In This Issue: A Question of Survival President s Message TMPA Supports New Charity Win a Trip to DC Accessible Training for Rural Officers

Transcription

1 January February 2014 In This Issue: A Question of Survival President s Message TMPA Supports New Charity Win a Trip to DC Accessible Training for Rural Officers

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3 How has TMPA Helped You? Prior to attending this course [New Supervisor School], I was already a supervisor, but I just did what I thought a supervisor should be doing. I was unaware of so many of the aspects and key points to being a successful supervisor I have gained a better understanding on how to approach my subordinates and conduct positive counseling sessions which will be beneficial to the team. I am very happy and very pleased at how effectively you [David Donahue] and Mr. [Paul] Aman worked on my case. May God bless you both. My heart is full of joy. I will keep in contact with you and Mr. Aman. Hopefully I won't bother you guys too much..., I know you are so busy helping others who have problems. Well thank you again for your time in fixing this problem, and knowing that this was not just a case but a persons' life. I will continue to have TMPA by my side, even with my next employer. Thank you again for your time and your work. It was greatly appreciated. I would like to say thanks to you, TMPA, and Attorney Greg Cagle and his staff. If it had not been for Cagle's great first stand, the arbitration, none of the following would have been possible. TMPA is a great and much needed organization for situations such as mind and others. Thanks again. The Irving Police Association and the Make-A-Wish Foundation of North Texas would like to thank you for your generosity and support of the IPA Benefit Golf Tournament held recently. Over the past 9 years, through caring individuals and sponsors like you, we have been able to donate over $225,000 to assist the Make-A-Wish Foundation of North Texas grant wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions, and support the charities of the I.P.A.B. Thank you from all of us. This course [New Supervisor School] has opened my mind up to different aspects of being a supervisor. I can think of different ways to approach a problem to create a solution. I know now the skills it takes to be a productive and educated supervisor I will develop myself to become what my department needs. 1 Help Us Serve You Update your personal information quickly by visiting the website above and be entered to win the last $300 VISA Gift Card! Congratulations to our first two winners: Quenton Charlot of Galveston County SO and Jesse Perez of New Braunfels PD

4 A Question of Survival Put Aside Differences, Pull Together Kevin F. Lawrence, Executive Director 2 As the march to the 2014 election season grows closer and closer, it is yet again (or maybe still) incumbent for all of us to examine what we really need from our elected officials. This has always been an awkward process for law enforcement employees. It has long been a given that Democrats were better for us on our labor issues and Republicans were better for us on law and order issues. The real question from one election cycle to another has always been whether our labor issues or our enforcement issues were more pressing at that point in time. Awkward would be a welcome respite from what we are going through right now. The coming election cycle may be more a question of survival for us literally and figuratively. We are well aware of the attacks on our pensions. However, some of us might be of the mistaken impression that those attacks have been successfully thwarted and that our pensions are now safe. The fact is that this fight is just getting started and apathy is not a luxury we can allow ourselves. The 2013 Texas Legislative Session was a long, arduous process and we fared as well as we could have hoped. But 2015 will be even more difficult, and 2017 more difficult than that. Therefore, the financial well-being of you and your family is very much dependent on your decision about who will serve as your representatives in the Texas House and Senate. If that were not enough, there is an even more ominous battle before us. For some of you it may seem to still be on the horizon; others of you have already been in skirmishes. I am talking about a dynamic that, as far as I can tell, has never happened before. The political landscape has evolved over the last few years in such a way that law enforcement employees may soon be an endangered species because we are being attacked by both ends of the political spectrum. In many ways, the conservative mantra of smaller government has morphed into an antigovernment hysteria. This is not good for cops, since we are the most obvious and visible image of government for most citizens. The net result is that members of the far right have teamed up with members of the far left to attack law enforcement. The extremists on one end who believe that every cop is crooked, that every arrest is illegal and that every search is some perverse form of profiling, are now being told by the extremists on the other end that they have a right no, a duty to use deadly force to resist those illegal police actions. If this continues unabated it is not a stretch to see that a lot of people stand to get hurt. We need champions. We don t care which side of the aisle they come from; we don t care whether they prefer to be called progressives or moderates or conservatives or patriots. We just need them to stand up and say that enough is enough. It is time for cooler heads, for true statesmen or women to be the voices of reason in a political world gone crazy. These are the issues against which we need to measure every candidate in every race in every election from now on. As we have said many times before: we need to get behind the candidates who are going to get behind us. No doubt you will read elsewhere in this issue of In Service about the summit in Dallas in November and the formation of the Texas Law Enforcement Council. I just felt compelled to point out that your safety, your pensions and your rights are the reasons TMPA is part of the Council. We need to do all that we can to get every law enforcement employee in Texas to work together for our common interests. If there has ever been a time in history when we needed to put aside our differences and pull together, this is it.

