Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to one and all! I hope everyone had a good New Years Eve, and that those of you that had to work, were able to get through the night unscathed.

I'd like to welcome the newest members to the Region:

Detective Lisa Barrientos - Mesa Police Department
Chief Stella Bay - Pima Community College Police Department
Deputy Stephanie Beezley - Alameda County Sheriff's Office
Sergeant Katherine Howden - Eureka Police Department
Officer Laura LeDuc - Novato Police Department
Officer Victoria Martin - Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety
Captain Sherrell Sutherland - California Highway Patrol
Officer Jennifer Jones - California Highway Patrol

I'd also like to welcome back those members who have renewed their memberships:

Senior Deputy Fabian Brown - San Francisco Sheriff's Office
Sergeant Teresa Collentine - Sacramento County Sheriff's Office
Chief Janet Davis - Clovis Police Department
Officer Lori Lamma - San Francisco Police Department
Officer Trishell Young-Orth - Milpitas Police Department
Los Angeles Women Police Officers & Associates / Deborah Gonzales

Welcome one and all! As always, let me know of any news of interest, training opportunities, or other info going on in your Departments or regional areas, and I'll pass it onto the rest of the Region. Send it to me at RLM2214A@aol.com. Thanks!

Congratulations go out to Chief Diana Bishop of the San Rafael (CA) Police Department, who was sworn in on January 3rd as the Department's first ever female police chief! She'll start in her new position, overseeing the 87-employee department, on January 9th. She previously served as a Captain with the Santa Clara Police Department. Congratulations, Chief! It's always good to see another female police chief in the Bay Area!

It's not too early to start thinking of women to nominate for the IAWP's 2012 Officer of the Year Awards. The deadline for this year's submissions is April 9th. The annual awards program recognizes women who, by their overall service and accomplishments throughout their careers, have distinguished themselves in areas of leadership, community service, mentoring, and excellence in performance. Go to the IAWP website at www.iawp.org and go to Awards Programs to get more details about the individual award categories. There are no limits to the numbers of women nominated, and I'd love to see a large number of women from the Region nominated! Once the online nomination forms for 2012 have been uploaded to the website, I'll be sure to let you know, so you can start getting those nominations in!

Until next time, have a happy, healthy, and safe New Year!

Happy Holidays!

Greetings! I hope that everyone is having a wonderful holiday season! If you had to work on Christmas or Hanukkah, thanks for keeping our streets safe for the rest of us.

I'd like to welcome two new members to the Region:

Chief Gregory Harman from the Kensingon Police Department, California
Detective Rachel Rohkohl from the Phoenix Police Department, Arizona

It's good to have you as new members! I encourage you, as well as everyone in the Region, to pass onto me any news that might be happening in your agencies or local areas, including training opportunities, officer safety info, promotions, retirements, etc. so that I can pass the info onto everyone in the Region. Send the info to me at RLM2214A@aol.com, and I'll make sure it's passed on. Thanks!

Speaking of retirements, I'd like to congratulate Region 10 member, Sergeant Gabriel "Gabe" Gallaread from the San Francisco Police Department on his retirement on November 25th! He came into the Department on 1/7/80, and was promoted to Sergeant on 7/16/05. Enjoy, Gabe; you'll love it!!

Congratulations also goes out to San Luis Obispo (California) Chief Deb Linden on her retirement after a 27 year career in law enforcement. Deb left an 18 year career with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department as the highest ranking woman there, to lead the San Luis Obispo Police Department in 2003. Thanks for your service and leadership, Deb, and good luck in your retirement.

I'd also like to congratulate Region 10 member, Darcy Olmos, on her upcoming wedding! All the best to the two of you, Darcy, and many years of happiness!

For those of you considering attending the annual training conference in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador in September, online registrations and payment options are now online. Payment methods accepted are Master Card, VISA, and bank transfers. The U.S./Canadian exchange rate is automatically calculated by the credit card companies and banks, so paying in that manner will be easier than paying by check. To go directly to their online registation, go to http:www.iawp2012.org/registration/index.html. The Conference Committee has extended their early bird registration rates until the end of January, so register soon to take advantage of that option. For more information on the conference, please go to the IAWP website at www.iawp.org, and click under the 2012 conference. This will be the organization's 50th annual training conference, and I know it will be a good one. I encourage you to try and come if you can. And, of course, it's a tax write-off, to boot!

Region 10 member, Ally Jacobs, advised me that a New Jersey officer is selling memorial pins for those who may be interested. Go to www.rak-wear.com to see the pins and to get details on purchasing them. The pins have an angel presenting a golden flag, and have a black bar on the top and bottom of the pin, and a blue bar in the middle.

Finally, for anyone who is retired and is having any difficulties transitioning from their lives in law enforcement to that of a civilian, or if you know of someone who is, there's a great article on the badge of life website to check out. Go to www.badgeoflife.com/, click on Home, click on Resources, then, click on "Retirement, the Last Police Trauma." Some of us have no trouble whatsoever embracing retirement; however, there are many that find the transition especially difficult. Reach out to those that might be struggling and remind them they are still, and always will be, part of the law enforcement family.

Take care, stay safe, and I hope everyone has a happy and healthy New Year.

Happy Thanksgiving and More!

Greetings one and all! I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday celebrating with family and friends. For those of you who had to work, thank you for keeping the streets safe for the rest of us, and enjoy your Thanksgiving celebration whenever you're able to do so.

I'd like to welcome Allison "Ally" Jacobs from the University of California, Berkeley Police Department, as a new member of the IAWP and to Region 10. Ally joined as a lifetime member! Glad to have you with us, my friend!

I recently attended the 6th Annual Women Leaders in Law Enforcement (WLLE) Training Symposium that was held in San Jose, California, November 13-15, 2011. It was great to see so many Region 10 members in attendance, including some of you who I hadn't had a chance to meet face-to-face before! I hope even more of you will be able to attend next year when it's down in Southern California. (The symposium alternates from being held in Northern California and Southern California year to year). I'll be sure and let you know when and where next year's training will be held once the details are finalized. Check out their website at http://www.wlle.net/ for information on past symposiums, as well as this year's event. Over 550 women (and some men) in law enforcement attended this year's training, not including those who had volunteered to work the event, which is a true testament to the power of this annual training event, even in the face of huge budget cuts and layoffs. Plan on coming next year; you won't be sorry!

Region 10 member, Captain Alana Forrest from the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department (on the left in the below photo), was surprised at the symposium by receiving the 1st Annual CPOA Trailblazer Award, which was presented to her by the President of the California Police Officers' Association, Chief Sandra Spagnoli from the San Leandro Police Department, who is also a Region 10 member! The Trailblazer Award recognizes a woman in California who, by demonstrating outstanding achievement within their job tenure and in their community, has enhanced the visibility and stature of women in law enforcement. The award will be given each year at the annual WLLE Symposium! A wonderful article on Alana receiving the award was published in the Los Gatos Patch newspaper; check it out at http://losgatos.patch.com/articles/town-cop-recognized-for-advancing-women-in-law-enforcement. Congratulations, Alana! You deserve it.

Until next time, stay safe and have a wondeful holiday season.

Warrior Women

Greetings! First of all, I'd like to acknowledge a new member to the Region, as well as several others who have renewed their memberships. I received the updated list following my most recent blog posting.

Welcome to new member, Officer Arline Gilmore from the San Francisco Police Department, as well as to the following who have renewed their memberships:

Officer Marquita Booth, San Francisco Police Department
Inspector Madeline Schatz, DHS-TSA in Las Vegas, Nevada
Lieutenant Nina Jamsen, San Bernadino County Sheriff's Office
Sergeant Daphine Bates, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office
Chief Charlie Beck, Los Angeles Police Department

I'd like to also take this time to thank Chief Beck for his continued support of the IAWP. It is SO important for the leadership in our law enforcement organizations to be aware of the IAWP, and the resources, networking, training, and support that are available to the women AND men in their organizations by becoming members. Your support is VERY much appreciated! I encourage everyone to print off a membership application from the IAWP website at www.iawp.org and forward it to your Chiefs and Sheriffs, encouraging them to join, and to pass the information onto the women in their organizations. They won't have an opportunity to support the IAWP or encourage the women in their organizations to join if they don't know we exist.

