I Should Getaway More Often

I left San Diego for a long overdue getaway at just the right time. Around nine in the morning on Thursday last week, I headed for the Eastern Sierras. I decided it was time to get away. My trailer hooked to the back of my truck, fishing gear stowed in the bed and off I go after a brief stop for coffee. The traffic was light and after hitting the high desert, it was time for cruise control and a relaxing jaunt through the Mojave. Driving along these desolate stretches of road gives one time to think or better said, ponder life's experiences. These last few weeks have been some of the most painful and frustrating of my life. With the death of my father-in-law and everything that comes with a loved one's passing, to the frustration of being passed over for promotion and then watching the transfers and selections for special assignments; it gives the mind a playground for the cynical gymnastics of the brain. I thought I had adjusted to the snubbing and settled in to finish my last 29 months. Several events brought back to the front of this playground within my mind; pain, anger and frustration. This time away could not have come at a better space in my life.

I know some of you can relate to the experiences I am going to share. Some who know me will question if I really handled these as I am going to share, but rest assured, I did. I kicked myself after each of them for not speaking up, but have learned over the years of chewing my own shoe leather, there is nothing to be gained from a release of anger and saying what is on your mind. I so wanted to say something to each of these individuals, but didn't. I am actually proud of the fact I bit my tongue, saved the caustic comments and swore later when alone and in a place safe from any ears. I decided long ago to think before I opened my mouth as I have found over the years around here; being right means little to those with simple minds, a little power and the ability to carry out a grudge.

As I cruised along at 65 mph on the desolate two lane highway, my mind bounced from one topic to another. I thought of the upcoming POA elections and what the faces will look like in December. One new face for sure and the ever possibility of another. To be sure, MY FACE WILL NOT BE ONE OF THEM. I have no desire, at all, to enter into that arena again. Three times is enough for anyone and after the last go around I learned more about this city and department than I care to know. I thought of my father-in-laws last year and the struggles he endured after we were told he was not expected to survive another 72 hours. One year and 18 days later, his body gave out and he succumbed to old age and a myriad of diseases that would have taken a lesser man much sooner. I thought of the extra year we were given with him, the family bonding that takes places during these times and the outpouring of support from a Fire Department Family that was beyond amazing. NOTE; Police Associations can learn a lot from Fire Relief Associations and how they take care of one another.

When the drive to your destination takes seven hours, you have lots of free, uninterrupted time to think. Alone in a vehicle, simply guiding its travel, is a thoughtless proposition when cruise control keeps a steady pace and the roads are straight. I listened to an assortment of soft classical music supplied from my XM Radio and allowed the thoughts in my mind to bounce around that cynical playground. I began to look back on the past two months. A short period of time comparatively speaking that seemed to drag on and on with no end in sight. Maybe it was the thought of nearly four weeks off and two separate vacations that caused time to slow down. Maybe it was my mind beginning to dwell on issues being thrown into my playground one by one, over and over again. Whatever the reason, it is a good thing I have finally hit the road and taken a break from work.

As I drove along 395 toward my destination, I began to think of these events that have come to trouble me. I played each one over and over in my head; each after they occurred and each as I drove along desolate stretches of desert. On August 20^th as I walked through the parking structure on P-1, I was walking with my head down as I was still stinging from the pain of being passed over for promotion. I was not in the mood for pleasantries or happy talk and my way of avoiding, was to walk with my head down and pay attention to nothing but the path I was walking. I noticed a car pass and swing into a parking spot rather abruptly. The door flings open and an individual jumps out. He bounds to the rear of his car and immediately says a newly promoted lieutenant's name and then says, "You've got to be fucking kidding me." This individual repeats the name and says, "My god, what are they thinking?" I quickly said, "Don't go there; that's not fair to that person. Don't even go there." I turned back around and continued walking to my car and got in. I was so pissed at this moment in time all I really wanted to do was knock this idiot out. I was so angered by the comments made by this pathetic excuse for a person and was caught so off guard, I did not respond with the thoughts that came later. Thoughts that; "The same thing was said about you when you got promoted. They are actually still saying it." Thankfully for me and this ass clown, I just walked away and those words were spoken as I drove from headquarters, as I replayed the conversation in my head. So much for trying to put behind me, being passed over for promotion to Lieutenant.

