How we got here from there

President’s Message by President Robert J. King Election focus on future success Volume 39 Number 10 October, 2008 This is my last president’s rep...
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President’s Message

by President Robert J. King

Election focus on future success

Volume 39 Number 10 October, 2008

This is my last president’s report. It has been an honor to serve the membership of the PPA. Eight years is a long time. I have enjoyed supporting individual officers who really needed help. I think that is the most important thing the Union does. There is nothing worse than being in trouble and facing it alone. It has been important to me to do what I believed was best in any given situation. Sometimes my decisions have not been popular across the membership, but this job is not about popularity. It is about managing complicated and uncertain situations and making the best of them. The Union is running well today. We have lots of money in the bank and an Executive Board focused on doing the business of the PPA. It has not always been that way. This current election is important because it is about positioning and about strength. In the next month we will have a new mayor, new commissioner and new PPA president. In the midst of all that change and uncertainty I believe we should retain our attorney. I just want to set the record straight about the work he has done for us over the years. We are fortunate to have him. He has won every major arbitration we have asked him to take on, some that seemed hopeless. His experience and advice has served us well year in and year out. I believe the next PPA president will need our current attorney’s experience to negotiate and arbitrate our next contract. If we really want a “Seattle or better” raise in a 2010, retaining him would help us. He told me he wants to stay through the next contract negotiation. I am very hopeful he continues. I believe in him and thank him for all the jobs he has saved and the contract he won for us in 2004. He has protected us and for that he deserves our thanks. I think our future is bright so long as we do not squander the credibility and legitimacy we Continued on page 5 ` have worked hard to establish.

The Portland Police Association • Maintaining the vigil since 1942

Lessons Learned

by Captain James Harvey Retired PPB

How we got here from there The Rap Sheet has published some excellent articles recently by current officers in the Portland Police Bureau about improvements that are desperately needed in what should be the leading police agency in Oregon. These are officers who clearly love their work and want to do it well. They love police work even under conditions of low staffing and declining morale. Now The Oregonian has sensationalized a reported tiff between Commissioner Randy Leonard and Chief Rosie Sizer by making a front-page story of speculation about their differences (The Oregonian, 9 September 2008). How did the city get to this point? In a recent article, I outlined some of the leadership problems that began about 26 years ago. In summary, the Police Bureau grew professionally in the years after 1958 when Terry D. Schrunk was mayor. He appointed as chiefs of police experienced men of integrity who were returning to the Bureau after World War II. He had confidence in them and let them run the Bureau. Chief William J. Hilbruner died in office of a heart attack. Chief David H. Johnson died of leukemia. Only Chief Donald I. McNamara lived to see retirement. During the tenure of Mayor Schrunk, personnel examinations were the business of the Municipal Civil Service Board, which functioned under a director as an autonomous city agency. It was a system

that worked. Civil Service was designed to prevent pressure from influential persons being applied to further careers of a favored candidate. Board examiners were well-read in the examination areas of the various city bureaus. Suggested reading lists were provided for those taking promotional exams. A certified list was prepared according to test scores. When a vacancy occurred within the Bureau, the top three names were submitted to the chief. At that point, the chief could choose the one who seemed to fit the needs of the vacant position. Now enters Mayor Neil Goldschmidt. Not only did he seize all of the roll-top desks in the detective division for his own office, he influenced the City Council to abolish the Civil Service Board. He created a new city bureau to handle personnel matters. Personnel actions were now under the mayor’s control. I thought that the days of political patronage were long gone. Goldschmidt proved me wrong. He began to look for places to park his supporters in city jobs. He looked to the Bureau’s training division. Surely you didn’t need ranking officers there. But in this issue: Editor’s Statement

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“No” on 64

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Articles from Eboard candidates

the former Berkeley, Calif. chief of police Goldschmidt brought in to run the Police Bureau found out that the training division was being run by a captain and two lieutenants, all of whom had master’s degrees in education. To his credit, Chief Bruce Baker stood up for the existing organization. Erosion was starting to take place in the City of Portland, and it was coming from the Mayor’s Office. As I said before, perhaps the best thing President Jimmy Carter ever did was to appoint Goldschmidt as transportation secretary. The Police Bureau stabilized then with the appointment of Frank Ivancie—a former fireman and member of the City Council— as Portland’s mayor. Ivancie appointed Deputy Chief Ron Still to the chief’s position. The Bureau continued to run with its professional staff. Commanding officers attended yearly week-long seminars at the University of Portland’s School of Business. It was a time of career development at all levels of the Bureau. When Bud Clark was elected Portland’s new mayor, the Chief’s Office command staff, who met retirement criteria, all immediately retired. The chief’s chair frequently had a new occupant. The normal process of career development by mentoring, training and promotional examinations, focused on quality rather than diversity, had been disrupted. Turbulence within the Police Continued on page 7

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Treasurer’s Report

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Force Science News

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Tactical Verbalization

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Marine Corp Leadership p.12 p.4-7

GoDaddy ride-along

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Published by Rap Sheet, Inc. 1313 NW 19th Ave Portland, OR 97209

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Editor’s Statement

by Detective Peter Simpson Tactical Operations Division

“This publication will be dedicated, therefore, to the principles of objective reporting and freedom of expression which we believe are both fundamental to the operation of a democratic organization and to the free society we are sworn to protect.” James Fleming, former Rap Sheet editor December, 1970, Vol I, Issue I

Teamwork needed now as always Since 2001 I have served as the managing editor for The Rap Sheet. I can say with near certainty that I have never had an issue with so many articles written by members. While election times usually generate more than the normal amount of articles, this issue is filled with election statements, endorsements and criticisms. It appears likely that with five candidates for PPA president, we will have a run-off election to determine who will lead the PPA for the next four years. Most if not all other open board positions will be filled after the votes are counted in the general election. I am running unopposed for one of the Services vice presidential positions, but want to outline a few things the entire membership can expect from me if I’m re-elected. 1. Expect a dogged effort by me to assist the PPA in preparing for the 2010 contract. I have a few ideas on how to solve some pressing issues to the membership and will work to create contract language that puts them in place. 2. I will work with whoever is elected to continue strengthening the PPA. The PPA president and secretary-treasurer are part of a team of board members that are sworn to uphold the contract. They have a duty to fairly represent the members. No matter my personal feelings or the personal feelings of those elected, we have a job to do and we’ll do it. 3. I will work to increase participation in the Keep Portland Safe PAC via payroll deduc-

tion and be a more diligent safeguard of our precious PAC funds. The $5 per paycheck that goes to the PAC is money well spent and you still get the $100 Oregon tax credit (plus it’s easier to part with $5 every two weeks than it is to part with a C-note in December). 4. I will push the membership to become contributors to The Cover Foundation (formerly called the Officer Assistance Fund) via payroll deduction. Donations to the foundation are now considered a charitable contribution and are tax deductible. You can thank Sgt. Mitch Copp for this along with the payroll deduction option for the PAC. 5. I will continue to vocally and respectfully defend the membership. I have been writing for The Rap Sheet and sending “Letters to the Editor” for years and don’t see that stopping anytime soon. I believe in police work and police officers and I’ll never apologize for that. By January 1, 2009, the entire public safety leadership of this city could be a new group of people. But the mission of the PPA, at least how I see it, will not change. The 2010 contract is right around the corner (bargaining will start in January 2010). Officers are still swinging in the wind, awaiting word on whether or not they were “out of policy” during a use of force or pursuit. The pension and disability system still needs work. Life will go on in 2009 and the PPA will need to work as a team to accomplish our goals. You have my commitment to making sure we remain focused on the issues. Stay safe.

Volume 39 Number 10 October, 2008 Portland Police Association Editor Detective Peter Simpson

President

Detective Robert King

SecretaryTreasurer

Sergeant Mitch Copp

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The Rap Sheet is the official monthly publication of the Portland Police Association. The Rap Sheet is the only publication of its kind that represents the interests of men and women working in law enforcement in Portland. Subscription rate is $20 per year. Email copy submissions to the editor at [email protected]. The Rap Sheet office is located at 1313 NW 19th, Portland, OR 97209. Phone 503.225.9760. Articles appearing under an author’s byline do not necessarily represent the opinion of the PPA. Advertising and editorial submissions are due the first Friday of every month prior to publication.

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P.A.R.T.

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P.A.R.T. is a group of officers who are recovering alcoholics in the Portland Police Bureau. We are made up of various ranks and come from various divisions of the Bureau. Our mission is to help alcoholics in the law enforcement community and their families achieve and maintain sobriety. We adhere to an ethical responsibility of confidentiality, which is a promise to an officer to reveal nothing about his or her circumstance to any other Bureau member.

P.A.R.T. members

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Officer Rob Hawkins Tri-Met

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Sgt. Dave Grady LOS

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Sgt. Larry Graham SE

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Sgt. Lori Drew Detectives

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the Rap Sheet | October, 2008

An open letter to the members about the next PPA president

by Detective Jim Lawrence Cold Case Homicide

Many of you know me as being willing to stand up and speak when I think I need to. I have learned that what I think needs to be said isn’t always what should have been said. I have taken ownership of my words and the responsibility for uttering them. I view that as an example of one of the most important leadership traits: Integrity. I will likely make my voting decisions in all of the elections this fall on the principle of integrity foremost and all else a distant second. I have spoken with three of the candidates for PPA president personally about what they want to bring to the Executive Board. I missed the presentation by one candidate and will make arrangements to meet with him before the election. But after the visit by Tom Brennan to the detective divi-

sion on September 30, I have made one decision: Anybody but Brennan! Tom Brennan has published numerous articles in The Rap Sheet that have served no other purpose that to insult our command staff , alienate detectives, criminalists and sergeants, and serve his own ideas of grandiosity. At our meeting, he could not take ownership of what he had previously written in The Rap Sheet or by e-mail. He claimed that he was misunderstood on most everything he said and tried to minimize the impact of his words. He was unwilling to stand up for what he has stated and, in my opinion, showed a complete lack of judgment for saying most of what he says the way he says it. If he didn’t mean what his last three articles have said, then why do

they all have the same tone and language?

Portland Police Highland Guard The Portland Police Highland Guard is proud to serve the members of the PPB and our community. Our organization is comprised of Portland Police officers, firefighters, dispatchers and family members of the same. The Highland Guard is a 501-c3, not-for-profit, organization. Your contributions are our primary funding resource and they are greatly appreciated! Please mail them to: PPHG, PO Box 4072, Portland, OR 97208 www.portlandpolicehighlandguard.com

Our union needs an Executive Board that will fight for better conditions for all officers with widening the divide between the union and City Hall. People who have recently spoken with Tom Mack, a very outspoken and previously divisive union figure, have told me that Tom regrets the politics that surrounded the union at the time when he was in office. Our union needs a leader that can get through the doors and press for what we need, not get the doors slammed in his/her face because they think they can flippantly say whatever they want and then not have to be responsible for it. Freedom of speech is precious but comes with responsibility.