5 Win a Trip to DC Support TMPA Charities Josh Thurlkill, President josh.thurlkill@tmpa.org Can you believe it is 2014 already? I know it seems like we say that to each other with every new year, but I am amazed at how fast 2013 flew by. While this last year may not have been such a good one for some of you, TMPA continued to grow at an astonishing rate, all while continuing to provide first rate services to our members. I am proud of our employees that work hard every day to make sure that you, our members, are taken care of. Of those services that TMPA provides its members, I would be willing to bet that almost all of you would agree that the legal coverage is most important to you. As a working cop on the street every day, I can t overstate enough what it means to have the best legal defense plan in the country as part of my membership. Certainly the legal plan is what draws our members to TMPA and most of their expectations do not go much further than that. As long as someone answers their call at 3 AM and tells them help is on the way, they are content with that level of service. But I would like to talk about another service that TMPA provides: TMPA Charities. Our charities division does an enormous amount of good work for law enforcement across the state. From assisting with local events to responding to natural disasters, TMPA Charities is there for members at times when it s not a legal defense issue. Every month, we have several events on the TMPA calendar and requests that our field reps cook meals at a golf tournament or that they help with other types of fundraisers. Our Emergency Response Team has responded to the disaster in West, the wildfires in Bastrop County, and the tornadoes across North Texas, providing food and needed supplies to the first responders. In fact, the Emergency Response Team has been responding to these types of incidents for our members since Hurricane Rita hit the Golden Triangle in Every year at the Annual Conference, TMPA awards $20,000 in scholarships to our member s children and dependents. In the past, I was honored to announce the winners of these scholarships at the conference and was very impressed by the resumes and accomplishments of these young winners. Of all the great work TMPA Charities is a part of, the nearest to my heart is everything we do to honor officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their communities. TMPA Charities donates to the Texas Peace Officers Memorial and just this year we unveiled the Memorial Truck which travels the state memorializing fallen officers. TMPA Charities also supports many benevolent organizations, including Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS). COPS is an amazing organization without which many spouses, children, parents and co-workers of the fallen would be lost. COPS gives many families the support and strength they need to rebuild after devastating loss. To help out this important mission, I joined Law Enforcement United and completed a 250 mile bike ride from Chesapeake, VA to the Jefferson Memorial during Police Week. We ride to honor those heroes who have died in the line of duty and to support their survivors. Law Enforcement United donates $150,000 to COPS before the ride to be used for their kids programs, such as summer camp. It s a difficult ride for a great cause and I love being in Washington DC for Police Week. I ve gone with TMPA multiple times and have attended and volunteered at COPS events such as the Candlelight Vigil held at the National Law Enforcement Memorial on May 15, National Peace Officers Memorial Day. you could win a trip to DC for for Police Week just by donating to TMPA Charities. I m very excited to spend Police Week in DC this year honoring the fallen with one of our members. The inside of this magazine gives the details; you could win a trip to DC for Police Week just by donating to TMPA Charities. As little as $2 per member would help TMPA Charities support so many more excellent causes and members, please consider entering the contest and donating. God bless and be safe. 3