Several days later another event took place as I was riding the elevator to the 7^th floor. I am on the third floor and the door opens. I am still walking with my head down so as to avoid conversation, when I step onto the elevator. In the elevator stands an individual who is immediately uneasy and appears to be uncomfortable with my presence. The obligatory, "Hi Steve" is spoken and I nod my head and say hello. This individual immediately looks at the floor and shifts from one foot to the next as the elevator door closed and we begin our assent to the 7^th floor. Without looking up, I can see the fidgeting and uneasiness as we ride alone to the 7^th floor. After what seemed like an eternity, we reach the 7^th floor and the door opens; without a word, the individual darts from the elevator and quickly walks toward their office. As I walked to my office I began to shake my head and the thoughts of what I should have said or wanted to say raced around in that playground of cynicism and anger within my brain. I bit my tongue and allowed the frustration to wane as I plugged my headphones into my ears and began to transcribe yet another interview. Why the uneasiness? What have I done to cause this type of reaction?

Then the third event takes place Tuesday, September 1. I walked into the cafeteria at HQ to grab lunch. I had office duty this day and getting out is almost impossible on these days. So I decided to grab a sandwich with another member of the office. We walk in the cafeteria and there is the Chief, waiting for his daily cup of soup. Many of you know the Chief to be a cheerleader and cup half full type of guy. He has always been a gregarious, friendly person when I have encountered him or when saying hello to me. Not this day. The Chief turns to see who is behind him in line and it was clearly obvious he was uncomfortable and wanted not to be where he was standing. With a quick "hello" he turned back toward the counter, leaned in with his hand out, waiting for the cup of soup to be handed to him. He could not get that soup in hand fast enough and off he went. The person standing with me looked at me with a puzzled look and said, "Was it me or you?" I laughed and said, "Maybe both of us or maybe just me, but you noticed that too?" We walked back to the office not saying anything. Lunch was odd in that neither one of us said much. We often chatted about stuff and laughed and cajoled one another, but not this day. This day was different. I think if I had been alone I would not have given this reaction much thought. But I go back to the elevator ride and the awkward feeling and now this. Why the uneasiness?

Now I am sure I am not the most popular guy on the 7^th floor these days. My blog post "The Message is Clear" no doubt has gotten some peoples dander up. Maybe not so much my words but some of the replies to the post and the anger and disdain expressed. I thought about deleting the replies to this post because of the content of a couple of them. But after conversations with several people who had read them and deciding what reason I could give for such an action, I decided to leave them. I could not logically defend removing the replies of some and not others and could not justify removing all of them, so I punted and left them all. Good or bad, it is what it is. People's frustration and anger are real and their perceptions are their realities. Who am I to judge what is right or wrong? Some have criticized the "Anonymous" posters as being gutless and refuse to acknowledge anything posted without a name. I understand the fear of using one's own name. I am a poster child for why being "Anonymous" is better if you have aspirations for promotion or transfer to a preferred assignment. The comments posted by someone who desires to be "Anonymous" should not be dismissed out of hand. All comments should be considered and at the very least bantered over a net a few times to see if there is any validity to what is said. Dismissing these comments out of hand is akin to putting your head in the sand and refusing to acknowledge just maybe there is a problem. God knows we have a few problems.

The final event that made me glad I was heading off for vacation occurred my last day at work. I was headed home and was walking toward the elevator. As I rounded the corner the elevator door was just beginning to close. An individual was on the elevator and saw me coming. He hit the button to stop the closing of the door. He stood there holding uniforms in one hand and the other pressing the open button. I step on the elevator and the door begins to close. The person looks at me with a smile and says, "How are you doing Steve?" I nod and say simply, "I'm doing fine, thank you." He follows this up with, "You doing OK?" I am struggling as the thoughts in my mind are doing gymnastics and bouncing off the wall in the large vacant space of my skull. I choose to simply say, "I'm doing well." OK, I know what you are thinking; "This person is just being a nice guy." Perception is a man's reality; I did not perceive it that way. The elevator stops at the 3rd floor and the door opens. He raises his hand to almost shoulder level, palm down; begins to thrust his hand forward palm down and lowers his hand, still palm down, as if he wishes to shake my hand. Without thinking, I instinctively reach out (keep in mind my hand must be palm up to accept his) and shake his hand. He begins to exit the elevator and says, "Take care Steve."

I can't begin to describe the feelings that went through my body at that moment. This is not the first time this type of handshake has been presented of late. I can't put to words what I was thinking at that very moment without getting myself into trouble. If I wrote what I felt or thought at the time and even now as I write this, I most assuredly would see some sort of repercussion. When did it become acceptable to put ones hand out to shake hands as if you are coming over the top? Hand thrust from the shoulder, palm down? I was taught to extend the hand straight out, thumb up and to interlock the thumbs and grasp firmly, not hard, and shake hands. This movement of coming over the top with the palm down in my opinion is an attempt to show dominance or superiority and to be on top, to in some way convey control and superiority. I find it offensive and degrading and it takes every ounce of energy not to grab a hold of a hand presented in such a fashion and twist the arm in an arc, jerk toward me and say; never mind what I would say, you get my point.

