Idiocy in Public Office Abounds

Have you had a chance to catch a glimpse of the "Task Force Final Report"
from the mayor's citizen task force on the convention center project? A quick scan of the report highlights what is wrong with San Diego. To think 17 intelligent people would conclude the expenditure of 750 million dollars on the expansion of the San Diego Convention Center is the right thing to do in today's economy and the state of financial instability in the City of San Diego is pure lunacy. The head idiot, who from the beginning, has gone on record as being the "Champion" of the convention center expansion, is the mayor. In usual form, he commissioned a "Task Force" stacked with his political allies and chums to provide a "recommendation" from which he can tout as he puts the city further in debt.

The idiocy of those in public office who would for one millisecond think it is a wise use of public funds to expand a convention center when there are so many real issues facing this city is appalling. With a straight face, this joke of a mayor stands in public and blames unions and police officers for the state of the city's finances because the city provided us benefits he now believes are illegal or excessive or no longer affordable or too political for his liking to be honest about. The mayor reduces police officer benefits, cuts wages, eliminates retirement medical for new hires, raises the age of retirement to 55 for new hires, increases the cost of medical insurance and forces over 150 senior, experienced officers to leave and now he is moving to spend 750 million dollars that he does not have. On what planet is this acceptable? San Diego?

If people sit back and allow this to occur my faith in the political system and the taxpayer will be forever damaged beyond repair. To think the public would allow the mayor to get away with this sham and hide behind this joke of a task force of cronies and political supporters is pathetic. It is criminal to think the elected members of the city council would consider this for even a second. Labor and taxpayers need to unite and stop the idiocy occupying the political offices in this city. Taking on more debt of the magnitude this ill-conceived project will require is complete and total idiocy.

Projections are being made today that indicate a 100 million dollar deficit for next year. This will no doubt translate to additional cuts to wages and benefits as well as reductions to the work force. Let us not forget the firefighters; City Attorney's and MEA, all have two year deals that protect them. That leaves the SDPOA and Local 127 hanging in the wind when the mayor moves to eviscerate us further to balance yet another budget on our backs. Does anyone think hiring and retention is a problem today? Just wait for next year when wages are cut again, medical insurance premiums increase, flexible benefit moneys are reduced and young officers flee to other agencies offering more money, better benefits and more security. With the idiocy taking place in San Diego and city hall; San Diego is headed for ruin and soon to be a haven for crime and homeless.

Priorities out of line

I am continually amazed by politicians and pundits who espouse to know what their constituents need, want and are willing to pay for. How do any of these people know what I need or want? How do they know what I am willing to or not willing to pay for the services I want? What makes these rubes think I want more volunteers in law enforcement and not real police officers to handle the crime in my community? In Carl DeMaio's aka "Little Rube's" latest self aggrandizing video message on SDNN (at 3:20 on the video) he pontificates about nothing when asked about his statements regarding the San Diego Police Department becoming a "World Class Police Organization" and reaching this goal under the current budget situation and the departments recruitment problems. That is unless you want him to tell you what it takes to become a "World Class Police Organization."

Talk about a carpet bagging, flim-flam man who sells snake oil. People believe this little rube is the answer. I can only say if he is the answer; the right questions are not being asked. The rube starts off talking about the city trying to "transition" to a new retirement system, salary and benefits package for city workers that is "sustainable." I am going to get a lil nitpicking here but has this clown lost his script? His own company and the propaganda it has distributed, makes clear what is necessary to hire and retain competent police officers. Top of the list is competitive salary and benefits and a retirement plan comparative to competing agencies in the region. "Transitioning" to a retirement system that is laughed at by intelligent candidates and a salary and benefits package ranking dead last in the region we are competing in, is NOT; let me repeat this for the little rube; IT IS NOT MOVING THE SAN DIEGO POLICE DEPARTMENT TOWARD A WORLD CLASS POLICE ORGANIZATION.

This rube said the best way to recruit and retain quality police officers is for these recruits to know when they are given a package, the city can afford it. Anyone want to take a stab at what this rube is saying here? He goes on to re-state, candidates will hire on and stay knowing the packages provided can be sustained. What a novel idea Carl; agreeing to and honoring a contract and promise of benefits to its employees. Where has he been all these years? He is a god send. We would not be in this situation if Carl had been at the helm in years past. Just ask him!!!

The little rube said the city needs to regain its financial stability so the city can honor its new agreements to police officers when they join the police department. Hey Carl, what about those of us who have been here all these years, working our asses off and making concessions and taking cuts to help the City only to be made the scapegoats for an incompetent city council and mayor? Think maybe spending one billion dollars on a new city hall can wait until that "financial stability" is on firm footing? Maybe the convention center is big enough and that 750 million dollars the mayor is hoping to spend can go toward fixing the retiree medical issues and the retirement UAAL? Maybe the little rube and San Diego's joke of a mayor should pool their money and have someone poll citizens as how to spend the 1.75 billion dollars they are looking to spend. Maybe they should include questions about public safety and the citizen's desire for a volunteer group of retired citizens providing public safety services or increased fees going toward salary, benefits and retirement for police officers.

"Private – Public Partnerships" enters the conversation as the rube talks about pioneering the RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) but the rube prefers to call it them the "Reserve Senior Volunteer Patrol." The rube wants these volunteers to get certified through an academy to do a myriad of functions; neighborhood watch, fingerprint investigations, even going out and checking on your home when you are on vacation. Then he puts the knife in as deep as he can drive it and twists; "These sorts of programs allow us to stretch the dollar and do more with less and put our officers in front line positions." "Do more with less." How many times have we heard this? If I had a nickel for every simpleton who uttered this idiocy I could have retired when I turned 50 and saved the enamel on my teeth from having to continue to work for 5 more years to pay for my daughters 4 years at Cornell and my son's next 3 years of law school.

It is this type of thought process that is leading the San Diego Police Department into the abyss of incompetence. Every day puts us further behind when qualified candidates chose other agencies over San Diego because of the poor retirement benefit, non-existent retiree medical, bottom of the rung salary and pathetic benefits. The politicians can give all the lip service they like to saving the taxpayers money and watching out for them. The reality is politicians are placing every citizen who lives, works and visits San Diego in danger by their lack of forward thinking and unwillingness to address to root issue of funding and priorities.

The priorities of the politicians in San Diego are out of line with the wishes and desires of the taxpayer. It is our responsibility to educate the every-day citizen to the dangers facing their communities. The smoke and mirrors manipulation of crime data giving the appearance of a secure and safe community has got to be addressed and brought into the light of day. As with any statistic; garbage in and garbage out. When there are insufficient officers to take reports; citizens having grown so complacent they have stopped reporting crimes; officers "washing" reports to keep themselves available when staffing is at the levels we have all become accustomed to; crime statistics are not worth the paper they are printed on. Ask anyone in any community if they feel as safe today as they did 5 years ago and you will hear a resounding "HELL NO."

The priorities will only change when we demand them to change. The politicians will not change until we make them change. This requires us to get involved and make our voice heard. Attend community meetings where elected officials are scheduled to attend. Read the calendar of city council members and show up at their meetings and events. In a professional and articulate manner correct their numbers, lies and political speak. Enough is enough. It is your priorities that matter.

The Message is Clear

I am a realist and know my reputation within the San Diego Police Department. Some of this reputation is well deserved and much is just plain fodder for which I can only laugh. Promotions are subjective and when you think you have done enough to make it, think again. Today turned out to be a very difficult day to say the least. Promotions were announced just before lunch. As I sat at my desk trying to keep busy and occupy my mind I was beckoned into the interview room at Internal Affairs by my Lieutenant. I did not have to be told what was to come. I have been down this path before. Many of you have no doubt shared this experience and I am sure the feelings mimicked mine. The sinking feeling of rejection makes it very difficult to put on a happy face and show support after being told you did not make the cut.

I want to congratulate those who made the cut and got the call telling them they had done enough to get promoted. To those who received the message I did; my condolences. No matter what someone tells you on a day like this, nothing they say can make you feel any better. The platitudes of keep doing what you are doing; you are right there; take the next test, you will make it for sure; you are young, you have lots of time; do not take the pain away of not making it. I am not going to put on a happy face and tell you I am not angry at being passed over for promotion to Lieutenant. But I will tell you the message is clear and I get it.