6 TMPA Supports New Charity 10 7 Outdoors Will Serve Children TLEC First Annual Summit a Success Impressive Attendance and Passion Chris CeBallos, Region 10 Director chris.ceballos@tmpa.org 4 Membership continues to grow and all is well is Region 10. Most of our members have firsthand experience with TMPA Charities and are aware of the many excellent projects it takes on. But recently, members in Region 10 were able to experience a different kind of benefit from TMPA, they were given access to a network of people to offer support for their new charity. At the October board meeting TMPA opened their doors to a newly formed non-profit charity named 10 7 Outdoors. This charity was founded by members of the Arlington Police Department, namely Greg Dickerman, Kris Caldwell, Justin Leathers, Mike Bali and Attorney General Investigator Dave Torsiello. The goal of 10 7 Outdoors is to provide hunting and/or fishing trips to children of fallen officers Outdoors members were able to meet the TMPA board and received many generous donations. But most importantly, they were provided with a network of people who were willing to introduce them to others that might be interested in providing support. Lt. Governor Dewhurst was also present and interested in learning more Outdoors is very excited to use the TMPA network to help spread the word so they can help children of the fallen for years to come. Our broad network of members willing to help one another is a huge benefit, it s just another way TMPA takes care of its members. Pictured from left to right, Justin Leathers, Greg Dickerman, Lt Gov. Dewhurst, Dave Torsiello and Mike Bali TARLETON STATE UNIVERSITY Almost 100 law enforcement labor leaders gathered in Dallas, Texas on November for the 1st Annual Texas Law Enforcement Council (TLEC) Summit. The Summit focused on several trainings presented by distinguished speakers from across the country. The trainings were geared towards teaching attendees how to strengthen local associations and further their cause. The trainings included: Media Training Communications and Social Media Training Legal Training Municipal Finance 101 Effects of the Affordable Care Act on Health Benefits Updates about the Ongoing Attacks on Your Pensions In addition to training, the Summit provided attendees with an opportunity to network and learn from others with an interest in law enforcement labor issues. Representatives from all three TLEC member organizations, Dallas Police Association (DPA), Houston Police Officers Union (HPOU) and TMPA, attended the Summit. TMPA is a proud founding member of the TLEC and is very committed to its mission; being able to formally work together to protect officers rights while maintaining our own organizations is the best case scenario, stated Josh Thurlkill, President of TMPA and Chairman of TLEC. 5 Member of The Texas A&M University System A Texas public university recognizing Law Enforcement Service Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences in Criminal Justice Administration 33 credits (no cost) for TCLEOSE, Military, Federal training NOT a degree in Liberal Studies, but a transcript/diploma degree in Criminal Justice A degree from a Texas public university NOT a for profit private on-line school Criminal Justice practitioners serve as Board of Directors to the degree The degree can be completed online, face-to-face, or a blend I liked your presentation because it was at a level that even cops can understand. I have seen what reaching out to the public can accomplish. I will be using your ideas. Thank you. Summit Attendee Bobby Lopez, President of FOP Lodge 52 in San Jose, California. Master of Criminal Justice Professional track 30 credit degree/10 classes No GRE required for criminal justice personnel Non-theses track Up to 12 credits can transfer from FBI-SPI-LEMIT The degree can be completed online, face-to-face, or a blend To speak to a Department Specialist about your education , we have also created a Law Enforcement Only Phone Number at , or you can us at cjprograms@tarleton.edu. TLEC was very pleased with the success of their 1 st Annual Summit. I m very impressed with the number of passionate law enforcement officers we had attend the Summit, it was great that we were able to provide them with actionable information to take back to their associations, said Thurlkill. Attendees stated that the training, camaraderie, wide variety of notable speakers and the knowledge shared were the best parts of the Summit.