What has occurred that creates an uneasy feeling when I am present? I have pondered this for some time now. Floating on a lake in my float tube, all alone in my thoughts, I have reflected on these events. I have tried to identify the reason my presence has caused certain individuals to become so visibly uneasy that even others have taken notice. Then reality pulls the protective mat from under the bars and I hit my head on the cement. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure this one out.

I have spent the last six days enjoying the beautiful scenery of the Eastern Sierra Mountains. I have enjoyed hiking, sometimes rugged mountain trails, to breath taking views and sights. The hikes have been slow since I broke a toe a few days before heading off. I have lounged under the sun and pines and taken in the latest Patricia Cornwell book. I have floated alone in a float tube, fishing and enjoying the quiet solitude of a day on the lake all alone. I have sat by a perfect camp fire telling stories and laughing and sat alone on the shore of several lakes taking it all in and have come to this conclusion; Who cares why they are uneasy? It is THEIR issue; THEIR doing; THEIR problem. I did NOTHING to give them cause to feel uneasy; it is they, whose actions have caused them to be uneasy.

Tomorrow I am going to find another lake to launch my float tube and enjoy the day. I am going to soak up the sun and peace and tranquility of bobbing alone on a mountain lake, fishing for small trout and just take in the peace of what this part of earth has to offer. I will head home for the weekend to clean the trailer, re-pack and head then off to Hawaii. I will spend a week relaxing and taking in what that part of earth has to offer. While I am away, I may or may not write again. I posted yesterday about the mayors diatribe in front of the San Diego Taxpayers Association. If you missed his speech you should take a peek. See if you can identify a kind word for employees of the City of San Diego. Take note of his sideways promise of more cuts to wages and benefits as well as elimination of positions. Take a gander at the Voice of San Diego and their view of the speech. Then make your own conclusions at to what is in store for us next year.

Enjoy family, friends and loved ones; cherish every moment you have with them; it could be your last. Live life for today and make every moment a memory you want to share with the world.

Is the Mayor Serious?

I may be in the mountains of the Eastern Sierras, enjoying some solitude, thought, relaxing walks and naps and a bit of fishing; but I am not completely out of touch and not paying attention. I have enjoyed many hikes, hours of floating on various lakes in my float tube fishing and hanging around my camp site, reading and enjoying the great outdoors. My failure is my refusal to leave my Blackberry at home or at the very least turned off and in the glove box. I get continuous updates from various mediums as to the goings on in San Diego. The one that caught my attention and caused me to drive into town and find an internet connection was the mayor's speech today before the San Diego County Taxpayers Association Lunch. If you missed it you need to take the time to view it on the City's TV site.

I have known this man for more years than I care to acknowledge. I always thought of him as somewhat intelligent; albeit a bit overstated in the education arena, but not an idiot by any means. I was WRONG!!! I was absolutely dead wrong in my opinion of the mayor and his intelligence. After reading his latest speech and the diatribe of idiocy he espouses, I question if he is even in touch with reality, let alone smart enough to understand balancing a checkbook for a single family household in America today. On what planet is it OK to take on over TWO BILLION DOLLARS in ADDITIONAL DEBT when it is clear current levels of revenue will leave the City of San Diego with OVER a ONE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR DEFICIT next year and the result will be more cuts to core services, reductions to wages and benefits of employees, and more structural changes that will continue to erode the infrastructure of every community in this city. The mayor espouses adding on to the Convention Center to the tune of almost ONE BILLION DOLLARS; build a new city hall for another cool ONE BILLION DOLLARS and a new downtown library for a small pittance of TWO HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS give or take a couple of million. There is not one mention of where the money is going to come from; simply this, "We cannot allow our judgment to be clouded by the defeatists who think the only response to a weak economy is to abandon our aspirations."

I need help with the logic and reasoning from the mayor at this point. The mayor says, "During this time of economic hardship, I would never ask residents to choose between funding basic services and investing in discretionary capital projects. Each of the following initiatives will be funded by revenues generated by the projects. Put another way, the money we invest in the projects would not exist but for the projects themselves." I will be short and to the point; GET REAL MAYOR! If any of this garbage were true the revenues would ALREADY be in place to SUPPORT the projects you are pushing. This is pure garbage and anyone with a brain and the ability to add can see right through this. These projects will COST taxpayers dearly and many will never see the benefit of ANY of these projects.

