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 49, NUMBER 3 SAN FRANCISCO, MARCH 2017 www.sfpoa.org The Social Experiment Surrounding Prisoner Early Release And Decriminalization is a Failure Why Californians Are The “Mice Caught In The Maze” By Martin Halloran increased over the past two years. been assaulted and bloodied by repeat SFPOA President Some politicians and allied academia offenders out on early release because will claim that it is too early to tell, or you of Prop 47 and AB 109 and who are not Tragically, senselessly, and yet again, cannot link the rise in crime and assaults being supervised. They will give you the another brother officer has fallen in our to these measures. They have the luxury honest truth and the brutal facts. Ask the state and made the ultimate sacrifice in of making these claims while they sit in families of those officers who have fallen. the service to his fellow man. Whittier their ivory towers. I guarantee you It will be tough to hear. Police Officer Keith Boyer was shot and If you want a true account, ask a killed on Monday, February 20th, by a cop who works the streets or who has Slainte! cowardly convicted felon who allegedly murdered his own cousin just hours earlier. Did Officer Boyer and his partner MARTIN HALLORAN President know that when they approached the TONY MONTOYA suspect in what they believed to be a Vice President disabled vehicle? No. They were merely SAN FRANCISCO POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION RICK ANDREOTTI trying to help when the suspect pro- 800 Bryant Street, Second Floor Secretary to jeopardize the safety of law enforce- San Francisco, CA 94103 duced a firearm, shot and struck down SEAN PERDOMO ment officers and the general public. 415.861.5060 tel Officer Boyer, and injured his partner. Treasurer Collectively, Proposition 36 (2000), 415.552.5741 fax By the time you read this, Officer www.sfpoa.org VAL KIRWAN Assembly Bill 109 (2011), Proposition 47 Sergeant At Arms Boyer will have been laid to rest. Eulo- (2014), and yet to be seen but recently gies praising Officer Boyer will have passed Proposition 57 (2016) have rolled been heard, and tears will have been February 24, 2017 back penalties and sentences for con- shed. Politicians will have offered their victed criminals, provided early release William Scott Chief of Police condolences, and made promises to to convicted felons, and shifted respon- San Francisco Police Department 1245 - 3rd Street “look into this tragedy.” Most of them sibility to understaffed county probation San Francisco, CA 94158 will then move onto whatever is the next rather than state parole, have decrimi- hot issue that they can sink their teeth Chief Scott, nalized certain offenses from felonies into in order to garnish favorability. to misdemeanors (thanks to co-author Over the weekend, as you know, an officer approached an individual who was ex- As for cops? This hits us hard and George Gascón), and will soon offer posing himself to passersby near the Safeway on La Playa St. Because the suspect takes another pound of flesh from us. early parole for even more convicted would not respond to the officer and appeared to be under the influence, the officer We imagine ourselves in Officer Boyer’s felons serving their sentences in state made an attempt to take the person into custody. shoes and think “that could have been prison (thanks to Governor Brown). A video filmed by a bystander shows how the scene unfolded from there: The me.” This shell game perpetrated on Cali- suspect resisted arrest and proceeded to wrestle with the officer. The suspect was I too see that, but I also see how the fornians is all in the name of politics and bigger than the officer and dragged him to the ground repeatedly. judicial low bar set by California pro- money. One of the politicians’ new catch gressives addressing prisoner rights, After radioing for backup, a civilian bystander stepped in and appears to have phrases over the past couple of years has early release, and the decriminalization applied a carotid restraint — which the officer is not allowed to use under SFPD been “criminal justice reform”. How this policy — on the suspect. Only then were the officer and two bystanders able to of certain offenses has and will continue has morphed into the non-supervision gain partial control of the suspect until SFPD backup officers arrived on the scene. of a validated gang member who was The officer sustained cuts and bruises from the scuffle. released from the maximum security This incident highlights the urgent need to better equip our officers with less-than- state prison at Pelican Bay because his lethal tools to deal with violent suspects. As you know, SFPD officers are no longer offense was reduced (Prop 47), who allowed to use the carotid — which is a particularly useful technique for smaller violated his probation (no longer parole officers to help safely manage a large, violent suspect — and we are still one of AB 109) 5 times since his release and only two major departments in the country that does not use Tasers. was only incarcerated for minimal time Furthermore, the rank and file receives “lawful but awful” training which sends in the county jail, and was able to get a the message that although it may be lawful or within policy, one should refrain gun, steal a car then allegedly murder from using certain force options in certain situations because it just doesn’t look his cousin before killing Officer Boyer good. Couple that with our new use of force policy, some officers may refrain from in cold blood, is beyond me. using certain and appropriate force options (such as a baton) because they are Who is made to suffer? Not just afraid of being vilified and disciplined due to pressure from anti-law enforcement Officer Boyer and his family, but Los zealots. Angeles County Sheriff Sergeant Steve Without the proper tools, our officers are asked to choose between putting their Owens and his family when a previously own safety at risk, as was the case here, or resorting to a more dangerous alterna- convicted career criminal gunned him tive. We urge you join us in supporting the inclusion of both the Carotid Restraint down last year. Also, Palm Springs Police and Tasers in a revised Use of Force policy. Officers Jose Vega and Lesley Zerebny Had the officer had these tools available to him over the weekend, he likely would and their families when another career have come out of the interaction unscathed and would have been able to avoid the criminal gunned them down in 2016. potentially dangerous scenario of having a civilian intervene in police work. All Californians suffer. A report from the Attorney General’s office last year Periodicals postage paid at San Francisco, (USPS #882-320) CA showed that violent crime rose 10% in Martin Halloran the state. If you live in San Francisco you SFPOA President know that property crime has drastically Page 2 POA Journal March 2017 Minutes of the February 15, 2017, Board of Directors Meeting • Sergeant at Arms Val Kirwan called finish out his law enforcement career officers are prohibited from working Presentations the meeting to order at 1203 hours. at SFPD. Chief Scott said that he al- overtime. He spoke of protecting the • Officer Jason Johnson from Bayview • Sergeant at Arms Val Kirwan led the ways tries to be fair and that he values City’s best interest at the same time Station made a presentation for Oper- board in the Pledge of Allegiance. due process. The chief’s vision for the protecting the officer’s best interest. ation Genesis. For the past three years, Following the pledge, he asked for a future includes the recommendations • Promotions and past discipline: Chief Officer Johnson has taken troubled moment of silence in honor of police from the Department of Justice’s col- Scott said he will follow San Fran- kids from the Bayview District to officers and military personnel killed laborative report. He stressed that we cisco Police Department’s process as Guyana Africa. This project includes in the line of duty. should never lose sight of our primary it relates to promotions and the effect a 10 week workshop the kids have mission which is to protect the people • A motion to approve the January 2017 of past discipline to the letter of past to participate in before going on the who live, work and visit the City and meeting minutes was made by Board practice. He will not bring his own trip. Officer Johnson said Operation address quality of life issues. Chief of Director S. Imhoff and was sec- beliefs into the process. Genesis has experienced significant Scott stated he needs to learn about onded by Board of Director member • Culture of discipline: Chief Scott success. Kids who go through the our organization but understands J. Pena. The minutes were approved said that he will follow the depart- workshop and attend the trip return that the SFPD is staffed with talent. with a unanimous vote. ment’s disciplinary guide and use with a new attitude and appreciation He stated that he has added positions San Francisco Police Department’s for life. As a whole, they take school Roll Call with management structure and that practices and protocol when deciding more serious. 95% of the participants there will be reshuffling of staff in • Secretary Rick Andreotti conducted discipline.