I did what has become expected of candidates and met with the Chiefs to do the proverbial sales job of why I am the best candidate and should be promoted. I'm still not sure how this process came to be, but I do know it is not a part of any of the processes authorized by Civil Service or City Human Relations. I'm no longer interested in challenging or arguing against such issues. Do you think for a second everyone was asked the same questions or given the same amount of time to present their argument? How many could not or did not even get the opportunity? I did it.

The topic of this BLOG came up during several of my discussions with the chiefs. I knew from the beginning the postings here had struck some nerves with a few of those on the seventh floor. I have gone to great lengths to be supportive of the department when I could and declined to take on some of those departmental issues many of you felt needed airing. I attempted in my own way to direct the blame and anger where it belonged and to give a venue for people to understand how and why certain things had happened and focus a bright light on those responsible for what was going on with the department.

I found myself having to defend my postings and learned quickly certain people did not appreciate this BLOG for what it is. The question was asked of me (more than once) "How can we promote Steve McMillan after all the things you have written on your BLOG?" I was asked pointedly if I were to be promoted would I cease posting to my BLOG. It was very clear this BLOG was in their minds. So today, when I got the notification of non-selection; I had to wonder. Did my critical and pointed blasting of a mayor who would not know the truth if it slapped him upside his head have an impact in my being considered for promotion? What role did this BLOG play?

The message is clear to me. There is no mistaking I am not promotable and not thought of as someone who can lead, mentor, coach or teach younger officers and sergeants on the San Diego Police Department. My reputation; coupled with a willingness to speak my mind; and defend against wrongdoings, have no doubt made me a liability. While I love this department, for which I have given the past 30 years of my life; I hate the politics and those puppet masters who manipulate the strings, hiding behind a cloak of darkness and anonymity.

I have two years and ten months remaining in the DROP. I opted to stay in hopes of making a difference and sharing my experience, knowledge, skills and passion for making the San Diego Police Department a better place to be. I'm not sure at this point if that is such a good idea. As I sit here typing this post; I am angry and tired. I have never been one to throw my sucker in the dirt and will continue to work hard and do my job, giving 110%. My BLOG will continue and I will address those issues of concern as they present themselves. I will maintain my professionalism and stick to facts as I rant about the hot topic of the day.

I am happy for Randy Jones, Bill Stetson, Dan Plien, Roy Moody and Natalie Stone; the five newly promoted Lieutenants. I would work for each of you without question. You have earned your bars and should be proud of your accomplishments. I wish each of you nothing but the best and good luck. If I can ever be of help; do not hesitate to ask. We are after all in this together.

Congratulations to all of those who got promoted today. To those who did not make the cut; my condolences. I also want to thank all of you who offered support and kind words. It is a pleasure and honor to work with all of you. I am confident we will all continue to work together and do what we can to make a difference. Remember family first and be safe.

Keep Your Sense of Humor

Almost nothing is more helpful in dealing with people than a sense of humor. A sense of humor doesn't necessarily mean a knack for telling jokes. Rather, it means the ability to take some setbacks and still see that the world has not come to an end. If you can keep from taking a situation or yourself too seriously, you will get much better results. If you don't take yourself too seriously, there are always things in any situation that are still amusing, that you can still smile about. A smiling, cheerful leader invariably wins more cooperation than a grim or gloomy one.

I read somewhere a story about Ben Franklin's method of persuading others to his point of view. Patience and endurance were the two characteristics he believed necessary to win people over. He assumed people were won over slowly, often indirectly. His philosophy was that if you did not win them over today go after them tomorrow, and the next day.

Ben Franklin's tips for doing this were simple. Be clear, in your own mind, exactly what you are after. Do your homework, so you are fully prepared to discuss every aspect and respond to every question and comment. Be persistent. Don't expect to "win" the first time. Your first job is to just start the other person thinking. Make friends with the person with whom you are bargaining. Put your bargains in terms of his or her needs, advantages and benefits. Most importantly, keep your sense of humor.

If all you do in a crisis is add to the heat and confusion, people will soon lose respect for your abilities under pressure. But if you can maintain your sense of humor when the world seems to be falling apart, people who rely on you will show their appreciation in better work and greater loyalty.

Yes, some problems are serious, but there's nothing to be gained by exaggerating their importance. Get in the habit of taking yourself and your problems less seriously. Learn to smile at yourself and the world as well. You'll get better results and actually have more good things to smile about when you do.

Be safe and remember to put family first!!!

SDPOA Board Elections

I wrote an article for the Informant when I was working at the SDPOA. I dug it up and did some editing and am going to publish it here. It is timely in that there is an election for an open seat on the SDPOA Board coming up and there is a need to find someone willing to take on the challenges of serving the membership. The time commitment is huge and the toll to ones career and personal life is great. The rewards are few but the personal gratification of making this a better place to work is hard to put into words.

These have been trying times; times that have tested our resolve and purpose; times that have squandered the morale of many talented and dedicated professional police officers. Trying times are not themselves a valid reason to lament; but when at the end of the year, counting what has been lost, tallies the measure of what has been accomplished; lament is an insufficient means of expression. The tragedy in our case is not simply limited to the forced exodus of officers, but the loss of a precious opportunity.

Temptation is great as I sit here to lay all that is lost at the feet of Chief William Lansdowne or Mayor Gerry Sanders or the City Council or the Union Tribune. I could sit here and wax on about who is at fault, who is responsible, who should we blame? But I have come to realize we don't need to fix blame. We need to fix the problem.

Before we can do that we need to fix us. Who is "us"? I am referring to the San Diego Police Officers Association and its membership. I see us at times as an incompetent group of competent people. One of the greatest advantages of the SDPOA is the caliber of its membership. Members are experts in what their needs are and the various disciplines within law enforcement. We often overlook the contributions our members can and do make to our successes.

The SDPOA Board of Directors is clearly focused upon understanding and advocating the needs of its members. They are the trustee for and must have a strong connection with our membership. The Board must speak with one voice or not at all. Directors should honestly and candidly debate issues in board meetings, but must support decisions and policies once voted on. There is always opportunity to improve.

In the New York Times best selling book "Good to Great," Jim Collins writes there are three stages to the framework in building the foundation of a great organization. These are: Disciplined People; Disciplined Thought; and Disciplined Action. Collins focuses on the people who lead the organization. These are people who put the organization's interest above their own personal agenda. According to Collins, "A leader displays a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will."

This is all about having the right people on your team and having them in the right position. Collins states, "Those who build great organizations make sure they have the right people on the bus, and the wrong people off the bus, and the right people in the key seats on the bus before they figure out where to drive the bus." This approach can be in conflict with the popular management theory of deciding where the organization needs or wants to go and then determining who should take you there. Collins believes if you have "the right people on your bus" then you can take the association wherever it needs to go. Associations constantly grapple with finding the right person for the right responsibility; coupled with the challenge putting the association's interest above their own personal agenda. Once the right people are "on the association's bus" then we can determine if the existing seats need someone different in them to make our association more efficient and effective.

The SDPOA will have an election for three seats on the Board of Directors in the coming weeks. This election will be a very critical election for the Association. These trying times dictate a need for strong leadership and resolve to place the association's interest above any personal agenda. A willingness to place yourself in jeopardy to protect the rights of the membership and to define the specific "End" that the association will pursue. You should ask, "What benefits and for whom." The Director's position is a "responsibility" not a "job". Keep this in mind when making your decision to seek a seat on the Board or casting your vote to "fill the seat on the SDPOA bus." We have an opportunity to ensure our "bus" is going in the right direction and has the right people in the seats to ensure we are successful when the bus reaches its destination.

There will be one open seat on the SDPOA Board. Sergeant Mark Sullivan is not seeking re-election. I have said before and will say it again; I believe Brian Marvel and Jeff Jordan have done a good job in the most difficult of times. They deserve our support and help. If you have the desire and drive to serve the membership I would encourage you to step forward and toss your hat in the ring. You have until Thursday, October 1, 2009 at 1700 hours to submit your statement of intention and photo to the SDPOA.

The Board of Directors for the SDPOA has not given up and neither should you. They continue to fight and focus on the member. You are why they are here and they have not lost that in the smoke from the rubble of this crumbling city and department. I believe the Board will not rest until ALL of our members are taken care of. They cannot do it alone and need your help. The very least you could do is take an interest in the upcoming election and VOTE. Get involved!!!