7 WN A TRIP TO WASHINGTON DC FOR NATIONAL POLICE WEEK! SIGN UP FOR MONTHLY RECURRING DONATIONS TO TMPA CHARITIES OF AT LEAST $2 TO BE ENTERED TO WIN. TMPA CHARITIES A tax-exempt charitable organization which contributes 100% of every dollar donated to a variety of programs including: A scholarship program that awards $20,000 each year to dependents of TMPA members. A $10,000 line-of-duty death benefit and extensive support to the families of fallen members. Response and personal assistance to officers during natural disasters or other catastrophic events (hurricanes, tornadoes, floods) through the Emergency Response Team. Most recently, the ERT assisted officers after the fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas and after the North Texas tornadoes. Support of many local events and fundraisers to benefit our members and the communities where they serve, as well as benevolent national organizations such as Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS). Without our members donations, TMPA Charities would be unable to support so many deserving individuals and organizations. As peace officers it is our duty not only to protect, but also to serve. We hope that you will consider donating to TMPA Charities; we truly appreciate your support. TMPA Charities is a 501(c)3, 6200 La Calma Drive, Suite 200, Austin, TX TRIP DETAILS: The trip includes: airfare lodging transportation for one TMPA member in Washington DC. The trip begins on: Monday, May 12 th and ends on Friday, May 16, The trip spans National Police Week and the winner will attend the Candlelight Vigil and memorial service at the Capitol in remembrance of fallen officers. If you already contribute at least $2 monthly to TMPA Charities, you have already been entered to win. You must call TMPA at (800) to enroll in monthly Charities contributions and be entered to win. Entries will be accepted through March 14 th, the winner will be announced on March 17 th. You will be accompanying TMPA President, Josh Thurlkill, and Executive Director, Kevin Lawrence, on the trip. You must be a TMPA member to donate, the prize has no cash value. Please call and donate today; Police Week in the nation s capital is truly a once in a lifetime experience. We look forward to sharing it with one of our members.

8 8 Distracted Driving is an Epidemic Courses for Law Enforcement Now Four-Hours In 2012, over 13,990 people were fatally or seriously injured in distracted driving crashes. TMPA has teamed up with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to spread the important message of the dangers of distracted driving. Three courses, Distracted Driving for Teens, Adults and Law Enforcement are offered free of charge to educate drivers and save lives. TMPA is proud to announce that Distracted Driving for Law Enforcement has recently been updated. The purpose of this course is to help Law Enforcement Officers understand the risks associated with distracted driving. Law Enforcement Officers will realize the effect distracted driving can have while operating emergency vehicles. The potentially tragic consequences of distracted driving should heighten their awareness so they can reshape their attitudes/beliefs to adapt a self-disciplined standard of focused attention to safe driving as well as influencing their peers, friends and families. Participants will receive four hours of continuing education credit through the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE). Over the last three years instructors working on the Police Traffic Services grant have presented a two hour version of this course across the state. Officers who have attended this course said, Material was excellent. This is a difficult topic to listen to, and very difficult to present. This needs to happen more often - annually. You are doing a very valuable service, and as a supervisor, I have been reminded of a very important aspect of my job. One of the most frequent comments from attendees was to extend the training to at least four hours. TxDOT approved this change and beginning October 1st the class was available to all Texas Law Enforcement Officers. This course is grant funded so agencies can take advantage of this training at no cost. If your agency is committed to officer safety this course is a must. To find a class near you, visit Spread This Life-Saving Message While it is very important for law enforcement officers to take the Distracted Driving course, it is just as critical for the message to reach the public if we re going to successfully end this epidemic. Distracted Driving for Teens educated over 12,000 in the last grant year. The course is often brought into schools and has been very well received. But, it s not just teens that need to understand the dangers of distracted driving. TMPA also has a course for adults and is able to bring it to your community free of charge. The course provides valuable information to help citizens decide to stay off the phone while driving. Participants in the