The mayor continues, "I'm fully aware that, in times of economic upheaval, some people want government to stop in its tracks. They think progress was all right for previous generations, but it's taken us about as far as it can. This kind of thinking is nothing new in San Diego. Virtually every major project in the city has encountered opposition from groups who have no faith in tomorrow, who view all progress with suspicion, who don't believe we deserve to be a great city. If these people had their way, we'd still be riding ferries to Coronado. There wouldn't be a Mission Bay, or a trolley system, or a vibrant downtown with homes, shops and restaurants. We might not even have clean water piped into our homes."

What is it going to take to wake this stooge of a mayor up? Is he serious about this crap he is saying? Really? I was having so much fun in the Sierras and I just had to read this speech . I hate when I agree with the little rube or Steve Francis for that matter but they both have the mayor pegged. He is so off on this idiocy it is absolutely pathetic and will in the end be his defining moment of failure. To think he keeps trying to pawn off his antiquated and outdated and obsolete 5 y ear plan as a positive and at the same time rails against "bloggers" who have the sense to speak out against his lunacy. The mayor makes a comment I could not leave alone; "We cannot accept a City that is only part-efficient any more than we would accept a City that is part-honest." He even said it with a straight face. He would not know the truth at this point in his term any more than he would be able to balance that checkbook.

The mayor continues with, "Because we've been so successful in reducing operations, and because we chose pay cuts over service reductions, the public has largely been insulated from the magnitude of the challenges we've already overcome." The public has been snowed and lied to about the reality of what has truly been done to the workforce in San Diego. By reducing operations, the mayor forced over 250 experienced, senior police officer and almost 90 experienced, senior fire fighters to leave. The mayor boasts of his willingness to take the new hire with "Enthusiasm" over the experience he had just forced out. It does not stop there. The ability to hire and retain officers and firefighters is becoming increasingly difficult. The problem is agencies and cities across America understand the importance of a qualified, experienced and stable public safety. This mayor could give a damn.

I had to read this garbage twice to believe what he said. These are his words folks, not mine. "The City is no different than your family, or any family in these difficult times that has to weigh priorities and make tough decisions. So in my office, we talk every day about where we can save money, while doing all we can to protect services and the quality of life people care about." So let me ask a stupid question mayor, if it is ok? The city is no different than my family? The city is weighing priorities and making tough decisions; just like my family? You are kidding right? You are considering ways to SAVE money? You are doing this with the intent to protect services and the quality of life people care about? What people if I may ask? In my house I am not considering any building because I have enough debt. I am not talking about building a new home even though my existing one is in need of new plumbing, carpet, paint, doors, heater and air conditioner and many other renovations to a house that is almost 30 years old. I am not doing this because my income has been slashed and the costs of my benefits have exploded. I have had to decide to wait for these improvements, renovations and expansions. I did so with my family in mind. I decided paying for my son's law school and paying off my daughters four years of college at Cornell University and two years at UCSD getting her Masters was more important than pushing that debt off on them. I made a promise to my children to pay for their education and I am not like the City and reneging on these promises. So I live in a house that needs work and improvements and renovations that will wait. Before I leave this comment; whose quality of life are you talking about? Surly it is not that of your employees. Correct me if I am wrong here.

Remember my piece on the new computer program the city is attempting to get up and running to the tune of over THIRTY TWO MILLION DOLLARS? Well, the mayor is touting this program as another example of his stellar work. He says, "OneSD represents a quantum leap forward in our ability to identify inefficiencies, integrate our internal controls and pull data to help decision-making. But state-of-the-art infrastructure like this doesn't come cheap. OneSD required a significant investment by the city – an investment in accountability and efficiency that will realize returns for years to come." The part about "state-of-the-art infrastructure like this doesn't come cheap" is no joke. But why did we have to have the gold plated version of a program when the version all other cities across America could have been plucked off the shelf and for a fraction of the price been up and running long ago and a much reduced price? This is just another example of the puffing and blowing of smoke from this city's administration. This 32 million dollar joke is still not working and is creating more issues than it is solving problems.

I am not going to go into the Qualcomm Stadium site enhancements the mayor is bantering about. Take some time and read it for yourself. It is on page seven of his speech. I see a conflict of interest brewing here for the mayor to be so helpful and free with his giving to SDSU. If memory serves me he is a graduate of SDSU and is part of the alumni? I smell something fishy here (no, not from my trout fishing) but just can't get my hands around this one right now.