For those of you who were able to attend the past 2 IAWP Conferences, you likely met Louann from LouKa Tactical Training. LouKa Tactical Training is a woman owned, Michigan-based performance improvement public safety consulting and training group, who specializes in customizing training for your agencies, particularly in the area of training specialty units. Their mission states that they "exist for the sole purpose of assisting public safety agencies in improving their overall performance by introducing innovative, functional and reality-based training solutions for their organization." Check out their website at www.loukatactical.com for more information on the company and their training schedule, or contact Louann directly at 734-260-2975 or by e-mail at louannblackwidow@aol.com or louann@loukatactical.com. Thanks for your continued support of the IAWP, Louann!

Louann has also developed the most AWESOME long and short sleeved t-shirts that I've seen in a long time called Warrior Women. The shirts have a large, overlapping WW at the top of the back of the shirt, followed with the initials/spelling of Warrior going down the back of the shirt, with the initials of Warrior highlighted in black. Next to each letter are the following:

Well trained
Able
Ready
Resilient
Independent
On target
Resourceful

She describes the Warrior Women concept as philosophical, not occupational. "The Warrior Women idea is about whom women are rather than what they are. Although they do exist in the public safety profession and on battlefields, they also exist on athletic fields, in boardrooms, courtrooms, classrooms, operating rooms and in our homes. Warrior Women are those women who make a conscious decision to take control over their environment and create positive futures for themselves and their loved ones. They are survivors of illness, poverty, abuse, and personal loss. They are strong and independent and are willing to fight for their principals regardless of the outcome. Warrior Women are high spirited. They choose excellence over mediocrity and take a leadership role in mentoring others to do the same. They are resilient during setbacks and view adversity as opportunities. Women become Warrior Women by choice and by God's design . . ."

You can access additional information about Warrior Women through the above website through LouKa Tactical Training, or by going to www.thewarriorwomen.us/.

Until next time, stay safe!

Happy Autumn

Greetings one and all! I hope you're enjoying the beginning of autumn, thus far, after a busy summer. I attended the annual IAWP Conference in Lexington, Kentucky in August, and had a wonderful time seeing old friends and making some new ones. In addition, the training and networking opportunities were priceless! If you haven't had an opportunity to attend one of our conferences before, I strongly encourage you to give it a try; you won't be sorry! Next year's conference will be held in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, September 9-13, 2012, and will be the organization's 50th Annual Training Conference! Check out the IAWP website at http://www.iawp.org/, and go under Conferences to get details; it's looking like it's going to be another great one!

I'd like to welcome the following new members to Region 10 since my last blog entry:

Officer Elizabeth Prillinger, San Francisco Police Department
Officer Lilia Vasquez, Sacramento Police Department
Officer Andrea Dion, East Palo Alto Police Department
Commander Lea Militello, San Francisco Police Department

I'd also like to welcome back those of you who have renewed your memberships:

Sergeant Judy Riggle, San Francisco Police Department
Lieutenant Renota Martinez, San Francisco Police Department
Sp. Agent (retired) Ester O'Keefe, CA Department of Justice
Sergeant Rhonda Wood, Irvine Police Department
Chief Sandra Spagnoli, San Leandro Police Department
Lieutenant (retired) Pat Correa, San Francisco Police Department

Welcome one and all!

Congratulations go out to Wendy Bear from the San Francisco Police Department on her promotion to Sergeant on October 1st! I'm SO glad you got picked up, my friend; you're going to be an excellent addition to the rank!

I'd also like to congratulate Commander Lea Militello from the San Francisco Police Department, who was chosen by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) as their 2011 Charles M. Holmes Community Service Award Winner! Lea was honored at HRC's 27th Annual San Francisco Bay Area Annual Gala dinner last night at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco. Lea has been a tireless advocate for LGBT equality, and is a wonderful example of what a leader should be. AND, on a personal note, Lea was my first partner when I came into the Department, so I know first hand what type of a cop and leader she is. Way to go, buddy!

Other news in the Region . . .

Laura Farinella from the Long Beach Police Department was promoted to Deputy Chief. She is the first woman to achieve the rank of Deputy Chief in the Department's 103 year history, and the first openly gay or lesbian officer to achieve the rank. Check out the Contra Costa Times newspaper article on the promotion by going to http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_19006766. Congratulations, Laura!

AND finally, yours truly retired from the San Francisco Police Department on October 15th after more than 29 years in the Department! It's truly been an honor working for such a great Department; however, I'm looking forward to this next phase of my life where I'll get to continue traveling, but without a timeframe on when I have to be back!! A retirement party is being thrown for me on Saturday night, November 5th, at the Hyatt Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. If anyone has an interest in attending, send me an e-mail at RLM2214A@aol.com, and I'll give you all of the particulars. Dinner choices need to be into the hotel by November 1st!

Take care and stay safe as we head into the holiday season!

March to the Opening Ceremonies

March to the Opening Ceremonies

Region 10 Coordinator, Robin Matthews, with Officer Ally Jacobs, IAWP Excellence in Performance Winner from the Jaycee Dugard case

Region 10 members, Cande Ackler and Sita Singh

Welcome!

Greetings! Welcome to the following new members of Region 10 over the past month:

D/Sheriff Amy Youngblood - Washoe County Sheriff's Office, Nevada
Officer Alane Baca - San Francisco Police Department, CA

We're glad to have you as part of the IAWP family!

Also, welcome back to the following members who have renewed their memberships:

Inspector Sylvia Morrow - San Francisco Police Department, CA
Inspector Cheryl Brasil - Alameda County District Attorney's Office, CA
Inspector Yvonne Allen (nee Pratt) - San Francisco Police Department, CA
Sergeant Joni Lee - South San Francisco Police Department, CA
Sergeant Christa Cappiali - Richmond Police Department, CA
Lieutenant Andrea Arreola - San Diego County Sheriff's Office, CA
Commander Lin Adams - Mesa Police Department, AZ

The National Center for Women and Policing publications are now available to download or to order. Check out http://www.womenandpolicing.org/publications.asp to see what's available.

If any of your agencies has a monthly or quarterly publication that comes out, please consider writing a short blurb about the IAWP, along with submitting the organization's membership form (which can be obtained online at the organization's website at www.iawp.org), and send it to the editor to have him/her print it in the publication; it's a fast and easy was to help spread the word about the IAWP to the other women in your organization! If you don't feel comfortable doing that, you can always just send a personal note, along with the membership form, directly to the women in your agencies, to let them know about the IAWP and to encourage them to join. SO many women in the law enforcement profession still are not aware of the organization's existence, so it's up to all of us to help spread the word, so they're aware of this valuable resource and networking opportunity!

There's still time to register for the annual training conference in Lexington, Kentucky later his month. Check out the website at www.iawp.org for more details. I hope to see a good turnout there from the Region! And, if you're not able to attend and have any ideas or concerns that you would like me to bring before the Board of Directors at the meeting prior to the conference, let me know no later than Wednesday, August 17th; I head for Lexington on the 18th!

Take care and stay safe.

Congratulations!

Hello again! I hope everyone is enjoying their summer, so far. Congratulations are in order for Region 10 member, Ellen Kirschman. The Public Safety Writers Association awarded her book, "I Love a Cop: What Police Families Need to Know" 1st Prize during their recent awards presentations, along with the Grand Prize OVERALL in their non-fiction category!!

In addition, Ellen has written a book of fiction that, as of yet, is unpublished, titled "Burying Ben." The story is about a young rookie officer who kills himself, and his anguished psychologist must uncover why he committed suicide, and why he left a note blaming her. The book sounds like it's going to be another amazing book, and apparently, the Public Safety Writers Association thought so, as well, as Ellen won 1st Prize in the Unpublished Category for the book, as well! What a fantastic honor for someone who has supported law enforcement officers for years! Congratulations, Ellen; you deserve it, and thanks again for all the support you have given to all of us in law enforcement officers over the years.

For those who have never read Ellen's book, "I Love a Cop," I HIGHLY recommend it, not only for those of you in law enforcement, but also for your family members. I guarantee you it will be money worth spending (and, it's a tax write-off for you, to boot!)

Also, congratulations are in order for Caroline Serrato from the Hillsborough Police Department in California; Caroline was just promoted to Captain! Good luck in your new position; I know you'll be great in it!

If anyone has any news to share that you think would be of interest to members in the Region, please let me know, and I'll be happy to share it with everyone on the blog. Also, if you have any recommendations on books to read that would benefit those of us in the profession, please e-mail them to me at RLM2214A@aol.com, and I'll add a suggested reading list on the blog.