OCPA urges “NO” vote on Measure 64

by Meredith Smith Oregon Council of Police Associations

Voters will start receiving ballots on October 17, just a few days away. We face a steep challenge. If voters learn from all of us the truth about how Measure 64 would impact our state, they will reject this bad idea from Bill Sizemore. This dangerous initiative would ban many nonprofit organizations from accepting donations given by public employees through convenient payroll deduction—or given by anyone at an event in a public building.

unions that engage in very broadly defined “political activity” would be barred from accepting donations either made by public employees through voluntary payroll deduction or given by anyone at an event in a public building. The initiative includes severe fines and limits on groups’ future fundraising efforts.

Ballot Measure 64 is another bad idea from Bill Sizemore, the racketeer whose organization has been caught repeatedly committing fraud and forgery and abusing Oregon’s initiative system.

Measure 64 would unfairly shut out from the political process thousands of working Oregonians who pool together small contributions to make their voice heard—including police officers, firefighters, nurses and teachers—but would do nothing to address the political influence of corporate special interests. And all Oregonians would lose the right to support many charities through the state charitable checkoff program.

All nonprofit charities and labor

Measure 64 would even man-

There will be serious negative impacts for Oregonians

read us online at www.ppavigil.org

date local authorities and police organizations’ fundraising activities. Choosing who to support and who not to support is a decision that individual Oregonians should continue to make without interference by the government or Bill Sizemore. We have the power to prevent this train wreck from ever happening. To keep alive Oregonians’ rich tradition of giving to nonprofit organizations, please vote no on Measure 64 Thank you for continuing to stand up to protect the voices of all Oregonians. Together, we will defeat this dangerous initiative— again. Like a bad penny, Sizemore is back. For additional information contact “The No on Measure 64 Team” at (503) 2885864 or [email protected].

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Bigger issues face the PPA than free Slurpees

by Officer Pete Taylor East Precinct

I’ve had the chance to talk with many of you at roll calls and informally over the last month. Thanks to all who took the time to chat with me and give me feedback. For those of you I missed, I’m sorry we didn’t have the chance to connect. I wanted to use this opportunity to respond to a few issues that have come up and also restate my core values. I don’t believe that the preservation of the right to free Slurpees at 7-11 is the biggest issue facing our association. I do believe we should be focused on a package in 2010 that speaks to the future of our police bureau. It is reasonable for Portland to invest in a pay and benefits system that encourages qualified people to join us and stay with us as police officers. I don’t believe we should commit to a system of new, targeted incentive pays. Every incentive or target pay leaves behind a large group of our peers. I do believe we should seek an across-the-board raise that lifts everyone in the union: sergeants, detectives, criminalists and officers alike. We all contribute to the success of the organization and we should all receive compensation for that effort. A broad-based pay adjustment is also consistent with my central argument that to help our future, the contract of 2010 must have an immediate impact also that helps boost recruitment. I understand that past agreements for Rose Festival staffing have been less than perfect. I think we can do better. However, I do not believe that one part of our association should have to bear the whole burden. I do believe that many of us may have to contribute to a fair plan. The compromise may have to spread around some inconvenience. I do not have a background in investigations. I’ve been accused of being “just” a police officer. To that, I plead guilty. page 4

I am unapologetically enthusiastic about my patrol background and being a uniformed police officer. I do not believe this impairs my ability to ably represent those of us who wear something other than blue polyester to work each day. For starters, please see my comments above about who should benefit from our next contract: Everyone in the association. I don’t believe in leaving anyone behind. When I speak of “police officers,” I am referring to all of us. The public, the media and politicians certainly don’t distinguish the differences our assignments. They think of us as a unified group and refer to us as “police officers.” For our own good, I hope we do the same. I do not believe the association should ever promote noncompliance with lawful orders or engage in other activities that would likely result in us being on the wrong side of an unfair labor practice judgment. I do believe we should seek enhancement of workplace conditions, but that we do this in a respectful and responsible manner. Even when there aren’t contractual implications, there is a role for our union to advocate for common sense improvement on our behalf. If you are looking for an association president whose primary role is to badmouth the Bureau, I’m not that person and please vote for someone else. I do believe that we have a fundamentally sound organization with good people trying to do a difficult job with grace, guts and pride. That said, there will be times it is appropriate to disagree with others or to raise the bar for our organization. I want an association that supports that effort. I am happy to be loud and passionate, but I will do it in a positive and constructive manner. Thanks once more for your contributions. I am proud to call you my friends, peers and coworkers.

Vote Westerman for PPA president I am running for PPA president and I would like your support. If I tried to express in writing the details of my plans and the direction I want to take our union, I would end up with a 15 page document. As a result, for this article, I want to focus on how I became involved in the union, my experience and my approach. For the first eight years of my career, I never had a real need for union representation. Then one day, I did. I clearly remember the Personnel Division captain asking me to sign a piece of paper authorizing the release of documents. However, he told me I wasn’t entitled to review the documents I was supposed to release. That didn’t sound right to me, so I looked at my PPA rep and he said, “Go ahead and sign it, they’re going to need this.” I refused. Both the captain and my rep pressured me to sign. After steadfastly refusing, my PPA rep called the PPA attorney who agreed that I should not sign the papers. My rep came back in, and said, “We aren’t going to sign anything!” It was at that point I recognized the value of smart, solid, professional representation and realized I wasn’t getting it. A year later, I became a shop

steward, and then was elected VP for Central Precinct. For the next eight years, I represented and advised hundreds of officers through every aspect of the disciplinary process. I have responded to and represented more than a dozen officers involved in the use of deadly force, both witness officers and shooters. I also know first hand the stress and problems associated with being personally involved in two deadly force incidents. For the last three years, I have been the Police Bureau’s elected representative to the Fire and Police Disability and Retirement (FPD&R) board of trustees. I have extensive experience engaging the citizens of Portland and rallying their support of the police. Those who live or work in SW Portland can attest to how Sgt. Steve Andrusko and I energized the residents to speak up in support of us. I believe my experience makes me the most qualified to be your PPA president. I have heard from several people over the last few weeks that their main concern is that I am “unfiltered.” I would absolutely agree; when I am with a group of my peers. However, I encourage you to watch the televised FPD&R board meetings

Westerman for president I want to take a minute of your time to tell you why I think you should strongly consider Scott Westerman as your choice for PPA president. First, to put it plainly, Scott Westerman is the most qualified for the position. He was a shop steward before being elected vice president at Central Precinct, serving a total of eight years in those positions. He has assisted more than 250 bureau members as their PPA representative in Internal Affairs investigations. (This includes more than twelve officer-involved shooting cases.) He was elected to the Fire Police Disability and Retirement Board (FPD&R) nearly four years ago and has tirelessly fought for the rights of bureau members while serving on this critically important board. Additionally, Sgt. Westerman has

by Officer Mark White Southeast Precinct

served on countless committees and participated in numerous forums while representing PPA interests. Secondly, Scott Westerman has the temperament, motivation and skills do the job and by my estimation, they far exceed his competition in this election. He has the ability to be tough, decisive and diplomatic at the same time. Moreover, he is the only candidate I’ve seen so far that is actually expressing new ideas about the future direction of the PPA, such as incentive pays, shift differentials, increased pay percentages for uniform patrol, etc. I’ve got no dog in this fight. I will be retired from the Portland Police Bureau before this new contract becomes a reality. My

by Sergeant Scott Westerman Southeast Precinct

that are available on the City’s Web page. I ask that you talk with people who observed me when I was on the chief’s forum, which was also televised. Talk with the hundreds of officers I’ve represented or the investigators on the other side of the table during those investigations, or talk to any officer that has joined me at a community meeting. They will tell you that when I am representing the Police Bureau or the PPA, I do so with the utmost professionalism. My approach is simple. We need to maintain a professional relationship with the members, the citizens of Portland, Police Bureau management and the City Council. I have an established, solid working relationship with the administration of the Police Bureau and with City Hall. I have in the past had vehement disagreements with management and members of City Council on specific issues, but they remain respectful disagreements, not antagonistic ones. That allows me to approach those same individuals to discuss new issues without bad feelings that might impede progress. For issues I am not able to solve through discusContinued on page 5

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opinions about Scott Westerman were formed only after working around him for the last year and a half. He not only has exceptional managerial talent, his ethics are beyond reproach. Anyone that has worked around Scott Westerman can testify to his motivation and passion for the Portland Police Bureau. This upcoming contract is undoubtedly the most important contract I’ve seen in the 20 years I’ve been with the bureau. We need a PPA president that is already versed in the issues and clearly has the tools to get the membership the contract it deserves. This is a lousy time for “on the job training.” In conclusion, I’ve seen quite a few PPA presidents come and go in the last 20 years. Some served the membership better than others. My only two cents is this: Don’t make this election a popularity contest! the Rap Sheet | October, 2008

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sions, make no mistake, I will use the grievance and unfair labor complaint procedures consistently to obtain what is just for our membership. In short, my approach is this: We are men and women of honor, integrity, dedication and professionalism, and our union needs to exemplify those characteristics. My request of you is this. This election will have a direct impact on you. When you are with other Police Bureau members, PPA or management, talk with them about the issues we are facing. Talk with them about the issues all of the candidates are bringing up. Talk about how this election is not about a single issue, but is about selecting a leader for our future. Finally, talk with them about who you think would be your strongest advocate in representing the PPA. I would like to see every PPA member vote in this election. I am not in this race for me. I am in it for you. For all of you. I have a passion and a deep sense of commitment to the men and women of the PPA. As anyone I have ever represented will attest to, there is no better advocate for you than me. I have the energy, enthusiasm, experience and motivation to effectively represent each and every one of you. I would be proud and honored to have your support.

