- I - Official Publication Of The - SAN FRANCISCO POLICE OFFICERS' ASSOCIATION VOLUME 35, NUMBER 4 SAN FRANCISCO, MAY 2003 www.sfpoa.org May: The Month of Remembrance President's Message "Owmoll^ both were en route to a call The month of for back up in the Mission SFPD Champions The May 2003, will pass District, with a heavy obliga- The men and Basic American Freedom tion for all San women of the San Franciscans to reme Francisco Police Of- ber those who have made "Congress shall make no law... ficers' Association prohibiting the free exercise the ultimate sacrifice for honor all who have this city and this country. of.. .speech, or of the press; or the served this country and right of the people peacefully to May 26, 2003 is Memorial his city. Day. The nation will pause to assemble..." remember the men and - The First Amendment women of the armed forces who of the United States have given their lives for this Constitution country, most recently on the Self less... battlefields of Iraq. There are San By Chris Cunnie Franciscans serving in Iraq, including Submitted by Mike McNeill SFPOA President some on military leave from the SFPD. Retired SFPD On Monday, May 12 Californians t is, I suppose, a sort of tes- will memorialize the state's law en- Martin Savidge of CNN, embedded tament to our time that an forcement heroes at a ceremony in Sac- with the 1st Marine battalion, was talk- J entire war can start and be ramento. One of the names that will ing with four young Marines near his won in less time than it takes to play a fun to huddle on a dark, windy pier be added to the state law enforcement foxhole this morning live on CNN. national college basketball champion- awaiting orders, or taking bottles and memorial will be that of San Francisco He had been telling the story of how ship. It was almost as if the non-stop rocks, or being vomited on, or spit Police Officer Jon Cook. Officer Cook well the Marines had been looking out media coverage presented the entire upon, or wrestling with abusive law- was killed in June of 2002 when his for and taking care of him since the Iraq war to us in fast-forward mode. I breakers, or obliging any number of patrol car collided with another as war started. He went on to tell about don't know that our brave men and unpleasant tasks associated with cur- the many hardships the Marines had women in the armed services saw it tailing marauding vandals. endured since the war began and how quite that way, especially those who We have heard a lot of criticism of they all look after one another. were trenched into the sand exchang- late about the way San Francisco cops He turned to the four and said he ing fire with the enemy. Battling sol- dealt with the war protestors. Most of POA Mourns For had cleared it with their commanders diers may have marked the passing of the trash talkers are arrogant, agenda- and they could use his videophone to time much differently than those of driven pundits, cop-watchers, or mis- Slain Pittsburg call home. The 19-year old Marine us watching their exploits unfold on directed politicians. The truth of the Inspector next to him asked Martin if he would CNN. The minutes, hours, and days matter is that no one can beat the SFPD allow his platoon sergeant to use his that shot by for us between commer- when it comes to the art and science The men and women of the call to phone his pregnant wife back cial breaks must have seemed like a of crowd control. We are the best. Tol- San Francisco Police Officers' As- home whom he had not been able to lifetime to the combatants—and, in erance is an attribute, and we have sociation extend sympathy and talk to in three months. A stunned too many instances, it was. more than enough to go around. condolences to the family, Savidge, who was visibly moved by the A similar unbalanced sense of time It is often said that Freedom is not friends, and coworkers of request, shook his head and the young must have been marked by those in free. Well, in San Francisco it is - or Pittsburg, California Inspector Marine ran off to get the sergeant. the SFPD who were fighting vandals very nearly so. Few police departments Ray Giacomelli. Inspector Savidge recovered after a few sec- on downtown streets while the rest of can match us when it comes to accom- Giacomelli, a 23-year veteran, was onds and turned back to the three us watched quick, tidy clips of the modating the right of its citizens to shot to death on Tuesday, April young Marines still sitting with him day's events on local news shows. peacefully assemble. Not only do we 15, 2003 while investigating a ho- and asked which one of them would While men and women of this depart- believe in the First Amendment, our micide. like to call home first. The Marine ment were working twelve and four- department virtually underwrites the When the Northern California nearest to him responded without a teen hour shifts with hats, bats, and cost of exercising it. law enforcement community moment's hesitation box lunches, the worst the public got But, that's okay. San Francisco po- loses one of it's own, the words "Sir, if is all the same to you we from any of it was a delayed commute lice officers know that the overwhelm- of poet John Donne ring sadly would like to call the parents of a home. As flippant as that might sound, ing majority of war protestors are law- true: buddy of ours, Lance Corporal Brian I am sincere when I tell any you that, abiding, earnest, and morally driven "Any man's death diminishes me, Buesing of Cedar Key, Florida who was all things considered, those were days individuals. Our officers respect them because lam involved in mankind." killed on March twenty-third near of great police work. and are dedicated to protecting their Thus we are less, and we are Nasiriya to see how they are doing." A photographer caught a crew of right to redress government and march grieved. At that Martin Savidge totally broke weary cops taking a few moments to peacefully on our streets. Our men and Rest in peace, Inspector down and was unable to speak. toss a football around a garbage-strewn women in uniform will stop traffic for Giacomelli. All he could get out before signing alley. That photo was all the buzz in them, provide to them safe parks and off was "Where do they get young men some circles, but it hardly depicted a like these?" jolly company picnic. Nor was it any CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 "Through the course of our Nation's history, more than 41 million Americans have served the cause of freedom and more than a million have died in its name. On this noble American holiday, we solemnly pause to remember the men and women who gave their lives in service to our Nation. We honor those generations and individuals who fought for liberty and in defiance of tyranny..." - President George W. Bush Page 2 POA Journal May 2003 the support they deserve, but in the Bay Area and many parts of California POLICE-FIRE (including Hollywood), they are not. The San Francisco Police Department POST and San Francisco Sheriffs Department have done an outstanding job in han- dling these demonstrations from day Editor's Note: The following minutes 456 one. Despite the best efforts of some are from the January 15, 2003 minutes. Market. He had some other investment pathetic civic leaders, the men and They were inadvertantly omitted from the ideas he and members of our invest- By Rich Struckman women of these departments have ig- January issue. My apologies to Secretary ment team presented. The trustees will nored the anti-war and anti-SFPD dis- Mark Hurley and all of the regular read- be looking into these proposals in the, he War in Iraq - Over the tractions and focused on getting the ers of his monthly report. - RS weeks to come. course of the last month, the job done. T men and women of the United The Price of Freedom - Living in January 15 2003 WE HAD THREE DEATHS THIS States Armed Forces have swiftly and America is a privilege. The majority of The regular meeting of the Widows' PAST MONTH: successfully invaded Iraq and taken people who live on this planet will and Orphans' Aid Association of the PHILIP C. TOLAND, 62 years old. Saddam Hussien's regime out of power. never experience a fraction of the daily San Francisco Police Department was Phil was born in San Francisco and This effort has been accomplished with comforts most Americans enjoy. Our called to order by President Ray Crosat grew up in the Sunset. He attended minimal casualties to American sol- troops in Iraq are currently picking up at 3:15 pm in the Conference room of Riordan High School. Phil served in diers. We now watch our forces begin the tab, as our soldiers from previous Ingleside Station. the Army and upon discharge worked to occupy Baghdad. This is no small at the Post Office before joining the wars have in the past. The fact that PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Led by endeavor. The occupation of a city, many Americans have given their lives our President Ray Crosat.