The Long Arm of the Law…
So, I’m working in the backyard of my home on a recent Saturday afternoon, listening to the Giants vs. Phillies baseball game, and my phone rings. It’s my good friend Officer Nelson Ramos from Southern Station and I hear a lot of background noise. He says to me, “Guess who I’m with?” I’m thinking because of the background noise and knowing Nelson, he’s at a baseball game. I figure he’s at the Yankee/A’s game in Oakland and I answer, “…Derek Jeter?” and he says, “No, “I’m with Ryan White…” so I start thinking to myself, “Ryan white…Ryan White…” I know the name but I just can’t place the face. Then I remembered. Nelson, his beautiful wife Sonia, and future big league ballplayer grandson Andres, went to Philadelphia for the weekend to watch the Giants/Phillies series at Bank One Ball Park.
Nelson then related to me how he went to the Saturday game and sat in front of a man, his wife, and two sons. The man saw that Nelson was wearing his Giants gear and asked if Nelson was from San Francisco and Nelson replied that he was. The man introduced himself as Mr. White and told Nelson how he and his wife brought their two sons to San Francisco last summer to watch the Giants and Phillies play at AT&T Park.
After a weeknight game, the family was walking back to the Mariott Hotel when their young son Kevin was struck by a drunken Hit and Run driver. Kevin suffered some major injuries and spent quite some time at SFGH undergoing surgeries.
Mr. White explained just how grateful and impressed their family was with the incredible support and response from the SFPD and the SFPOA.
From Chief Greg Suhr to Deputy Chief Kevin Cashman, from Lt. Bill Roualdes to Sgt. Gene Galeano and everybody in between, the White family couldn’t have been happier. Mr. and Mrs. White were so pleased and surprised that as strangers in San Francisco facing such a tragedy that they were taken in so quickly and treated as family.
Bill Roualdes and Gene Galeano made sure that Kevin’s brother Ryan was treated to a couple of ball games and received some very special gifts from the Giants.
The White family was cared for and looked after by many members of the SFPD who contributed to a fund to assist the family with unexpected expenses along with the good works from Associate Catholic Chaplain Tommy Martin.
The family stayed in San Francisco until young Kevin was able to be transported to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia where he continued his medical procedures and rehabilitation. Kevin is doing rather well and working hard to get back to being 100%
Nelson gave the cell phone to Ryan and we enjoyed a short but pleasant conversation.
We said our good-byes and then hung up.
I later spoke to Nelson and we both started laughing…what were the odds that Nelson and his family would go to Philadelphia to watch a ball game at a sold out stadium, 45,000 plus fans and Nelson would end up sitting in front of the White family. The “Six Degrees of Separation” strikes again!
I guess it’s true that the long arms of the SFPD and the SFPOA have no boundaries…
More good works…
Thanks very much to the following outstanding officers who made the monthly June and July visits to UCSF Children’s Hospital to spend time and visit with some very special children and their families. Officer Rafael Rockwell of the Community Relations Unit was very instrumental in organizing the June visit, which also included Officers Craig Leong of Park Station, and Brian Kneuker of Southern Station who is becoming a favorite with the kids.
In July, I was joined by Allen Mulliken of Taraval Station who did a fantastic job entertaining the kids and making sure they all had a great time!
During our July visit, we met a family whose young son and brother was being treated at UCSF Children’s hospital. Soon, talk turned to baseball and the father said that although he liked the Giants, the New York Yankees were his team. It just so happened that the POA recently received tickets to the Yankees/A’s game for Sunday, July 22 at the Oakland Coliseum and I had given four to Allen for him and some buddies. After hearing what a great Yankee fan this father and current member of the United States Air Force was, Allen pulled the tickets out of his pocket without hesitation and insisted the father take his family to the game! What a great guy!
There has been a request by the staff at UCSF for toys that are used for give away prizes to the children during their BINGO games. The toys or prizes do not have to be expensive or elaborate, but anything nice for ages infants through teens would be greatly appreciated.
If you think you might be able to contribute to this great and worthwhile effort, please contact me at the POA at 415-861-5060 or by e-mail at kevin@sfpoa.org.
Again, a very special thanks to the above named officers…each of you represent the best of what the SFPD is all about.
Our next and last summer visit will be held on Thursday, August 9, 2012 from 1300 – 1500 hours (1-3 pm). Please call me if you’re interested in joining me.
American Legion Honors…
Congratulations to the following SFPD and SFPOA members who were recently honored on Thursday, July 19, 2012 by the San Francisco American Legion Police-Fire Post at the United Irish Cultural Center. Captain Greg Corrales of Park Station was once again the host at this very popular dinner event.