Remember your family, friends and brothers and sisters in blue. Be safe and take care of each other.

Politics in Court?

On June 25, 2009, the SDPOA was in Judge David Oberholtzer's court fighting to preserve DROP for its members. I wrote about the hearing and subsequent conflicting press releases and views (Confused? Join the Club!) of what Judge Oberholtzer ruled. What we did know was the judge stayed the changes imposed by the City until July 27, 2009, and ordered the City and SDPOA back to the table to discuss changes to DROP. These talks were futile and nothing changed regarding positions and the views each side had regarding DROP and Retiree medical.

Fast forward to today, August 14, 2009, and what do we know today? The impression left with those of us following the court fight was the judge would issue a written ruling that would clarify (Hopefully) what it was he said back on June 25, 2009. I check on a regular basis for the written opinion from the judge and NOTHING. We are coming up on 50 days and nary a peep from the court. So the question begs to be answered; what is going on?

This issue has become such a political hot potato it is beginning to appear even the judge, who is suppose to be "NON-POLITICAL" when wearing the robe and making decisions, has been caught up in the politics of San Diego. Is Judge Oberholtzer waiting for the wind to change before issuing his ruling? Is he waiting for the Union Tribune to get rid of Chris Reed and Karin Winter before publishing his opinion/decision on the issues? It cannot be that difficult to put to paper what was said in court on that fateful June day. The issues are well known and the law really not that difficult to decipher.

The only explanation I can come up with is the judge is playing politics with the issuing of his decision. Waiting for the clouds to form off the coast in hopes of shielding the ruling from the light of day; maybe in hopes of avoiding another onslaught of diatribes from the Union Tribunes gang of fools (minus the biggest fool of them all; Bob Kittle)? Whatever the reason, it is time to get off the stick and publish for all to see what was actually said about these issues and allow us all to see what the actual ruling is. Good or bad we need to see the ruling so we can all decide next steps. It is clear the City has no desire to meet and honestly discuss reasonable changes and fixes to DROP or the Retiree Medical issues surrounding the "Pre-1986" employees. This decision is necessary to allow the SDPOA and other employee groups to make plans for moving forward. Maybe that is the political issue?

Whatever the reason, the City of San Diego has become a joke. The politicians, courts, and attorneys who have gotten rich fighting idiotic fights have all created an atmosphere of anger, fear and distrust. The employees and their unions have grown tired of being the whipping child for the short comings and incompetence of those who prefer to spin half truths and miss-inform the taxpayer to telling the truth and working toward reasonable solutions. Now judges are refusing to make timely decisions and the appearance is they are gauging public opinion and the political winds before issuing their rulings. What a sad state of affairs for San Diego and its employees.

Bob Kittle is Gone – Good Riddance

It appears someone finally showed some sense today; Bob Kittle was let go from the Union Tribune. This is one of the best news stories I have read in some time having to do with the Union Tribune. The story was actually in the Voice of San Diego, but it was a great read. Bob Kittle is or was what is wrong with the journalism in San Diego. Kittle wrote "Editorials" for the editorial page and used this platform to spin, fabricate and mislead readers. Kittle used his position at the Union Tribune to put forth his agenda of ruining employee unions, city employees and anything to do with the pay and benefits of city employees. Unlike a real reporter; Kittle's "opinion" was protected and not bound by the same rules of honest, accurate and professional reporting. He hid behind this label to spew his venom of lies and deceit.

Kittle, almost single handedly, created such a negative climate in San Diego, fueled by his lies and twisting of truth; that focused on SDCERS, DROP and other employee benefits. Kittle did not care about the truth; honest or accurate reporting; nor did he give a damn about facts. Kittle was a master manipulator of half truths, misleading statements and complete fabrications. Kittle used made up numbers to support his agenda and when questioned or challenged would refuse to print rebuttals that provided the truth or accurate information. Kittle was a little man who used his position to make himself bigger than he actually was.

Bob Kittle would not know the truth if it smacked him in the face on an hourly basis. His repeated lies became the truth to those who wanted to believe. His lies became cannon fodder for those who sought to eliminate employee unions and reduce benefits. Certain elected city officials refused to stand up to Kittle and refute his lies for fear of not getting his endorsement or elected. Kittle wielded a lot of power from his seat at the Editor's Table for the Union Tribune.

Bob Kittle will not be missed. I say "Good Riddance" and "Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out." Time will tell what direction the Union Tribune will take. We can all hope professional, honest journalism will replace the Enquire style tabloid reporting of Bob Kittle.

Getting back in the Swing of Things

Hello everyone!! I hope all is well and the summer has been kind to each of you. Let me first say, "THANK-YOU" to each of you for your support, kind words and encouragement over the past several weeks. I am not sure we would be standing and capable of breaking a smile had it not been for the calls, notes and hugs from so many. My father-in-law was a remarkable man who touched so many lives; the cards, calls and people dropping by have been a constant over the past seven days. With the help of the Los Angeles Fire Relief Association and the members of the Historical Museum at the old Fire Station 27 in Hollywood; I am not sure I would know what to do. The men and women of these organizations have been helpful beyond words. The memorial for my father-in-law has been set for August 22, 2009, 1000 hours at the Museum at Fire Station 27 in Hollywood. I am sure the celebration of his life will be one I will boast of in a future blog.

A lot has been going on around San Diego since I last posted. I will begin writing in depth this week. I spend the afternoon today at Pam and Mike Stence's home; celebrating the graduation of Ashley Elizabeth Griffin-Stence from UC Santa Cruz. Ashley is the daughter of Officer Gerry Griffin who was killed in the line of duty in 2003. Ashley graduated with a Baccalaureate of Science in Marine Biology and is working as an intern at Scripps. Dad is no doubt smiling down on his daughter; the proud father that he was; boasting to everyone around what Ashley has accomplished. Gerry's sister, Leslie was there, as was Keith Blackburn and wife Dawn; along with many other family and friends. Gerry is gone but not forgotten and his daughter will forever be watched over by Gerry and his friends still here on earth.

Promotions are around the corner; August 18, 2009. The paths to the Chief's offices have been well worn over the past several weeks. Some very well qualified candidates have made their pitches for promotion and given the Chief's food for thought. The direction of the department will be shaped by these promotions and the men and women chosen to lead us through these tough times. Good luck to all who seek promotion. If you are being considered for promotion; you have earned this honor through hard work and dedication. But, if you are not chosen this time around, do not give up; it does not mean you are not qualified or ready. Begin your strategy for studying and take the upcoming test again. The need for additional candidates for future promotions is already present. As the economy improves and stabilizes more promotions will take place. By preparing now, you will be in a position to be considered in a matter of a few months.

The summer is slowly coming to a close with few major incidents or problems. Be mindful of your officer safety and continue to take care of each other. As the summer winds down, do not let your guard down and relax. As the heat and humidity rises and tempers flare from the stresses of life, anything could happen and happen in a matter of seconds. We made it through the first 40 days and more adjustments to staffing will be necessary to continue. New officers will be released from training soon and it will be even more important for experienced officers to take these "enthusiastic" new officers under wing and guide them through their continued learning processes. Share your experience, knowledge and wisdom and help keep them safe and teach them to be safe as well. You owe it to them and to yourselves.

Be safe and again; Thank-You all for everything. You made my life easier and helped me make it through each day.

The Loss of a Great Man

You are never prepared for the loss of a loved one. This afternoon at 4:50 PM, my Father-in-Law, Junior Leon Parker passed away. My Mother-in-Law was at his side when he took his last breath and left this earth to take his place in heaven. My Father-in-Law was a GREAT man who touched so many lives and contributed to making this world a better place. He was a hero who survived WWII and the "Battle of the Bulge"; spent 32 years serving the citizens of Los Angeles as a Fireman for the LAFD, and spent as many years enjoying his retirement with his family and friends.

We find peace on knowing he is now in a better place and no longer suffering. He will be greatly missed and words cannot begin to express the loss we all feel. His quiet, soft spoken love for family and friends was always present and cherished by those who had the pleasure of being in his presence. His body will be gone but he will live forever in our thoughts and daily lives.

Junior Leon Parker; Husband, Father, Grandfather, Great-Grandfather, Father-in-Law, Chief, Friend, Hero, Dad….. He was so much more to so many people. Thank you for your words of encouragement, support and love.