course have stated: Eye-opener that has changed my perspective. I wish every driver was required to see this. Great presentation, I will take this home and talk to the family. As peace officers, it is our duty to protect our communities. Bringing this course to your city and From Left to Right: Distracted Driving for Law Enforcement taught by LEL Garry Parker in Laredo. Adult Distracted Driving presentation at the Austin Energy Summit Project Manager Ken Smith at the Sheriff s Conference providing materials and information on distracted driving. teaching adults the perils of distracted driving will promote safety. Please join TxDOT and TMPA as we diligently spread this life saving message. Contact Karisa Miller if you are interested in bringing the Distracted Driving for Adults course to your community: karisa.miller@tmpa.org or (512) SAFVIC Launches Human Trafficking Investigator Course Satisfies Human Trafficking Training Requirements Jennifer Greene, Program Manager jennifer.greene@safvic.org In the 11 years since the first SAFVIC course was taught, we recognized the widespread prevalence of human trafficking and the need to offer valuable training to Texas law enforcement. In November 2010, SAFVIC assembled a statewide human trafficking steering committee comprised of representatives from various disciplines, including law enforcement, victim advocacy, prosecution, and academia. The need for a new level of training to combat human trafficking, create awareness, and assist victims was determined during the meeting. In particular, the committee identified the need for adequate training that met funding and time constraints. In the interest of better investigation, prevention, and prosecution of human trafficking, as well as increased victim safety, SAFVIC proposed to develop a course that will provide Texas law enforcement officers with better tools for handling such calls. In 2011, SAFVIC began the process of creating this training program. Steering committee members, along with additional anti-human trafficking experts, collaborated to create the course. SAFVIC worked with the Criminal Justice Division of the Governor s office and TCOLE to create a course that satisfies both Human Trafficking (3270) and Advanced Human Trafficking (3271) courses. The 8-hour course educates Texas peace officers on: Statistics & History of Human Trafficking Dynamics of Foreign and Domestic Human Trafficking Federal and State Laws Understanding Victims & Safety Planning Human Trafficking Investigative Techniques Prosecution of Human Trafficking Cases Resources for Victims of Human Trafficking In November 2013, SAFVIC launched the SAFVIC Human Trafficking Investigator Instructor Course. The following trainers attended the Instructor Course (shown above clockwise): Kim Basinger Franklin County Sheriff s Office Jennifer Watkins Lacy Lakeview Police Department Teresa Moneyhun Harris County Sheriff s Office Jim Koca Sterling County Sheriff s Office Wayne Springer 38 th Judicial District Attorney s Office Andrew Carian- San Antonio Police Department Bill Grayson San Antonio Police Department Chris Mittendorf Garland Police Department Gary Teeler -Texas Parks and Wildlife Department B.W.Smith- Dallas County District Attorney s Office Daniel Walden Donna ISD Police Department SAFVIC continues to facilitate two additional courses, the SAFVIC course and the SAFVIC for Telecommunication Professional course. To register for any of our courses, please visit Additionally, if your agency is interested in hosting a course in your area please contact brooke.hinojosa@safvic.org. 9

9 10 School Resource Officer Training Free Trainings Provided Carole Wall, Program Manager TMPA began offering its grant funded training classes over ten years ago as a way of providing free, quality training to officers across the state. Many excellent programs have come out of this initiative including the Focus on Reducing Impaired Driving Among Youth (FRIDAY) program. Currently in its fourth year, the FRIDAY program has provided free training to nearly 4,000 officers across the state and over 200 officers have received training through the new Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Training (ADAPT) for College and University Officers that recently began its second year. 75% of these classes occur in rural areas of Texas in departments where access to training can be a luxury. In continuing with our mission to prevent underage substance abuse and impaired driving, we are proud to announce a new training class, funded by TXDOT, specifically for School Resource Officers (SROs). The ADAPT for SROs is an 8 hour class created to address the concerns of School Resources Officers, Independent School District Police Departments and Liaison Officers. ADAPT Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Training Counterfeit Identification DWI Stop Enforcement Options for School Resource Officers If you are a TCOLE-certified instructor and are interested in becoming an instructor