HPOU Strength Unity Through Texas’ Largest Police Union The Publication of the Houston Police Officers’ Union www.HPOU.org Vol. XXXIX No. 10 October 2013 The President’s Message Picnics, Cookouts Show Appreciation, Enhance Communications, Camaraderie Ray Hunt Any organization is only as good as its members. The HPOU Board believes that our organization is blessed with 5,200-plus loyal members. In 2012, we voted to start an annual family picnic for all members and their families to show our appreciation. It was held at Tin Hall in Cypress and was a huge success. By the time you read this article, the 2nd Annual Picnic will have concluded. We thank all of you who came out and made it a success. We hope it’s even bigger in 2014. As you can imagine, an event like this does not just happen without lots of help. While I know there were many who volunteered to make this a success, I would like to personally thank some key players who worked tirelessly on this project. The Houston Police Foundation’s newest benefactor is the Okra Charity Bar on Congress in downtown. Recently the bar’s management presented the foundation’s Charlene Floyd (in white) with a $25,000 check. To learn how this happened, please Thanks to the co-chairs of this year’s event, Tom Hayes and Cole see the story. Others in the picture are, left to right, Mounted Patrol Lt. Randy Wallace, Lester. Also a thank you to the core team of Joe Gamaldi, Doug Floyd, Rebecca Dallas, Okra general manager Mike Criss and Sgt. Leslie Wills. SEE PAGE 4 FOR ARTICLE. Griffith, Luis Menendez-Sierra, Robert Sandoval, Bill Booth, Bobby Kessler, Rebecca Dallas, Gary Hicks and Alexa Gamaldi . NON-PROFIT ORG. Houston Police Officers’ Union U.S. Postage 1600 State Street PAID Earlier this year, Board Member Luis Menendez-Sierra presented Houston, Texas 77007 Houston, Texas an idea to the Board to do cookouts at several different locations Permit No. 7227 throughout the year. It sounded like a great idea and funding was approved to feed our members on all three shifts throughout the city. The first cookout of hamburgers, hotdogs, chips and drinks took place at North Division in July. Food was served from noon until midnight to accommodate all three shifts. This was a great success and gave officers an opportunity to visit with some of their board members, ask some questions and enjoy some food and camaraderie. We received a letter from one of the North Division lieutenants stating that the troops really appreciated the event. I made a brief appearance Non-profit Statement: Badge & Gun is published monthly at no subscription charge. out there and was pleased to see the hard work being carried out by a Send Correspondence and Address Changes (include mailing label) host of our members. To: BADGE & GUN 1600 State Street Houston, TX 77007. Telephone: 713-237-0282. Continues on Page 4 Page 1 Badge & Gun • October 2013 BadgeGun October 2013 Issue.indd 1 10/2/13 6:37 PM 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 • October 2013 BadgeGun October 2013 Issue.indd 2 10/2/13 6:37 PM Editorial Page HPOU PAC Endorsements BADGE& GUN Voice of the Houston Police Officers’ Union Reelect Mayor Annise Parker Published monthly at no subscription charge by the: and Most Incumbent Houston Houston Police Officers’ Union 1600 State Street, Houston, TX 77007 Ph: 832-200-3400 • Toll free: 1-800-846-1167 City Council members Fax: 832-200-3470 E-mail: [email protected] THE NOV. 5 CITY ELECTION IS NOW UPON US AND THE HPOU POLITICAL Action Website address: www.HPOU.org Committee has endorsed Mayor Annise Parker and all but two Houston City Council incumbents. Legal Department: 832-200-3420 The mayor’s race, of course, is always the hottest topic in this two-year voting exercise. Mayor Parker Legal Dept Fax: 832-200-3426 has been very open with HPOU, always communicating directly with us. Insurance: 832-200-3410 Badge & Gun is the official publication of the Unlike her challenger, Ben Hall, Parker remains a steadfast backer of defined benefit pensions for Houston Police Officers’ Union. Badge & Gun is HPD officers. published monthly under the supervision of its Board of Directors. However, opinions expressed This is one issue where she and her biggest challenger offer their greatest contrast. Hall told the by individual Board members or any other writer in this publication do not necessarily reflect the Houston Chronicle editorial board purely and simply, “We are going to have to redefine the pension opinion of the entire Board of Directors. Editorial benefits as a defined contribution plan. No question.” The Chronicle then stated that “under Mayor submissions are welcomed and encouraged. Hall, future police, firefighters and municipal workers would have something like a 401(k) - just like All submissions must be received by the 7th of everyone else.” the month. ADVERTISEMENT IN THE BADGE & So much for Ben Hall’s effort to become Houston’s mayor. HPOU PAC wants a final two-year term GUN DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, for the three-term-limited Mayor Annise Parker. A WARRANTY OR A GUARANTEE BY THE UNION. HPOU PAC believes all but two City Council incumbents should be reelected. The two “thumbs-down” incumbents are District A Council Member Helena Brown and District F Council POSTMASTER: Member Al Hoang, both of whom have fallen far short in their support of Houston policing issues. Send address changes to Badge & Gun There are three open seats – District D, District I and At-Large 3. The PAC will wait until the runoff 1600 State Street to make public its endorsements in those races. Houston, TX 77007 Fax: 832-200-3470 Here is the complete list of HPOU PAC endorsements in the Nov. 5 city election: Mayor – Annise Parker City Controller – Ron Green City Council Races District A – Brenda Stardig and Mike Knox (co-endorsement) District B – Jerry Davis District C – Ellen Cohen District D – No Endorsement District E – David Martin District F – No Endorsement Important Numbers District G – Oliver Pennington District H – Ed Gonzalez ATO: 713-223-4ATO District I – No Endorsement Badge & Gun: 832-200-3400 District J – Mike Laster District K – Larry Green HPOU Offices: 832-200-3400 1-800-846-1167 At-Large 1 – Stephen C. Costello Insurance Fax: 832-200-3470 At-Large 2 – Andrew C. Burks Jr. Legal Services: 832-200-3420 At-Large 3 – No Endorsement Legal Fax: 832-200-3426 At-Large 4 – C. O. “Brad” Bradford email: [email protected] At-Large 5 – Jack Christie www.hpou.org Page 3 Badge & Gun • October 2013 BadgeGun October 2013 Issue.indd 3 10/2/13 6:37 PM OKRA Charity Saloon Serves Up $25,000 Worth of Profits to the HPD’s Foundation By TOM KENNEDY we got the check for $25,000, they told us it was the biggest check so There is nothing like going to the OKRA Charity Saloon and drinking far. We set a record!” to the Houston Police Foundation. Criss said, “It depends on the month, to be honest. We had a really According to the story, that happened often enough in July for the good month. It kept getting busier and busier.” foundation to get a $25,000 check from OKRA. The Original OKRA Charity Saloon is located at 924 Congress under How did this happen? one might ask. the special charity “voting” premise. General manager Mike Criss explained it this way: “The hope is that by benefiting a new charity each month and nominating four for the following, funding will be acquired for elected “You walk in and order a drink or a bar snack. You get a ticket for charities and awareness will be generated for other nominees,” Criss each order.