Priorities Sometimes Change

Life at times takes twists and turns that even when forecast and expected; sometimes cause you to take a step back and re-evaluate priorities. In a post a while back I talked of my Father-in-Law. My wife and I have been care-givers to her parents for the past several years. In July 2008, the family made a decision to bring my father-in-law home from a re-habilitation hospital when doctors said he had taken a turn for the worse and told us they did not expect him to live more than 72 hours. My mother-in-law and other family wanted him to be with family and at home in his final hours.

My father-in-law is a product of the great depression, WWII, 32 years as a firefighter with the LAFD and a happy, productive, giving 88 years. He is a fighter and not one to give up easily. He re-bounded last July and for a period of time got strong enough to get out of bed daily and sit at the dinner table and talk about his life. The days, weeks, and months have been a roller coaster with highs and lows. Each high a little lower and each low a little lower. Over the past six days he has drifted away but is refusing to give up his fight for life.

Family members have been in and out of the house, Hospice and friends all stopping by to offer help and support. Daily life goes on as best it can but it is taking its toll on us all. Thus, my ability to sit and write about the goings on in San Diego, the City and Police Department are virtually non-existent. I have tried several times while sitting with my father-in-law to put my thoughts to words but find my mind refusing to cooperate. I can't seem to get my mind to wrap around the problems, issues and concerns when my real priority is my family.

In a short period of time my father-in-law's body will no longer cooperate with his will to live and he will pass and take his seat in heaven. Until that time, my priority will be my wife, mother and father-in-law and other family members. I will post brief up-dates on a daily basis to let you all know when to expect my rants to continue. There is much I have in my mind to rant about. But it will take a back seat to more important issues today.

Be safe.

Budget Chaos all Around

Trying to make sense of the City's budget is an exercise all to itself. You think there is any possibility an average taxpayer with minimal experience reading local budgets could get through the massive pages that detail the State's budget? Do you think this same person stands a chance of being able to determine where the revenue is coming from and how the legislature was able to balance the budget after presenting line by line costs?

I have spent the last several days reading the State's budget and trying to make heads or tales of what the heck they are doing up in Sacramento. I kind of understand the theory behind the way the numbers play out; but that is where it ends. I spent last night listening to the little rube talk about air and if the city could assess a fee for each person's use of the air in the city; they do after all own the rights to the air in San Diego; the city could balance the budget. The little rube talked about charging for the sun people soak up while occupying sand or grass at the beaches and parks within San Diego. So when the legislature talks about "borrowing" money from the counties in California and re-paying it "next year"; I could not help but think of the little rube and his constant schemes and double speak babble.

The state legislature has proposed keeping from the City over $57 million dollars to help close the gap to the State's budget. The mayor has been critical of Sacramento and the Governor for withholding this money and talks about joining the League of Cities in a law suit to force the State to give the money to the City and not withhold any. In a Voice of San Diego article, Scott Lewis hangs a new slogan on the mayor; "Jerry Sanders, helping San Diegans decide what to complain about since 2005" at the same time the mayor has been taken to task for his rants toward the State for their inability to balance the budget and live within its means.

Several years in a row the State pulled similar stunts withholding $1.2 billion from schools with a promise to re-pay the money in the next budget cycle. When the next year arrived the Governor said the State could not afford to re-pay the money and besides, schools had adjusted to living without the money so there was no need to re-pay the money. The only problem was school districts had borrowed money to pay their bills and balance their budgets in the short term. The mayor is already talking of borrowing $57 million to make up for this money with the belief the State will make good on their promise. Hey mayor, I have a news flash for you; it ain't gonna happen.

The consequences of these cuts are going to be felt throughout the City. It remains to be seen what the effects will be to safety. I'm not sure how much more can be cut from law enforcement. The mayor needs to stop the nonsense of building a new downtown library; expanding the convention center; and building a new city hall. The mayor can talk until he is blue in the face; spending one dime toward any of these projects is criminal and cannot be continued. The structural problems in the City of San Diego have been ignored for far too long. Blaming the employees, their wages and benefits is a cop out and disingenuous. Does the mayor balance his personal bank account and finances like he does the cities?

There is little any of us can do as this process plays out in Sacramento and here in San Diego. We can stay informed and aware and continue to focus on our families, jobs and health. Take care of one another and practice officer safety. Do not let something you have no control over take control of your life. The budget crisis has not hit bottom yet; but is getting close. When this happens, we have nowhere to go but up. We will get through this if we stick together and work to find better ways to educate the taxpaying public and provide professional service. There is a lot of great police work being done every day by officers who continue to do their jobs in a professional manner. By highlighting these efforts and being professional in all of our dealings with the public; we can garner the support necessary to swing the pendulum back in our favor and regain the wages and benefits necessary to attract and retain those candidates and officers we so dearly need. This will take the efforts of every sworn officer on the San Diego Police Department. We need to take those opportunities that present themselves to educate and inform those people we have contact with. Be safe and enjoy the day.

A Reason to be Concerned

I attended the "State of the District Address and Vision Speech on Transforming City Government" by the little rube this evening. Also in attendance were three city council members; Kevin Faulconer, Tony Young and Sherri Lightner as well as Darin Pudgil of the mayor's office. There were maybe 150 people TOPS, including about 20 staff of the little rube and the other council members in attendance.

The focus of the little rube was seeking "A City Government we can be proud of again." Starting with the obvious; "The City finances are a mess and the public's trust is at an all time low" the rube said it was his mission while in office to "build a government that works." To achieve this, the little rube provided his goals.

1. Restore fiscal responsibility
   
   1. Reduce high labor costs
      
2. Commit to a 5 year fiscal recovery plan
   
3. Conduct performance audits of all City funds and Departments
   
4. Implement Managed Competition
   
5. Strong Mayor Authorities (Ballot Initiatives 2010)
   
   1. Make mayor Chief Labor Negotiator for City.
      
   2. Eliminate Veto power of employees of Retirement Changes.
      
6. Reform City salaries and benefits (Cheers broke out)
   

The little rube went on to promote his vision of "Clean and Safe Neighborhoods" through a "Collaborative Governance Model." He then went on to pitch his changes and desires for "Open and Honest Goverment (sic)." He then receives a round of applause when he said he would "Reject any tax measures." His loudest applause came when he pitched his desire to seek ballot initiatives to force reforms to city salaries and benefits.

Having watched this little rube in the past and watching him work a crowd; he is a dangerous politician. His sound bites are so short and lacking of detail, it is hard to argue with him. He does not provide enough substance to challenge or refute him on a larger scale. One example of this is his Twitter post this afternoon where he posts the following; "More from my State of the District speech tonight: per capita city debt stands at $17,800 for each San Diego family." So how about someone out there do the math? There were 450,691 households in 2000 per the census in San Diego. $8,022,299,800 is the debt for the City of San Diego according to the little rube. Really?

The most concerning part of what the little rube had to say for me was his pledge and rally cry to seek ballot initiatives to "force reforms to city salaries and benefits." He received the loudest applause for this comment and then rallied the crowd with; "Are you all with me?" Rest assured he already has them written and the mayor is on board with them. This means the downtown business groups are on board and the various backers of business owners who have the money to make it happen.

We are going to have to get involved and prepare a competing initiative to preserve our benefits. This is going to take a concerted effort and money. It will require officers for the first time in the lives of those still here, to go door to door seeking support and educating the voters. It will be a long and hard battle to fight. One we can ill afford to ignore or take for granted. If we are to be successful, we need to begin NOW and work 24/7 until the votes are counted in 2010.

We can discuss this more in later posts and work toward a common goal of preserving our benefits.

SDPOA Board of Director's Need Your Support

"Enthusiasm over experience"

Where have we heard that before? My last post seems to have sparked a bit of a fire. Somehow the comments migrated to the SDPOA Board of Directors; name calling; accusation; and finger pointing. Sometimes it's good to let off a little steam and let out frustrations in venues that allow for this type of release. I addressed some of the musings within the comments section of the post, but thought I would take some time and provide a perspective from one who ended up the focus of similar name calling, finger pointing and accusations; some at the hands of current Board members before they were elected.