I have been at this for a while and want to get back to my camp site and the fish I have for dinner. The mayor closed with a comment directed at the likes of me and I want to respond. The mayor said, "Those public-spirited citizens, not the voices of negativity and inertia, are the true representatives of San Diego. Working together, we can, and we will, ensure that this time is remembered for the strength and wisdom we gained from adversity, and by what we were able to accomplish in spite of it." The mayor praises those "public-spirited citizens" who helped out during the fires yet fails completely to acknowledge the work, effort and dedication of a single employee. The mayor takes a shot at those of us who are the "voices of negativity and inertia" as not being a part of San Diego. He made a couple of wise cracks about "bloggers" as being part of these voices of negativity and inertia. I am honored he feels this way. It is a shame he does not pay attention to the reality of what people all over the city are saying. I am one voice and speak simply form my little slice of this earth. I take umbrage to the assertion a negative voice is NOT a true representative of San Diego. I happen to be a native of this City mayor. Where are you from? I have dedicated over 30 years of service to this community and also put myself out there as an elected representative for the people of the Poway Unified School District. What give you the right to speak negatively about those of us who share a different view of reality to you? What makes you better than any one of us?

People need to wake up and speak up and stop sitting passively by and letting this dolt tell you what you need and want. The longer you sit quietly on the sidelines the stronger his idiocy becomes and takes shape. The mayor does not care about your priorities or concerns. He sees his position as one of telling YOU what YOU need and want. HE IS SETTING YOUR PRIORITIES. It is time you tell him what YOUR PRIORITIES are.

Time to Seek Greener Grass?

It is looking more and more like things are going to get much worse before they ever start to get better. Projections today indicate the City of San Diego is facing a $100 million deficit next year. The mayor has already made promises to again cut positions throughout the city next year and this time around he has said fire and police will see the elimination of jobs as well. There will no doubt be further wage and benefit cuts and next year the 9% contribution to a newly created "Retiree Medical Trust" will begin for those employees who are six (6) years or more from retirement. The judge is sitting on the written decision from the June 27, 2009, hearing regarding the DROP and the City's desire to increase the age of entry into DROP. All of this has contributed to uncertainty and fear of what the future holds for those who are nearing age 50.

The first checks have been received that contain the latest round of cuts from the IMPOSED contract July 1^st. The cuts far exceed the 6% stated by the mayor and people are quickly starting to realize what they are up against. A Detective Sergeant who is single saw a loss of $236.16 from take home pay, PER PAY DAY. This employee who is single paid out of pocket an additional $22.00 for medical insurance. The flexible benefits dollars provided by the City DID NOT cover this employees BASIC medical insurances. This same employee has seen an increase of retirement contribution balloon to $528.11 PER PAY DAY. Take the example of a Detective who is married saw a reduction of $307.53 from the take home pay of a month ago. Remember folks this is PER PAY DAY! The medical insurance for this employee increased $351.29 from the prior year. Life Insurance and voluntary contributions to Deferred Comp were eliminated completely. The contribution to retirement has ballooned to $305.84 PER PAY DAY.

Taking these two examples (I have these two employees pay stubs – prior to cut and post cut) the total loss to the Sergeant is $6,140.16 per year and the loss to the Detective is $13,730.86 PER YEAR. These are just two examples of the effects of the imposed contract. The losses these two employees are taking will never be recouped and each will face more cuts next year. Stop and think for a second; would you be capable of taking this type of reduction to your salary and continue to live the life you do? Some will say they should be thankful they have a job. Some will say they are sharing the pain like everyone else. The mayor will tout a pay raise the prior two years that makes it somehow OK for these types of cuts to be forced upon our officers. The mayor seems to have a very short term memory when it comes to the wages and benefits of police officers. The two prior years saw reductions in wages and benefits. The "raises" the mayor attempts to use as justification for cuts did not bring to even the wages and benefits of police officers from the prior cuts. San Diego Police Officers have been steadily moving backwards when comparing our wages and benefits to our prior years.

Next year the City of San Diego is going to be facing a deficit of over $100 million. Top that off by a mayor seeking to expand the Convention Center to the tune of almost ONE BILLION DOLLARS. Let's not forget the mayor's desire to build a new, City Hall for another cool ONE BILLION DOLLARS. OH, don't forget the desire to build a new downtown library for another cool $200 million and rising every day. This is all "Voluntary" building and taking on debt that is being added to the unfunded liability the City has for Employee Retirement contributions that are almost TWO BILLION DOLLARS today. I could go on with the list of expenditures the current city administration has taken on and squandered but it's getting late and I am not sure I would be able to do it and maintain civility.

Many experts would tell a company struggling and looking for ways to cut costs, to invest in the capabilities of their current workforce. They would suggest listening to their employees and trusting their knowledge of where cuts could be made to have the least impact on the ability to provide necessary services and at the same time reducing cost. To this end, Robert Haas, a business advisor – philanthropist makes the following observation, "To me, the idea of a person as a marionette whose arms and legs start moving whenever you pull the pay strings is too simplistic a notion of what motivates people in organizations." When an organization such as the City of San Diego cries poor while making plans to spend over TWO BILLION DOLLARS it does not have; while simultaneously cutting the wages and benefits of its employees you can understand why employees feel like this marionette.

