By Sergeant Russ Gordon
During the course of our careers, we sometimes forget our history. Many things are distant memories, many things we live with every day, and we still forget. As an example, I ask you, how many pockets do we have in our uniform pants? The answer is 7. Two in back, 2 in front, 2 flashlight pockets on either side, and the little coin pocket right below the belt line on the right side. I know many of you are looking for it right now. I keep a map of the Great Lakes there in case I get lost.
Then there is the radio call-sign KMA 438. Many of us have heard it only when Dispatch reads an all-broadcast, such as regarding the retirement of an active member. At the end of the broadcast we will hear, “San Francisco Police Department KMA 438.” Please allow me to give you a little history about the history of our call sign.
In the 1940s, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) assigned designators for law enforcement to use to distinguish themselves from all the other agencies. Every police department had to apply for a license/designator and was assigned one by the FCC. Back then radio communications were on an AM band and were receiving only, no two-way radio (except, of course, for Dick Tracy). The FCC required an all-broadcast every half hour for all agencies with an FCC license, with the addition of Morse Code broadcast to follow. This allowed the FCC to know who was using their license. If there was no use after a certain time period of time, the call-sign (band width) would be given to another entity. Hence we had “This is the San Francisco Police Department, KMA 438.” The “K” is a west coast identifier. The majority, but not all radio and television identifiers west of the Mississippi started with a K, and east of the Mississippi started with a W, KRON, WNEW etc. The “MA” portion was chosen at random. Moving ahead a couple of years, the Department of Justice (DOJ) assigned City and County identifiers, which became our ORI (originating agency). You see these in your CLETS returns. SFPD is 3801(City), SFSD is 3800 (County) etc. The correlation between KMA 438 and our 3801 is a huge co-inkie-dink. The DOJ did not relate these numbers to the FCC calls signs. It just happened that way.
We have come a long way from AM radios, VHF, UHF to 800 megahertz. A long way from the old Motorola “brick” radios; telephone car radios and the 400-megahertz system. Case in point, in the City of Berkeley in the early 1960s, there used to be a system of lights in the downtown area set up near the traffic signal lights. A switchboard at Police headquarters was used to activate the light system. When the lights flashed in a certain sequence, it signaled the beat officer or all officers to call into headquarters, on a landline or call box. Imagine that, no smart phones.
Well, that’s the short history of KMA 438. I thank Ms. Lisa Hoffmann at D.E.M. and Mr. Preston Thomson of Northern California APCO International for some of this information.
We have better equipment, more modern, but we are still the SFPD and will always be here. KMA 438! So, with that in mind, on a monthly “all”-------------
AND NOW FOR WHAT’S HAPPENING
In the course of Police work it is a rarity that we as law enforcement professionals can directly save a life. However, when called upon to do so the men and woman of the S.F.P.D. always do so.
As I am sure many of you already know the tale of “Bayview baby,” for the story was all over the news, I am eager to give you the short version here.
Bayview District, midnight watch - On a cold winter’s night in the Bayview, in a corridor plagued with drugs and violence, Officers Lyons and Shablinskiy were flagged down by a citizen. This citizen told the officers that a woman had just given birth to a baby boy ON THE SIDEWALK, handed the baby to over and walked away. Additionally, the citizen informed the officers that the baby appeared to be in distress and was possibly not breathing. At this time Officers Gritsch and Cloud arrived on the scene. Officer Lyons knew that Officer Gritsch had prior medical training as an EMT. Knowing that they had to act fast to save this baby’s life, and thinking out of the box, Officers Gritsch and Cloud took the baby into their Patrol car. While Officer Gritsch performed emergency medical life saving techniques, Officer Cloud drove safely, Code-3, to San Francisco General Hospital. Allow me to skip to the only bright point of this tragic story. At the hospital, an ambulance driver approached the Officers Cloud and Gritsch and commended them for an amazing job. Additionally, the officers were informed, the baby had survived. The ambulance driver informed the officers that, if not for their quick action, the short life of this innocent baby may have turned out differently.
Officers Polovina, Roman, Ozol, Lee, Faye, Alvarenga and Barnes all contributed to this investigation, which concluded in the arrest of the “mother” who abandoned her baby. With Inspector Keane taking over this investigation, we are all confident that justice will prevail in this Christmas tale. Amazing teamwork and dedication to the community are just some of the infinitesimal accolades we can bestow on these officers. A life saved!
Bayview District, midnight watch - Officers Bartley and Skaug see an individual riding his bicycle on the sidewalk, a violation of the law. The officers decide to stop this individual for further investigation. It should be noted that our Tour De France competitor was ginourmous (a bifurcation of enormous and gigantic). At 6 foot 3 inches and over 200 pounds this fellow was rather uncooperative with our officers’ requests to stop, and thought he could cycle away. He decided to attempt to flee from the scene for an unknown reason. That is not going to happen. Officers Bartley and Skaug caught up to our bicyclist and the fight was on. We have radios, bad guys don’t; with a quick call for help, Officers Barranco and Camilosa arrived and quickly subdued this violent criminal. Could he have had a gun on him, had a felony warrant for his arrest? This violent fight in which it took four Officers to handcuff and arrest our bicyclist was over an attempt to flee for having over 4 grams of methamphetamines on his person. Well, you can make the attempt to run, but more times then not – BOOKED!
Day watch, Taraval District – Officer Laffey responds to a report of a commercial burglary. While en-route, numerous citizens call in a detailed description of our suspect, who was carrying a surfboard and a wet suit. Officer Laffey quickly surmises that the victim of this burglary was -- guess what -- a surf shop. Putting the description out on the air other officers respond to the scene. Officer Elzey, King and State Parole Agent Chew (who was in the area) set out to apprehend our felonious surfer. Jeepers, walking down the street, right near the ocean, is our hero, still with board and wet suit in hand. More likely than not, dreaming of Point Break. Our suspect looks right at Officer Laffey and makes his break, running away. The suspect did not get far and was apprehended. Due a to thorough investigation, numerous witnesses were located and put our surfer breaking into the surf shop and fleeing the scene. Well, you can make the attempt to run, but more times than not – BOOKED!
It should be noted that one witness saw the suspect stabbing a pumpkin with a cane before entering the surf shop. Sorry, the pumpkin did not survive and the suspect was not charged with cruelty to gourds.
Swing watch, Southern District – Officer Ruetti and Officer Eatia were on patrol when Officer Ruetti recognized a gentleman in the area of 7th and Market. This fine citizen was placed on a crime alerts by Sergeant Oliver weeks before. This maniac had allegedly pistol-whipped a young woman with a fake pistol in order to steal her iPhone. Officer Ruetti, had viewed this crime alert, recognized the suspect, and was on the hunt. Ruetti notified Oliver who gave him the green light for an arrest. The suspect was placed into custody. Maybe the suspect thought with the passage of time, we would forget; more times then not - BOOKED!
That’s it for this month. If anyone comes across good police work, please send the report or Captain’s Comp to me at Co I. Be safe!
KMA 438.