We live in a politically charged time where frustrations have reached their limits. The constant haranguing by the media, politicians and citizens has taken their toll on the best of us. In 2005, we faced down a city that was blaming its employees for all of the ills of a budget out of balance and a retirement system that was intentionally underfunded. We offered concessions which amounted to giving back the entire "Retirement pick-up" being paid by the city on the employee's behalf. We would be giving back 11% and over a three year period we would get back 9 ½% by way of pay increases and increases to add on pays. The city balked at our proposal and imposed a 3.2% elimination of the retirement pick-up followed by a 1.57% elimination of the same; totaling 4.77%. New hires lost DROP and there were other reductions.

The result was an angry membership and a member who is now a current board member, standing in the crowd during the membership meeting; demanding the board hire a "Professional Negotiator" and for the SDPOA to sue the City. The yelling was loud and angry; accusations of incompetence and ignorance were thrown at the board by members. The board was blamed for the failure to reach agreement. A group of members began to assemble to wage war and began to schedule protests walks and pickets in an attempt to show displeasure with what was happening. The law suits were eventually undertaken after much discussion and argument.

The next year we entered negotiations and again were facing cuts and reductions to benefits. Along comes the suspension of "Comp Time" when the SDPOA refused to allow changes sought by the City to occur. We believed if the changes were allowed to be made Comp time would no longer be a benefit to the employee; only the City. The Chief agreed if the changes were agreed to; there would be little if any hope of comp time going back to the way it was and being a benefit to the employee. For the better part of nine months comp time did not exist as there was no agreement. The membership blamed the board and called for our heads and demanded we "Do something, anything" to get comp time back. We held our ground because we knew what the ramifications would be to agreeing to the changes sought by the City. Ultimately, the Tuesday after the election where three new board members were elected and two of us were voted out of office; the City agreed to re-institute comp time with very minute changes. (Care to connect the dots?)

I had predicted at a dinner held for in-coming and out-going board members shortly after the election; the SDPOA and City would agree to a contract providing a raise to our membership. I predicted a raise of between six and nine percent. I was almost exact in my predications. The board was praised for their success and everyone was happy. The City agreed to increase the money provided for FLEX Benefits for those employees with families and reduced the money for those without dependants. Something we had been trying to accomplish for years. The overall feeling was the contract was OK.

This past year we took three steps backwards with the elimination of any increase to retiree medical benefits; another reduction in salary; another elimination of retirement pick-up; and the City reduced the FLEX Benefit money at the same time premiums were increased. To add insult to injury the City increased the age of entry into DROP to 55. To make matters worse; Fire, MEA and City Attorney's agreed to contracts and received LESS in the way of reductions and did not have the age of entry into DROP changed and had their retiree medical simply frozen for two years.

The SDPOA Board sought relief in the courts to stop the City from making changes to DROP. The jury is still out on the final outcome of this litigation. The SDPOA Board has been praised by some and castigated by others, for the outcome of this year's round of negotiations. Many believe a "Professional" negotiator would have provided a different outcome. Some believe the Board failed to deliver.

I believe the outcome for this year's negotiations were pre-determined. The mayor had an agenda and he was hell bent on fulfilling his plan. The SDPOA is the ONLY labor group who is not bound by PERB (Public Employee Relations Board) and thus cannot file an "Un-Fair" labor practice for the type of treatment and actions used by the mayor during negotiations. The mayor knew if he pulled the same crap with ANY of the other unions he would be facing an unfair with PERB and he would in all likelihood lose. The mayor anticipated the SDPOA would file suit in court to stop the changes to DROP. He was hoping this would be their avenue of action so he could get the issue before the courts.

The SDPOA Board had little impact on the outcome of negotiations, because this year there WAS NO real "Meet and Confer." The City came in and said, "This is what we want; this is what you are going to give us; and we will accept nothing less." Professional negotiator; Teamsters; nor the President of the United States could have changed this year's outcome.

The way we respond to the adversity of these negotiations is how we are judged. The comments in my last BLOG Post hint at the frustration of members. In my first stint on the SDPOA Board in the 1980's I was that young, inexperienced and ENTHUSIASTIC board member who often spoke before I thought (I know, some of you still think I'm that guy) but after years of tasting shoe leather and the dirt collected on the sole of my own shoes, I have learned from those days. We have a board comprised of new board members who are learning the nuances of politics and the art of negotiations. These same new board members make up the Executive Board. They control the vote and direction of the Association. There are four mentors who have experience dealing with negotiations and tough times. The new board needs to listen to these directors and include them in the discussions and decisions being made. They need to ask questions and seek out former board members; talk to union directors of other police associations; as well as PORAC and NAPO members and seek the advice of those who came before them.

The membership is changing; the rules are changing; the world is changing. The board needs to change to keep up. Pointing fingers and throwing insults is not only NOT productive, it leads to dissension. Ranting on a BLOG or Forum is not productive; for either the membership or the Board. Face to face, open and honest communication, is always more productive and professional. If you have a bitch; voice it to your representative on the Board and offer a suggestion for improvement or change. Offer to participate and help out with discussion, planning and implementation of whatever the Board determines is necessary to help prepare for next year in hopes of placing the SDPOA in position to be successful. The nine board members CANNOT do it alone. They need your help and your support. We are all in this together and if one of us fails, we will all fail.

MP3 in the Works or What?

SDCERS prepared a Power Point Presentation for last Fridays Board meeting. The presentation contained fifty-six slides detailing the "Actuarial Implications of FY 2009 Investment Results." Contained in the presentation were options or maybe better stated, "Scenarios" for the future. Starting with slide sixteen (16) you can get a picture of where the fund is and what the ramifications of these scenarios to the City as the "Plan Sponsor" and SDCERS. Slides seventeen (17) to twenty-four (24) provide options for consideration by Board Members to decide what is best for the "PLAN" and the health of SDCERS into the future. Slides twenty-five (25) to forty-four (44) is a summary and examples of the various possibilities available to SDCERS for calculating the City's required contribution or ARC to SDCERS on the employees behalf. Slides forty-five (45) to fifty-three (53) are projections for each of the scenarios provided to the Board for consideration.

So what is this discussion all about? In simple terms, it is talk of a "bailout" on a much smaller scale than what we are seeing across this nation by the Obama administration. Remember MP1 and MP2; schemes that got us into this mess in the first place? The underfunding of our retirement plan so the City and elected officials could spend the money ear marked for pension contribution, on pet projects and other things? Well, this is what they are talking about; another plan to "lessen the load" or "defer" the obligation to future years for the City.

The mayor first floated the idea of changing the "corridor." The mayor went so far as to NOT re-appoint an experienced and educated trustee to replace him with someone he felt would be more supportive of his plan. The pension system's corridor, limits the "smoothing" or averaging of the payment needed from the City to meet the obligations of the plan. The corridor ensures this smoothing does not get too far off track and ensures adequate payments from the City. Confusing I know but bear with me. Because of the economy performing so badly, the pension system's assets are worth much less than before. The smoothing allows the value to be shown at a value higher than actual value by using an average over a specific period of time from high to low. But the pension system's corridor ensures this "smoothing" doesn't get more than 20% out of line. So the smoothing effort is restrained and the appearance of the health of the fund is more closely aligned with reality (sorta).

Scott Lewis in the Voice of San Diego wrote an article; "Amazing Admission; It's Either This or Bankruptcy." Scott generally writes well reasoned and articulate pieces. This article is articulate but to me misses the true point of what the mayor is attempting to pull off. Scott reasons if SDCERS does not make adjustments and allow the city to put off $50 million of their payment; the city will end up in bankruptcy. Scott writes; "Now, we finally have a number measuring the exact distance between the city and insolvency: $50 million." The mayor would have you think that. It is not true in any way shape or form.

Scott details what the corridor and smoothing is and what is being discussed regarding the city and their ARC payment due for the next fiscal year to SDCERS. Scott lays out well the discussion at SDCERS regarding the funding, where the system is, what to expect in the coming years and what options are available. But at the end of his article Scott writes the following;

"For weeks, I couldn't figure out why the mayor would ever consider pushing such a plan. Was he nuts? Had he not seen what similar decisions had done to his predecessor? Now it's much clearer. This time, he really is staring down the barrel of insolvency and he, and the city's powers that be, are doing everything they possibly can to make it shoot somebody else in the face."

"The mayor is bound and determined to prove something: that not being able to make your payment to the pension system doesn't mean you don't have enough money. It just means the rules are wrong. You, residents, are at least technically in control of the situation. You have to decide whether you fear bankruptcy more than you fear the pain of reckoning with what is the defining attribute of the city in which you live: It simply doesn't take in the money it has promised to pay out. You can change all the rules you want. You can count it in different ways. But we now have as clear a reckoning as ever. If the city is forced to put $50 million into its pension fund, it will be insolvent."

