10-25…

It is never pleasant to report about the injuries or illnesses our members are confronted with, but I do think it important to advise members of such especially when one of our members could use our help. I am making a very personal appeal to all members to come to the assistance of Officer Alice Dicroce of Bayview Station, a member of the SFPD and this association for over ten years. Alice has been diagnosed with Chronic Inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), a debilitating disease that causes nerve damage throughout her body.

At this time, Alice is immobile and can only move about with assistance from others. Alice is in constant pain and is physically restricted. As if this was not enough to deal with, Alice is very close to exhausting all of her SP and Vacation time and soon may be without a paycheck. The future of her health care insurance is also of great concern. Ernie McNett of Behavioral Sciences has become involved and is working to get Alice into the Catastrophic Illness Program. I will keep members up to date with the progress of Ernie's efforts and will advise if and when an account has been opened in Alice's name.

In the mean time, retired SFPD Lieutenant Judy Purcell, has taken the reins and is leading a fundraising effort to assist Alice in offsetting some of the financial burdens she has encountered. Please contact the following members at the station, unit, or detail to purchase a raffle ticket or two. The raffle tickets are only $10 and the prizes are great! The first prize is a "Two night stay at the beautiful Villagio Inn and Spa" in gorgeous Yountville, Ca. Second prize is a lovely assortment of "Viansa" wines and third prize is $100.00. Central Station: John Colla; Southern Station: Richard Ernst; Bayview Station: Chris Martinez or Kelly Paul; Mission Station: Marta McDowell or James Bosch; Park Station: Mary Stasko; Richmond Station: Henry Parra; Ingleside Station: Mike "Bugsy" Moran; Taraval Station: John Feeney or Miriam Pengel; Tenderloin Station: Kevin Lyons or Lea Militello; CPC/Tactical: Steve Benzinger; Airport: Pat Correa, Diane McKevitt or Patty White; Academy: Matt Balzarini or Wendy Bear; Investigations Bureau: Joe Barretta or Matt Rodgers/ General Works; Operations Center: Clayton Harmston or David Parry and Kevin Martin through the POA. Thanks to all the above listed members for their assistance in this matter. If you have any questions or concerns, or if you would like to donate any raffle prizes, please contact either Judy Purcell at jmp1932@yahoo.com or Kevin Martin through the POA at 415-861-5060. The drawing for the raffle prizes will be held on Thursday, April 30, 2009 at a time and location to be announced very soon.

Anyone who has ever met Alice knows just what a very special person and woman she truly is. Always with a quick smile and a kind word, Alice would be first in line to help another in need. Now it's our turn to step up and lend a helping hand to Alice.

Additional assistance needed…

Lawrence Lynch of Mission Station was recently released from California Pacific Medical Center where he was being treated through dialysis. Lawrence has also applied to the Catastrophic Illness Program and will soon be in need of donated hours. I will keep the membership appraised of Lawrence 's progress with the CIP. I thank you in advance for your kindness and consideration in this matter as well.

Our best wishes to Harold Butler who was recently released from CPMC where he was back in for a while fighting diabetes. For a guy who has gone through so much these past couple of years, I am constantly amazed by his attitude. As difficult as things have been for H.B. and his family, he has remained upbeat and positive throughout his ordeal, and what an ordeal it has been. Anyone familiar with Harold's situation would agree that he is quite a guy and an example for us all. As always Harold, stay strong and God Bless.

Special Thanks…

I recently received a very nice letter from retired Co. K Solo John Wyman who was a winner in the recent POA on-line website sign-up. John was a winner of a twenty-five dollar American Express Gift Certificate and expressed his thanks for his "newfound riches." John sent back his gift certificate along with an additional personal generous donation with instructions that the donations be spent on the kids at UCSF when we go to visit them each month (Possibly a pizza party!) John, thank you very much for your wonderful kindness and sentiments for a very special group of kids. I will make sure your wish is carried out and will advise Kim Scurr of UCSF of your generosity. On behalf of the POA and the youngsters up at UCSF, Thanks, John, you're a good man…

More thanks…

Co. A POA Rep. Ed Browne recently led a group of very fine officers from the "Big Apple," Central Station, to UCSF for our monthly visit. In the afternoon, Ed along with Vinny Catanzaro, Kim Koltzoff, and recruit officer Greg Skaug spent some time with elementary school youngsters and played some educational games with them. The above named members also made some bedside visits that are always very special. I was very happy to join the group at UCSF and join in on the fun. I was especially pleased to see my dear young friend Madison who you may remember from recent "This and That" articles. Seeing her again really made my day.

Later in the evening, the "Great" Tommy Costello made his way up to UCSF where he spent a couple of hours with some teenagers in the "Teen Lounge."

I am very grateful to all of the above listed officers for their time and efforts. It really is gratifying to see the members of this association involved in such a great program that means so much to so many. I am particularly grateful to Ed Browne who does such a great job along with George Rosko at Central Station. My relationship with Ed goes back many years when we were students at Sacred Heart High School where Ed was among the 100 year Centennial graduating class of 1974. Ed has always been a very hard worker, a great family man and a real class act…thanks for all you do Ed, and you do a lot for so many.