The mayor has not separated the difference between "lean and mean" from "cheap and petty." His every action has revolved around politics and his refusal to be honest with the taxpayer. The mayor has proven to be EXTREMELY PETTY and MEAN SPIRITED in his actions toward employees of this City. He has been CHEAP with his willingness to compensate the employees who dedicate themselves to providing safety to the persons who live, work and visit San Diego. The mayor needs to take a page from Armand Hammer, CEO of Occidental Petroleum (Deceased) when he said, "If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys" when he talked about his ability to hire and retain the best people for his company.

The City of San Diego is already known for its world class zoo. The little rube talks about turning the San Diego Police Department into a "World Class Police Agency." If the City continues to pay peanuts, we will only reach world class status as a "City Zoo" full of monkeys who refuse to provide adequate public safety and soon after being trained leave for city's willing to throw in the basics such as bananas, housing, health care and a retirement plan that will allow them to live a comfortable life and receive what was promised.

As we head into next year, remember NOT to overlook small and seemingly insignificant negative actions from the mayor. The smallest of sparks can burn thousands of acres of land and destroy millions of lives. You have a choice and need to look forward and not dwell on the past. Keep an eye on where you are going and you will be OK. If you give others the power to dictate your path, you are merely a passive participant in your own life. There are two choices; taking control of the direction of your life or allowing the mayor and the city to control your fall into financial ruin. Which one will it be? The grass is greener where it is cultivated and watered. Is that San Diego or another City willing to give you that choice?

How Much Longer???

During a conversation this afternoon, the subject of the mayor came up. I know that is hard to believe but it's true. The discussion wandered from 1970's and 1980's activities of then Sergeant and Lieutenant Sanders; to the future as well as wondering what his legacy will turn out be as a mayor. Evaluation; explanation; consternation; observation; contemplation and speculation all entered the discussion. Talking about the abilities and actions of the mayor compared to past leaders brought about a resounding failure as an elected official. There has not been one positive influence or action taken by the mayor during his short tenure that could be identified no matter how hard memories were searched. Trying to explain his actions toward police officers brought about a lot of negative comments and words that did not reflect well for a man in his position. The consensus that he was a poor leader when chief; left the department with a profound lack of support; and was not liked by the majority of those who knew him, was very strong. The bewilderment of his all out attack and demeanor toward the officers of the San Diego Police Department generated the consternation. It was well known and documented his leadership style consisted of decision by committee; but it was not well known he was as vindictive and caustic as he has shown to be. Many of us knew who the real person was and for that reason voiced our strong opinions when he first announced his decision to seek the mayor's office. The observations of the man who holds the mayor's seat, both past and present, created a myriad of comments; none that would be positive or flattering. The observations to a person were personal and viewed from their eyes and not rumor or locker room talk.

As the discussion continued, speculation crept into the conversation of what was next for the mayor? Many people discuss higher office being the goal of the mayor and his actions are all to position himself for this next step. Some have mentioned the Governor's Mansion; others have speculated positions such as the Senate or Congress; while others (I include myself in this group) think he is positioning himself for an appointment in Washington DC. Whatever the motives for his actions; he has been a dismal failure to those he serves and the people who were blinded by his false persona. His every action has been political; designed around appearance and perception.

As we talked, it was mentioned there was discussion the mayor was contemplating resigning before his term is up. The ears perked up and the mind began to race; could it be? Would a narcissistic person quit, walk away, run from, or vacate a position of such power? The answer is; NO. That is, unless there is something on the horizon that would adversely affect his reputation, persona, or standing in the power circles he maintains.

Now the mind is working in over drive; RPM'S spinning at warp speed looking for the trigger that would cause the mayor to make that move. To a person like myself; I could spend the next several hours writing about the issues the mayor has completely and totally failed at and in most cases made worse that would cause even the most narcissistic person to run for cover. I can think of so many things he must accept ownership of that would bring down a politician in any other city. So when the mention was made of the mayor contemplating resignation I must admit I felt a twinge of excitement.

So I sit here tonight thinking about the real possibility of this becoming reality. I have to tell you, I am not a very religious person but if this becomes reality; maybe there is a god. There will not be a turnaround of this city or the police department as long as we employ the person we do currently as our mayor. The only possibility of fighting our way out of this hole is with the leadership of a person of integrity, compassion, honesty and intelligence. Under the current leadership we will continue to slip into the abyss of despair and anger. Let's all hope the contemplation by the mayor is accurate and expedient.

