c Official Publication Of The c SAN FRANCISCO POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION This Publication was Produced and Printed in California, USA ✯ Buy American ✯ Support Local Business VOLUME 45, NUMBER 12 SAN FRANCISCO, DECEMBER 2013 www.sfpoa.org 2013 is One for the Books By Martin Halloran • Retaining past president Gary President, SFPOA Delagnes as the POA political consultant. His local and state- The duties of being a San Francisco wide political network has proved police officer consume large portions invaluable many times during ne- of our lives. But even so, I hope that gotiations and re-negotiations. The your 2013 had more fond memories California-based Big 11 coalition of than bad. As you reflect on the high- police unions is stepping up to play lights of 2013, let me give you a brief a major role in the coming battle to run down and reflections on this past defeat San Jose mayor Chuck Reed’s year at the POA. move to nullify vested rights provi- We began 2013 with one of our best sions for public employees. Gary decisions of this or any other year. We will spearhead that challenge. denly felt the full weight of this of- Secretary Mike Nevin, Treasurer Brian hired retired Captain Paul Chignell to • Placing the name of POA Board of fice. In my short time as President, I Stansbury, and Sergeant-at-Arms Joe serve as our new Legal Defense Admin- Director Representative Inspector have come to realize how extremely Valdez. All of these guys have made istrator. After Steve Johnson retired, we Brian “Monkey” Olcomendy onto important trusted executive officers sacrifices in their personal lives to needed a qualified, dedicated, and te- the Peace Officer Memorial Wall of really are in alleviating that burden. serve the members and me. I am in- nacious defender of member rights. No Honor, both in Sacramento and on Several extremely important issues debted to them all. person fits that bill better than Paul. the National Memorial in Wash- came to the forefront this past year, Other high and low points of 2013 In the spring, we received notice ington DC. Brian suffered injuries and this executive board made our were: from City Hall about a proposed re- on the job in 2003 that led to his positions clear at each turn. Whether • Celebrating the valor and deeds of opener of the MOU that included an untimely death. Thanks to Gary, it is in front of the Chief of Police, several members at our POA Medal extension of the current contract with both the State of California and the Police Commission, or the Board of Honor ceremonies. The recipients modest salary increases on the back the National Memorial recognized of Supervisors I, along with members and their families were honored end. This was similar to an idea that and validated that Brian’s death was of the Executive Board, have either guests at the dinner ceremony held Gary Delagnes and I initially floated work related. six months earlier, and we were eager appeared in person or have stated the at the atrium in the POA building. • Welcoming to the SFPD ranks to meet with the city negotiators. We POA position in a letter. • Awarding more education scholar- several relatives of active and re- were confident that such an agree- I have been fortunate to have a ships to the college-bound children tired members. One such notable ment would be easily ratified by the dedicated E-Board. Many thanks first of POA members through the POA’s recruit is young Frank Olcomendy membership. We apparently got that of all to Tony Montoya who stepped Jeff Barker Scholarship Program. continuing the tradition of native wrong! up to serve as Vice President. I could This program is funded by the an- San Franciscans entering the SFPD. The memberships’ ratification vote not have done this without Tony. He nual POA Poker Tournament, which failed by a thin margin. I still take is the best. I also am very grateful to was also huge success this year. • Mourning the loss of several old blame for my failure to communicate friends who succumbed to the to the members the advantages of the ravages of cancer or other work first TA. I took the defeat hard, but I related ailments. Tragically, some learned my lesson well: Don’t take the POA Supports USO who struggled with depression or members for granted. By Val Kirwan stress have taken their own lives. After putting out a more clearly Airport Bureau Representative The POA lost good men and women defined message for the second TA, The SFO office of the USO provides convenient and welcomed services to our this year. May they all rest in peace the members were educated, engaged, men and women in uniform serving our country in the armed forces. Many knowing that they served well. and ultimately made the right call take advantage