Scott, the mayor is not nuts; he is a cold, calculating individual who has an agenda and is using all resources to pull it off. What is the agenda? He is intent on eliminating DROP; reducing retirement benefits; and stripping employees of all reason to work for the City of San Diego. The mayor is staring down the barrel of insolvency NOT because of the payment to SDCERS. He is in fact doing everything he can to make the shot hit somebody else in the face. The mayor chooses to stare down that barrel because he refuses to make the tough decisions. Why in hell is money being spent to look at building a new city hall? Why is money being spent to plan a new downtown library? Why is money being spent to discuss and plan an expansion to the Convention Center? Why has the mayor not yet placed on the ballot an initiative to charge for trash collection? Why has the mayor not yet implemented a plan to charge for parking at beaches, parks, zoo, and wild animal park? Why are taxpayers still paying to provide security at private events like the Rock n Roll Marathon, Street Scenes; Mardi Gras; Padre and Charge games? Why are taxpayers paying the maintenance for fields, courts, lights and security for little league, pop warner, AYSL leagues, youth basketball, tennis and other groups?

My point is the mayor and his priorities are way out of focus and not in step with 2009. The economy and collapse of the markets that resulted in the loss of revenue, has required a re-focus of the priorities of all Americans. We have all made adjustments and changed the way we do things at home. We have put off the re-model of the bathroom, kitchen, front or back yard; we have held onto that car for a few more years rather than take on another payment; we have cut back on our water use, electricity, going out to dinner; we have begun bringing our lunch instead of eating out. Yet the mayor and council continue along with a one billion dollar expansion project to the Convention Center, a similar expenditure for a City Hall and yet another half a billion dollar tab for a downtown library. I could go on with examples of the priorities of this mayor and council but I think you get my point.

That somebody Scott, who is going to get shot in the face, is the poor sap elected to office in 2012 to replace this mayor. The new mayor, stuck with the idiocy of this mayor, will be facing that bullet. The new council (We can all hope it's new) will have to figure out the mess left by this group. Taxpayers have been fed so much crap about the benefits, wages and cost of city employees; we will forever be the cause of the financial ills of this city. The press and politicians have found an easy patsy to blame and we will suffer the consequences for years to come. We could offer up further concessions and cuts and it will never be enough. We could fix the funding issues with the retirement but the mayor and council refuse to listen. They know better and besides; if it's fixed, they could no longer use us as an excuse.

The city will not become insolvent if they are made to pay the $50 million they owe SDCERS. Changing the corridor may very well be acceptable and necessary to assist short term with the lack of revenue. But it must be temporary and only if the mayor and council begin to honestly seek reductions in services; increase in fees and revenue and STOP the nonsense around the Convention Center expansion; City Hall planning and the new Downtown Library. Until then; I'm sick of giving back, when all I see from city hall is more spending on projects that we cannot afford all the while telling the taxpayer more reductions and cuts to employee wages and benefits is necessary.

Platinum Equity lives in a glass house

Yesterday I wrote about a completely idiotic, boorish article by Michael Stutz in the Union Tribune; "Remember, City Hall – we buy ink by the barrel." Stetz boldly boasts of the Tribune's willingness and ability to write anything it desires and its determination to "spill" some of that ink to put anyone who has the mitigated gall to challenge its yellow journalism in their place.

Today I came across a couple of articles where Martin Singer, attorney for Platinum Equity (Owners of the Union Tribune) sent a letter to the S.D. Reader, threatening to sue them for an article related to two law suits filed against them. Singer took a page from Stetz and used some of that ink, as he penned a letter which contained 2,587 words.

I started laughing to myself as I read the threats from Singer. I could not help but reflect back to yesterday and the comments of Stetz. Singer is threatening to sue the S.D. Reader for a story, they were about to publish, about two law suits filed against Platinum Equity in Los Angeles. Singer writes; "In the event that you proceed to recklessly and maliciously publish a Story which falsely states, either directly or by implication that my client engaged in wrongdoing as alleged in those lawsuits or otherwise, you will be exposed to substantial claims for defamation, giving rise to potentially astronomical damages." Maybe Singer should counsel the journalists (I use this term loosely) at the paper owned by Platinum Equity about the implication of "proceeding recklessly and maliciously to publish stories which falsely states either directly or by implication wrongdoing or otherwise."

In the letter to the S.D. Reader, Singer accuses them of having a "pre-conceived agenda to attack, disparage and defame." Singer goes on to add, "we are confident that the Reader's pattern of publishing negative stories about my client, culminating in the upcoming Story, would establish the Reader's use of these journalistic devices, and would supply ample evidence of malice." AGAIN, maybe Singer should sit the editors, writers and bobble heads who work at the Union Tribune and explain all of this to them.

We need look no further than the latest series of articles; "Watchdog Report / Digging into San Diego's Finances" as an example of a "pre-conceived agenda to attack, disparage and defame." I am confident the Union Tribune's "pattern of publishing negative stories about City workers and their wages and benefits, culminating with the 'Watchdog Report / Digging into San Diego's Finances" series, would establish the Tribune's use of these journalistic devices, and would supply ample evidence of malice." So now the question begs to be asked; how does Singer or any attorney for Platinum Equity/Union Tribune defend a suit brought by City employees for this continued behavior?

This is simply another example of, "Do as I say, not as I do." The bully in the park pushes and taunts those he views as inferior. City employees and the S.D. Reader are bullied by the Union Tribune / Platinum Equity because they view themselves as above the law and superior to both. The continued attacks and pattern of publishing negative stories about City workers, their wages, benefits and retirement has clearly established the Union Tribune's malice against City of San Diego employees. Maybe someone should send Singer's letter to Chris Reed, William Osborne, Robert Kittle, Logan Jenkins and Karin Winner. To think there was a glimmer of optimism when Platinum Equity bought the Union Tribune that somehow the quality of the paper would improve. To the contrary; San Diego's only newspaper has gone from bad to worse.

What is VERY WRONG with the Union Tribune

If you did not know before; it was made clear today by Michael Stetz of the Union Tribune. I have always said the Union Tribune was a bush league, yellow journalism paper that was not fit to line the bottom of a cat box. Today, I can point to why I say this and I don't think there is anyone who can argue. Michael Stetz wrote; "Remember, City Hall – we buy ink by the barrel," an article defending the pathetic series of articles related to city payroll. If there was ever a doubt to the length the Union Tribune will got to publish a story; the truth be damned, it was made clear today by Stetz.

To refresh those who may have forgotten the articles; Eleanor Yang Su and Craig Gustafson, Staff Writers, and Agustin Armendariz, Staff Data Specialist, wrote a series of articles for the Union Tribune titled: "Watchdog Report / Digging into San Diego's Finances." The first segment was "City's payroll surged in '08." In the article was a link to a City web site allowing people to view City employee compensation. This caused uproar from employees and then the mayor for the lack of context of the information presented and the failure to accurately report ALL elements of the data being presented.

The second article in the series; "City workers' pay goes beyond base salary" was ANOTHER ignorant, twisting, inflammatory article that spins the facts to such an extent you would think EVERY City employee was making a mountain of money from specialty pay. AGAIN the lack of articulate, detailed and specific information leaves the reader thinking there is some sinister, back room, sneaky agreement to allow employees to fleece the taxpayer.

The third and final article in the series; "City payroll sees big gains in high-income earners" again spins data and failed in their efforts to accurately report in context the increases in compensation for city workers. The articles when viewed as a whole, failed miserably to report facts in a manner that accurately reflected the status of city employee wages, benefits and the cuts to these wages and benefits over the past four years. The impression left with readers based on the information provided by the Union Tribune was City employees had received excessive raises since the mayor took office (We all know this is NOT true).

The mayor; in my opinion defending HIMSELF; fired off a nine page letter to the City Council refuting the articles and the spin of the data provided. The mayor followed this up with a letter to the editor of the Union Tribune (which the Union Tribune FAILED to print in its entirety) decrying the failure to place in context the wages and benefits paid to employees.