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Bob Miller for PPA secretary-treasurer I’m concerned about the future of this association. We are in a time when morale is low, our wages are lagging behind those around us and our leadership is in flux. We are also at a time when we have an opportunity to make some significant gains on each of these issues. First, I want to say that I respect Mitch Copp and the job he has done as secretary-treasurer. I know that Mitch does what he does because he has a tremendous respect for the members. I also have a tremendous respect for you, the members. I just do not agree with the direction that Mitch thinks is best. I will work my hardest to defend you, your rights and to negotiate the best deal I can for you. Mitch Copp thinks that our lawyer of 25+ years has outlived his usefulness. Our lawyer that has been involved in every contract negotiation since 1980. Our lawyer, which through arbitration, has overturned every politically motivated, unjust discipline we’ve brought to him. Our lawyer, whose firm negotiated the Port of Portland and Seattle contracts. Those

that want him gone don’t have a replacement ready. We cannot afford to be shopping for representation just a year and a half before we start negotiating. I also believe that we must have a unified association leadership. We cannot afford to have leadership that does not work cooperatively to accomplish the goals of the PPA. An association divided is easier to beat than an association united. I have spoken to all of the presidential candidates and agreed to support their leadership of the PPA if I’m elected. Most have agreed that they will work with me to help move the association forward. I served as a shop steward at North Precinct and Training and as a shop steward and vice president at Southeast Precinct. Since then I have been working for you and your rights as the PPA voice on the Executive Board of the Oregon Council of Police Associations, first

by Officer Bob Miller Training Division

as vice president and, since January, as president. During that time, with your support and that of the 4,800 other members, we passed the first bill undoing the damage that Senate Bill (SB) 750 did in the 1990s. We now have the right to demand that the City bargain with us over safety issues. We defeated a piece of SB111 that would have opened the Grand Jury records in officer-involved uses of deadly force. The chief, and most of the City Council, fought us every step of the way. We also got DPSST to the table to discuss the decertification process. The OCPA was only able to accomplish these things because of our members getting involved, contacting politicians and getting the community behind us. I think that the there are four key components of the Secretary-Treasurer position: First: Maintain the financial health of the PPA. I am commit-

ted to maintaining the health of the PPA and maintaining sufficient reserves to fight whatever we need to. Second: Advocate for our members. I believe that each of us deserves to be treated honestly with dignity and respect. I will not blindly support every member, no matter what the facts, but I will make a decision based on the facts and put everything I have behind getting a fair conclusion. Third: Communicate with our members. Every dues payer needs to know what is happening in the association and how we are protecting your rights. Fourth: Support the president and the Executive Board in accomplishing our collective goals. It is my personal belief that the best way to get things done for the PPA is to put pressure on the politicians who decide our future. To do that we have to craft a message that will bring the public’s will to bear on the chief and the City Council. If I’m elected I will work to organize the membership to get our message out and let people know that there is a cost to crossing the PPA.

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President’s Message In the political environment of Portland we need to develop and maintain relationships with people and groups who have very different perspectives from our own. These relationships are important for getting our work done. We cannot litigate every case and problem we face—we would go broke. Respectful diplomacy and compromise are necessary tools to be effective and get results on the issues that really matter. One of the advantages of this approach is access. I can pick up the phone or go meet with anyone in the City on any given topic and resolve most problems or disputes. Influence and persuasion are two of our most important skills sets. I have one final comment about this election. Attendance at PPA meetings is usually low. Maybe it will always be that way. If there has ever been a time to get involved, it’s now. Listen to the candidates and ask hard questions. Vote for the person you believe will put us in the best position for success, success in the next negotiation, success in protecting officers in the discipline process and success in how we are viewed by the public. That’s the ultimate question here: Who will behave in a way that increases the likelihood of our being successful on the issues that matter to us? Who is that person? When you receive your ballot, you will get to decide. read us online at www.ppavigil.org

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No better friend. No worse enemy.

by Officer Tom Brennan Central Precinct

It seems lately if you rely on The Oregonian editorial section and Mayor Tom “do you like my beard” Potter to keep you informed about the job the chief is doing, you would be led to believe in addition to fixing everything that is wrong with the bureau, our current chief is also working on a cure for cancer and a comprehensive Middle East peace plan. Unfortunately as many of us are aware, you can’t believe all you read and hear. The fact of the matter is that so far this year four tenured officers have resigned their positions at PPB, and several others are having background checks done by other agencies or are looking into getting out of law enforcement all together. To make matters worse, finding decent replacements for these officers seems to be next to impossible. I am hoping this disturbing trend changes, but in order to fix a problem, you must first admit there is a problem. Personally, I am unable to figure out if some members of the Chief’s Office are in denial or if they just don’t care about fixing real problems. I will no longer write about morale problems in my letters because thus far they seem to have fallen on deaf management ears. Apparently, if the Oregonian and Tom “you guys racially profile” Potter think you are doing a good job, then little else matters. I will only add improving morale should not be a novel concept to management, but I am beginning to have my doubts. When I first transferred to PPB almost eight years ago, I was impressed the chief of police actually took time to send out birthday, sympathy and congratulation cards to members. This policy was quickly stopped by the current administration. Holiday roll call visits were also stopped by this administration. For that matter, communication between the 15th floor and the rank and file officers, as well as roll call visits of any kind seem to have been page 6

deemed a waste of management’s time. Most troubling to me is the fact our chief has time to be knighted by the Royal Rosarians, time to ride in the Grand Floral Parade, time to serve on the “racial profiling committee,” but not enough time to visit or call a Central night shift officer in the hospital, where he lay injured after being struck by a drunk driver (folks I am not making this stuff up, just ask Bill Shaw). Would this officer have gotten a call or visit if his dad was the mayor, or if the Oregonian were looking? Only one person truly knows the answer to this query. Most shocking to me over the past couple of months, was the soap opera that played itself out recently in the media between our chief and the potential new police commissioner Randy Leonard. In several articles I read, I was disturbed to find quotes from our chief trying to inform City Hall who she will and will not work for, as well as other unfortunate comments about ramifications in certain segments of the community, if she were not retained as chief. If they can’t get along, or at least agree to disagree, shouldn’t they go to mediation like officers are sometimes asked and/or required to do, to avoid citizen’s complaints from staining their records? I have spent 37 combined years in the military and police work and can’t recall a single time when I was ever asked who I wanted to work for, nor have I ever seen fit to comment on who I would or would not work for. The Police Bureau is not, and has never been about one or two people and their career aspirations, but rather about the 900+ sworn personnel who risk their lives daily, trying to make Portland a safer place to live. More importantly, it is about the 26 officers’ names inscribed on the Police Memorial wall that have paid the ultimate price in pursuit of this objective.

I would like to see the Chief’s Office start asking what they can do for Bureau members, rather than what the Bureau members can do for them (sorry John F. Kennedy for altering your famous quote). Fortunately for those of us with several years remaining before retirement, there is a long list of great mid-level managers rising through the ranks. These are leaders who have lead by example throughout most of their careers, and are generally universally respected by the subordinates whose leadership they are entrusted. The particular ones I have had the pleasure of working for or around are leaders like Bret Smith, Mike Reese, Vince Jarmer, John Tellis, Chris Uehara, Mike Lee, Pat Walsh, Bill Walker, Bob Day, Devinci Elmore and Mike Leloff. I would follow any or all of these leaders into battle without question. As I am sure many of you are aware by now, I have decided to run for the PPA presidency. This decision was not something I took lightly, as being the voice and face representing over 900 sworn personnel on the Bureau is a daunting task. I can assure you nobody has or will continue to work harder than I in making sure that the public is aware of the great job you do on a daily basis. I will also continue to fight the fights that need to be fought, whether taking on the Obama campaign for placing port o’potties on our Police Memorial, or local mentally challenged parking ticket giving attorneys, and most importantly standing up to the Chief’s Office when they continue the trend of “Monday Morning Quarterbacking” splitsecond life and death decisions made by officers, or imposing discipline on officers not by the nature of the offense, but rather who the person was who committed the offense. I will no longer be simply satisfied to rely on just filing grievance after grievance to seek remedy for officers, but in some cases I will take their case to the various media outlets in Portland. If all else fails, we can and will take the case to our City Council. I have already met with our probable new Police Commissioner Randy Leonard, and we share a lot of commonality to

the direction the Bureau should take in the months and years ahead. I will also meet with the rest of the members of our City Council over the coming weeks in the hopes we can form a consensus to the best ways we can get the Bureau and its members back on the right track. No matter who is the next president, this needs to be at the top of his “to do” list. Despite my misgivings on decisions made by this administration, of course I would prefer to work in conjunction with them on discipline matters and to solve some of our many problems. If the chief wants to make the right decision at the right time for the right reasons, she will have no better friend than me as PPA president. If she wants to continue making decisions based on what is best for her career and future ambitions, then she will have no worse enemy as PPA president. If the past two years are any indicator of future performance, I am not quite sure what to expect. Despite what the mayor may write in his letters to the editor, we (patrol, detectives and criminalists) continue to be asked to provide service like Wal-Mart, but we are only staffed like the local Plaid Pantry. Officers are still working all night, spending all day in court and then going in to work that night with no or little sleep. Officers are still not finding out if they have court until the night before their appearance date. Officers and detectives are still performing on-call duties, but are not receiving on-call pay. Central officers are still having their cars vandalized and towed because nobody wants to obtain parking for them. Officers are still being brought in front of never-ending review boards, while there seems to be no process in place to hold command-level personnel just as accountable. Many among us are finding their careers being judged by data obtained from computer programs (EIS). Detectives are not getting the training classes they need to effectively do their jobs (interview training, Reid, Wicklander and Zulwaiski, etc.), and are having cases piled high on their desks with no end in sight. We have to do better as the future of the Bureau depends on it.

My most important job if elected PPA president will be to work hard with our current labor attorney, to negotiate and obtain the best possible contract available so we can keep pace with other comparable agencies (Seattle 25%, Phoenix 13%, etc.). In addition to seeking a decent pay raise for us, I also want to lower the time of service required for longevity pay to 10 years (10 = 1.5% up to 25 years at 6%), get a nightshift differential for night officers (3%), and lastly seek a 2% physical fitness incentive pay for officers who are able to pass the U.S. Army physical agility test for their age group. Lastly, I want to assist in trying to turn around the downward spiral this agency has been in for the past several months. It is obvious to me the solutions to fix our problems will have to come from the bottom, and work their way up. We can no longer sit around and hold our breath, waiting for management to come up with solutions for our problems. I hope to do a better job of defining who we are to the public, rather than allowing people with their own agendas to do it for us. To know us is to love us, which is why I would ask every patrol officer take out a ridealong each month. It could be a friend, a neighbor, your spouse’s co-worker, anybody as long as we are educating and exposing the community to who we are. Making sure citizens are aware of the great things our officers are accomplishing daily. From the passionate work done by Bob Gorgone with the GREAT program, the inspiring work Angel Ocasio has done building bridges with the Hispanic community in Portland through the GREAT family program, to the revolutionary new Z-Man scholarship fund created by Chris Uehara and Joe Luiz which will pay for multiple children in the community to attend private high school. Next month I will write my last letter for a little bit, as my kids are back in school and I have less time. I have begun writing about a mock performance review board conducted on our current mayor. I will let you pass final judgment after reading it. God bless you all and make sure to stay away from those “major east coast city-type people” this fall. the Rap Sheet | October, 2008