of the lounge, warm showers, and other amenities after long • Enjoying the 10th annual Law En- with an overwhelming ratification flights from deployments abroad. forcement Appreciation Night at vote of 84%! AT&T Park during a Giants home 2013 saw the biggest transitions in In Need of Donated Items for Service Members in Transit game. This popular family event power that the POA has experienced USO Director Jeff Herndon contacted the POA and asked if our members could has grown over the years and is in more than a decade. After Gary, be of assistance. Due to the upcoming holiday travel rush, there will be many enjoyed by all. The POA sponsors a Kevin Martin, and Steve Johnson all US military service members traveling through SFO. The USO requested that pre-game reception at the Mariposa departed in less than a year, I sud- the SFPD and POA assist in acquiring the following: Keurig K Cups (any flavor) Yacht Club. Creamers; French Vanilla, Irish Cream, half and half etc. for their coffee service. • Publicizing the good work of our Further, we are soliciting donations to purchase shower vouchers from the members through the production of SFO travel agency. re-enactment videos of their heroic If you would like to contribute to the USO, or if you need any information acts. Check out www.sfcitycops.com about the great work they do for the troops coming through the airport please to view the stories of Saving Baby contact Mark at [email protected], or (US Army veteran) SFPD Sergeant Nash and Lifesaver. We also honored Sean O’Brien at [email protected] (650) 821-7080. all first responders who responded to the tragic Asiana plane crash at SFO this past July. Commemora- tive Challenge Coins were cast and distributed to these heroes at a luncheon hosted by the POA at SFO. • Establishing new POA committees (LBGT, Women’s Issues, etc), to enhance member out-reach and communication. As the clock ticks down on 2013, I thank you all and wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas, a Happy New Officer Mark Trierweiler right (US Army veteran) presenting a $500 check on behalf Year and Peace in 2014. Periodicals postage paid at San Francisco, (USPS CA #882-320) of the SFPOA to Jeff Herndon, Director Bay Area USO, San Francisco International Slainte! Airport. Also in the picture is Officer Pete D’Amato. Page 2 POA Journal December 2013 live that life in our house too. I know that you all stepped up today with Chief’s a lot of pride and selflessness that comes from your years on the job, but also because it’s just a whole lot Corner of fun to make a kid happy. You all Daily, we (SFPD) do the best we can deserve a large round of applause for to make San Francisco a better and working so hard. I have been watch- safer place by helping people however ing the live feed online and am enjoy- we can. Every once in a while we find ing watching young Miles Scott from ourselves in a position to do some- scene to scene fighting crime and; thing very special….and then there as I watch this little super hero, I’m is a day like no other that comes. On also noting the incredible work from November 15th, 2013 we were part of your officers on the ground. Officers something that let the world see us for are also zipping along from scene to who we are, through the eyes of a very scene with their motorcycles to clear special Make-A-Wish child: “BatKid” traffic, officers on foot executing aka…Miles Scott. crowd control, and fleet vehicles be- Miles Scott is a little boy who was know how the rest of the story on No- ing brought in to help. I can imagine diagnosed with leukemia when he vember 15th goes. your communications operators are was 20 months old. He battled like On the off chance that the way keeping things moving via radio etc the super-hero he is for three years people around the world are “holding” etc etc - you are all doing an incred- to overcome this evil disease and he the men and women of this storied ible job and have made something in my life who I know are extremely won! He made a wish to be “BatKid” Department right now, I thought I’d very big unfold! I hope today stays envious that they couldn’t be there for day, a few months ago. When the share just one of the hundreds of cor- with each of you throughout the today to be a part of something so Make-a-Wish Foundation called, to see respondences I received – and they are remainder of your career to be a incredibly magical! if we (SFPD) would help; as always, we still coming in: reminder that good things come from It doesn’t get any better than what said, “for sure”! Little did we know that Hello everyone at SFPD, the bad and that you are there for a you all did for a little boy and the best this time, out of all the other things we I am writing to you from Canada.