Gary P Delagnes SFPOA President

Other than notorious bandits like Bernie Madoff and a handful of other Wall Street criminals, the fact remains that the real perpetrators of the US economic meltdown remain at-large, sitting on a beach in some tax-sheltered Shangri-la like the Cayman Islands.  Meanwhile, local and national politicians and the pot-stirring media have successfully vilified public employees and their unions.  There has never been a more maligned personification of the word “scapegoat” than today’s hapless civil servant.

On behalf of the men and women of the San Francisco Police Officers Association, I congratulate Greg Suhr on his recent appointment to Chief of Police. Although there are many other experienced individuals among our ranks who are qualified to lead this fine department, I feel that Greg Suhr is the best fit for this time and these circumstances. He has the background, the internal perspective, and the external vision to move this department forward and boost the sagging morale of our members.

In my 32 years with the SFPD, I have seen no fewer than14 Chief’s of Police come and go. Some have been good, some have been fair, and some have been outright terrible.

During that time, I have witnessed three chief’s who came to us from outside the department. The first two were failures who were supposed to implement change in an “out of control” police department.

Dear Members,

First of all, regardless of whom you voted for, thank you for logging on and participating in our recent election – most of you doing so in the primary and run-off elections. The lifeblood of this organization is the participation of the members, and there is no more vital form of active involvement than casting your vote.

I was taken by complete surprise to learn that George Gascon accepted the interim position of District Attorney. When I received a personal call from the Chief Sunday morning, I expressed my concerns and regret about his departure from our Department. I also told him that I was optimistic that his appointment would be a good first step in bridging the gap between the DA’s office and the SFPD that has existed for a very long time.

(*Corporate Billionaires vs. Ordinary Public Employees)

There is little point in avoiding the serious conversation surrounding the three recent suicides that have taken place in our police family over the past year. It is a topic rarely discussed publicly by police administrators because no department wants to acknowledge it has a greater problem than any other law enforcement organization. The fact is that we have seen an epidemic in suicides across the country relating to public safety personnel. I have been told that seven firefighters in Chicago alone have taken their own lives over the past year.

Over my 20 years of involvement in the POA, I have definitely met my share of quirky and agenda-driven people in the world of San Francisco Politics. Most come and go like a tide on a mudflat. They wash in, and then wash out. Here today, gone tomorrow. Most move on eventually, but others like it, and stick around, moving from one elected office to the next.

Dear Mr. Brown,

It came as a great disappointment to those of us in public sector labor and safety that you have chosen to support Proposition “B,” the rabid anti-labor legislation proposed by Jeff Adachi and several other multi-millionaires. The effects of this scapegoat measure will be most sorely felt by the working public sector families of this city that earn $50K per year or less. Think about that, Mr. Brown. Imagine trying to raise an entire family on less money than you might require for a single political endorsement.

It's that time of the year again, and the San Francisco Police Officers Association has met with the various candidates and heard arguments on the many propositions you will cast your votes for sometime between now and November 2nd. The underlying goal of our process is to help you make choices about the candidates and propositions that will ensure public safety is a top priority.

Of the 14 local propositions on the ballot there are three of major significance to our public safety officers.