OneSD Joke is on YOU!!!

Want another example of wasting taxpayer dollars and complete mismanagement from the mayor and staff? Look no further than the $37 million boondoggle, "OneSD". Over the last couple of years, roughly 100 people (40 or so full time city employees and a gaggle of consultants) have been working to build a new system to connect every computer in every department throughout the city to enable closer scrutiny of budgets, spending and invoices by fewer people and tighter controls and a better management of resources. OneSD or the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) initiative was launched in early 2007, after agreeing to purchase software from SAP Public Services and hire Axon Solutions Inc. to install and train staff to use the system. The project was scheduled to be operational in October 2008 but was delayed over and over again because the city continually changed personnel working on the project. With each change came a different view or idea or belief of how things should be. Axon Solutions Inc. was blamed for the city's incompetence and the contract was pulled and given to SAP Public Services to complete the installation and get the system operational.

Shortly after sanders was elected mayor, he began his Business Process Reengineering (BPR) and hired Rick Reynolds to coordinate this effort. Part of this effort involved the ERP or OneSD project. Reynolds was ultimately fired by the mayor for undisclosed reasons and has since filed a wrongful termination law suit against the mayor. One of many fall guys when things do not go as planned; remember that experience says the mayor has to have someone to shoulder the blame and Rick Reynolds fit this bill.

Fast forward to August 2009; OneSD goes on line and the joke begins. If you missed the memo regarding time cards; OneSD is alive and well and now part of the time card equation. I understand the lag in getting up to speed with new systems and programs of this nature. I understand kinks that develop when trying to implement such a large and sophisticated project will need to be worked out and massaged. I get the apprehension of using a new system for tasks normally done "the old fashioned way." Change is often met with some resistance and fear while attempts are made to hold on to the "old way" of doing things.

The problem with OneSD is the manner in which the system was brought on line and sold to those who are tasked with using it. When problems were identified; changes suggested; mechanisms challenged; Axon Solutions drug their feet; city employees lost interest and the project languished in limbo. With the price tag growing by the day and no sign of going on line anywhere in sight; heads were on the chopping block. Axon was dumped and SAP hired through San Diego Data Processing Corp. (City IT provider) to finish the project. (SDDPC is a whole story in itself)

The joke is the time, money and energy expended to get to the point we are at today. In true San Diego form, "Commercial-off-the-shelf" products just would not due. There was a report written to justify the expenditure of taxpayer money for this "Gold" program that was implemented without a return on investment or net present value calculation being made or used to justify this decision. Data Warehousing with existing systems within the city would have saved millions of dollars and achieved the same outcomes. The system would have been up and running long ago and the money saved could have gone to one of a hundred programs and projects eliminated in our communities. The arrogance of the mayor's office and their touting of a system much needed, yet grossly overpriced, has boxed the city into making this system work at any cost.

An accounting system of this nature is long overdue. This does not in any way justify the amount of money spent to get this new system on line. As this system fully evolves and becomes part of our daily lives; we will notice little if any changes to the way we do business. OneSD is just another example of the mayor's willingness to spend taxpayer money to make himself look good at the same time laying blame for budget deficits at the feet of the city's employees. The joke is on you San Diego; the fleecing of an entire city is in the making. Under the cover of the Kroll report and past failures of prior administrations the mayor is buying limousine products on a used car budget. Where is the City Council? Where are the checks and balances for the actions of this mayor? Strong mayor form of government is ruining this city. But then, maybe if the mayor was an ethical, honest, inclusive politician who cared more about the city than his image or how things look, it would not be such an issue?

OneSD is in its infancy and just now being rolled out. Time will tell what positive effects it will have on the effectiveness and management of resources in San Diego. It will have to be error free and extremely effective to recoup the money spent thus far on this system. Not having a baseline evaluation of present value or the ability to decipher the return on this investment, the mayor can tout anything he likes to make this program appear to be a wise investment. A real sad state of affairs for San Diego.

ONE BILLION HERE ONE BILLION THERE

I have spent a lot of time reading the goings on at city hall and have come to the conclusion the idiots are running the asylum. The City of San Diego is full of want to be politicians who have not a clue what the hell they are doing. The city has a mayor who is more concerned with HIS image than he is doing what is right. His every move is about him; how it makes him look; calculated with thoughts of "What will people think?" The mayor's every move is political, short sighted and made for the moment. His sham of a five year plan is a joke. The numbers do not pencil out and as the little rube points out is sorely outdated and meaningless today. The current hot topic centers round the expansion of the Convention Center to the tune of ONE BILLION DOLLARS. The mayor stacked a "Community Task Force" to ensure the outcome he got. He went on record BEFORE the task force had their first meeting as being the "Champion" for the expansion. He needed the blessing of a sham committee to bolster his desire and position to begin the sales job to the taxpayer. The poor ignorant taxpayer.