Honored Guests included:
Officer Joe Salazar and Inspector Monica MacDonald for their roles as Southern Station patrol officers in bringing a murder suspect into custody involving outstanding police work and a coordinated team effort on these two officers part.
Also honored were recently retired Captain Henry Parra and Sgt. Russ Gordon who also took a violent murder suspect into custody only moments after a cold blooded gangland execution on Irving Street in the Taraval Police District in front of horrified witnesses.
Officer Alvin Louie recently retired from the Airport received honors for his outstanding efforts in reuniting a mother and child from China in a well publicized article in the POA Journal, as well as other local periodicals, only a few short months ago.
Sgt. Bob Guinan, a recent retiree from Co.K, Traffic Solos, was also honored for all his dedicated years of service not only to the SFPD, but for all of his dedicated years of service to The Special Olympics; The Special Olympics Torch Run, The Cable Car Pull, and the Polar Plunge. Bob also dedicated himself and continues to do so to this very day for the Bay Area Law Enforcement Assistance Fund and to the California Peace Officer Memorial Fund.
Bob in the past several years has spearheaded the SFPD/SFPOA sponsored Law Enforcement Night with the San Francisco Giants, which is always an outstanding event honoring Bay Area Law Enforcement Officers and their families who have lost their lives in the Line of Duty.
POA Treasurer Marty Halloran recently presented retired Inspector Liane Corrales with a plaque in honor of her retirement as well as for all her dedicated efforts for the San Francisco Police/Fire Museum .
Thanks very much once again to Captain Greg Corrales, a very, very proud former Marine for his continued efforts in putting together and hosting this very honorable event. The Captain also had some very nice comments directed towards the continuing efforts of the Police Officers Association current administration, which were greatly appreciated.
A very special thanks…
Thanks to all the officers from Southern Station, the Marine Unit, and all other officers involved in the tragic drowning of California Correctional Officer Victor Murillo. Officer Murillo accidentally fell into the San Francisco Bay on the night of June 23rd after a Giant/Dodger baseball game. A tremendous effort was made by many officers who attempted to locate and save Correctional Officer Murillo.
Sgt. Richard Ernst really distinguished himself in this incident by providing the family with an outpouring of compassion and resources. Sgt. Ernst did an outstanding job extending himself to the needs of the family and for being with them every step of the way during this tragic and trying time.
Rich met with the family several times over the course of the ten-day period from the time Victor fell into the bay until the day Victor’s body was recovered.
Sgt. Ernst honorably represented the San Francisco Police Department and the POA by attending the memorial service for Victor for which his family was deeply appreciative.
Thanks, BSU…
A tip of the hat to the department’s outstanding Behavioral Science Unit. The unit does a fantastic job of taking care of our department’s members, as well as members’ families. Sgt. Mary Dunnigan, Officer Pat Burley, Officer Art Howard and Officer Jimmy Kelly are a great, dedicated team who work very well together putting the needs of the department’s members at the very top of their priority list. This small group of officers is primarily responsible for the wellbeing of almost two thousand officers and their families, which is by no means an easy task. Their work, efforts and skills are steeped with great knowledge, experience, confidence, compassion and confidentiality.
The BSU is primarily responsible for the department’s Peer Support Group, the Critical Incident Response Team, the Hostage/Crisis Negotiation Team, the “Eleven/Eleven” program for members caught up in stressful situations, debriefings after critical incidents, and so much more.
Needless to say, their hands and plates are quite full, but they always find the time to help those in need.
They are one of the more necessary units in this department given the demands and pressures put on our members. The members of this department are so very fortunate to have these outstanding individuals as their advocates in these very trying and challenging times.
Let’s support these officers as they support all of us! Let’s call upon the department’s administration to keep this hard working group together as their necessary and dedicated efforts to make us all individually and collectively, better members of a world class police department.
Who’s minding the store?
Recently, an officer had the occasion to visit a downtown station that was in its usual hectic state of affairs. She saw officers working on their reports and investigations, foot traffic going back and forth, telephones ringing and citizens at the front door waiting to be served. She also saw an on-site custodian working about inside the station. This officer stopped because she thought she recognized him from another part of town but wasn’t completely sure…She studied him for a moment and then it hit her…She’d seen his SFPD mug shot somewhere in another district station…She checked with someone at the station and was told that in fact, the custodian was part of some kind of “pilot employment program”…okay…Really?
This is at the very least, disturbing news! I’d like to think the department and the city were considerably more careful about the people who are allowed to come into our police stations for whatever reason…but in this case, employment considering the very sensitive materials and documents maintained at a district station not to mention access to weapons and other equipment.
The department has had troubling experiences in the past with civilian employees working in sensitive areas of the department where information has been compromised and fallen into the wrong hands.
