It has been busier than usual this past month, and certainly much stormier in terms of swirling media squalls and sporadic lightening strikes. The issues are numerous and very pressing. Any one in and of itself would be enough to demoralize a weaker organization, but we are – fortunately or not, depending on your point of view – very experienced at heading off these storms.
There is an old expression used when a boss or manager appears to be absent and out of touch, or when an entity or organization falls short of its objectives: Who is minding the store?
Over the past eighteen months, there have been calls nationwide for either reforms, overhauls, or federal investigations of specific police departments, or law enforcement in general. San Francisco is no longer immune from these very same calls even though the true facts of the case in our city are completely different than cases in other cities. But as someone once said "Don't let the facts get in the way of a good story."
If you have lived or worked in this City long enough, you may think you have heard and seen everything possible. Any active or recently retired cop might certainly feel that way. I certainly do, but yet again I am baffled and dumbfounded by recent actions of some elected officials in city government.
2015 has been an extremely tumultuous year for law enforcement throughout the United States, as well as right here in our own backyard. During much of the past 12 months, the POA has been addressing a variety of issues – both old and new – and I would like to recap to you the busy year we have seen fly by:
Department BSU can help
Over the past year, policing in the United States has drastically changed, and in many ways it is not for the better. From the physical attacks to the increased ambushing and outright murder of police officers, coupled with the daily pressures that have been associated with this profession for decades, law enforcement personnel can be pushed to the emotional and physical edge. Constantly working understaffed with increased duties and responsibilities, most officers are forced into the “let’s do more with less” syndrome.
As the November election grows closer, some elected officials will sink to desperate levels in their attempt to garnish any type of support. The antics of some politicians are predictable, but the recent antics of Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi are shameful and despicable.
It has been over a month now since the tragic, senseless, and preventable murder on Pier 14 of the young and innocent Kate Steinle. The POA took a position on this early on, before anyone else, and I stand by what I said. For that, I have received a number of hate emails and voice messages labeling me as a racist and the POA has an anti immigration organization. That is simply not the case; so let's talk about the facts.
Scapegoating the Police for Society’s Ills Takes the Heat off Politicians and Bureaucrats
As the anti law enforcement rhetoric continues to flood the media print and airways in this country, and as certain groups and politicians are jumping on this bandwagon to bolster their own status or posture for a possible better political position, some police associations and responsible individuals are saying, “Enough is enough.”
The national discussion – or, debate – about body cameras on police officers has reached a fevered pitch. Governments local and state are suddenly finding millions of dollars in their coffers to buy and rig out cops and deputies with the never-blink devices. But, that’s for the hardware, which is the easy part. The hard part of the plan is developing a coherent POLICY!
July 1, 2024