Elect Sgt. Wayne Kuechler to the PPA board

by Sergeant Wayne Kuechler Telephone Reporting Unit

It is time for all of us to get more involved! That is why I decided to run for the Sergeants VP position. Let me be clear, it is not out of some dislike or lack of appreciation for the current representative. Simply put, it is because I feel I have something to offer and a desire to be more involved. I have been here over 23 years, seen innumerable chiefs come and go. I have seen one reactive policy and directive change after another. I have watched the constant rearranging of the chairs while morale continues to sink. I have witnessed what it is like for a member to be told it’s just a little rain shower when the storm is destroying their life. Despite it all, the one thing that has remained constant is that fine officers go out every day and do a difficult, thankless and dangerous job to protect people they don’t know from people that don’t care. We are good people who do an excellent job and we must look after ourselves. That’s what I will do. For those of you who don’t know me, I’ve been a Sergeant for 15 years and I’ll be one the day I retire. I’m just completing my master’s degree in public administration and have training and experience in executive boards and negotiations. Listed below are a few of my thoughts and goals as your representative. Member compensation: Portland officers should be the highest paid in Oregon. We are the highest trained, work in the highest crime areas,

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have the highest level of expectations placed upon us and are under the highest level of criticism and scrutiny. Yet, we are paid less than some other Oregon officers and out-of-state competitors who have received significant raises. It’s time for a raise! Member involvement: All elected representatives need to solicit more involvement and input from the members. Our strength is in our numbers and our solidarity. Members need to be encouraged to give more direct input to the decision making process. This is a time to get more members involved! Member assistance: We need to do a better job of caring for ourselves. Many current PPB policies actually discourage or prevent our intervention in non-disciplinary issues with our own members. Many officers will not access PPB EAP because they do not trust the Police Bureau. We must be able to care for and assist each other and we must establish our member rights to do so without PPB interference. It’s time to look after our members as much as we look after the public! Member discipline: The embarrassment and demeaning treatment of members subject to discipline needs to change. Article 20.2 of our contract states, “If the City has a reason to reprimand or discipline an officer, it shall be done in a manner that is least likely to embarrass the officer before other officers and the public.”

Ask anyone that has ever sat through a performance review board hearing with 15 inquisitors if that process was “done in a manner least likely to embarrass”? It’s time to challenge some of the punitive and demeaning processes that have been unilaterally implemented! PR for the association: We need to do a better job of publicly displaying the many positive ways we contribute to the community. All of us that volunteer should wear PPA shirts provided by the association. We should display a PPA banner at any event we assist with. We should promote our own awards and recognition system and not depend upon the PPB award system that ultimately requires a singular approval by the chief. It’s time we start tooting our own horn! Other unions/association: We need to develop better relationships with more local unions/associations.

To the officers, their families and loved ones. Thank you. Innerwork Counseling Center 20 years of specialized service to police officers and their families for rapid trauma recovery, performance enhancement, marriage and family support. Raymond Peterson, Ph.D., L.P.C. Lynn Fontana, Ph.D., L.M.F.T. phone 503.223.7719

There is an effort to destabilize and reduce union activities and involvement. We should do more to support our friends in other unions. What we do for them they will do for us. When it comes time for negotiating a raise, they will support us. It’s time to expand our influence by joining forces with others! Association representation: The PPA attorney should work for us providing consultation and advice. The Eboard owns the decisions it makes. I am neither for, nor against removing the current representation. What I am for is the clarification that the attorney works for us and the defining of roles and responsibilities. It’s time to make clear that the buck stops with your representation! Thanks for your time. Make sure to vote. Take care of yourself and each other.

Columbia County A great place to call home.

Continued from page 1

Lessons Learned Bureau continued under Mayor Vera Katz. Turnovers in the Chief’s Office continued with the selection of another out-oftown Police Chief, Mark Kroeker, as well as Portland’s own Tom Potter. Potter left office unexpectedly before his contract expired. The pattern of temporary leadership continued. Tom Potter had known the Police Bureau in better times. One expected that as Portland’s

mayor, he would use his influence within the City Council to meet the clear needs of the Police Bureau. Recruitment goals were not being met. An ineffective screening process was in place. A recent article in The Rap Sheet reported that at that time Portland’s five precincts with a total authorized strength of 603 sworn officers were actually operating with only 482 sworn personnel—118 short! Surely there are also budgetary issues that desperately need fixing. Street officers have complained about low morale with good cause.

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Potter appointed himself the commissioner in charge of the Police Bureau. Consequently, he takes his place in the chain of mayors who presided over the decline of the largest police department in the state. As one former police chief said recently, “Tom never did understand police work.”

Lesson learned:

There is much work to be done to restore the work environment of the Portland Police Bureau. Talent lies within.

Mick Taylor Principal Broker

phone 503-539-1117

Scappoose Branch 33548 Edward Lane, Suite 120 Scappoose, OR 97056 503-543-3751 ext.101

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Treasurer’s Report

by Sergeant Mitch Copp Secretary-Treasurer

Tournament supports Officer Assistance Fund The third annual PPA Golf Scramble at Stone Creek Golf Club was a huge success. One hundred golfers participated in the tournament and approximately $8000 was raised which will benefit the PPA Officer Assistance Fund. This event brought together current PPA members, retirees and our supporters in the business community for a great day of golf and camaraderie. Thanks to all of you who made the 2008 Golf Scramble a winner! The first place team included Jim McIntyre, Steve Myers, John Powers and Shanon Grey. They each won a $150 gift certificate to Morton’s Steakhouse. Second place went to Northeast Precinct Officers Ryan Reagan, Tony Hill, Mike Myers and Washougal P.D.’s Kyle Day. They each received a $100 gift certificate to Sayler’s Country Kitchen. Third place team winners were Greg Crawford, John Hinds, J.R. Hinds and Gavin Amato. They each received an Olive Garden gift certificate. KP winners included Mike Palmer and Jeff O’Neil. They were each rewarded with gift certificates to Sayler’s Steakhouse and El Gaucho for their accuracy. The Long Drive winner was Southeast Precinct Officer Jenni Baxter, who won a $150 gift certificate to Morton’s Steakhouse. Blumenthal Uniforms sponsored the Long Drive competition. John O’Hanlon won the putting contest, and he received a new Sony Blu-Ray player donated by Quadrant Systems. A total of fifty prizes were distributed to PPA Scramble participants. Prizes included the Blu-Ray player donated by Quadrant Systems, rounds of golf at Stone Creek, Papa Murphy’s gift certificates, Blumenthal Uniforms gift certificates, Red Robin gift cards, Busters Barbeque gift cards, ten PSU football season ticket packages, a Bridgeport Ale House gift certificate, and a bottle of fine wine donated by Mike Kuykendall. Greg Crawford also donated a round for a foursome at Pumpkin Ridge. Half of all PPA Golf Scramble participants received a quality prize, and every player received a $25 gift card from Stone Creek when they registered.

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TITLE SPONSOR ADVANTIS CREDIT UNION I can’t thank Advantis Credit Union enough for their support as the 2008 PPA Golf Scramble Title Sponsor. The relationship between Advantis and PPA members has always been a great one, and is continuing to gain even more strength and momentum. The Advantis Board of Directors includes two retired former PPA members, and one current PPA member. Advantis is consistently one of the highest rated credit unions in the country, and their loyalty to the PPA membership is valued and appreciated.

HOLE SPONSORS NATIONWIDE INSURANCE Nationwide Insurance has now played a role as a sponsor three consecutive years. Agency owner Bo Andrews, and her husband Harold Andrews, offer two convenient office locations for PPA members (Tigard and North Portland). Please contact The Andrews Agency at 503-684-1706 to get a quote and learn about your Affinity discount.

ALTRIA GROUP Altria Group, headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, generously sponsored a hole in the 2008 Golf Scramble. We appreciate Altria’s support.

GARD COMMUNICATIONS Gard Communications is an advertising, public relations and public affairs firm based in Portland. They focus on corporate, issue and political communications and their strategies are carried out with grace and respect. The PPA is proud to be associated with Gard Communications and is fortunate to have the firm’s president, Brian Gard, as the PPA’s public relations advisor.

MICHAEL STAROPOLI, JAMES McINTYRE AND STEVEN MYERS These three PPA attorneys are your advocates and defenders if you are involved in an officer involved shooting. The PPA is pleased to have these three lawyers on our team. All three have previous experience as Multnomah County Deputy District Attorneys, and they will respond 24/7 when police officers seek representation after a critical incident.

Thanks to Steve, Mike and Jim for their support of the 2008 PPA Golf Scramble.

PORTLAND BUSINESS ALLIANCE AND PORTLAND DOWNTOWN SERVICES, INC. The Portland Business Alliance is Greater Portland’s Chamber of Commerce. Over 1300 businesses are members of the Alliance, including the PPA. The Alliance manages Downtown Clean and Safe for Downtown Services, Inc. to insure that Portland’s downtown is the best place to live, work shop and play. The Alliance and PPA members are working together daily to achieve mutual goals and objectives.

MAGNACORP AND STANDARD INSURANCE COMPANY Magnacorp is a client-focused financial services organization working with employers and employees to help them establish priorities and develop strategies to achieve financial success. Tom Fink of Magnacorp has had a long history of positive involvement with the PPA and oversees our Standard Insurance disability account. Much thanks to Tom and Standard for their sponsorship.

SONITROL PACIFIC In 1978, Sonitrol Pacific’s mission was to provide customers with the highest level of security for their dollar invested, and to provide customers with more than they feel they were paying for. After almost thirty years in business, Sonitrol Pacific employees have maintained their focus on this mission. Police officers know that Sonitrol is the most effective alarm system available. Thanks to Chris Contreras, Sales Manager of the Portland office, for his participation and support.