Thanks, and stay safe.

Conference time and training time!

Greetings one and all. I hope everyone had a safe 4th of July and you're enjoying the summer.

I'd like to welcome Major Moana Heu from the Honolulu Police Department as a new member to the IAWP, as well as to send a thank you out to retired Lieutenant Susanne Hackett from the Minnesota State Patrol, who now lives in the Region, for renewing her membership. Good to have you both as members of Region 10!

There's still time to make arrangements to attend this year's training conference, that will be held in Lexington, Kentucky next month. If you go onto the IAWP website at www.iawp.org and check out the 2011 conference, you'll see just what an outstanding program the conference committee has awaiting us, and all the details you'll need to know to attend. The training is going to be outstanding, the accommodations are affordable, and the networking opportunities that you'll have with law enforcement members from around the country and around the world will be priceless!

If you haven't attended an IAWP Conference before, I can tell you that it will be one of the most powerful experiences you'll ever have in your career, and it is well worth the time and money to attend. I know that many agencies and departments just do not have funds available right now to send their members away for training, but I urge you not to let that stop you. Departments may be willing to "detail you to training," especially if you're willing to pay your own way, which will help save you some vacation time, will give you some excellent training and to be able to bring it back to your own agencies to share, and it's a fantastic tax write-off, to boot! Even if you can't get detailed and you have to use your own time, I can assure you it will be worth using your own time to go. I hope to see many of you from the Region there!

Calibre Press is hosting a Leadership Tactics course that is exclusive for command staff and supervisors August 10-11, 2011 at the Sunnyvale Police Department Training Facility in Sunnyvale, California. Tuition is $395.00. This intensive course will help you develop and refine your leadership and supervisory skills, guiding you to not only lead, but to implement change, even when met with resistance and hostility. The course will help you examine your own leadership qualities and personal leadership style and ultimately make a significant impact on your organizational culture. To register, please contact Megan Graavley at 1-800-323-0037, extension 5163, or by e-mail at megan.gravley@calibrepress.com. Hotel information for the training can be obtained on the Calibre Press website at www.calibrepress.com. The seminar only has a maximum capacity of 30 seats for command staff and supervisors, so contact Megan if you're interested in attending to reserve your spot. Make sure you let her know you are an IAWP member and a 15% discount will be available for you!

Finally, make sure you "SAVE THE DATE" for the 6th Annual Women Leaders in Law Enforcement Training Symposium (WLLE) that will be held at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose on November 13-15, 2011. This has fast become THE premiere law enforcement training in the State, and attendees numbering 500-600 are the norm and not the exception! This year's programming features dynamic Plenary Sessions by Gordon Graham, Sergeant Betsy Branter-Smith, and Iraqi War Veteran and Paralympian Melissa Stockwell, along with a number of other training sessions, Cross Fit workouts and more! Also, back this year by popular demand is not one, but two sessions of "Speed Coaching" in which attendees have the opportunity to interact with chief officers, second-in-commands, and civilian managers from various agencies throughout California.

Check out their website at www.wlle.net for detailed information on the training, hotel, and everything you need to know to get the most out of this fantastic training. Although most of the attendees are from California, the training is open to all law enforcement officers from all agencies and ranks, as well as civilian employees, from any state or country. The Symposium sells out every year, so don't wait too long to register!

Take care and stay safe! And, don't forget . . . if you have any issues, concerns, or comments that you would like me to bring forward for you to the organization's Board of Directors meeting prior to the start of the conference in Lexington, please send them my way to my e-mail address at RLM2214A@aol.com.

Happy Summer!

Hello one and all. Well, I didn't plan on taking 3 months in between blog entries, but time managed to get away from me once again with that thing called "life." It must be my upcoming retirement from the San Francisco Police Department this coming October (though I only have a little over a month of working days left)! It's been a wonderful career of over 29 years. In these times of budgetary crisis, with politicians going after our pensions, healthcare, and proposing layoffs, remember why you became a law enforcement officer in the first place - to serve and protect. It doesn't make it all better, but it does help, and is not something that any politician or anyone else can take away from us.

Welcome to the following Region 10 members:

Officer Sarah Spires - Pittsburg Police Department
Sergeant Renee Pagano - San Francisco Police Department
Captain Esmeralda Falat - California Highway Patrol
D/Coroner Investigator Kim Pavek - Los Angeles County Coroner's Office
D/Sheriff Michelle Roberts - Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office
Officer Soila McKay - UNLV Department of Police Services
Lieutenant Edmond Finizie - North Las Vegas Police Department
Dr. Ellen Kirschman, Ph.D. - Redwood City, California
Rita Lee/Bulletproof Consulting - North Hollywood, California

Welcome also to the following Region 10 members who renewed their memberships:

Officer Frances Williams - San Francisco Police Department
Civilian Teresa Gibson - San Jose Police Department
Officer Lori Williams - Riverside City College District Police Department
Captain Anna Brown - San Francisco Police Department
Officer Mary Keller - Paradise Valley Arizona Police Department
Lieutenant Molly Pengel - San Francisco Police Department
Detective Heather Hendrickson - Sacramento Police Department
Retired Sergeant Joy Mundy - Lake Havasu City, Arizona

Please spread the word about the IAWP. There's still SO many women in law enforcment that aren't aware that we even exist, even though we are the oldest women's law enforcement organization in the world, having been in existence since 1915. The connections that we're able to make through the organization with women (and some men) in law enforcement from around the country and around the world is priceless and well worth the cost of membership. (Refer people to the organization's website at www.iawp.org for membership information). And don't forget, it's a tax write-off, to boot!

A BIG congratulations go out to Officer Ally Jacobs and Police Specialist Lisa Campbell of the University California Police Department/Berkeley on their winning of this year's IAWP Excellence in Performance Award. Ally and Lisa were instrumental in breaking open the Stacey Dugard kidnapping case, when the Gardio's kidnapped Stacey at 11 years of age and held her captive for over 18 years, fathering two children during the captivity. If you're able, come to the conference this year in Lexington in August (see the IAWP website at www.iawp.org for more details) to support Ally and Lisa as they receive their award!

Congratulations also go out to a couple of our Hawaiian sisters in law enforcement - Captain Moana Heu from the Honolulu Police Department was just recently promoted to the rank of Major, and 30 year veteran Officer Marie McCauley was named as one of two deputy chiefs of the Honolulu Police Department, the first woman to ascend to the second-highest rank in the Department. Great job, ladies!!

Take care and stay safe. Until next time . . .

Happy Spring!

Hello again, and Happy Spring! Spring is my absolute favorite season of the year! After growing up in Chicago, spring meant that you had survived yet another one of Chicago's infamous winters! I love that fresh, clean smell in the air after a gentle spring rain, and watching in anticipation as the flowers and trees came alive again! At the moment, though, spring is not "coming in like a lamb"; the San Francisco Bay Area is getting hammered with rain, high winds, and even tornadoes, a rare event indeed for this part of the country, Southern California is having flooding and damage from the winds and rain, and other parts of the Region and the country are feeling the power of Mother Nature. Our hearts go out to all of those who have been affected by the extremes in the weather as Spring arrives, and especially for those who have been impacted in Japan by the terrible earthquake and tsunami that has rocked their country.

I hope that many of you were able to attend the Women's Street Survivor Seminar that was put on by Calibre Press in Las Vegas last month. All reports I've heard was that it was absolutely fantastic! I had the privilege of attending their first women's training back in the late 90's, and it was truly some of the best training I've ever attended. Betsy Brantner-Smith is the lead instructor for the training, and if you've never had an opportunity to hear her speak, keep an eye out for her coming to your area - she is a dynamic speaker, and you'll come away from the training rejuvenated and energized!

Special thanks go out to IAWP member, Bettina Aschenbrenner, the Law Enforcement Education Coordinator for the American Military University out of Manassas, Virginia. Bettina graciously donated 3 registrations for the training to the San Francisco Police Department; of the 3 who attended, 2 became new IAWP members, and the third renewed her membership after being expired since 2004! Bettina will be at the IAWP Conference in Lexington; go by the AMU booth and say hi!

