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 51, NUMBER 4 SAN FRANCISCO, APRIL 2019 www.sfpoa.org The Recruitment and Retention Crisis Continues How Recruitment and Retention of Police Officers Remains an Ongoing Challenge By Tony Montoya 262nd Academy Class We should not have been surprised that SFPOA President 6 Lateral Officers and all completed DHR put on their blinders. DHR is all FTO about crunching the dollars during ne- In the October 2018 edition of the POA Excellent but that is only 6 Journal, I wrote about the challenges gotiations. They are not concerned about facing most law enforcement agencies 263rd Academy Class the safety of the residents and visitors of in our country surrounding the recruit- 51 Entered the Academy San Francisco. ment and retention crisis. In that article 33 remain in the academy The competition among law en- which is reprinted on page 9 of this Set to graduate on May 24, 2019 forcement agencies to recruit qualified edition, I highlighted the hard work 33 out of 51 so far? Not good candidates and agencies poaching being done by the SFPD to try and keep experienced officers from other police 264th Academy Class staffing levels up even though we are departments is at an all time high in our 42 Entered the Academy not at the mandated 1,971 available full country. The SFPD has recruited candi- 31 still in the Academy duty police officers per the City Charter. dates from as far away as New York but Set to graduate July 26, 2019 I also pointed out in that article that we still cannot reach our charter man- Not bad but they’re only half the city made a pledge in 2018 to hire 250 dated number and that number was set way through the academy SFPD officers. The POA believes the City will retire prior to June 30, 2019, due to in place over 25 years ago. is certainly moving in the right direction 265th Academy Class an earned benefit that has been set to Clearly the scope of our work along but we also believe that they are falling Budgeted for 55 Recruits sunset in the current MOU between the with our responsibilities and the ex- far short of what is actually needed for Only 30 candidates were accepted SFPOA and City. The benefit will sunset pectations set upon us have greatly effective and necessary policing in our Set to start the Academy March 25, on June 30, 2019, so highly experienced increased since the mid 1990s. Quality City. 2019 and veteran officers will retire before of life issues, the opioid and homeless I am not a mathematician nor do I Not good at all that date rather than lose the benefit that crisis, traffic nightmares, hundreds know how to analyze statistical data. My they earned over their entire career. Not 266th Academy Class upon hundreds of scheduled and non- training and experience over the past 30 good at all. Unknown budgeted numbers scheduled events and demonstrations, years has been in policing. Despite that, I During contract negotiations last- Unknown potential candidates and the mental health crisis are stretch- can do the basic numbers as it pertains to year the POA sounded the alarm and Start the Academy June 17, 2019 ing our resources to their limits. There- staffing for potential officers entering the brought this crisis to the attention of the (Tentative) fore, unless the City and County of San SFPD and the number of officers leaving Department of Human Resources. We Francisco takes this crisis seriously and the SFPD and it doesn’t add up in the The 267th and 268th Academy classes showed them the numbers and potential unless they put tangible incentives and favor of the City. After looking at new have been budgeted but have yet to be for additional officers to walk out the benefits on the table, to lure new officers projection numbers and actual numbers filled and chances are they will not have door. DHR’s response, “We’ve got 2,000 to our great department and retain those for 2019, it does not look good right now. the number of recruits that are budgeted applicants waiting to join the SFPD.” As already in our department, then our Judge for yourself: and necessary. we told DHR then and what is still true numbers will continue to dwindle. Now factor in the normal attrition rate today is the fact that 2,000 people filling 260th Academy Class from the SFPD which is between 65 and out an application to be a SFPD officer What I wrote in the October issue 51 Entered the Academy 70 officers annually. Now factor in that does not equal 2,000 cops ready to hit still rings true. Read that and more 28 Graduated on October 12, 2018 potentially 50 to 60 additional officers the streets. It never has and it never will. recruitment articles on Pages 8 & 9. 24 completed FTO and are on probation 24 out of 51: Not Good A Remarkable Young Man 261st Academy Class 56 Entered the Academy By Brandon Newman was keeping a close eye on Nicholas. 37 Graduated on February 8th, 2019 SFPD Healthy Streets Operation Meli greeted me with a big smile as we introduced ourselves to each other. He 2 have recently departed and the field On March 18, 2019, my partner Jona- told me that he worked for Nicholas’ training has not yet concluded than Sylvester and I were assigned to family and was his caretaker. I quickly the SFPD Healthy Streets Operation. and sadly learned that Nicholas — just We were addressing a homeless en- 18-years of age — had cancer and only campment in the area of 5th and Bryant Left to right- officer Jonathan Sylvester, a very short time to live. Meli told me Streets, talking with people and offering “Meli”, Nicholas John Peters, Officer that before he died Nicholas had on his them information for resource services Brandon Newman bucket list to feed hungry people and and explaining the issues surrounding read to them from the bible. Meli had meeting both Nicholas and Meli would illegal encampments. been driving Nicholas around various make me a much better person and While doing this, I noticed a fragile parts of the Bay Area in the past few police officer. figure walking towards me. As he got months to help him with his mission. I told Nicholas that at times as police closer, he stuck out his bony hand and Seeing the name “NEWMAN” on officers we see the worst in people, but with a big smile on his face introduced my nametag, Meli quickly changed the that meeting him and Meli restored my himself in a very soft voice as Nicholas topic. “My cousin was from the city of faith in the good and goodwill of people. Peters. He asked me if I was there to Newman; he was a police officer there. I thanked him for his acts of kindness supervise his visit with the homeless, My cousin was Officer Ronil Singh.” I that touched not only the lives of the as he and “Meli” were going to be pro- immediately recognized Ronil’s name as homeless and hungry to whom he fed viding them with meals. I could see the police officer recently slain in the city and read, but also touched my heart. that Nicholas was struggling to speak of Newman this past Christmas. I once Before leaving, Nicholas softly said to and appeared very weak. Not too sure again expressed my sadness to Meli. me, “God Bless you.” of what Nicholas meant, I told him, “of I was struck by this encounter with This encounter was one of the reasons course” and that we would be there for Nicholas and Meli and felt it was more I became a cop, and an experience that as long as we could. than just a random occurrence…that would not be forgotten any time soon. Nicholas slowly walked away and there was something much more in- Editor’s note: Brandon Newman and Periodicals postage paid at San Francisco, (USPS CA #882-320) soon sat down in the middle of a large volved. I would remember this moment. Jonathan Sylvester are the sons of recently group of people, handed out sandwiches Shortly before Nicholas and Meli left the retired Lieutenants J.J. Newman and Glenn from a bag and began eating with them. encampment, we gathered for a photo. Sylvester. The legacy and tradition of out- Curiously, I walked over to Meli who As I stood next to Nicholas, I knew that standing police work continues. Page 2 POA Journal April 2019 Minutes of the March 20, 2019, Board of Directors Meeting Call to Order Approval of February currently in a meet and confer with requiring Local law enforcement 1. Sergeant-at-Arms Tracy McCray 2019 Board Minutes the department on how this policy deployment. Members who sustain called the meeting to order at 1204 6. A motion to approve the February will be implemented. Gregg took injuries while acting in an off duty hours. 2019 meeting minutes was made by time to answer various questions capacity trying to assist will be from the Directors. covered. Most of you know this Bill 2. Sgt.-at-Arms Tracy McCray led the Sgt at Arms McCray and seconded stems from the October 2017 Las Board in the Pledge of Allegiance. by Director Carew. The minutes were 9.