POA Blood Drive…
Thanks to all the great folks who made the recent POA Blood Drive a tremendous success! On June 27th, 2012 the POA hosted another blood drive benefiting the Blood Centers of the Pacific under the direction of the fabulous Ms. Christina Mihalas, Account Representative with the Blood Centers of the Pacific.
Christina and her outstanding staff of professionals and volunteers did their usual great job during the course of the day.
Because of the generosity and dedicated commitment of many members of the POA, fifty-nine (59) units of blood were collected.
A very special thanks go once again to two wonderful individuals, Debbie Braden and Mark Hawthorne, both retired members of the SFPD who always find time to come back to the POA and donate their time and very meaningful efforts for such a wonderful cause. Thank you both so much and all of you who found the time and compassion within you to give the gift of life. You guys are the very best!
Images Etched in Our Memories…
We all have them…at least most cops do. If you’ve spent any amount of time on the street, you’ll have had an experience (usually a bad one) that leaves an image etched in the recesses of our minds, of our souls. Most cops don’t like to talk about the images because they usually evoke an emotional reaction that leaves us troubled and more often than not in tears…The image can be of a single individual in a moment of despair or anguish. Of pain and disbelief of a citizen over hearing and understanding tragic news involving a loved one…It can be the face of a scared child or a senior citizen caught in a moment of trouble or great fear. Sometimes the image can be that of a lost soul…a sad person…a face of desperation…or resignation…
An officer recently told me a story about another officer who was walking his beat when he saw what appeared to be a stalled car about a block ahead of where he was. Cars were starting to back up in that particular lane of traffic and as he walked closer to the car he realized that in fact the car was stalled. He met with the driver he described as a woman probably in her early thirties but looking much older. She was unkempt and a little haggard. It did not appear to this officer that life or recent times had been good to her. He began talking to her as she attempted to push her red car towards the parking lane and out of traffic. As he helped her push the car she told him that she was out of gas. The officer looked in the car and saw all of what she probably owned tossed about in the rear of the car. As the officer looked even closer he saw a young girl maybe about five or six years in the car as well. The young girl was a little sweetheart with a smile on her face. He learned her name was “Holly.” The officer smiled at her and she managed a weak smile back. The officer turned his attention to the woman and asked her if she had any money for gas to which she replied, “I think I have a couple of dollars around here somewhere” and began looking for money that didn’t exist. The officer then asked if she had a gas can and she told him she did and gave it to him. The officer told the woman he would be right back as he was going to get some gas for her. Holly must have thought her mother was going to go as well, because she started to cry at the thought at being left alone…the officer assured Holly that everything was okay and that she was not going to be left alone. Her mother stayed with Holly as the officer went to a nearby gas station and bought some gas and fruit juice for the mother and Holly.
The officer returned a short while later and saw Holly smiling and enjoying the juice she was drinking. After gassing up the car and getting it started, the officer asked the mother where she and her daughter were going. He was told they were going to stay with some friends until her housing became available. He wanted to ask her more questions but was not sure he wanted to hear the answers…His mind was on Holly when he asked if they had eaten that day. The mother said they had breakfast at McDonalds earlier in the day but by now the time was late afternoon. The officer took some money and looking squarely in the eye of the woman pleaded with her to buy food for her and her daughter…and nothing else!
As the mother thanked the officer profusely, the officer smiled at the mother but then turned his attention to Holly. The officer looked at Holly wondering what was in store for her…what would the future hold for her and for her mother? Would the mother do the right thing by Holly, and by the officer?
The officer relating the story told me that what struck him most was the look of fear on Holly’s face thinking she would be left alone…He had more questions than he wanted to ask…even of himself. Has she been left alone before? How many times and for how long? He tried to erase the image from his mind but it wasn’t going away.
I later related this story to a venerable veteran sergeant at a downtown station who told me he could completely relate to the officers experience as he like so many others had had his own. We were both comforted by the good works of the officer and even confident that in this department, 99 out of a hundred cops would have done the same.
That’s why I truly love this department and the men and women who make up this great department. For the opportunities and experiences shared with so many great cops.
I know for at least one day, Holly and her mother were being looked after by not just one but all of San Francisco’s Finest!
This column is dedicated to the memory of California Correctional Officer Victor Murillo who was tragically taken away from his loved ones all too soon.
The San Francisco Police Officers Association offers its sincerest condolences and prayers to the Murillo family, Victor’s sister Mrs. Vicky Simon, Mr. Gregory Macias and The La Mancha Family including Ronnie, Sandra and of course Jennifer. May God Bless and look after you all.
That’s it for this month…Take care and God Bless!
Go Giants! Go Yankees! Go USA Olympians…Good Luck in London