Welcome new Region 10 members:

Officer Stacie Abney - Vallejo Police Department
Lt./Commander Gretchen Jacobs - California Highway Patrol
Captain Robin Faille - Yolo County Sheriff's Office
Officer Brandie Dressel - California Highway Patrol
D/Sheriff Lillian Granillo - Orange County Sheriff's Office
Deputy Michelle Roberts - Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office
Officer Soila McKay - UNLV Police Services
Deputy Investigator Kim Pavek (associate member) - Los Angeles County Dept. of Coroner
Lt. Edmond Finizie - North Las Vegas Police Department

Welcome also to those who have renewed their memberships:

Officer Christine Haddad - Oakland Unified Scjhool District, Dept. of Police Services
D/Sheriff Teresa Collentine - Sacramento County Sheriff's Office
Retired Lt. Tina Zakhary - Stockton Police Department
Sgt. Brenda Trobaugh - Frenso Police Department
Officer Lori Ann Williams - Riverside City College District Police Department

Congratulations go out to Sharon Pietrok from the Anaheim Police Department on her recent promotion to Lieutenant! Congratulations also go out to Belinda Brewer from the Anaheim P.D. on her promotion to Captain! (More on "Bea's" promotion to Captain, the first in the history of her Department, can be found in the March-May issue of WomenPolice!) You guys both rock!!

Don't forget to send me any news from your agencies, so I can share with the Region. Stay safe!

Greetings one and all! I hope that your plans for 2011 will include attending this year's 49th Annual IAWP Training Conference in Lexington, Kentucky, August 21st through the 25th at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Lexington. For those of you who have never attended an IAWP Conference before, I can tell you that it is an amazing opportunity, not only for obtaining some outstanding training, but also for making important law enforcement connections with other women from around the country and around the world. It's an investment in your future, and one that you shouldn't miss. (AND, it's a tax write-off to boot!) Check out the link to the 2011 conference on the IAWP website at www.iawp.org.

For those of you who might be interested in presenting at the Conference in Lexington, their Training Committee is currently asking for a "call for papers" for people to submit their workshop proposals. The Committee is working to ensure that the 2011 workshops reflect the international interests of the IAWP membership and attendees at the event, and are looking at training to be developed along topic tracks which include the following:

Tactical/Patrol

Leadership/Supervision

International Policing

Global Terrorism

Emerging Trends/Topics - Investigations, Technology, Training

Individuals or organizations wishing to conduct a workshop at the Conference must complete and submit a Workshop Proposal Form to the Training Committee by February 1st. To obtain a copy of the Workshop Proposal Form, go onto the 2011 Conference link on the IAWP website.

The Women's Street Survival Seminar presented by Calibre Press will be held February 16th and 17th at the Gold Coast Hotel and Casino at 4000 W. Flamingo Road in Las Vegas, 800-331-5334. Tuition for the seminar is $215.00 per officer and $75.00 for a spouse. PoliceOne members will receive a 10% discount on their Street Survival tuition. (To secure your discount, mention the code "P1C" if registering by phone, or include it on your faxed, mailed or e-mailed registration. If registering on the Calibre Press web site, please include this code in the "DISCOUNT CODE" section). Registration for the training begins at 0730 hrs, and the class runs from 0800-1700 hrs. daily. Instructors for the training will be Retired Sergeant Betsy Branter Smith and Dave "Buck Savage" Smith.

This training is a MUST attend for anyone in law enforcement of any rank, whether you're a rookie or a salty veteran. The skills you will learn in this training can save your life, and the dynamic instructors are riviting and will really provide you with an eye opening experience. I've attended both a "regular" Street Survivor Seminar, as well as the Women's Street Survival Seminar, and both are excellent; however, as a female law enforcement officer, there was NOTHING like attending the Women's Seminar, which addressed many issues that are specific to women. I can't recommend this training enough, and Betsy is one of the most dynamic speakers I've ever experienced. You won't regret attending! To register for this event, contact Christine Williams at 800-323-0037, extension 5161 or by e-mail at christine.williams@calibrepress.com. And for those of you living in Nevada, the training has been approved for requirements by the Nevada Commission on P.O.S.T.

Finally, the California Peace Officers' Association (CPOA) will be hosting it's 91st Annual Leadership Summit, "Developing Excellence in Leadership", at the Omni Hotel in San Diego, May 25-27, 2011. Region 10 member, Chief Sandra Spagnoli from the San Leandro (CA) Police Department, will be honored as the CPOA's incoming President! For more information, contact the CPOA at 555 Capitol Mall, Suite 1495 in Sacramento, CA 95814.

Until next time, stay safe!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to one and all! I hope this new year is a happy, healthy, and safe one for all of you and your families, and that you all had a wonderful holiday season.

The California Homicide Investigators Association's 2011 Conference will be hosted by the San Francisco Police Department from February 28-March 3, 2011 at the Hilton Hotel at 333 O'Farrell Street in downtown San Francisco. During this four day event, the participants will attend notable case presentations and training seminars. In addition, the conference provides a fertile environment for networking, individual case evaluations and discussion of techniques with some of the top investigators and prosecutors in the country. For information, please contact Lieutenant Michael Stasko at 415-850-7702/cell or 415-553-1501/work or Inspector Dave Falzon at 415-553-1049/work. Let them know you heard about the training through me and the IAWP!

Please let me know of any trainings, promotions, retirements, or anything else of interest going on in your agencies or local areas so that I can pass the information along to the entire Region through this blog. In addition, as you have seen in the latest Women Police magazine, our Editor, Simon Townsley, has included a two page section in the magazine called Regional Roundup, which is an area that the Regions can report things going on that would be of interest to the entire membership and not just something that would be better off being posted on the Region blogs. Not everything submitted necessarily will be printed in the magazine; however, it is the goal of the Board of Directors that every Regional Coordinator submit something to Simon for consideration for every issue.

That being said, MY deadline for sending submissions to Simon for the next magazine is January 31, 2011, so please send me any information of things going on in your agencies or local areas so that I can pass them onto Simon for consideration. Those not printed in the magazine, I will include on the blog.

In addition, I would REALLY love to see our Region's membership grow this year. In fact, I am SO confident that we can increase our membership, that I have taken on a challenge made by Region 6 Coordinator, Diane Mueller, at the Minneapolis Conference this past September to get 100 new members to join the IAWP by next year's conference in August in Lexington, Kentucky! With your help, I KNOW we can do it! Please print off the application form for membership off of the IAWP website at www.iawp.org and send to the women in your agencies with a note encouraging them to join (and it's a tax write-off, to boot!) If you have an organizational magazine or newspaper, forward the application and information onto them for inclusion in the publications on a monthly basis. When you get someone to join, let me know their name, rank and agency, and I'll confirm with Wendy Wilson, the Membership Chair, that she's received their membership fees, and I'll send you an IAWP Challenge Coin as thanks!

So many women in law enforcement are not aware of the IAWP or the benefits they will gain from becoming a member. You helping get that information out to the women in law enforcement that you know can make a huge difference in their lives. Share the good news about the IAWP!

Happy Holidays!

I hope this finds everyone doing well and enjoying this holiday season. Thanksgiving is over, Hanukkah is in full swing, and Christmas is just a few weeks away. Whether you celebrate these, or other celebrations, enjoy this special time of the year with your family and friends, and look forward with anticipation to what awaits us in the New Year!

I'd like to welcome the following new members to Region 10:

Sp. Agent Kristine Wilson / U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - CID

Det. Lori Reynolds / Fresno P.D.

Lt. Stephanie Shannon / Simi Valley P.D.

I'd also like to thank the following members for renewing their memberships:

Sgt. Penny Kalua / State of Hawaii Sheriff's Office

Officer Mary Hooker / Pasadena P.D.

Captain Alana Forrest / Lost Gatos/Monte Sereno P.D.

The only affiliate in our Region, The Los Angeles Women Police Officers & Affiliates (LAWPOA) have also renewed their affiliate membership.

Congratulations to Region 10 member, Chief Sandra Spagnoli from the Benicia Police Department in California. Sandra has been selected as San Leandro's next Chief of Police and will assume command of the San Leandro Police Department (also in California) on January 10, 2011! Sandra has been Benicia's Police Chief for the past four years, and prior to that, she was with the San Carlos Police Department for 16 years, the last 8 as a Commander. She is also the First Vice President of the California Peace Officers Association (CPOA). Congratulations on your appointment, Chief, and best wishes in this next phase of your law enforcement career!