OTHER VALUED TOURNAMENT SPONSORS Donald Wiggins Brian Coushay, Josten’s (Beverage Sponsor) Randy Reagan, Quadrant Systems Bennett and Dalton Security Blumenthal Uniforms Portland State Athletics Busters Barbeque Red Robin Papa Murphy’s Pizza Bridgeport Ale House Mike Kuykendall Greg Crawford Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse Mortons Steakhouse Sayler’s Old Country Kitchen El Gaucho the Rap Sheet | October, 2008

A street by another name

by Detective Lori Goodwin

What-up with Portland and street names? Someone or some group in Portland wants to “honor” someone by putting their dearly departed name on a street. So what does one do to change a street name? They take their request to the City Council so they can argue and spend precious decision making time and our city money to war over which existing street name gets axed. Then the arduous task is left to the businesses and residences to come to terms with honor thrust in their face, the new street identity and the cost to reprint stationary (a senseless act that kills trees). So I ask Portlanders who we would want to honor enough to bring such contention and cost to our city? I bring you Martin Luther King Blvd.—more affectionately called MLK Blvd. because the street name is way too long to be a street name. I admired Martin Luther King’s message and the changes his cause created in bringing people together. I didn’t really like his name, I liked his message. His message was unity. His message boiled down to equality; he wanted to unite the people and fought against racial segregation. His message boiled down to a word like “Union.” Which was the street name we axed to re-name it MLK Blvd. I wonder what Martin Luther King would have said about placing his name on miles of street signs at the cost of thousands of dollars to taxpayers and the strife that divided so many people at that time. I think he would have said no to the name change. I think that Union Blvd. would have been the name that honored him most because it wasn’t his birth name that made him honorable—it was his message and the way he lived his life. Caesar Chavez is not a name I want to place on a street sign. It is hard to say and difficult to spell and it doesn’t really have much meaning by the simple grouping of the letters. It is just a name that his parents wished to call him. Yet, he was prob-

ably a great man. So if you want to honor the name his parents gave him, and the image of the man, then those in Portland who wish to honor his name should Google each other. Then they should get together with their own honorable money and erect a golden statue of the man and place it in a park with his name on the image. I’ll bet if you could go back and ask Caesar Chavez what action would honor him most, he would tell Portland not to tag his name all over Portland on street signs, but rather to live his message. If honor was in a name we would all name our children Mother Teresa, Pamela Anderson, Abraham Lincoln, Tiny Loco or Jesus Christ, depending on whom you honored, right? Street name decisions would really differ here in our diverse Portland population depending on which group in you asked. If I asked people I work with, Portland’s domestic terrorists, what street name would honor them they would angrily demand, “Torilla Flats Street” or “Bloods Blvd.” or the all popular “18th Street.” They like those names so much they actually take it upon themselves to rename all the streets they live on or nearby with spray paint. They use our city as their canvas, honoring names right and left, bypassing the City Counsel without argument or red tape. They kill and maim people in the “honor” of their names. But, if we honored The Kerby Blocc Crips by renaming “Kerby Avenue” to “Kerby Blocc” to honor them, it really doesn’t benefit the city as a whole. Also, the other groups might get angry and rather than storm out of roundtables they might actually start shooting it out over the whole process. What a mess that would be. I would show up at these meetings arguing their streets should be renamed “Measure 11th” or “Hard Blue Line,”—I mean Lane, in honor of justice (of course.) If you asked me, “Lori, who would you want to honor?” I would tell you to name the

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biggest street in Portland “God Street” in honor of the Creator of the Universe. I like to think big. Everyone (decent) would want to live there and be a good citizen on God Street, except for gang members who might drive around the area to avoid being targeted by lightning strikes, hail storms and or becoming salt pillars of the community. I like God’s justice—swift and accurate with no questions asked. Think of the entertainment value! But wow, what a name, eh, God Street? Everyone would be asking “How do I get there?” and “Does it exist?” I would say yah it exists. Just merge off Haight Street onto Love Avenue then you can’t miss it. However if you do miss it, you’ll hit a dead end and then you’ll know you have gone too far.

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Where do Portlanders draw the line when naming their streets? When will it end? Who will they say no to? Would we draw the line at Trey Arrow Ave.? Why do Portlanders wrangle with such ridiculous issues? You don’t hear about Oregon City or Beaverton changing their street names to appease certain honorariums. Maybe persons wishing to honor other people’s names and causes use the name to hide behind (maybe?) rather than to exert the effort to become the thing they honor? (Just a thought.) Okay, back to my point and that is this: If you want to best honor a person, live the message the person represented. Don’t waste Portland’s money renaming a street because it causes too much controversy, division and strife and doesn’t honor anyone! It costs tax payers money that could be used for better causes. If you ask anyone in Portland what benefit to Portlanders there would be in changing a street name, no one would be able to give reasons justifying the exorbitant cost. Take the money instead and honor the man by promoting his message and leave well enough alone.

Two PPA members for the price of one!

Take it from me, Lori “G,” on the corner of Kill’ and MLK.

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New research offers hope for cops fighting terrorists “Local law enforcers tend to believe that terrorists come from a long distance away to attack without warning in their jurisdiction,” says Dr. Brent Smith, director of the Terrorism Research Center at the University of Arkansas. “Officers often feel they are prey and that there’s nothing much they can do about it. We need to alter that mind-set.” The results to date of a multiphase research project Smith is leading for the National Institute of Justice should help do just that. His findings show that Timothy McVeigh, the 9/11 hijackers, and abortion clinic bomber Eric Rudolph, who selected targets hundreds of miles from their homes, are stark exceptions. “Most terrorist types strike close by, often within 30 miles of where they live, and they typically present precursor (preevent) clues of what’s coming,” Smith told Force Science News. And while terrorist acts appear unpredictable, there is, in fact, “some predictability” to them. With an awareness of common patterns and the right intelligence gathering, observation and interviewing skills, local peace officers may be able to disrupt terrorists’ plans before they wreak havoc. “If you look at the majority of terrorist acts in North America from the 1960s forward, you’ll see that Dr. Smith is right on target,” says Dr. Bill Lewinski, executive director of the Force Science Research Center at Minnesota State University-Mankato. “Lives have been imperiled and great damage has been inflicted on our culture with the greatest frequency by terrorism on a local scale. “Smith’s work debunks some pervasive false assumptions and should be empowering to local law enforcement.” Smith, a professor of sociol-

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ogy and criminal justice and a researcher of terrorism in America for nearly 3 decades, launched his current on-going project in 2003 with curiosity about how terrorist behavior might compare with that of “conventional” criminals, a subject about which “little information has been available,” he says. Other studies have shown that “traditional” criminals generally commit their crimes close to home, and as creatures of opportunity, they tend to operate spontaneously. But, in light of terrorism commonly being perceived as a foreign threat, what is the true geographic range of terroristic criminals, Smith wondered? How long do they spend planning their deeds? And do different types of terrorist groups vary in these respects? Using publicly accessible data, Smith and his research team first spent two years analyzing 60 cases of terrorism within the U.S., attempting to pinpoint “pre-incident indicators;” that is, the preparatory steps terrorists take before striking. Then the researchers spent another two years studying 59 additional cases from the standpoints of preparation time and geography, focusing particularly on environmental and international terrorism. Overall, the cases examined spanned 25 years of terrorist activity in this country. For the most part, these cases resulted in federal indictments, and they

Force Science News www.forcesciencenews.com

represented attacks by four major types of groups: left-wing, right-wing, single-issue and international. The results so far, which were disclosed recently, have been surprising, Smith says.

Precursor Acts In a report on his work, Smith writes: “Terrorists most commonly prepared for their attacks with surveillance and intelligence gathering, robberies and thefts to raise funding, weapons violations and bomb manufacturing. Most of these behaviors took place relatively near their homes and targets.” For instance, among the single-issue terrorists studied, such as environmental and antiabortion extremists, 71 percent of the preparatory acts occurred within 12 miles of the ultimate target; 92 percent within 28 miles. These figures may be influenced by “lone wolf” sympathizers who impulsively decided on their own to use tactics of “uncoordinated violence” in support of a single-issue cause. However, even among international terrorists, who typically are more highly organized, nearly 60 percent “prepared for their attacks within 30 miles of their target sites.” Only major illegal fund-raising acts—robberies, burglaries and thefts—tended to break this pattern. These crimes often occurred “much farther away,” sometimes several hundred miles distant, “apparently to avoid drawing [police] attention to the group’s location and target choice,” Smith states. According to Smith, about 85 percent of the counts in federal indictments brought against terrorists in the United States relate to precursor activities, such as manufacturing silenc-

ers, failing to pay tax on explosive devices, converting semiauto to fully automatic weapons and illegal immigration. “Not all preparatory activities are explicitly illegal,” he says. The most common precursor activity, for example, is surveillance of a potential target, an activity that “may arouse the suspicions of an alert officer who is not too quick to dismiss what he sees.”

Target Proximity When it comes to selecting targets, “terrorists think globally but act locally,” Smith says. Law enforcement’s focus needs to be on “local events and persons as the primary source of information about terrorist activities.” Some differences are evident among terrorist types. “International terrorists lived relatively near their targets, whereas right-wing terrorists lived in rural areas but selected targets reflecting the ‘pollutants of urban life’ in nearby cities,” he reports. Overall, nearly half the terrorists examined lived within 90 miles of their target, with 44 percent residing within 30 miles. In the international-terrorist category, “nearly threefifths lived within 30 miles of their targets and over 75 percent lived within 90 miles,” Smith says. Preparation Time The researchers found that preparations, including preevent crimes, “generally began less than 6 months before the attack and ended with a flurry of actions a day or so before. “This pattern varied by group type. Single-issue and rightwing terrorists engaged in substantially less preparatory crime over a shorter period—once again, most likely reflecting the use of ‘leaderless resistance’ and lone-wolf strategies.’ The planning cycle of international terrorists tended to be longer.” Compared to environmental extremists, for instance, international terrorists engaged in nearly three times as many preparatory acts per incident, and the average planning cycle

was considerably longer. “Whereas environmental terrorists committed an overwhelming majority of their preparatory activities in the week before the incident, international terrorists often took up to six months to prepare,” Smith notes. The “larger number of people usually involved in international incidents” and the “size and scope of the planned incident” may be factors in the difference. So may the fact that environmental extremists often use unstable home-made explosives that can’t be stored for long periods. One group that Smith’s team studied was an environmentalist organization of at least 16 members known as “The Family,” to which 21 terrorist incidents were attributed, including multiple attacks on U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management buildings and the arson of a Colorado ski resort. Although generally eschewing impromptu “uncoordinated violence and lone-wolf strategies,” 85 percent of The Family’s “known preparation activities—typically, inspection of the target, purchase of bomb-making items from local stores, and identification of a staging area a short distance from the target—still occurred within six days of the planned attack. An explosive device was assembled at the staging area a day or so before the incident and then delivered to the target. Participants usually returned to the staging area to destroy any evidence.” With such a tight timetable, Smith points out, police may need to move quickly to harden targets once suspicions surface, rather than try to employ more time-friendly strategies like infiltration of the group.”

Police Implications With terrorists of all stripes generally living near their target, preparing for their strike over a period of time, and conducting most of their precursor acts near both their residence and their intended target, Smith believes there is strong potenContinued on page 11

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the Rap Sheet | October, 2008

Tactical verbalization

by William Harvey PoliceMag.com

Positive self-talk can improve your tactics One of the more difficult skills for the recruit to grasp is critical tactical thinking. This is a much sought after skill and it is sometimes difficult to cultivate. As a recruit you will have many doubts and fears during your response to calls or danger. The academy can only teach so much; you must develop your senses. But how?