for any of these programs, please visit and to complete an application. We are accepting applications for the College Officer course until January 17th and the SRO course until February 14th. Where there is charity and wisdom, there is neither fear nor ignorance. St. Francis of Assisi anywhere from 8 to 24 hours of TCOLE credit, depending on the number of modules they attend. The training modules cover the following curriculum topics: Module 1: Laws and Dynamics (TCOLE Course #53265) Laws Regarding Child Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Statutes of Limitation Characteristics of Victims and Perpetrators Supplemental Documents including, the Texas Penal Code, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, and Texas Family Code Module 2: Interviewing and Investigating Techniques (TCOLE Course #53266) Interviewing and Interrogating Techniques Investigative Techniques Module 3: Special Topics and Resources (TCOLE Course #53267) Special Topics: Children with Disabilities and Domestic Minor Trafficking Multidisciplinary Teams Victim and Law Enforcement Resources New Investigative Tools and Resources The training program has also recently developed new investigative tools and resources that will be distributed to all training attendees. Program instructors will be handing out new forensic rulers to be used when photographing injuries of an infant or child while on-scene and new child death/injury interview & documentation pocket guides which officers can store in their wallets as a resource to reference during child injury and/or fatality investigations. Want to Learn More? Sign up for an Advanced Child Abuse Investigation training in your area to learn more about child abuse, neglect, and exploitation cases. To find a complete list of upcoming trainings and to register online, please visit and click on Calendar. 11 The mission of the ADAPT for SROs class is to prevent substance abuse on Middle School and High School grounds and impaired driving through increased law enforcement training. The curriculum includes information on: Alcohol and Drug Abuse on School Grounds Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault There is never any cost associated with attending FRIDAY or ADAPT classes or for hosting a class at your agency. We provide all of the training materials, pay for the instructor s time and travel expenses, and report all of the training hours to TCOLE. For more information, please feel free to contact us at fridayinfo@tmpa.org or adaptinfo@tmpa.org. Accessible Training for Rural Officers New Stand-Alone Modules Kearstyn Takemoto, Program Assistant kearstyn.takemoto@tmpa.org The Advanced Child Abuse Investigation Training Program is excited to announce the launch of its standalone 1-day/8-hour Modules, which are available for free to law enforcement agencies across the state. This module system was designed to make the training more accessible to officers in rural areas of Texas who may have difficulty taking time off to attend the original 3-day/24-hour training. The stand-alone modules are taught over 3 non-consecutive days in the hopes that it will be easier for officers in smaller agencies to find shift coverage to attend 1 day for each module rather than 3 days in a row, as is required when attending the 24-four hour training. Officers who successfully complete the training can receive

10 Free Law Enforcement Tool Welcome to New Users Bryan Bell, Program Manager Welcome to the newest agencies who received training and/or are now using the LEADRS system: Pecan Hill Marshals, Clay Co SO, Archer City PD, Cottonwood Shores PD, Odessa PD, Burkburnett PD, Glasscock CO SO, Atascosa Co SO and Holland PD. Thank you all for being a part of the LEADRS team and helping make Texas roadways a safer place to drive! LEADRS (Law Enforcement Advanced DUI/DWI Reporting System) allows peace officers to enter arrest information online and print out case reports with associated District Attorney approved, pre-filled forms. Texas LEADRS is grant funded through TxDOT and uses only a web-browser and adobe acrobat reader so all officers can easily access it. The LEADRS program is free for law enforcement. LEADRS is fully integrated with both EJustice Solutions and Tyler Technologies. This allows officers to export a LEADRS case directly into their records management system (RMS) with simply the push of a button. LEADRS also supports automatic transfer of case reports as PDF attachments to any third party systems. These features make LEADRS even more of a timesaver. If your RMS was not mentioned and you would like to see an interface take place, please contact your RMS and let them know that you want to see them integrated with LEADRS. We are very excited about the continuing success and are working hard to ensure your experience with Texas LEADRS is user-friendly and easy. Two LEADRS Specialists travel the state offering LEADRS training courses, both for new agency training and refresher courses. Along with extensive