On looking back through my blogs, I realized that I had failed to post the nomination information of Officer Monica Macdonald from the San Francisco Police Department, who had been nominated for the IAWP Medal of Valor Award in 2010. I had posted the other two Region 10 nominations, but accidentally missed posting Monica's info. Although Monica did not win the Award, just being nominated for one is truly an honor, and I feel it's important to acknowledge the work she had done that got her nominated in the first place. Here is Monica's nomination for the 2010 IAWP Medal of Valor Award:

"On the morning of March 7, 2007, a coldblooded and gruesome murder took place at 785 Brannan Street. Here, Marvin Harris was viciously stabbed numerous times in the face and neck by Rene Robinson. After taking out his rage and fury on Harris, Robinson quickly left to make good his escape, leaving the victim to die in an expanding pool of fresh and congealing blood.

Still armed with two large knives, the enraged suspect encountered two lost citizens in their vehicle around the corner at 7th and Townsend Streets. Robinson, still hyped up from his crazed killing of the victim, attempted to carjack the vehicle. But the individuals in the truck quickly rolled up their windows. Robinson (6 feet tall and 285 pounds) attempted to stab the occupants through the partially open sunroof with the same knives he had just used to kill. Confronted with this horrific event, the occupants were panicked and frozen in justified fear of their lives.

At this time, two aggressive and proactive officers on routine patrol came upon this scene. Not knowing what they were encountering, the two officers (Officer Joseph Salazar and Officer Monica Macdonald) immediately engaged the crazed Robinson. Both officers distinguished themselves by placing their own personal safety in great danger, above and beyond the call of duty, by exiting their vehicle and yelling for the still armed suspect to drop the knives. This action drew the suspect's attention away from the second set of victims and placed his interest squarely now on the two uniformed officers. Instead of dropping the knives, Robinson tried to walk away from the scene. Both officers continued to order Robinson to drop his blood soaked knives.

Robinson then turned and advanced on the two officers with both knives in his hands. Both officers continued to give loud and clear verbal orders to no avail. The officers fired two rounds from their service firearms and terminated the threat. In a last ditch effort to create more carnage, Robinson, before expiring, threw both knives at the officers. Luckily, both knives struck the patrol vehicle and not the officers.

The officers demonstrated outstanding bravery above and beyond that which would be expected in the line of duty. Failure to have taken the actions that they did would not have justified censure. There was significant and immediate risk to both officers' lives, as well as the lives of the two occupants in the vehicle. Robinson had already killed one, and had clearly demonstrated that he would have killed others to get away. As such, the objective of preventing further violence by this person fully justified the risks that the officers took to terminating the threat posed by Robinson.

The actions of the officers meet and exceeds the criteria for the IAWP Medal of Valor. I humbly submit this recommendation for your information and action."

Congratulations once again, Monica! This past year, Monica was also promoted to Sergeant - a very well deserved promotion indeed!

Until next time, stay safe!

WLLE Training Conference and More

On November 8-10, 2010, the 5th Annual Women Leaders in Law Enforcement (WLLE) Training Symposium was held in Pasadena, CA. It was SO good to see so many Region 10 members in attendance! I have attended all 5 of the WLLE training conferences, and I can tell you that it just keeps getting better and better all the time. The 1-1/2 days of training was outstanding, and the connections made at the State level are priceless. This year, 737 law enforcement officers attended this sold out event; two of the sponsorship booths were run by IAWP members - Region 10 member, Valna Wilson with Cambridge Financial Partners, LLC, and Bettina Aschenbrenner with American Military University. (Thanks for your support!)

I encourage everyone to put November 13-15, 2011 on your calendars when the training will be held at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose (for those not familiar with the WLLE Conferences, they alternate years being held in Northern California and Southern California). It's an investment in your law enforcement future and not something that you should miss. All law enforcement officers are welcome, as are civilian law enforcement employees; it is also not restricted to only those in law enforcement in California -all are welcome.

It never fails to amaze me when I go to trainings like the WLLE Conference how many women have never heard about the IAWP or that we're the oldest women's law enforcement organization in the world, having been in existence since 1915! I'd like to encourage all of you to reach out to other women law enforcement officers that you know and spread the word about the IAWP. Get a list of the women in your own agencies, print off a copy of the IAWP's application form on the organization's website at www.iawp.org, and send it to them with a note encouraging them to join (membership is just $40.00 a year or $70.00 for two years, and is a tax write-off, to boot!). If your agency has a POA or FOP, submit a copy of the membership application to them to print in their publications, encouraging women to join. The networking in the IAWP is priceless and the more we can do to share this important law enforcement resource with other women, the better.

As an incentive for you, anyone who is able to get a woman law enforcement officer to join the IAWP and they give your name as the person who recommended that they join, I'll send you an IAWP Challenge Coin! So, start recruiting and get one of these limited edition coins!

Minneapolis Conference and more!

Greetings one and all! Kudos go out to the Minneapolis Conference Committee on a fantastic conference last month! For those of you who were able to attend, it was great seeing you there. For those who couldn't make it, start making your plans now to go to next year's conference in Lexington, Kentucky, August 21-25, 2011. It's an amazing experience with fantastic training and wonderful opportunities to meet women in law enforcement from around the country and around the world! Check out the IAWP website at www.iawp.org for more details. It's an investment in your law enforcement careers, and is something you really shouldn't miss out on. Plus, don't forget, it's a tax write-off, to boot!

There were 64 countries represented in Minneapolis, including a large contingent from South Africa, which was amazing. The members from the South African Police Service (SAPS) submitted a bid at the Annual General Membership Meeting to host the conference in 2013 in Durbin, which they won! I can tell you from having attended the Spring Board meeting in Paarl, South Africa this past spring, that the SAPS personnel went above and beyond the call of duty in ensuring that we had a successful meeting and an opportunity to see many of the sites in the area. I can only imagine how fantastic a job they will do in hosting the conference, and can't wait to return. As information on their program develops, it will be added onto the IAWP website so keep an eye out for it!

There's still time for you to register for the Calibre Press Street Survival Seminar for Women, which will be held November 3-4, 2010 in Stockton, California. For more information, please contact Candis Smith at 800-323-0037, ext. 4150. The training will be held at the Lexington Plaza Waterfront Hotel at 110 W. Fremont Street, in Stockton and will be hosted by the Stockton Police Department. Contact the hotel directly at 209-944-1140 to reserve your room. Be sure to let them know you're attending the Street Survival training when registering. This is outstanding training; if you haven't had an opportunity to attend one of these trainings before, I HIGHLY recommend it. The Street Survival for Women seminar is the ONLY law enforcement seminar of its kind specifically for female officers, and those who train and manage them. It is constantly being updated to include the most pressing issues faced by women in law enforcement today, and will deliver the tools you need to not only survive on the job, but to EXCEL in your career and in your personal life. You will benefit from this training whether you're brand new on the job, or if you've been working in the business for years, so check it out if you're able to do so.

There's also still time for you to register for the 5th Annual Women Leaders in Law Enforcement (WLLE) Training Symposium that will be held at the Pasadena Convention Center at 300 East Green Street in Pasadena, California, November 8-10, 2010. This has become THE premiere training event in the State, and regularly has several hundred attendees participating in it. The training sessions are always excellent, and the networking opportunities are priceless. It is NOT restricted to those in law enforcement in California, so any law enforcement officers, or civilians working in law enforcement, are most welcome! The hotel block at the Westin Pasadena has been sold out, however, additional rooms have been added at the Sheraton Pasadena, which is adjacent to the Convention Center. Please contact Meredith Hesby at 916-481-8000, or by e-mail at mhesby@californiapolicechiefs.org for more information. In addition, please check out the WLLE website at www.wlle.net, where you can register for the conference and obtain specific details about the program. This training continues to be supported by the California Police Chiefs Association, the California Peace Officers Association, the California Highway Patrol, and the California Sheriff's Association, as it has been since it's inception. This year's training is hosted by the Pasadena Police Department. We'll also be having a short Region meeting on Monday, the 8th, so I hope to be able to see many of you there!

Welcome to new Region 10 member, Lieutenant Christine Orrey from the Hayward Police Department! Glad to have you on board Chris!

I'd also like to welcome the following members back who have renewed:

Lieutenant Donna Hoppenhauer - Oakland Police Department

Lieutenant Nina Jamsen - San Bernadino County Sheriff's Office

Sergeant Bettina Aschenbrenner - retired from the Los Angeles Country Sheriff's Department

Inspector Dolly Casazza - retired from the San Francisco Police Department

Lieutenant Pat Correa - San Francisco Police Department

SAC Julie Hume - California Department of Justice

Please send me any news going on with you or in your Departments that you'd like to share with the Region, including promotions, retirements, trainings, or anything else, to RLM2214A@aol.com, and I'll be happy to include it on the blog.