Self Talk If you recall your emergency vehicle operations course (EVOC), you have the concept. Now just adjust it to tactical response. In driving an emergency vehicle, you were taught to verbalize to your instructor upcoming road hazards or conditions. On the left are two kids playing in a yard; they could do this or that. Coming upon a four-way intersection, I do not have the light and so forth. Recall this drill? You still should

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be doing this while driving to make yourself a safe emergency vehicle operator.

Tactics Are No Different Quick review: Concealment is something that hides your presence and cover is something that hides and protects you from incoming weapon or projectile fire. One performance exercise that you will be graded on daily is your tactical thinking and response to dangers (every department has different verbiage). How did you approach a business during an alarm? How did you stand by a door or window? Did you walk down the sidewalk or take a more advantageous route? Recall these? You should be thinking to yourself as you approach any call for perceived dangers. For example, when I park the patrol car I should not park directly in

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tial for many planned terrorist events coming to the attention of local law enforcement before their scheduled occurrence. “For law enforcement, the implications of these patterns are significant,” he writes. In a further analysis of terrorist data, he hopes in the next phase of his research to identify in greater detail the specific sequence of pre-event activities that terrorists tend to engage in. Knowing such information may enhance law enforcement’s opportunities to intervene. Lewinski shares Smith’s hope that what the research is revealing will help stimulate a more proactive mind-set among LEOs. “Terrorists are not just a far-off, foreign threat,” he told Force Science News. “A terrorist attack by an extremist group or individual can occur in small towns and rural areas as well as big cities—wherever there is a vulnerable or desirable target. “With that in mind, anticipate what there is in your jurisdiction that might invite attack. Be observant for signs of surveillance or staging activ-

ity in and near those potential targets. Develop intelligence contacts in places that may supply ingredients that can be applied to terrorist activity. Probe more deeply with subjects who are unduly nervous or deceptive in your presence. “The fundamentals of good police work can be a strong weapon against terrorism. Dr. Smith’s studies should motivate 5 percenters to expand their thinking about the terrorist problem, to focus on more thorough investigative tactics, and to commit themselves to being part of the solution to this persistent threat.” To read a report on Dr. Smith’s work that appears in the NIJ Journal, visit: http:// www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/journals/260/ terrorist-behavior.htm. For more information on the University of Arkansas’s Terrorism Research Center, which focuses on “terrorism, extremist violence and the effectiveness of intervention strategies,” visit: http://trc. uark.edu/. Dr. Smith was assisted in directing his research by Dr. Kelly Damphousse, a so

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front of the building. I exit and approach to the side of the business where there is a wooden fence (concealment) and then move behind a dumpster (cover). You should take critical microseconds to gain a tactical advantage that places you in an advantageous position to observe and respond. Taking it to a higher playing field, plan out the escape routes as well. If I am standing here and I take on fire, I can drop off the porch for immediate cover. Run to the big tree or behind this car to gain immediate cover. Then regroup to seek other tactics as this event unfolds. Yes, I said escape routes, for you do not want to paint yourself into a corner you can’t get out of. I have always said that a good run to regroup is better than a bad stand. Don’t believe me? Research Custer.

Talk It Through What I want to offer up here is a refresher on verbalization of perceived dangers. No, you as a recruit will not know them all and you will be directed by your FTO on more perils to look for. What is important here is to enhance your ‘but what, if then’ thinking. There is neither a presentation nor book that is going to instill tactical thinking into your head. You must think and live tactics to survive out there in the streets. Stop, analyze and use all of your senses to make the proper decisions. There is nothing better than a big stinky dumpster to get behind for cover when that need arises. There is no worse feeling in the world than to look around and feel you are about to do a sprint to safety wondering where is a big tree when you need it. Learning and living tactics is a part of the job. It takes time and lots of practice.

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Learn proper tactics, live tactically and pass it on. William “Bill” Harvey has been the chief of the Lebanon City (Pa.) Police Department since 2002. He retired from the Savannah (Ga.) Police Department where he worked assignments in training, patrol and CID. Harvey has more than 20 years of experience working with recruits, rookies and FTOs. He also serves on the advisory boards of POLICE Magazine, POLICE RECRUIT Magazine, TREXPO, and the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association (ILEETA).

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Marine Corps leadership traits The 14 leadership traits are qualities of thought and action which, if demonstrated in daily activities, help Marines earn the respect, confidence and loyal cooperation of other Marines. It is extremely important that you understand the meaning of each leadership trait and how to develop it, so you know what goals to set as you work to become a good leader and a good follower. Justice Definition: Justice is defined as the practice of being fair and consistent. A just person gives consideration to each side of a situation and bases rewards or punishments on merit. Suggestions for Improvement: Be honest with yourself about why you make a particular decision. Avoid favoritism. Try to be fair at all times and treat all things and people in an equal manner.

Judgment Definition: Judgment is your ability to think about things clearly, calmly and in an orderly fashion so that you can make good decisions. Suggestions for Improvement: You can improve your judgment if you avoid making rash decisions. Approach problems with a common sense attitude.

Dependability Definition: Dependability means you can be relied upon to perform your duties properly. It means you can be trusted to complete a job. It is the willing and voluntary support of the policies and orders of the chain of command. Dependability also means consistently putting forth your best effort in an attempt to achieve the highest standards of performance. Suggestions for Improvement: You can increase your dependability by forming the habit of being where you’re supposed to be on time, by not making excuses and by carrying out every task to the best of your ability regardless of whether you like it or agree with it.

Suggestions for Improvement: To improve your initiative, work on staying mentally and physically alert. Be aware of things that need to be done and then do them without having to be told.

Decisiveness Definition: Decisiveness means that you are able to make good decisions without delay. Get all the facts and weight them against each other. By acting calmly and quickly, you should arrive at a sound decision. You announce your decisions in a clear, firm professional manner. Suggestions for Improvement: Practice being positive in your actions instead of acting halfheartedly or changing your mind on an issue.

Tact Definition: Tact means that you can deal with people in a manner that will maintain good relations and avoid problems. It means that you are polite, calm and firm. Suggestions for Improvement: Begin to develop your tact by trying to be courteous and cheerful at all times. Treat others as you would like to be treated.

Integrity Definition: Integrity means that you are honest and truthful in what you say or do. You put honesty, sense of duty and sound moral principles above all else. Suggestions for Improvement: Be absolutely honest and truthful at all times. Stand up for what you believe to be right.

Initiative

Enthusiasm

Definition: Initiative is taking action even though you haven’t been given orders. It means meeting new and unexpected situations with prompt action. It includes using resourcefulness to get something done without the normal material or methods being available to you.

Definition: Enthusiasm is defined as a sincere interest and exuberance in the performance of your duties. If you are enthusiastic, you are optimistic, cheerful and willing to accept the challenges.

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Suggestions for Improvement: Understanding and belief in your

mission will add to your enthusiasm for your job. Try to understand why even uninteresting jobs must be done.

Bearing Definition: Bearing is the way you conduct and carry yourself. Your manner should reflect alertness, competence, confidence and control. Suggestions for Improvement: To develop bearing, you should hold yourself to the highest standards of personal conduct. Never be content with meeting only the minimum requirements.

Unselfishness Definition: Unselfishness means that you avoid making yourself comfortable at the expense of others. Be considerate of others. Give credit to those who deserve it. Suggestions for Improvement: Avoid using your position or rank for personal gain, safety or pleasure at the expensive of others. Be considerate of others.

Courage Definition: Courage is what allows you to remain calm while recognizing fear. Moral courage means having the inner strength to stand up for what is right and to accept blame when something is your fault. Physical courage means that you can continue to function effectively when there is physical danger present. Suggestions for Improvement: You can begin to control fear by practicing self-discipline and calmness. If you fear doing certain things required in your daily life, force yourself to do them until you can control your reaction.

Knowledge Definition: Knowledge is the understanding of a science or art. Knowledge means that you have acquired information and that you understand people. Your knowledge should be broad, and in addition to knowing your job, you should know your unit’s policies and keep up with current events. Suggestions for Improvement: Increase your knowledge by remaining alert. Listen, observe and find out about things you don’t understand. Study field manuals and other military literature.

Loyalty Definition: Loyalty means you are devoted to your country, the Corps and to your seniors, peers and subordinates. The motto of our Corps is Semper Fidelis!, which means “always faithful.” You owe

unwavering loyalty up and down the chain of command to seniors, subordinates and peers. Suggestions for Improvement: To improve your loyalty you should show your loyalty by never discussing the problems of the Marine Corps or your unit with outsiders. Never talk about seniors unfavorably in front of your subordinates. Once a decision is made and the order is given to execute it, carry out that order willingly as if it were your own.

Endurance Definition: Endurance is the mental and physical stamina that is measured by your ability to withstand pain, fatigue, stress and hardship. For example, enduring pain during a conditioning march in order to improve stamina is crucial in the development of leadership.

strengthen your body. Finish every task to the best of your ability by forcing yourself to continue when you are physically tired and your mind is sluggish. Because it is important to always be able to remember the basic leadership traits, the acronym “J.J. DID TIE BUCKLE” is used. Each letter in the acronym corresponds to the first letter of one of the traits. By remembering the acronym, you will be better able to recall the traits. Submitted to The Rap Sheet by Detective Jim Lawrence, a former Marine, with the following message: “To my fellow union members: These traits have helped me along the way and even when I have fallen I have used them to get back up. Hopefully they will help you in your daily endeavors including the decisions you make regarding the leaders you get to choose for yourself.”

Suggestions for Improvement: Develop your endurance by engaging in physical training that will

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GoDaddy.com CEO goes for ride-along Officer Anderson told me that the majority of the calls he responds to involve either alcohol or drug abuse. It’s seldom that he gets a call where the complaint involves violence or severe stupidity, and alcohol and/or drugs are not involved— even the monkey was drinking wine! It has since occurred to me, the one thing I’ve never said to myself (or ever heard anyone else say) is, “I’m glad I was drinking.” While I do enjoy a cocktail every now and then, it’s pretty much been my personal goal to drink as little alcohol as possible. I think I’ll keep it up.

The value of technology Finally, it has been my long belief that the smart use of technology will benefit—usually in no small way—any business or organization. I was glad to see that the Phoenix PD was no exception in this regard. The police now use an internal network to stay on top of things The use of technology in each squad car is impressive. In addition to the usual radios which we have long associated with police squad cars, each car had a laptop computer which was wired into a local network. At a glimpse each car can see

the outstanding calls, the particulars relating to each call (i.e., alleged offense or problem, which cars are in response and other details). At the touch of a button, every officer can see exactly what his peers are doing and where they are at the moment. This greatly increases their efficiency and avoids redundant responses. It also helps them field the calls closest to where they happen to be at any particular time. It definitely is a vast improvement from how the old radio-only cars used to operate.