Along comes Stetz and his "we buy ink by the barrel" piece that is clearly a threat to anyone who dare point out the failure on the part of the Union Tribune to provide factual information to its readers. Stetz starts off making two points; ONE, the link to City employee compensation was public information and the Union Tribune had "every right" to publish the link. TWO; the City provided the link and Stetz made excuses to the Union Tribunes refusal to "pony up" $1,900 the City required to provide the raw data in a more useful form. Stetz reasons the City should have paid (taxpayer money) for the auditor to re-do a data base for the Union Tribune. Hey Michael; the Union Tribune may have had "every right" to publish the link; but just because you had that right, did not "make it right." You lost complete credibility placing blame on the City for refusing to do the work for your purported "Staff Data Specialist" and culling the numbers from the data. You further lost credibility for your shameful and inadequate justification for publishing the link without providing the context of the data and Karin Winner's pathetic attempt a justifying its use hiding behind the "public's right to know" mantra.

Stetz then strikes home what many have thought and believed for years; Truth does not matter; it's selling newspapers that matters. Stetz writes; "I do have a dog in this fight, of course. I work for the newspaper. I love the newspaper. I believe in it. And I'm seeing something of a trend with it, one that I think public officials in the region should be aware of: We still have ink. And while we have hardly been wary of spilling it before – we've done lots of tough pieces on local governments and elected leaders over the years – I believe we are more prepared than ever to use it." Stetz continues; "My reaction: Try us. C'mon." So the hell with context, full disclosure, factual presentation of data and information; we will write what we want, how we want and if you challenge or refute anything we print, we will use the barrel's of ink we have to destroy you even if it is a lie. We got it Michael.

Stetz then takes the next step and makes these statements; "I am all about going to the mattress. We may have a leaner staff, but, believe me, it's meaner. We're not a bunch of happy scribes, given the state of the industry. After what we have been through – buyouts, layoffs, furloughs – I think the overall consensus is that we don't want to play." I heard someone out there sniffling; was that from crying about the turmoil and grief of a once proud group of professional journalists who no longer exist within the bounds of the Union Tribune because of these buyouts, layoffs and furloughs? The Union Tribune staff does not want to play Michael? If you are all that unhappy; go do something else. It is clear your anger and hell bent desire to ruin any respect those taxpaying, resident, city employees earned, is clouding any ability you have to provide accurate, articulate and objective news to the reading public.

Stetz begins to feel his oats and begins to pound his chest as he nears the end of his diatribe; "With the city payroll series, we didn't play. It took months of work and exposed not just that the city hasn't clamped down on payroll as much as advertised, but that some city employees get extra pay for rather unusual reasons." You are kidding aren't you Michael? That was a tongue in cheek comment, right? It is obvious Stetz did as much homework and fact checking for this "article" as the three "watchdog investigative reporters" did when working for "months" on the inaccurate series that spawned the ire of City employees, retirees, the mayor and others. The series lacked context for data; truthful background analysis; and a true comparison of wages and benefits from prior years. If accurate presentation of factual data and information to educate and inform the public was the goal; The Union Tribune and its reporters FAILED MISERABLY.

Stetz then makes the boldest of his statements; "But, more and more, even I want to muscle up. (And here's good news: The newspaper, as yet, does not test for steroids.)" I get the use of metaphor and he is not really espousing the use of steroids; but let's take a look at what he is saying. Stetz is making clear the Union Tribunes position and bent on writing what it chooses and how it chooses. Stetz is making clear the Union Tribunes willingness to use ALL the ink in its many barrels, to fight for their right to be a yellow newspaper. Stetz is making clear for anyone who was on the fence and not yet sure where the Union Tribune is headed since it was sold; the trash heap or recycle bin.

If you have yet to cancel your subscription; what are you waiting for? (Cancel subscription here) The latest attempt at justifying the pathetic performance of the journalist's for San Diego's only newspaper should be sufficient justification to end any relationship one may have with this company. Coupons can be had on the internet; ads from business and retail outlets can be found on the company web pages or at the entrance to most stores; Yahoo, MSN, AOL, Voice of San Diego, and many other mediums are available to provide the needed fix for news junkies. If you miss the garbage written in the Union Tribune; tune in to any of the five local television stations and watch the news; they all read the paper to you; the only thing you may miss is "Dear Abby."

I have said for years we need to challenge inaccurate, false and misleading information being presented to the public from politicians, journalists and others. I have encouraged people to immediately address this information and provide the truth, context and COMPLETE details of whatever it is being opined upon, that is being inaccurately spun. I would encourage continued writing of letters to the editor and correct that information you know to be incorrect. I would encourage you to read the blogs on signonsandiego.com and address the incorrect and misleading information being put forth as fact by the likes of Chris Reed, Richard Rider, Michael Stetz, Ricky Young et al. We may not have barrels of ink or paper by the truck load; but we have facts, honesty and the truth. In my opinion; worth much more than the Union Tribune's ink and paper filled with lies and yellow journalism.

Take Care of Number ONE!!!

The first weekend after the 4^th of July saw division's city wide struggle to meet staffing. I can relate to part of the problem; officers calling in sick. I have been struggling with a stomach virus for the past 4 days and spent Friday and Saturday lying in bed or on the couch (Still feeling puny and on the couch). If there is anything good to come from this, it's the loss of about 8 pounds (OK, I know, that's like throwing a deck chair off the titanic) and some much needed rest. I think this may be a trend as officers work longer hours; have fewer days off and move in and out of the air conditioned car to the sweltering heat of summer.

We all need to be aware of our bodies and what it's telling us. We need to take care of "Number ONE." If ever there was a time to take care of ourselves, this is it. If you are feeling sick and run down; do not come to work and infect the rest of your squad. Take the time off necessary to fight the bug and get back on your feet. Take your vitamins and supplements; eat properly and stay hydrated. Cut back on your workouts if you are feeling run down and starting to show signs of illness. The adage of working through it has been shown to be a fallacy; it will simply run you down more and hinder your ability to fight off some of the more low level bugs.

To those of you who work a lot of volunteer overtime or second jobs; remember you need time to refresh and rejuvenate your bodies. Late nights and too much alcohol is not on the list of to do's from the doctor. Take time to relax, rest, charge those batteries. The lack of staffing is not a reason to let yourself go and not take care of you. If you do not take care of "Number ONE" you will not be any good to those who count on you most. Keeping your mind and body fit is paramount to your safety and the safety of your partners.

I heard over the weekend 20+ officers called in sick on Saturday. It appears this created a concern that there was some sort of a coordinated "Sick-out." I am confident this is not the case and those who called in sick were in fact legitimately ill and not capable of working. That being said; I would offer these suggestions for supervisors, managers and officers;

• We need to pay attention to each other and support one another.
  
• If a squad member appears to be fatigued and showing signs of illness or fatigue, demand they go home and rest.
  
• Supervisors need to monitor the overtime of officers for stress and fatigue.
  
• Managers need to encourage officers to take vacation time at least once a year to relax and recharge.
  
• Officers need to make it a point to take time off, over and above the three days off each week. Being away from the stresses of the job for several days in a row will allow the mind and body to recharge and release those stressors that create illness.
  
• Supervisors and Managers need to have a plan to accommodate those times when officers are run down, stressed or ill. Acknowledge the officers importance but honor their need to take necessary time away from the job to prevent or overcome illness.
  

We owe it to one another to look out for each other. As supervisors and managers we owe it to our officers and the department to take care of them and ensure they are fit both mentally and physically. We owe it to officers to reduce the outside stressors and provide support and encouragement for the job they do; whatever it takes. This may mean going a person down on a busy night and sending an officer home who is over tired, run down or feeling the effects of the stresses of life and the job.

Be safe and take care of "Number ONE."

The rube is at it Again

At the July 8, 2009, Budget and Finance Meeting of the City Council, the little rube jumped up on a soap box and demanded SDCERS provide "Raw Data" (Go to 6:30 of Video) so he can determine if DROP is cost neutral. His ranting lasts for about 2 minutes and then Marti Emerald fires back challenging the little rube's assertion SDCERS has refused to provide data as requested. It appears this issue was discussed in closed session and the others on the committee were reluctant to discuss this in the open. This even got the attention of the Reader where you can find an article titled; "DROP It Like It's Hot". The little rube is under some assumption he has subpoena powers now. Lord; help us all!!!!