Region 10 Fall Board Report

Greetings one and all. I am currently in Chicago visiting family before flying up to Minneapolis tomorrow afternoon for the Board of Directors meeting on Friday and Saturday prior to the beginning of the annual conference, and thought that you might like to see what is included in a board report, and what's in my board report for the fall board meeting.

Besides general information on who we are, if we'll be attending the meeting, and what our flight information is, a board report will ask what role in the Strategic Plan we have, and if we have a role, what goal or action owner we are responsible for; we'll also be asked what progress we've made during the period since the past meeting on our goal and actions. In addition, we'll be asked about any proposed and/or future actions towards our goal(s), and any items requiring Board consideration and/or decision.

In the past, most Regional Coordinators would list any and all things that they have worked on or completed during the past time period. What we're now being asked to do is fine tune it more towards the organization's Strategic Plan; we had been asked at the Spring Board meeting to choose a couple of our proposed actions and move forward on those, so, there may have been other things going on, but the focus will only be on those couple of actions. (The organization's Strategic Plan can be accessed on the organization's website at www.iawp.org).

That being said, I am the Goal/Action Owner on category 5.2, "Increasing involvement of wider membership in IAWP business; invite members to contribute to the Strategic Plan utilizing their skills, experience and abilities." I have flagged under that, however, that getting new members to join and old members to renew were critical, and if they don't want to renew, why? We must have that information first to get them involved later, and to learn what the issues might be if they aren't renewing.

Under Progress this Period on Goals/Actions:

1. Obtained list of Region 10 members whose memberships have expired from 2007 to the present, and have contacted all who have e-mail addresses, advising them that their memberships have expired, and providing them with the IAWP website so they can renew online (or they can print off the renewal form and renew that way).

2. All Region 10 members from 2007 to the present who do not have an e-mail address, will be contacted in writing to advise them their membership has expired, and to provide them information on how to renew (i.e. IAWP website and membership form in magazine). To be completed by the end of September.

3. Created Region 10 blog and am using that to outreach to the Region; attempting to blog weekly or biweekly, but no less than once a month, at a minimum. The amount of blogs have been dependent on how much news is available to share.

4. I am beginning to obtain contact and bio information from Region members who are trainers to be able to share with other Region members who may be looking for a trainer for their departments or affiliates. Depending on response, it may be able to be developed into a resource for all IAWP members (the organization use to have a Speaker's Bureau; this might become a starting point to develop that again).

5. The filming of the DVD project with Sharon Gless is on hold until probably February of 2011 due to her filming schedule back East. Contact with Shirley Tatum has been made concerning information she needs, and a time table for receiving it, so she can begin the script writing portion of the project.

Proposed and/or Future Actions Towards Goal(s):

1. Host a Regional training in Maui, Hawaii in May or June of 2011 in hopes of encouraging women in law enforcement on the Hawaiian Islands to attend, as well as others from the Region, to not only receive training, but to learn about, and hopefully join, the IAWP (and for those already members to become more involved).

2. Continue working with staff at the Sheraton Resort on Maui to develop an acceptable program that is affordable, so that a contract can be signed and the training can be held. Targeting the end of 2010 to determine if it will be feasible to do.

3. Went to the Sheraton Resort on Maui with former 2nd Vice President Lynette Hogue and met with staff there, who provided us with a tour of the facility and hosted us for two of the four nights we stayed there so that we could get a true feel for the facility, and to see if it would be a good fit for a Regional training (it IS!)

4. Will post information on the Region blog about the DVD project with Sharon Gless, and to encourage members to submit information to be considered for inclusion in the project. Posting to be completed by the end of September.

5. Will be contacting a friend in the film industry by the end of the year to discuss the possibility of his being able to provide access to a film studio for the narration of the DVD by Sharon Gless in early 2011.

Items Requiring Board Consideration and/or Decision:

1. Would like to see Policy 10 (the Conference Policy) updated to mandate that beginning with the 2013 Conference, that neither Conference Directors, nor their Committee members, who use conference funds for personal travel to promote their Conferences, including, but not limited to, hotel rooms, meals, registration fees, and transportation. (A motion will be presented on this issue).

2. Would like to see a standardized financial program provided to Conference Directors for reporting their income and expenditures from their conference so that everyone is clear on what needs to be provided, and the same format will be used by all Conference Directors in the future.

3. Would like to see a standardized program provided to Conference Directors for their final report, including, but not limited to, what worked, what didn't, and any suggestions on how things could have worked better, to ensure the same format is used by all future Conference Directors and that the required information is provided.

4. Would like to see a policy or guideline set up that addresses Regional Coordinators providing trainings in their Regions. Issues to look at include how registration fees are to be paid (should checks be made out to the IAWP, the IAWP Foundation, or a separate checking account set up, as is done for annual training conferences); in addition, if the Regional Coordinator is provided a Regional training in support of the IAWP, should the IAWP provide financial support to that training; i.e. some sort of start-up costs, as are done with the annual conference? (A motion will be presented on this issue).

5. Requesting funds for the IAWP to be a sponsor at the 5th Annual Women Leaders in Law Enforcement Conference that will be held November 8-10, 2010 in Pasadena, CA. (A motion will be presented on this issue).

Save travels to any of you coming to Minneapolis. Our Regional meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 28th from 1700-1830 hrs. (it probably won't go THAT long), and the Annual General Membership (AGM) meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 29th from 1700-1830 hrs. Check your conference information you receive there for the location of the meetings. Hope to see you there!

Congratulations are in order . . .

Greetings! A big congratulations goes out to Region 10 member, Detective Deborah Gonzales from the Los Angeles Police Department. Deborah recently received her Doctorate of Education in Organizational Change from Pepperdine University. Awesome job, Deborah; what an accomplishment! Deborah is also the President of the IAWP Affiliate, the Los Angeles Women Police Officers and Associates (LAWPOA). Check out their website when you get a chance, which can be accessed from the IAWP website at www.iawp.org.

Speaking of LAPD, welcome to new member, Lieutenant Chris Waters. Glad to have you as part of the organization and the Region, Chris!

Renewals this past month include the following:

A/Chief Darcy Olmos - U.S. Border Patrol

Retired Chief Lucy Carlton - Los Altos Police Department

Sergeant Rhonda Wood - Irvine Police Department

Sergeant Theresa Dawson - Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office

Sergeant Andrea Salas - Sonoma County Sheriff's Office

Officer Marquita Booth - San Francisco Police Department

Lieutenant Heidi Howe - Washoe County Sheriff's Office

Welcome back one and all!

As you may have read in past issues of Women Police magazine, former 2nd Vice President and Region 10 member, Lynette Hogue, has been working on putting together a DVD project on the history of women in law enforcement in the IAWP. The DVD will be narrated by Actress Sharon Gless (many of you will remember Sharon, who played Detective Christine Cagney in the hit show, Cagney and Lacey), who will be volunteering her time to be a part of this project. Lynette is still looking for people to send her information about "firsts" of women in their Departments, and would love to have members from Region 10 send her information. Interviews of either yourself, or of other members in law enforcement would also be most welcome. Questions to ask during interviews should include who you are, what Department you work for, and how long you have worked for them; what is the most positive experience you've experienced in your career; what is the most negative thing you've experienced in your career, if any; how did you become involved with the IAWP; and why do you continue to be involved with the IAWP. Interviews should be taped on mini DVD's, if possible. Send me an e-mail at RLM2214A@aol.com if you'd like to send Lynette either an interview tape or any other information for possible inclusion in the project, and, I'll give you the information on where to send it. Thanks! The more information received, the better!

There's still time to register for the Conference in Minneapolis, though it will be here in just a couple of weeks now. Go onto the IAWP website (listed above) and click on the Minnesota Conference for everything you need to know about this outstanding training. Hope to see many of you there! (And don't forget; it's a tax write-off, to boot!)

Until next time, stay safe!

A Teaser for you and more!

Greetings one and all! I've been talking a bit about hoping to host a Region training at the Sheraton in Ka anapali in Lahaina, Maui in May or early June next year, and thought I'd give you a glimpse at what the Resort looks like as a little teaser for you . . .

