The Great American President and patriot Theodore Roosevelt, in an address in Sorbonne, France in 1910, delivered the following passage that resonates so strongly the feelings I have toward my brothers and sisters of the San Francisco Police Department, of which I have an unparalleled love and affection for…
“The Man in the Arena”
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man (and woman) who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself (or herself) in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he (or she) fails while daring greatly, so that his (or her) place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory or defeat.
I have had the great honor, blessing and privilege to spend the past twenty-seven and a half years with the above proverbial “Man in the Arena” as a member of the San Francisco Police Department. I can think of no greater tribute to the members of the San Francisco Police Department with whom I have worked than to apply the above noted words to all of them.
The members of this department have had a wonderfully profound effect on me, and I will carry those relationships and experiences with me for the rest of my life. In honor of those members who have given their lives in the Line of Duty, and whose names are memorialized in our hearts and minds forever, some of whom I have had the great honor to have known, I offer the treasured words and sentiments of Tacitus who proclaimed, “In valor there is hope.” These same words are etched in stone and marble at the Police Officer’s Memorial in Washington, DC. You and your families made the “supreme sacrifice” the day you were taken all too soon from us only to gently rest in hallowed in God’s love, eternal rest and peace.
My life and career with the San Francisco Police Department has been a dream fulfilled beyond any imaginable expectations. The incredible and outstanding people I have met and worked along side of; The men and women who taught me how to be a police officer; The officers of Central Station who taught me how to be a San Francisco street cop; The absolutely wonderful opportunities that this job created for me, my family and my fellow officers…
To have had the distinct honor of wearing a San Francisco Police Department uniform bearing the unique patch and words, “Oro en Paz, Fiero en Guerra”…”Gold in Peace, Iron in War” and the most precious piece of department equipment issued to its members, the Seven Point Star with the simple but powerful words, San Francisco Police surrounding the number “24” in honor of my dear friend and clearly “The greatest that ever was”, Willie Mays, arguably the greatest baseball player of all time…
To have been able to drive and ride in a “Black and White” Code-3 through the streets of San Francisco…
To have been able to walk a foot beat in the Haight-Ashbury and downtown police districts; to have been in foot chases and getting bad guys, and sometimes the bad guys getting away…
To be able to work a World Series game for the San Francisco Giants and NFL Championship Games for the Forty-Niners has been beyond description. To have been able to provide an escort for Willie Mays during the 2010 World Series victory parade was for me a moment frozen in time. ES/JG…
It has been a gift to serve the men and women of the San Francisco Police Officers’ Association. It has been a cherished gift to be able to work shoulder-to-shoulder with Gary Delagnes, Marty Halloran, Steve Johnson, Mike Hebel, Tony Montoya, Chris Breen, Ray Shine and Joe Valdez. I am a much better person for having worked with such a wonderful POA Board of Directors for the past several years. The above named individuals are some of the hardest working, compassionate, driven people I have ever known. I am so proud to have been part of an incredible team that has been able to accomplish so much for our membership since March of 2004 when the current administration took over. I owe so much in particular to Gary, Marty and Steve who have taught me so much and have been true friends and professionals throughout our administration. I am so happy and proud that Marty Halloran will step up to the Vice-President position. Marty is certainly up to the task, and will be a great aide to our president.
I also owe a serious debt of gratitude to Ms. Cyndee Bates for all she has done for me and in turn the membership since she joined the POA family as the Office Manager for our association. Cyndee has been the consummate professional and is a wonderful, wonderful person. Cyndee has shown patience beyond expectations for me and I will forever be grateful for her kindness and friendship.
I am honored to have been able to represent and advocate for our members who I quite often and affectionately refer to as “the best people in the world AND their families! Police work has always been more than just a job for me and those I have chosen to follow and emulate. Police work is a vocation, a dedication to serve others…to protect and defend those unable to do so. To be a guiding light for someone in trouble or someone in need…to be there for someone at a most critical time or situation…to make the world right…
Over the past several years, Gary, Marty, Steve and I have been involved in many difficult situations involving our members. In all of these situations we have strived to “do the right thing…it is not often easy and quite often not in the “playbook” but if it was the right thing to do, we did it!