This is becoming somewhat of a theme with the little rube. He has been caught spinning, twisting and falsely stating facts since he hit town. A little research tells a lot about a person who believes his importance is more than reality. To bolster his importance in the world of politics he likes to tell people he has advised the likes of George W. Bush, President of the United States and Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California in the area of finance and government spending. When pressed about his connections to the White House and President Bush, the little rube back peddles and said he was on a "White House Advisory Panel." Dig deeper and you will learn he was one of a couple hundred government contractors who participated in panels to discuss budgets and government contracts. His actual participation is suspect. An extensive search of the documents prepared from these meetings, do not show his name anywhere.

The little rube touts his "Performance Institute" and the great work he has done with Law Enforcement. He proclaims expertise in so many areas it is almost laughable. But, I did some detailed investigation of my own to see just how much this little rube knows about law enforcement. Come to find out he knows nothing; does that surprise any of you? He, like his buddy the mayor, have surrounded themselves with people who know (in most cases think they know) what they are talking about. The little rube told the SDPOA he was going to make the San Diego Police Department into a "World Class Police Department." OK, so what are we now?

One of the little rube's mantras are to reduce wages and benefits that he believes are excessive and out of line with "Industry Standards." I guess he does not read the material his own company puts out. In a 2008, quarterly journal for law enforcement and first responders; Answering the Call, presented by the Performance Institute and the Police Policy Studies Council; there is an article on "Recruitment and Retention" of police officers. The first two paragraphs of the article say it all; Recruitment and retention in the law enforcement field has becoming increasingly difficult in the past few years. The "baby boomer" generation is now retiring or utilizing social security benefits at a rapid rate. With this group making up nearly 30% of the adult population, the job force is feeling pressure to fill these vacancies and establish solid succession plans. The need for quality personnel has continued to rise while the applicant pool has shown a steady decline in quality potential candidates.

Traditional populations of applicants have become more difficult to attract because of increasing societal changes. More than ever before private industry and security firms are luring qualified applicants with large paychecks and signing bonuses. Many agencies are also losing some of their best employees to other positions or jobs that offer a more attractive benefits package. The young adults of Generation X and Y are infiltrating the workforce at high volumes, while they typically have strayed away from the structural environment law enforcement jobs provide.

The article details the many methods of attracting new recruits and talks of the need to provide wages and benefits; Benefits are a great way to attract law enforcement professionals to your department. Advertisements, marketing literature or recruitment website should clearly state sick/personal holidays, paid holidays and vacation, tuition reimbursement, training programs and competitive base salaries with potential bonuses to reward performance. As everyone knows, benefits are expensive.

So maybe the little rube needs to read his own material; put out as a way to hire and retain police officers. Maybe he does not know his own research institute is telling communities and government what it takes to attract and keep qualified police officers? He has ranted about excessive vacation days being provided to employees in San Diego; never acknowledging the fact we have a combined bank of sick and vacation time and in most cases have fewer days than other cities. He rants about having excessive paid Holidays; yet we have the same or in some cases fewer holidays than other cities. Salaries; don't get me started with the idiocy I have heard from this rube about our "Excessive" wages. What is his plan for "Potential bonuses to reward performance?" I almost wet myself laughing at this one. The article even acknowledges what we all know; benefits are expensive. Maybe the little rube missed this edition of "Answering the Call?"

In the Winter 2008 issue of the "Answering the Call" there is a letter from the editor talking about the economic crisis in the United States. Apparently the little rube missed this one too. The editor, Stephanie Donaldson, VP of Education Services for the Law Enforcement Development Center of The Performance Institute wrote; "Over the past few months, the US and global financial crisis has worsened, dramatically affecting many state and local municipalities. In an economic downturn, too often agencies make reactive decisions to satisfy an immediate need or to balance the budget, only to compromise public safety in the long-term. With the large percentage of budget cuts around the country, departments are wondering how they will maintain public safety with less money and are looking for innovative ideas to ride out these economic hardships." Someone tell the little rube, the cuts he is demanding from the SDPOA and its members, IS COMPROMISING PUBLIC SAFETY IN THE LONG TERM!!!!

When you see the little rube and have an opportunity to ask him a question, use these analyses from his OWN "Think Tank" or "Government Efficiency" institute. Take these articles with you and share them with those in attendance at whatever gathering he is preaching to. People believe this rube and think he is all knowing and the answer to the economic problems facing San Diego. He is a blow bag and full of hot air. He espouses theory and rhetoric as fact and cannot back up with substance anything he preaches.

mayor goes to Hollywood

Today the mayor and Kevin Faulconer went to Hollywood today to drum up business for San Diego. The story went something like this; "The mayor traveled to Los Angeles Friday to meet with entertainment industry executives in an attempt to lure more film and television productions to San Diego. The mayor was scheduled to meet with representatives from DreamWorks, Walt Disney Pictures, Universal Pictures and 20th Century Fox Television, according to the mayor's office. According to San Diego Film Commission statistics provided by the mayor's office, the entertainment industry supports 5,000 jobs in San Diego and had a $42 million economic impact on the region's economy last year."

No one can argue the need for jobs and revenue for San Diego. Questions need to be answered before the mayor signs on to entice the film and television productions to San Diego; who is paying for the back scene support? The police department is called upon to provide security for these ventures. In years past the city was reimbursed at a paltry rate for these police services and yet the city charged the police department for the cost of providing this security. When is the city going to start charging private business for the services they receive such as this? The Padres, Chargers, Rock 'n' Roll Marathon, Pride Parade, Street Scene and the many other private groups who put on events in this city pay a small portion of the costs for city services necessary to hold the event. The cost of overtime to police these events is charged to the Police Department at full cost. Who is footing the bill for this? You the taxpayer!!!

Tell the mayor you are not interested in paying for these events. Tell him to demand from these groups they pay the costs to put on their events or go somewhere else. If he is unwilling to require private industry to pay for the services they receive then we must demand the city council act as a council and demand it.

On another note; the little rube, city council member for district 5, is bouncing from district to district holding meetings and yet has not found it necessary to hold meetings within his own district for some time. Well, appears someone got his attention and he has scheduled his "State of District 5" meeting in Scripps Ranch. The announcement went something like this:

Join Councilmember DeMaio as he reports to his constituents on the "State of District 5" and updates the entire city on efforts to reform city government. The program will provide San Diegans with a compelling road map for making government work again in our communities.

July 21st - 7:00 p.m.
Thurgood Marshall Middle School
9700 Avenue of Nations
San Diego, CA 92131
Space is limited, RSVP is suggested
Phone (619) 236-6655
A small reception will be held at the conclusion of the program

www.CleanUpCityHall.com

If you want to know the thinking of the little rube, check out his web site above "CleanUpCityHall." This was supposed to be a site for him and Donna Frye, but the little rube just can't share the spot light. The information on this site will surely give cause for concern.

These are the types of public events we need to involve ourselves in and ask questions of these elected officials. The little rube told the SDPOA he wanted to ensure San Diego had a "World Class Police Department" and yet is hell bent on cutting wages and benefits and eliminating the DROP. Is he speaking with a forked tongue or just picking words to make him appear more palatable to the unknowing voter? Professionally challenging him in front of voters with hard questions is the beginning of vetting who and what the rube is really all about so the voter gets a more realistic view of who he is. I plan on attending and would encourage others to do the same.

The last few retirement parties are being held as we move into a new era for the San Diego Police Department. Last night the "Three Amigos" called it a career. Detectives Linda Tibbets and Ernie Encinas and Detective Pete Morales enjoyed laughs, drink, food and music at the old rock house at the San Diego Police Pistol Range. Hundreds came to say good-bye and thank them for their combined 90 years of service. Tonight Detective John Minto is celebrating his retirement at the SDPOA Meeting Hall and Detective Jim McGhee is doing the same at the old rock house. All of these dedicated members of the department will be missed. They gave the best part of their lives to the citizens of San Diego and can now enjoy a relaxing and healthy life of leisure. Good luck and be well…..

Lastly an old retired guy asked me about starting a site for hikers. There are a number of active and retired members who enjoy hiking the local trails and mountains in and around San Diego as well as faraway places. We will be talking about this over the weekend. If there is anyone out there interested and has a suggestion of how and what to highlight; drop me a note. We will see where this goes.

Have a great weekend and enjoy the beautiful San Diego weather. Over the Line is beginning tomorrow for those looking for a reason to leave east-county and head to the beach. Don't forget the sun screen…