It IS as nice as it looks and then some, I can assure you, and would be a WONDERFUL place to host a training! As I continue to negotiate with the Sheraton, let me know what kind of training you might like to see. If it works out, we're anticipating having a late afternoon or early evening icebreaker event the night before the training, followed by either a one day training with a luncheon, or a day and a half to two days training. We'll see how it all plays out. I CAN tell you that whatever rate is negotiated, it will be good for 3 days before the training and 3 days after the training to make it easier for you to come early or stay late and make a vacation out of it, besides getting a tax write-off to boot! More to come . . .

There's still time to make arrangements to come to the Conference in Minneapolis this month. The training is always outstanding, and the networking that you'll be able to do with women in law enforcement from around the country and around the world is priceless. Hope to see many of you there! For those who aren't attending, and even for those who are, if you have anything you'd like me to bring before the Board during our meeting prior to the start of the conference, please let me know and I'll be happy to address it. I leave on September 18th to visit family in Chicago prior to flying up to Minneapolis, so anything you want me to address will need to get to me absolutely no later than Friday, September 17th. Thanks!

And now, here's the second Region 10 nominee who was nominated for one of the IAWP Officer-of-the Year Awards this year - Officer Maria Oropeza from the San Francisco Police Department for the Community Services Award. Although she did not win the Award, I thought it was important to share the nomination with you to see the outstanding work that she did:

"The IAWP Community Services Award is to be awarded to an officer who "distinguishes herself by superior accomplishments through developing, designing, implementing and participating in programs involving communities, which include neighborhoods, school, community meetings, and businesses." As soon as I read the criteria for this Award, Officer Maria Oropeza from the San Francisco Police Department come to mind. She not only fits the criteria for this Award, I believe she exceeds it, and it is my distinct honor to nominate her this year for the IAWP Community Services Award.

Bio: Officer Maria Oropeza wanted to be a police officer all of her life. She had the opportunity to fulfill that dream by becoming a member of the San Francisco Police Department in July of 1984. Maria has been a member of the Department for 26 years, and has the reputation of being a hard working officer with a very high work ethic, who is respected by her peers and supervisors alike. Maria worked a number of years in patrol before spending 8 very successful years in the Department's Narcotics Bureau. Following her work in Narcotics, Maria spent 4 years working Media Relations, before being transferred to the Police Academy, where she has worked for the past 3-1/2 years.

Narrative: Officer Maria Oropeza has excelled in every position she has worked in the Department; however, her transfer to the Police Academy and her ongoing work with the community has truly made her a shining star. While at the Academy, Maria completely revamped the Department's Advanced Officer Training program, which is a mandatory training that all officers, Sergeants and Inspectors in the Department must participate in every two years. The training included important legal updates, CPR re-certification, shooting and driving simulations, First Aid, hands on tactics, case reviews, and a host of other topics relevant to their jobs. Tracking members over the years to ensure compliance has always been problematic, and those mandated to attend would often "slip through the cracks" either unintentionally, or by members doing whatever they could do to avoid attending the week long training at the Academy.

Maria was able to develop a successful tracking system to ensure that all who were mandated to attend the training did so, and was able to have members who did not comply with the training be subject to the same disciplinary process as would occur if someone missed a range re-qualification date. Developing a tracking system, along with making dramatic changes to the training provided; ensuring that the training was fresh, relevant, and current, made going to "A.O." fun again and has virtually resulted in 100% compliance since the program went into effect. It has also effectively closed a window to potential lawsuits against the Department because of non-compliance of certain training.

Along with her work with the Advanced Officer training program, Maria spent time reviewing all aspects of the Academy's requirements under the State's Police Officer's Standards (POST) and made a number of updates and changes to ensure that the Academy remained in compliance with POST's regulations.

Maria's involvement, however, with the Department's Community Police Academy, has been a crowning achievement for her. The Community Police Academy program is designed to inform and teach various aspects of municipal policing to the community. The 10 week program covers procedures from patrol and investigations, vehicle operations, arrest and control techniques, firearm procedures and communications / 911. The program's goals are to develop community awareness through education, and develop a closer understanding and working relationship between the San Francisco Police Department and communities served.

Maria is the program coordinator for the Community Police Academy and runs all aspects of the program. Participants in the program must be a minimum of 15 years of age (those 15 to 18 years of age must have parental permission to participate), must live or work in San Francisco, must have no felony convictions, must have no misdemeanor convictions within one year of application to the program, must be currently enrolled in school, or have a high school diploma, or possess a G.E.D. (General Education Diploma), and are expected to attend all 10 weeks of classes provided. Classes can have up to 25 people in them, and Maria screens all the applications for participation in the program, and then runs the classes in the evenings after completing her regular work shift.

This program has been so successful since Maria took it over, that she decided she wanted to outreach into the community further, bringing the program out into the community for those who were not able to physically get to the Academy. Maria then developed a 4 day mini Community Police Academy in the predominant Hispanic community of the Mission District. Maria, who is fluent in Spanish, taught the training twice a year, focusing on gang awareness and drugs, which are two big problems occurring in that community. The program was so successful that she is now hoping to be able to expand the 4 day mini Academy into the Chinese community, as well.

Two years ago, Maria began a Youth Community Academy for high school students. Interest was generated by Maria sending out flyers to the high schools in the community and sending letters out to the schools through officers working at the schools. The first class brought 13 students together, and was so successful, that two of those attending immediately joined the PAL (Police Activities League) and are now interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement. Four to five classes are now held annually and continue to be quite successful with Maria leading the way as a role model for these motivated young people.

Maria also runs an Alumni Community Police Academy, which are held every two to three months, and whose participants are graduates from prior Community Police Academies that she has run. She will generally let the participants choose a topic they want to learn more about, and will then provide them with that training. Presentations usually run 2-1/2 to 3 hours and training has covered topics such as gang awareness, first aid, drug awareness, community policing, FATS, and EVOC. Maria has also arranged ride alongs, station tours and SWAT presentations for the participants, all of which are extremely popular.

Maria is also very involved in volunteer work and has been active in volunteering for well over 20 years. She regularly volunteers for the American Cancer Society, driving cancer patients on a weekly basis to their chemo treatments. As Maria is a cancer survivor herself, she well knows how lonely and frightening going to treatments can be, and gives these brave patients hope that they, too, can survive and live productive lives after cancer.

For the past few years, Maria has been involved in the Princess Project, which provides prom dresses and an accessory to underprivileged girls, so that they, too, may have the joy of going to their prom. She regularly volunteers for Habitat for Humanity, where she provides Spanish translation services and translates paperwork from English to Spanish for them, and has plans to volunteer more extensively with them building houses once she retires from the Department in a few years.

Maria also volunteers at Project Open Hand, delivering hot meals to AIDS patients in their homes, and is active in the annual Firefighter's Toy Program, collecting toys for their toy drive at the holidays to to give to children who might not otherwise have a Christmas. This past year, Maria has also adopted ten families through a Bernal Heights Neighborhood Community Group, ensuring that these families had food and toys and were able to enjoy the holidays. She anticipates that the numbers of families supported in 2010 will increase as the neighborhood group continues to provide her with names of families in need, and she tells me that she willingly takes on the challenge to ensure that no one will go without at the holidays.

If that wasn't enough, Maria was the first female President of the Latino Peace Officers Association (LPOA), San Francisco Metro Chapter, for 2 years in 2006 and 2007, and is still very active in the organization, hosting an annual dance as a fundraiser for the organization's scholarship fund, which provides seven, $1,000 scholarships annually to seniors in high school as they prepare to go to college. Maria runs that organization's annual toy drive at the holidays, as well as works with immigrant women, providing job training for them. In addition, for the past 6 years, Maria has worked with another local women's organization, and runs a toy drive for them at the holidays, providing toys for the kids, and Safeway store gift cards for the mothers. In 2009, 5,000 toys were donated for 200 kids - quite an accomplishment!

Officer Maria Oropeza exemplifies what the Community Services Award is all about, and it is my honor to provide her name and accomplishments for consideration for this year's IAWP Community Services Award."

Awesome job, Maria!

Until next time, stay safe, and feel free to send me information to include on the blog, as this is for all of you.

Welcome and More . . .