I could easily spend several hours thanking everyone who made the last 27 ½ years some of the greatest in my life. I would certainly thank my Field Training Officers, Ben Spiteri--who was also very instrumental in my involvement in the POA; Al Tong -- who taught me that it was very important to do at least one nice thing a day for our citizens, and Spencer Gregory --my primary FTO who had the patience and stamina to see me through the program. To all the Sergeants, Lieutenants, and Captains I have worked for whose leadership and wonderful work ethic and honor I aspire to this very day. My first midnight sergeant at Central Station, Bert Gutierrez, John Harrington, Dale Boyd, John Carlin, Denis O’Leary, Mary Dunnigan, Art Howard, Pat Burley Bob Guinan, Jim Pera, Kevin McNaughton, Bill Roualdes, Gene Galeano, Charlie Orkes, Greg McEachern, Ron Roth, Eric Vintero, Rene Pagano, Bill Griffin, Lisa Frazer; Al Pierini and so many more. All these people and so many more were so instrumental over the course of my career. The Officers I’ve worked with and trained…Nelson Ramos, Britt Elmore, Arlin Vanderbilt, Marq Marquez, Brian Kneucker, Christine Magayanes, Roel Dilag, Kevin Moylan, Noah Malliner, my 25th recruit as an FTO, Lisa Springer – daughter-in-law of retired captain Ed Springer, John Paige, Chris DaRosa, Tom Deely, Joe Juarez, Jennifer Dorantes (Gordenev), John Evans, Gerry Newbeck, and among the last but certainly not in any way the least, Kevin Lyons…my last partner who walked the beat with me in both the Southern and Tenderloin police districts. I love you all like brothers and sisters…you all mean so very much to me…
I will never forget Bill Davenport or Isaac Espinoza, Jimmy Guelff, Bryan Tuvera or Nick Birco…Matt Goodin or Jessie Myrick. I will hold a very special place in my heart for each of you, your families and so many more…
I cannot close my last article without greatly acknowledging my beautiful and wonderful wife Ellen Marie of twenty-seven plus years. Ellen Marie has been my rock…my fortress, my calming voice in stormy times…the one I could always laugh and cry to…the real hero in all of this. Ellen Marie has made great sacrifices only few know of. It is really because of her that I was able to be so active in the department and association. I love Ellen Marie beyond words and sentiments… Ellen Marie has also given me the gift of two wonderful and very special children. Patrick is a First Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps and was just recently re-deployed to Afghanistan to serve our country. A father could not be any prouder of his son than I am of Patrick, a graduate of De La Salle High School in Concord, and a very proud and honored graduate in 2009 from the University of Notre Dame, home of the Fightin’ Irish! Patrick is the very proud husband of Patricia Ryan (Hughes) Martin, a third year medical student in Philadelphia. We also have a young and beautiful daughter Gracie Evelyn Martin who will always be my precious love. Grace is a freshman student at Northgate High School in Walnut Creek and is a very fine student with a great sense of humor and a very kind and generous heart. I call Gracie my “10/25” because she is always there for me.
I also thank my parents, brothers and sisters who have been great sources of support and inspiration for me over the past twenty-seven and a half years. I wish my father Don Martin and father-in-law Humphrey O’Leary and his wife Ellen were here to share this moment with the family and me. I am very glad and proud that my mother was able to see my career as a San Francisco Police Officer. Thanks, mom. I would particularly like to thank my brother Tommy for his spiritual guidance and unwavering support over the course of my career.
I thank you all so very, very much for making the past several years incredibly remarkable. Words cannot begin to express the love, respect and admiration I hold for you. Please take care of yourselves and your partners so you can go home to your loved ones at the end of your watch. Watch out and protect each other. May God Bless each and every one of you and all of your loved ones.
Please do not ever lose your sense of humor, your common sense and your selfless sense of compassion for others…
Oro en Paz, Fierro in Guerra…3B40 David…10-7 E…Goodnight Headquarters and thanks for all your help…
