HPOU Election Sign-Up Begins Sept. 3 for President, Secretary and 11
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HPOU Strength Unity Through Texas’ Largest Police Union The Publication of the Houston Police Officers’ Union www.HPOU.org Vol. XXXIX No. 7-8 July/August 2013 HPOU Election The President’s Message Sign-Up Begins Sept. 3 Police Officers for President, Secretary Must be Careful and 11 Directors with Their HPOU members will select a president, board secretary and 11 directors for odd-numbered board positions in this year’s election, with candidate Social Media sign-up beginning on Sept. 3. Posts The sign-ups, which take place at the HPOU Building on State Street, Ray Hunt ends at 10 a.m. Oct. 3 and a sample ballot will be posted that same day. I recently returned from a National Police Conference where Electronic voting officially begins at noon on Oct. 7 and ends at noon agencies from all over the United States were represented. Two issues on Oct. 21. addressed caught my attention and I want to share both of them with our members. Tentative election results will be posted within 24 hours from the close The first issue involves how officers’ posts on social media web sites of election, according to Election Chairperson Jacinda Gunter. “Final have been used against them. election results will be certified and posted within 72 hours from the close of election.” The panelists described a number of actual scenarios that have taken place in various jurisdictions around the country that involved Union members may go to HPOU.ORG to log in and cast an posting statements and/or pictures that later turned into evidence used electronic ballot. to discipline and terminate officers, used against officers in civil cases or used against officers in criminal cases. Pursuant to Article IV, Section 9-Voting Procedures of the Constitution, the following list contains HPOU board positions eligible for election. Some examples were posts that condoned the excessive use of alcohol and the use of illegal drugs, posts that showed officers in proximity Continues on Page 4 to others who were committing illegal acts and posts that could be NON-PROFIT ORG. construed as racist, sexist or homophobic. Houston Police Officers’ Union U.S. Postage 1600 State Street PAID Houston, Texas 77007 Houston, Texas Others were posts that glorified the use of firearms. Firearms are Permit No. 7227 tools we use every day in law enforcement and that we have a Second Amendment right to bear, but we must give deference and respect to these weapons. A Facebook page filled with pictures of an officer brandishing a AK-47 could be an unexpected gift to a prosecutor or civil rights plaintiff. The bottom line was someone on their friend list didn’t appreciate the content of the posting officer’s picture and initiated a complaint against the officer. In virtually every case that was outlined, the officer who was Non-profit Statement: Badge & Gun is published monthly at no subscription charge. investigated complained that they only shared the posts with approved Send Correspondence and Address Changes (include mailing label) friends or that they have a right to express their opinions. To: BADGE & GUN 1600 State Street Houston, TX 77007. Telephone: 713-237-0282. Continues on Page 4 Page 1 Badge & Gun • July/August 2013 BadgeGun JulyAugust 2013 Issue.indd 1 7/31/13 7:35 AM HPOU Board of Directors Executive Board Ray Hunt Doug Griffith Joseph Gamaldi Joseph Castaneda President 1st Vice-President 2nd Vice-President Secretary (281) 701-5428 (713) 501-4991 (832) 283-9492 (281) 798-5051 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Board Members J.G. Garza Gary Hicks Jeff Wagner Robert Breiding Jason Countryman Terry Wolfe Don Egdorf Bubba Caldwell Director 1 Director 2 Director 3 Director 4 Director 5 Director 6 Director 7 Director 8 (832) 875-1377 (832) 368-6283 (832) 512-8732 (713) 854-6391 (832) 928-6336 (832) 341-0165 (713) 240-6033 (281) 924-4498 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Will Reiser Rebecca Dallas Rosalinda Ybanez Timothy Whitaker Lance Gibson Robert Sandoval O.J. Latin Tom Hayes Director 9 Director 10 Director 11 Director 12 Director 13 Director 14 Director 15 Director 16 (281) 923-1626 (832) 419-9589 (832) 293-1495 (832) 606-9502 (281) 658-2974 (281) 924-6369 (281) 726-1599 (281) 924-3015 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Bill Booth Terry Seagler John Yencha Luis Menendez-Sierra Director 17 Director 18 Director 19 Director 20 (281) 924-3016 (832) 494-8244 (832) 731-9361 (832) 513-5110 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Mark Clark Executive Director Tim Butler Joslyn Johnson Randy Upton Cole Lester Dana Hitzman (832) 200-3434 Treasurer Parliamentarian Sergeant at Arms Assistant Secretary 2nd Assistant Secretary [email protected] (713) 204-4372 (832) 642-9899 (281) 352-6236 (281) 924-3003 (832) 731-7501 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Page 2 Badge & Gun • July/August 2013 BadgeGun JulyAugust 2013 Issue.indd 2 7/31/13 7:35 AM Editorial Page BADGE& GUN Plan To Attend 2nd Voice of the Houston Police Officers’ Union Published monthly at no subscription charge Great HPOU Family Picnic by the: LAST YEAR’S FIRST-EVER HPOU FAMILY PICNIC drew hundreds of officers and their families, Houston Police Officers’ Union calling for a repeat performance for a second fun event for this fall. 1600 State Street, Houston, TX 77007 Ph: 832-200-3400 • Toll free: 1-800-846-1167 The HPOU Picnic Committee has followed up appropriately for an Oct. 5 day-long event at what Fax: 832-200-3470 committee members are calling “the usual place” – Tin Hall on Telge Road off Highway 290 on the E-mail: [email protected] Website address: www.HPOU.org northwest side. Legal Department: 832-200-3420 The Badge & Gun is using its editorial voice to enthusiastically suggest that Union members put this Legal Dept Fax: 832-200-3426 great fun-filled event on their calendars more than six weeks in advance. The fun starts at 2 p.m. that Insurance: 832-200-3410 Saturday and lasts – for the adults, anyway – well into the night. Badge & Gun is the official publication of the Houston Police Officers’ Union. Badge & Gun is During the day, families will be turned loose in the makeshift “back yard” that includes a variety of published monthly under the supervision of its state-of-the-art playground accessories that will enable energetic climbs and other sorts of physical Board of Directors. However, opinions expressed endeavors, each of them filled with laughs. by individual Board members or any other writer in this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the entire Board of Directors. Editorial As we have said before, where else could these youngsters have found a trackless train, a bounce house, submissions are welcomed and encouraged. face painting and balloon-twisting, along with back yard games? All submissions must be received by the 7th of the month. All the while, the adults in the crowd enhanced by free food and drink can look forward to a night of ADVERTISEMENT IN THE BADGE & fellowship and dancing with a live band in the background. GUN DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, A WARRANTY OR A GUARANTEE BY Let us repeat: Plan to attend now! THE UNION. Cast your nominations . POSTMASTER: Send address changes to ONE PARTICULAR ENHANCEMENT TO THIS YEAR’S PICNIC will be the special first-time Badge & Gun announcement of two awards HPOU has instituted for the first time this year – HPOU Officer of the 1600 State Street Houston, TX 77007 Year and Supervisor of the Year. Each winner will receive a $500 gift certificate. Fax: 832-200-3470 Committee member Luis Menendez-Sierra urged all officers to submit their own personal nominations for both honors. They can be turned in at the HPOU Building on State Street, emailed to Menendez- Sierra ([email protected]), or submitted to the HPOU.ORG website under the members section. This is a perfect example of the Union stepping up and improving popular activities like the picnic by instituting additional activities that will add to the excitement. The Badge & Gun urges every HPD officer to participate in the nomination process by adhering to these easy-to-follow steps toward once again recognizing excellence in a great department. Another Plan to Attend Important Numbers NO ORGANIZATION IS MORE APPRECIATIVE OF OUR U. S. FIGHTING FORCES than Houston’s officers in blue. Thus it is no surprise that one of those blues, retired Officer Jim Conley, is heads-up when it comes to recognizing these special heroes. ATO: 713-223-4ATO Badge & Gun: 832-200-3400 Conley is the founder and chief executive officer of Operation Lone Star-Texans Supporting Our Troops, which was credited five years ago to provide fellowship, guidance, encouragement and support, HPOU Offices: 832-200-3400 both emotional and material, to members of the U. S. Armed Forces and their families and friends. 1-800-846-1167 Insurance Fax: 832-200-3470 Conley is a baseball fan who this season enjoyed the fun and excitement of Constellation Field, Legal Services: 832-200-3420 home of the upstart Sugar Land Skeeters in Houston’s thriving southwest suburb. The Skeeters have generated plenty of enthusiasm in the current season in which they win more than six out of every 10 games Legal Fax: 832-200-3426 (practically the opposite of another well known local team).