I'd like to welcome the following new IAWP members to Region 10:

Lieutenant Chris Watters - Los Angeles Police Department
Officer Mari Noguchi - San Francisco Police Department

And the following members who have renewed their membership:

A/Chief Darcy Olmos - U.S. Border Patrol
Retired Officer Lucy Carlton - Los Altos Police Department
Sergeant Rhonda Wood - Irvine Police Department
Sergeant Theresa Dawson - Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office
Sergeant Andrea Salas - Sonoma County Sheriff's Office
Officer Marquita Booth - San Francisco Police Department
Sergeant Stefani Gombar - Phoenix Police Department
Officer Sergeant Lisa Frazer - San Francisco Police Department
Retired Agent Michelle Williams - San Diego Police Department
Chief Sandra Spagnoli - Benicia Police Department
Officer Jennifer Thompson - San Francisco Police Department
LEA Sheila Quaills - CBP Office of Air & Marine
Officer Lois Perillo - San Francisco Police Department - LIFE member

A very warm welcome to one and all!

I'd like to extend my condolences to the San Francisco Police Department and the Region on losing one of our own last month - Officer John Mulkern - who died at the age of 50 from a massive heart attack. John had been battling some health problems for awhile, and his death was a hard pill for us to swallow for those who knew and loved him; he had just retired on a medical disability a few days before he died. For those of you who attended the IAWP Conference in San Francisco in 2003, you may remember John has the big, happy-go-lucky Irishman who was one of our volunteer drivers to the Night Tour at Alcatraz, and who helped out throughtout the week wherever he was needed. He was so impressed with the Conference and the delegates he met that he wanted to become more involved, so he joined the organization, and had been an active member to the day he died.

Region 10 member, Sergeant Judy Riggle, from the San Francisco Police Department contacted me following John's funeral (there was a service for him in San Francisco, and then he was flown back to Boston, where there was a service for his family and friends there, before being buried in Boston). Judy told me that John's brother and one of his sister's contacted her following the Boston service, and told her that the Boston Police Department and the State Troopers had been absolutely awesome. Not only were they there to support a fellow officer and his family, they went above and beyond the call of duty by literally closing down the Turnpike for a couple of hours and escorting them everywhere. A BIG thank you to our brother and sister officers in Boston who gave John a very fitting send off! It was very much appreciated.

In my last blog, I spoke about officers from our Region being nominated for three different Officer-of-the-Year Awards. Although none of the officers won this year's award, I'd like to share one of those with you in this blog - Officer Ally Jacobs and Event Manager Lisa Campbell from the University California Police Department in Berkeley. (The others will be shared in future blogs). You may remember hearing about the well known Jaycee Dugard kidnapping case. Ally and Lisa were the two who broke the case open, which resulted in Jaycee and her two daughters being rescued. Here's their nomination for the 2010 Excellence in Performance Award:

INTRODUCTION -

On August 24, 2009, the end of an 18 year nightmare came true for Jaycee Dugard, who had been kidnapped outside her South Tahoe home, at age 11, while waiting for the school bus. During those 18 years, she was held in a sound proof tent in the back yard of a convicted felon on parole for previous rape convictions; she was kept hundreds of miles from her family. She had to endure a couple's horrific treatment, repeated sexual assaults and the birth of two girls fathered by her captor. Because of the excellent work by UC Berkeley Police Officer Ally Jacobs and Event Manager Lisa Campbell, Jaycee and her daughters now have a chance to regain their lives and be reunited with Jacee's family; and two criminals face spending the rest of their lives in prison.

The NARRATIVE -

On August 23, 2009, a man and two young girls walked into the University of California at Berkeley Office of Special Events in an attempt to get a permit for what the man called "God's Desire." He bragged that the event would be big and the government was involved. He made contact with Events Manager Lisa Campbell. At the time, the man had no idea that Lisa was a former Chicago and Cook County Police Officer and was reading his body language and Campbell felt something was "just not right" with the man and the two girls. The man's behavior seemed erratic to Campbell adn the girls were sullen and submissive. Lisa, who was preparing for another appointment, got the man's name and asked that he return at 2 p.m. the following day. She made a point to come across as professional and accommodating so he would return the next day.

Lisa listened to her training and experience and contacted UC Berkeley Police Officer Ally Jacobs and explained her concerns. Jacobs ran a background check on Garrido and discovered that he was a registered sex offender on federal parole for kidnapping and rape. She made a point to sit in with Campbell when the man returned for his appointment, promptly at 2 and luckily, he brought the two girls back with him.

Officer Jacobs also used her training and experience, as both an officer and a mother, to observe the girl's behavior and their interactions with Garrido. She found them to be pale, almost gray, as if they hadn't had much exposure to the sun. The 15 year old stood in a peculiar position - stiffly, with her hands on the front of her legs, looking up, while the 11 year old was staring at Jacobs with pale, bright blue eyes.

Officer Jacobs stated that the girls unnerved her as they seemed programmed; almost like "Little House on the Prairie meets robots." The younger of the two girls was staring at her with her pale, bright blue eyes. Both girls appeared emotionally and physically detached from Garrido.

The two UCPD employees attempted to engage the girls, asking questions that might help them get a read on the situation without alarming the man. What were their names? Why weren't they in school? What grades were they in? The girls mumbled odd names in reply and said that they were home schooled. As Campbell listened to their answers, she recognized that their responses about their grade levels weren't consistent.

The 11 year old was asked about a bump near one eye and she quickly answered that it was a birth defect. Jacob felt her response was rehearsed and she was taken aback by her response.

The man was talking in a disorganized way, and offered up a booklet he'd written, titled "Origin of Schizophrenia Revealed." He volunteered that 33 years ago he was convicted of kidnapping and rape, but now he was "doing God's work." At one point he grabbed hold of the older girl, saying, "They're great girls. The don't even know any curse words!" When he bragged about them, Jacobs observed the girl looked stiff and both girls seemed fearful of any reaction that would displease their father.

Jacobs did not have a basis on which to make an arrest. But her interview training and her observations of their body language and her senses were telling her something was definitely wrong with their interaction and more needed to be learned about the man and the young girls. Her follow-up would prove to be a true life saver. Officer Jacobs left a voice mail for his parole officer recommending that he check up on him and the girls. When she returned to work Wednesday morning, she talked with the parole officer, who seemed surprised to hear about the girls. The parole officer reported that he didn't have any daughters and one of his restrictions ws that he could not be around young girls.

Officer Jacobs said "my heart dropped, these are kidnapped kids!" Jacobs recalls thinking. It wasn't until driving home that night that she heard from the parole officer that the man had come into the office with his "family" and law enforcement discovered that Jaycee Dugard was in their midst. Jacobs and Campbell celebrated with the rest of us the news of the man and his wife, resulting in the freedom of Jaycee Dugard after 18 years in captivity.

A search warrant was served on the suspect's residence; the couple was arrested and charged wiht Kidnapping, Rape, and False Imprisonment. The man has a $30 MILLION bail and a no-bail parole hold. The wife's bail is $20 MILLION.

It is due to the quick actions, and a reliance on a career of training and attention to the little details that has led to the capture of two very dangerous people and the recovery of a woman and her two girls. The skills put to use during the inital encounter with the man and Jaycee's daughters led to this case being solved. From the initial contact, to the interview where things did not add up, to the non-verbal language Jacobs and Campbell watched and interpreted correctly and finally to the follow up with phone calls and database checks, these two female officers created the lead that brought about the arrests of two dangerous suspects and the new life for Jaycee and her daughters.

UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau commended the two officers and the UC Police Department for "exemplary" work. "Officer Ally Jacobs and Police Specialist Lisa Campbell displayed the intelligence, training, and professional intutition that are required of the best in police work," he said. "This week that commitment resulted in a breakthrough in an 18 year old kidnapping, and more importantly, it provided the opportunity for two children and their mother to live a new life, one that we all hope will bring them a full measure of happiness."

As the story began to unfold, "I couldn't believe I was part of something so big," Jacobs says. "People are saying I was a hero. I don't accept that. I was just doing my job."

When asked how she felt about the life changing incident Lisa Campell stated, "I'm just grateful to have had an impact and it's a relief that those kids now have a chance for a life."

Alert actions by two members of the UC Berkeley police force played a key role in events that led up to the arrest of the kidnapping and rape suspect and the safe return of Jaycee Lee Dugard, who in 1991 at age 11, was abducted from her South Lake Tahoe neighborhood. Officer Jacobs and Lisa Campbell's professional observations and actions also saved the lives of two young girls who now have a chance at a normal life.

Awesome, stuff, huh?

Until next time, stay safe and pay attention to your intuitions; if something doesn't seem right, it's likely that it isn't.