There’s still room for improvement The one thing the squad cars did not have was a GPS system. Officer Anderson told me that it is very important for police to know exactly where they are at any given moment. He told me that a typical “rookie mistake” is to find oneself in a difficult situation like a shootout, and upon calling for backup realizing that you don’t know your exact physical location. I mentioned that this would be fixed with a GPS system that would show the location of each car. Officer Anderson pointed out that GPS technology is already in use by other police departments. He then said, “Who knows. Maybe one day we’ll have it.” the Rap Sheet | October, 2008

Don’t let cops’ critics drown out cries of innocent

by Mary Mitchel Chicago Sun-Times

Police slammed for shootings—while gang violence soars In mid-September, Fred Hampton Jr., son of celebrated Black Panther Fred Hampton, who was killed in 1969 by law enforcement, organized a march in Englewood to protest the police shooting of Marvin Williams. Williams, 17, was fatally shot by police officers responding to a call about gunfire in the 6800 block of South Marshfield. In the aftermath of the shooting, some witnesses told the same story we often hear when police are involved in a shooting. According to marchers, Williams was a “good kid” and had his “hands up,” but the police shot him anyway. And, as is also often the case, the police tell a different story. Williams was a known “Gangster Disciple” and “confronted” police officers with a weapon, a police official told me. That same week, a 20-year-old was also shot and killed by police, in that instance on the West Side. 28 slain in Englewood

The police say Tyrone K. Bell was stabbing another man and refused to stop when officers arrived. One of the police officers fatally shot him. On September 19, protesters were back on the streets, this time adding Bell’s name to the list of people police allegedly killed unjustifiably. Ironically during the same week, an off-duty Chicago Police officer was hailed as a hero when he shot someone who was stabbing another person in front of a restaurant—in Utah. Unfortunately, the relationship between police and the black community in the Chicago area is still so rife with distrust, just about any shooting—especially when it involves a young person—is portrayed as “unjustified.” Yet 28 people have been

murdered in Englewood since January. And the week of September 12-19, citywide, there were six killings—including the case involving a Chicago Police officer who fatally shot his daughter and killed himself. Can’t recall worse situation

Other homicides included three drive-bys, one gangrelated shooting victim and another victim who was found on the street. You didn’t see people marching against the armed thugs who killed them. As much as critics like to claim that the news is dominated by crime, most of the murder victims don’t get their names in the paper. Like Ivory Anderson. I got an e-mail from his sister-in-law, Patricia. “Ivory Anderson was murdered on last Friday. His funeral was today,” the sister-in-law wrote to me on Thursday, September 18. “He was in the West Englewood area and was robbed. He came to this area over 20 years ago with his family, looking for a better life. He worked every day as a chef and had some health issues. I know that this kind of crime happens every day.” Ald. Willie B. Cochran (20th) represents the eastern part of Englewood. He spent 26 years on the police force before retiring and can’t recall seeing a worse crime situation.

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“It is just not Englewood,” Cochran said. “It is in Woodlawn, Washington Park, Back of the Yards. “What we have are several things: desensitization of the community to violence, a culture of youth that have embraced weapons and a breakdown in the structure of the gang system.” Cochran said he has worked in the toughest neighborhoods, and that what’s different now is that there’s no hierarchy in the gang structure that is “respected.” He also pointed out that the demolition of public housing high-rises has spread the gang problem. “Now, you have gangs— where you never had gangs before—clashing,” he said. Problems ‘deeply rooted’

Cochran cited the case of a landlord of a 32-unit apartment building in South Shore—the area where a triple-homicide recently took place—renting apartments to 20 families that the alderman described as “difficult.” Over the last 30 days, nine people have been gunshot victims in Cochran’s ward. “My response to that right now is to get specialized units and go after the people that we know have been involved in the shooting, but these problems that we are having today are deeply rooted,” he said. Whenever police aggressively respond to the violence, groups like the one being led by Hampton Jr. will take to the streets to protest that aggression. That’s their right. The Independent Police Review Authority can sort it out. But the voices of protest cannot be allowed to overshadow the cries of the innocent who are being slaughtered every day.

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Retirees Corner

by Lieutenant Bob Roberts PPB Retired

James Bovard, a Civil Libertarian, once said, “Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.” I usually start this newsletter with the “Over the Hill Gang” lunch. Since circumstances beyond my control kept me from getting there, good friend Norm Rosenbloom kept notes for me. Attendees included Harry Boggs, Dennis Baker, Matt Bisenius, Bob Cox, Bob Dorney, Rob Aichele, Ed Clark, Dave Simpson, Paul Fontana, Norm Rosenbloom, Doris and Dick Kuntz, Bud Bladow, Dave Edstrom, Lloyd Nielsen, Bob Walliker and Bob Benson, who didn’t make

it in time for lunch because of doctors appointments, but got there in time for the talk. The talk was given by a Reserve Deputy Sheriff who served in Multnomah County, 466 Square miles, and in Klamath County, 6,136 square miles. He told about the difference of serving in rural counties as opposed to urban counties. Thanks Norm for filling in for me. I had good intentions on making it to the breakfast at Denny’s on September 8, even planning to ride my Harley in the morning. Again, due to circumstances beyond my control, I was taken into emergency at Sunnyside, and they kept me until Wednesday afternoon. So I can’t tell you what happened or who was there. I also had to go back into emergency on Monday the 15th and they kept me until Tuesday afternoon. Linda thinks we should just mark every Monday on the calendar for Kaiser. Most of you have, by now, received info from the Pension Board about the oversight on overpaying of the tax offset. One retiree reported that his pension will be reduced by $115 a month. If you haven’t received a letter from the Pension Board, you are probably alright, particularly if you retired before 1991. The big question is will they try to recover their past losses. They have made an inquiry from the tax people as to whether they have to. Just wait for the other shoe to drop. I have received several e-mails from retirees that say, “Hold on! They made another mistake!” One said that they had him down for $1,000 more than he page 14

really gets, and were going to cut based on that figure. So, hold on, and let’s see what is next. I have been able to make a few of the Pig ‘N Pancake brunches on Fridays, including August 22, 29, September 4, 12 and 19. On the 22nd Bob Schippers brought Mary along and Eleanor Nasby joined us. We also had Mel Nilsen, Walt Wier and Lee Cromwell. On the 29th, Lee brought Jeanne with him and his daughter, Linda came down from the Seattle area for his birthday. I also brought Linda with me. Don Seamster and Ken Zapp also showed up. On September 5, Al Dean arrived, in between trips, and Mel Nilsen brought Sue with him, and I took Linda along. On September 12, Frank Smith joined us, and Bob Warner surprised us with a visit too. Eleanor joined us and I again brought Linda. On September 19 we had 8 show up, including Bob Cosby, who had missed several. Frank Smith returned, but will be heading south to Coronado soon. Mel Nilsen brought Sue, and Linda came with me. Join us every Friday at the Pig ‘N Pancake, NE 122nd and Glisan at 9:00 a.m. I received a nice card from Bev and Ivan Murphy, with a picture of them in Santiago, Chile. They do get around. Thanks Bev and Ivan.

Taps We were able to attend the celebration of life for Rick Hegrenes on Saturday, September 20. It was held at the Norse Hall, NE 11th and Couch. It was a large crowd, with the family, and many retired Policemen. Kent Perry came all the way up from Las Vegas. Many spoke about working with Rick and about his time as a hockey player. There was a lot of food and many cakes, including a couple of triple chocolate ones I received word of the death of a Frederick R. Martian Sr., 67 years old, died August 20, 2008. The article said he was a Portland policeman for 15 years. He is survived by two sons, Fred Jr. and Mike, and a daughter, Sheila. He lived in Vancouver.

John Newton Harp, Jr., son of John Harp, Sr. Born August 27, 1948 in Portland, died September 5, 2008 at age 60. He graduated from David Douglas High School in 1967 and enlisted in the Air Force. After discharge in 1971, he attended Portland State College, earning a B.S. degree. He was then hired by Multnomah County and served more than ten years as a deputy and civil deputy. He was a certified police officer, graduating second in his class at the police academy. After graduating from Willamette Law School, he joined the Marion County District Attorney’s office staff, as a prosecuting attorney. After he left the DA’s office he moved to Vancouver and opened a private law office, specializing in criminal defense. He married Angela J. Dart. Survivors include his wife; son, John; father, John Sr.; mother, Marion L.; sister, Melody; and two grandsons. Jerry B. Wylie, husband of Eileen Wylie. Born June 3, 1930, in St. Charles, VA, died September 7, 2008. He served in the army and moved from Washington D.C. in 1960. He was a machinist for Omark Industries for 25 years. He married Eileen Smith in 1976. Eileen is the widow of Cletis Smith. Survivors include his wife; sons, Mike, Steve and Jim; stepson, Ron Smith; stepdaughters, Denise Nedelisky and Chris Hockensmith; 12 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. Gerald L. Alspach, born August 28, 1946, in Portland, died September 15, 2008, at age 62. He went to Harvey Scott grade school and Madison High School, and graduated from Portland Community College. During his school years he was an accomplished trumpet player. He was good enough to be chosen to play with Doc Severson Orchestra during a local performance. He served in the National Guard from 1968 to 1979. He married Maryann in 1968, and they later divorced. They had two daughters. He joined the Portland Police on June 8, 1971, and retired June 9, 1998. He was an avid outdoorsman, and had a small farm in Boring. He is survived by his brother, Ken; daughters, Jill Alspach and Karen Stone, and four grandchildren. We offer our condolences to the families of these, and special thoughts to John Harp for the loss of his son.

Cranberry sauce needed for Sunshine Division

by Officer Phil Kent Sunshine Division

The Sunshine Division is seeking businesses and organizations to help us by hosting a cranberry sauce drive in September and October. Sunshine needs 2,500 more cans of cranberry sauce to have enough to provide each of the 4,000 families with the fixings for a complete holiday meal. That equals about 10 full collection barrels of cranberries or about 2,000 lbs of sauce. We know many Bureau members are involved in all sorts of organizations, including schools and churches. We hope you’ll spread our message. If you can’t coordinate a food drive, you can still help! Drop off cans of cranberry sauce at the Sunshine Division. If you would like to get involved as we ramp up for the holidays, give Britt a call or e-mail her (503.823.2116 or [email protected]). We are hoping to find several organizations who can work together to help us reach our goal.