training on the programs functionality and ease of use, 4 hours of TCOLE credit are available for attending the course. If you are interested in scheduling training, or would like more information on the integration process, feel free to contact a member of the LEADRS staff at , dwihelp@tmpa.org or Like us on Facebook to stay up to date with DWI news across the state Annual Conference Westin Houston, Memorial City August 1 4 The 2014 calendars that were just mailed out listed the dates of the annual conference incorrectly. We apologize for the mistake, please mark your calendar with the correct dates. We hope to see you there and break last year s record attendance! More details about the Annual Conference will be released in the spring Free SFST Courses Taught New Training for the New Year Maghan Ellington, Program Coordinator maghan.ellington@txsfst.org The TxSFST Program is proud to announce we have wrapped up an exceptional 2013 grant year! Our instructors taught 210 courses, training over 2950 officers throughout Texas almost a 30% increase in training from last year. We would like to thank our instructors for their hard work and time. As the primary source of statewide SFST Refresher training, the TxSFST program works closely with other statewide organizations, such as TDCAA and MADD, to provide the most accurate impaired driving enforcement information and materials for Texas Peace Officers. Our program offers a FREE 8 hour refresher course for licensed peace officers who have successfully completed the NHTSA approved DWI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing Training. Our training is designed to improve the administration and overall consistency of the Standardized Field Sobriety Test (SFST) Battery. Our course and instructors consistently receive high praises from attending officers, such as: Helpful information to polish my skills. Learned more about the different types of nystagmus and how to deal with the courts better. This was a very good class. Very useful and needed. If your agency is interested in hosting a FREE 8 hour SFST Refresher course, we can send an instructor to your agency at no cost. Please contact Maghan Ellington by or at to set up a course. Please keep in mind that TxSFST can also supply course materials to agencies that have their own certified SFST instructors at no cost. Register online for a course at We are excited to announce a new training opportunity for the new year. TxSFST and TDCAA (Texas TSRP Clay Abbott) are teaming up to provide a 2 day Free Regional DWI Updates and Training for Police and Prosecutors program. Registration for this course is available through TDCAA s website at About TMPA TMPA is the voice of Texas law enforcement. TMPA was founded in 1950 and has protected the interests of law enforcement officers ever since. As the largest law enforcement association in Texas, TMPA is proud to represent more than 19,000 local, county and state law enforcement officers across Texas. Focused on protecting those who serve, TMPA is committed to providing Texas law enforcement officers with unmatched legal protection, reliable member support, powerful political lobbying, affordable training, effective contract bargaining and a wide variety of additional benefits. Contact TMPA TMPA State Office 6200 La Calma Dr., Suite 200 Austin, Texas Phone: (800) Fax: (866) info@tmpa.org Please contact us at any time; we welcome the opportunity to visit with you about our organization and the benefits of joining TMPA. In Service Editor Teresa Berg Please communications@tmpa.org for subscription and advertising information or to write an editorial for In Service. TMPAsince1950 Texas Municipal Police Association TMPA In Service All rights reserved.

11 P.O. Box 2294 Austin, Texas ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO AUSTIN, TX LYON, GORSKY, GILBERT & LIVINGSTON, L.L.P. A Partnership Including a Professional Corporation Bob Gorsky has been representing law enforcement officers for over 31 years and has been representing TMPA members for nearly 19 years. Firm attorneys have over 90 years of collective experience representing law enforcement officers and their families. In addition to our representation of law enforcement officers in all types of employment cases, we also represent law enforcement officers and their families in the following legal matters: criminal defense automobile accidents wrongful death wills trucking accidents defective products Contact: Bob Gorsky (214) Toll free (888) Emergency pager (214) / McKinney Avenue, Suite 100, Dallas, Texas Bob Gorsky, Robert Lyon, Mark Gilbert and Chris Livingston have been designated Texas Super Lawyers by their peers, as published in Texas Monthly Magazine! NO consultation fee for TMPA members and their families. Robert C. Lyon is a member of Robert Lyon & Associates, P.C. and is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law. All other lawyers in the firm are not certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.