Thanks, Maria…

I recently attended A/O (CPT - Continuing Professional Training) at the SFPD Academy. The CPT schedule is now a "4-10" format similar to the ten-hour day most of us enjoy. This schedule change was in part due to the hard work by Maria Oropeza, her staff at the Academy, and all the instructors either assigned to the Academy or who instruct at the Academy on a part time basis. A very special thanks to all those involved in the CPT program at the Academy. I'm sure most people are in favor of the ten-hour day for CPT and I trust it was not an easy task to make all the necessary adjustments at accommodate the students as well as the instructors.

CPT, aka: AO…

CPT is quite different from the early days in my career. There is certainly a lot more accountability on the part of the students these days. I don't know if the current program is quite as "fun" as in years gone by, but I'm sure the students are learning a lot more as we are being held accountable. The instructors are all "top notch" and lend valuable experience as well as the practical application of information throughout their classes. Although all the offered classes are important in varying degrees, the FATS, EVOC and Defensive Tactics classes probably have the most impact on today's "street cop." Thanks to all members of the SFPD Police Academy for all their work in keeping us up to date with the policies and procedures as well as for keeping us safe and alert on the streets.

Well said, Chris…

I hope everybody had a chance to read POA Sgt. at Arms Chris Breen's "open" letter to Brother Gallagher and Mr. Michael McAlpin of the St. Mary's College (Moraga, Ca.) Media Relations Department denouncing the appearance of Mr. William Ayers, a self described "unapologetic domestic terrorist" to speak on the St. Mary's campus this past January 12, 2009.

For those unfamiliar with Mr. William Ayers, he was one of the founding members of the domestic terrorist group "The Weather Underground." He and his ilk, particularly his terrorist wife Bernadine Dohrn, decided they hated cops and what cops represented and showed their disfavor by placing bombs in or about police facilities in the late sixties and early nineteen-seventies. There is a strong and compelling belief among police authorities that both William Ayers and his wife Bernadine are directly responsible for the Park Station bombing on the night of February 16, 1970 that killed Sgt. Brian McDonnell. Other officers were also injured in the explosion. Chris Breen wrote an excellent letter to Brother Gallagher in which he lists example after example the terrorist activities of Mr. Ayers and his very special "lovely" terrorist wife (who currently teaches law at "Northwestern" University in Illinois). Chris also questions the wisdom of the college and its administrators for allowing such a speaker (paid) to address a so-called "community" in which one of its core principles is "concern for social justice." My questions for Brother Gallagher and Mr. Michael McAlpin are, "Where is your concern for murdered police officers, their families, and their fellow officers? Where is your concern for the "justice" of cop killers, and will you be so bold as to allow a different point of view to be expressed at you college?"

Shameful act…

I write the above on the heels of receiving a document from the San Francisco Labor Council by way of Lt. Jim Spillane of the SFPD Homicide Detail. The document dated February 9, 2009, adapted and submitted by David Welsh, NALC, 214 is a "Resolution Calling For Attorney General Jerry Brown to Dismiss All Charges against the San Francisco 8 Defendants." Members of the so-called "San Francisco 8 " are currently on trial for the cold-blooded murder of Sgt. John V. Young at Ingleside Station in 1971. The resolution is signed by San Francisco Labor Counsel Executive Director, Tim Paulson.

The POA is absolutely outraged the San Francisco Labor Council would so blatantly cause such harm to another labor union. How did such a resolution come to pass? Who were the architects of such a shameful resolution? Was the entire council made aware of such a documented resolution? Who is ultimately responsible for this action? The POA wants and deserves answers to the above questions. I have tried to make contact with Mr. Paulson by telephone, but to this point have been unable to speak or meet with him but please rest assured, I and other members of this body will! I am very curious to hear the explanations and reasoning for such a resolution.

Did the San Francisco Labor Council forget that the San Francisco Police Officers' Association is a labor organization that was established in 1946? When writing this resolution did the San Francisco Labor Council forget that quite often when union members are protesting or picketing on the street, the police are called upon to insure the protesters rights are being protected and adhered to? Did the San Francisco Labor Council ever consider meeting with the POA prior to releasing such a resolution? I guess the old union adage "an injury to one is an injury to all" doesn't apply if you're a San Francisco cop…what the hell is going on here?

St. Patrick's Day Parade…

All S.F.P.D. members are invited and encouraged to participate in the St. Paddy's Day Parade. This is the 158th Anniversary of the Saint Patrick's Day Parade in San Francisco. Let's continue this fine tradition with a good showing of our members.

When: Saturday 03-14-09 1100 Hours

Where: Market Street @ Second Street --- Market St. @ 2nd St.

Class A uniform for all non-commissioned officers and Class AA uniform for all commissioned officers. (Gore-Tex jackets may be worn if rain is imminent.)

Rest in peace…

This month's article is dedicated to the memory of Mrs. Anne Barry, mother of deceased POA President Robert "Bob" Barry. Anne recently passed away out of state. She was a big fan of the POA and for many years enjoyed reading the POA Journal and keeping abreast of association news and activities. Thank you dear Anne, may you rest in eternal peace…

God Bless all of you, your families and loved ones. Stay safe out there and remember to back-up your fellow officers… Remember to buy your raffle tickets for Alice Dicroce…only $10 a pop…Great cause…