Movers & Shakers Recent transfers, retirements, resignations, promotions and terminations. Sergeant Brad BAILEY (DPSST # 16348) of Northeast Precinct retired from the Bureau after twenty-five years of service. Police Officer Randy CASTANEDA (DPSST # 40925) of Central Precinct transferred to the Drugs and Vice Division. Police Officer Joseph COOK (DPSST # 48042) completed probation and was assigned to Southeast Precinct. Police Officer Robin DUNBAR (DPSST # 47968) completed probation and was assigned to North Precinct. Police Officer Arjay DRAN (DPSST # 34502) of Northeast Precinct transferred to the Neighborhood Response Team and will remain at Northeast Precinct. Sergeant Charlie FENDER (DPSST # 24190) of Central Precinct will transfer to the Tactical Operations Division. Sergeant Jeff HELFRICH (DPSST # 27245) of East Precinct transferred to School Police and will remain at East Precinct. Police Officer Barry HOSIER (DPSST # 40806) of North Precinct was placed on a Leave of Absence effective September 4, 2008. Police Officer Jason LOBAUGH (DPSST # 24578) of Central Precinct transferred to the Telephone Report Unit. Police Officer Amanda MCMILLIAN (DPSST # 40931) of Northeast Precinct transferred to the Neighborhood Response Team and will remain at Northeast Precinct. Police Officer James POWELL (DPSST # 21311) of Central Precinct transferred to PPI. Police Officer Joshua SPARKS (DPSST # 48052) completed probation and was assigned to Central Precinct. Police Officer Carlyne SWEENEY (DPSST # 40967) of Southeast Precinct was transferred to the Personnel Division.

the Rap Sheet | October, 2008

Letters Recognizing one of our own Please allow me to interject a moment or two of goodwill into your day to recognize one of our own. You won’t see anything about this in The Oregonian or on the news, because it really provides no opportunity for the media to tarnish what was nothing less than a generous deed and a great example of proactive community policing by our own Officer Dave Thoman, who works East/School Police. On September 18, Officer Thoman responded to a report of a wandering two-year-old boy at Marysville Elementary School. Staff advised that the same child had been found wandering on the school campus on prior occasions. Other PPB officers had dealt with the child’s mother, during those earlier calls, related to the issue of upgrading her home door locks, so the child could not defeat them, which he apparently had learned to do. Upon hearing of the mother’s likely frantic call to BOEC during this most recent occasion, Officer Thoman contacted her, let her explain why and how her toddler had been allowed to “escape”—again— and responded to the home, where he documented that the child’s surroundings seemed to be safe and appropriate, minus the small issue of his being an escape artist. Officer Thoman realized this was likely to continue as a repeat performance, based on this family’s history. Rather than merely counseling the mother about her need to better secure her doors and reporting the incident to DHS for review (each of which he, of course, did), Officer Thoman took the initiative to go to a local store, where he personally purchased a chain-latch lock. With the mother’s permission, he installed the lock on the door for her, hopefully solving the issue once and for all (well, at least until the kid gets a bit wiser and taller). Despite being as busy as everyone else on the streets each day, that is what I call going above-and-beyond. On a serious note, I know every one of us will realize just how much of a positive impact this small act of kindness, generosity and creativity will have on that family and this child’s safety. His mother has been lucky he had only tried to go to the school’s playground and was returned home safely each time. As I said, you won’t read about this in any newspaper, nor will there be “breaking news!” broadcast over the television. But it was just one example of the many positive efforts that go unnoticed and unreported every single day in the Portland Police Bureau. Thank you Dave Thoman, for being the kind of person and Portland Police Officer you are. On a personal note from the Missing Persons Unit, thank you to all officers who go to extra efforts, on a daily basis, to find and return missing kids home safely, before a full-blown search and rescue mission ever becomes necessary. This city has no idea how lucky it is to have all of you out there every day and night. It’s just one more thing that makes me proud to be a Portland Police officer. Thanks for indulging me a few minutes of your time. Have a great day! Detective Mike Weinstein Missing Persons Unit

Perspectives on recruiting and retention I read the last issue of The Rap Sheet with great interest. For one thing, almost half of the names mentioned in articles and as authors are unknown to me. Part of being away for so long, I guess. As a former captain in the personnel division I was especially interested in the articles by Robert King and others about morale and wages impacting hiring and retention rates. It is a pity the Bureau cannot streamline the hiring process. I certainly agree it is too long and complex. I struggled with that for several years and could not seem to get it changed much either. Historically we have had the problem of good candidates going to the first offer they get. Some have later transferred to the Bureau, but most stay in their first agency. Part of the problem lies in the way the Bureau coordinates training dates for new hires and the availability of positions at DPSST. But, this complexity can be worked out, in my humble opinion. What was not mentioned specifically was the number of Portland Officers who have left the Bureau to go to Seattle or other agencies because of the wage issues and working conditions. It would seem that all of the recent hires with portable PERS retirements interested in better pay, allowances and working conditions would be leaving to go to work for other local agencies such as the State Police, Beaverton, Hillsboro or Gresham. Really new hires would not have much invested in PERS and could easily transfer to Seattle, Tacoma or some California agency where wages are considerably higher. Of course, there is always the problem of moving families and selling houses, etc., but one would find those problems with any major change in location. And, considering the current state of affairs, that would be tough if the officer was a home owner. But, local transfers would be easy for the most part and I am sure most metro chiefs and Sheriffs would love to have a fully trained and certified officer apply to their agency rather than recruiting and hiring a new recruit anytime. What are the numbers of people leaving and why are they leaving? I did not see many resignations listed in the Movers and Shakers section. But, perhaps The Rap Sheet does not include those for some reason or they are not reported by the personnel division. I for one would be interested in hearing more about this piece of the recruiting and retention argument. If large numbers of trained folks are leaving the Bureau, then it would seem to me this would be an immediate concern for everyone. Bob Kauffman Retired Commander

Appreciation for Robert King and Portland police officers First, I want to thank all the Portland Police Association members who keep our city safe. These are my personal observations on President Robert King’s accomplishments as your spokesman to the city government. Robert has represented you through these past years with a shrinking budget, lower pay and standards for new personnel. He has been articulate and passionate when testifying and advocating for you in the City Council sessions. Robert has served you with dignity and respect. I wish him well on his new assignment. Thank You all for Dedication and Service to keep Portland Safe. Norm Costa

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Lessons from patrol work with Phoenix PD

by Bob Parsons CEO & Founder of GoDaddy.com

Recently I did a ride-along with the Phoenix Police Department. I joined Officer Will Anderson during his patrol in the city’s central district on the second shift. During the shift—a slow night by Officer Anderson’s standards—I witnessed the following: 1. The apprehension of a man who allegedly attacked others with a knife. He was spotted walking down the street with the knife and in possession of illegal drugs. 2. The transfer of an allegedly young (13-year old) child molester from a rescue center to the juvenile detention center. I observed how youthful offenders are booked into custody. 3. Resolving a stressful domestic dispute that resulted from a heated argument between a mother and her 20-yearold daughter. The daughter (who was pregnant) and her two young children resided with her mother and perhaps

ten others in the same house. 4. The investigation of a hit-and-run accident. When we arrived at the scene, the fire department was already there. The moment the alleged victim saw Officer Anderson’s police car, she ran off. The fireman told us that she did not seem to be injured at all. We saw her for a brief moment, and then she literally vanished. Officer Anderson said it was possible she took off because there was an outstanding warrant for her arrest. 5. The apprehension of a man who was stoned on drugs. He told us he was smoking crack cocaine. A quick check showed that

he had an outstanding warrant for his arrest, so I got to see the county’s central booking station and the slow and laborious process of booking an adult into custody. 6. Providing backup to the city’s probation department while they were trying to locate one of their 17-year-old parolees—whose mother alleged he just purchased a hand gun. In Phoenix, probation officers are not allowed to be armed, so they routinely call for police assistance when they believe the situation is dangerous. The individual was not found at the address given. 7. Response to a domestic dispute between a man and a woman. When we arrived, the man was not present and the woman was sitting outside a neighbor’s apartment. The woman had a horrific swollen closed eye—it was obvious that it had just happened. The woman repeatedly told Officer Anderson that she did not make the call and that there was no problem. Officer Anderson told me that this sort of thing— someone calls the police and then denies making the call—was a frequent occurrence.

Monkey illegally enters home and takes wine There was also a strange, but hilarious call that one of the other units responded to. A man called 911 and reported that a monkey gained entry through the back door of his house. While he and his wife were looking on in stunned amazement, the monkey picked up a bottle of his wine, pulled the cork and began drinking it. Please send animal control The officer responding to the call was, of course, suspicious that the call was a hoax. But upon reaching the scene of the crime, the man pointed to his roof, and sure enough the officer looked up and saw a monkey holding a wine bottle. Seizing upon the levity of the moment, the officer radioed in, “The monkey is contained but negotiations have broken down—please send animal control.” Animal control responded and was able to capture the rhesus monkey and return it to its owner—a neighbor. The responding officer was advised by animal control that the monkey was indeed a repeat offender. I believe the Phoenix PD has not heard the last of this little fellow. The value of respect As he worked his shift, I was impressed to see that Officer Anderson treated each individual we encountered—no matter how offensive they were—with

respect and as a peer. This was the case with the fellow who was apprehended with the knife and drugs, the man stoned on drugs who had an outstanding warrant and the 13-year-old who was accused of child molestation. Officer Anderson talked down to no one. Even though a number of the situations were of necessity confrontational and bad news for those who were being apprehended, I was interested to see that everyone we encountered responded in kind. Each individual seemed to talk politely to Officer Anderson and amazingly became cooperative in return. I’m sure that this always isn’t the case, but it was for everyone we came into contact with.

You definitely get more with honey The lesson I witnessed here was something I already knew, but it was nice to see confirmed. Everyone likes to be treated as a peer and needs to be respected. It makes sense never to communicate with others in any other fashion, if you want their cooperation. This once again confirms the old saying, “You get more flies with honey than vinegar.” All the police officers I met seemed to enjoy their job Officer Anderson has a college degree in accounting and is a Phoenix police officer because that is what he likes to do. He and the other officers I met enjoy their jobs, and willingly accept the extreme personal risks that go along with being a police officer. They are there because they choose to be. They like the work environment. As a result, they work hard to do a good job because they are proud of what they do. Dedication and enthusiasm are priceless I witnessed first hand how valuable dedication and loyalty are for the Phoenix PD. I’ve often been amazed how much effort one will put into rooting for a professional sports team, when the results of any game have no direct or material bearing on the fan’s life. If you can capture this type of enthusiasm and dedication in your organization, I don’t see how you can be anything other than successful. Alcohol and drugs cause many problems Continued on page 12

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the Rap Sheet | October, 2008