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs (ALADS), which provides exceptional insurance coverage at a cost significantly lower than the City s more expensive HMO plan. We will also continue to evaluate a possible move to the CalPERS Health system for retiree health care and work to resolve differences with the City concerning DROP and other issues. At the POA Hall on Tuesday, April 13, 2010, the contract was formally signed by Mayor Sanders, Chiefs Ramirez and Kanaski, SDPD Counsel Paul Cooper, SDPOA labor attorney Dick Castle and the POA Board of Directors before being ratified by the San Diego City Council. The contract will go into effect on July 1, 2010 and carry through June 30, % in Fav o r 20 The Informant