While the mayor is plotting and planning his fleecing of the taxpayer to help his political cronies, he is seeking an actuary to justify his plan to change the ARC to the Retirement System so the City will be required to pay less today than they should. Now let us not forget the mayor ran on a platform of change and fixing the underfunding that put us in the position we find ourselves and now he is attempting to do the same thing past administrations did and cut the ARC to save money and UNDERFUND the retirement system. If this is not criminal I am simply a security guard for a nickel and dime business. The sad part of all this is the increased contribution put on the back of the employee during the last contract negotiations; in the long run, had NO EFFECT on the unfunded liability and simply shifted the contribution responsibility to the employee and saving the City NOTHING relative to their required contribution. The dolts who came up with the plan to shift the employee contribution back to the employee have yet to figure out this will in the long run COST the city more money in the coming years. This because the institutional knowledge and understanding of the pay structures of employees is long gone and short minded people responsible for the changes simply see a smaller payout today. (I am not going to explain it here because the dolts will figure it out and screw us even more next year)

If all of this is not bad enough, the mayor is scheming and plotting to build a Taj Mahal - City Hall to the tune of yet another ONE BILLION DOLLARS. I laugh every time I think about this pompous ass and how he has snowed the taxpayers of this city. He was, in many people's eyes, one of the worst chiefs the San Diego Police Department ever had. His smoke and mirrors, committee driven joke of an administration has been replicated at city hall. Smoke and mirrors, committee after committee, task force after task force have made getting real work completed a joke. Case in point is Managed Competition. The director who was tasked with making this voter mandated program reality just quit out of frustration because the mayor has created an environment where NOTHING ever gets done. So the mayor is planning and plotting and scheming to spend TWO BILLION DOLLARS this city does not have, on two projects that benefit who?

The mayor cuts wages of city employees; refuses to honor years old promises of retirement medical for employees hired before 1986 who opted out of Medi Care at the city's request; forces upon employees increased retirement contributions after the city decides it is too political to honor past agreements; reduces employee medical insurance and increases the burden upon employees by providing less money for this benefit; demands employees take furlough days, further reducing wages of employees; eliminates hundreds of positions from EVERY department within the city and demands MORE work be taken on and completed and at the same time expects customer service to remain high. All of this because the city DOES NOT HAVE THE MONEY to pay for wages and benefits promised. The city is also facing a 100 million dollar deficit next year if projections are accurate and the mayor still has the unmitigated gall to campaign for these TWO BILLION DOLLAR expenditures and at the same time continue the assault on employee wages and benefits.

When will people begin to see the true picture of what is going on in San Diego? When will the press start pressing the numbers and pointing out the smoke and mirror games the mayor is playing? When will the press start looking at the actual numbers of crimes, police officers, calls for service, TRUE STAFFING numbers of police officers IN THE STREET during EVERY shift? When will the press stop with the saint hood anointing of this phony politician and call BS on his shams? The press seems to give him a free pass on his failure to implement Managed Competition; reduce the UAAL for the Retirement Plan; provide adequate public safety; adequately maintain and implement deferred maintenance plans; seek increased revenue; all the while his office has grown by leaps and bounds with new hires to help cover his backside and provide political cover for his glaring incompetence.

If you have not figured it out by now, you need to get a clue. This year's imposed contract for police officers resulted in 270+ senior officers leaving in the largest exodus of officers ever seen. Next year, when the 9% contribution kicks in for the "new" retiree medical trust the mayor has proposed, you will see more officers heading for the door. This time you will see the officer with 5-15 years service leaving for departments providing adequate family medical, retirement benefits far exceeding what is presently available here in San Diego and a City that respects their contributions to the public's safety and is willing to pay for it. The ability of the San Diego Police Department to hire and retain officers is at best a struggle today. It is going to get worse in short order. The mayor says it's not a problem; there will be hundreds of applicants and with the job market as it is there will be no problems hiring new recruits. NEWS FLASH mayor; YOU ARE DEAD WRONG!!

Who will pay for this failure? A police officer with his/her life? A citizen with his/her life? How many will pay for the mayors idiocy and failed politics? When it happens I am going to be the first to say I told you so. I am surely not going to sit back and give him a free pass. I will do my level best to make sure the information is put out for the taxpayer to read. It is time to put a blanket on the smoke, break the mirrors and shine a light on the office of the mayor!!

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.