Ok - I think I'm on a role here. I just received some good news for me of our Region 10 Member, Brenda Trobaugh who was a Sergeant with the Fresno Police Dept. has been hired as a Commander (2nd in charge) at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo University. Congratulations Brenda. Unfortunately, my department the San Francisco Sheriff's Dept. lost one of our deputies in a boating accident. Dep. Michael Roberts joined our department in 1998. He was a really nice guy and a great co-worker. He will be missed. Please keep his family in your prayers. I am still looking into the IAWP's Policies and Procedures and the Articles. It seems our organization was written under the Societies Act from Canada. So far Robin and I cannot find out the rules for passing P&P's and who votes. You can google the Societies Act and read them for your self. Pretty interesting stuff. More to come Fabian Please Be Safe Out There

Hello Region 10 - It has been a long week in here in Trinidad and Tobago. Many firsts encountered. My first Board of Directors Meeting, Region 17's (the Caribbean Women's) First Regional Conference. It was very exciting attending and seeing all of the Caribbean Women here. The Region 17 Women have raised the bar, for many years Region 10 was the largest Region but I believe Region 17 as unseated us with the 90+ women who joined the IAWP at these past two days. There were many items on the agenda for the Board to consider, when I return home next week I will write the minutes from the meeting. One of the most controversial agenda items was regarding Policy 4 and the naming of awards, specifically the Mary Jo Blahowski Leadership Award and then the Lois Higgins-Grote Heritage Award. It was brought before the Board the awards should not be named after members of the Board but should just be titled for the type of award, i.e. the Leadership and Heritage awards. The reasoning spoken at the meeting was that many members do not know who these women were, how do you choose which members will be recognized, and who makes those decisions. These were very privatize and thought inducing questions. After reading the Policy I realized that we have no criteria to show why these women were chosen. There is only information on the award itself and not how it relates to the women named after the award. Criteria is necessary so that new Board Members and new Members will understand their contributions and relevance to the award itself. I abstained from voting on this agenda item because the proposal was confusing. Please remember that this will not be finalized until the AGM Meeting in South Africa,because all policy changes Must be approved by the members and I will be there. Meanwhile, I will be speaking with other Regional Directors and Robin,maybe we can formulate a better Proposal and/or create criteria. Standby for more. Please do not hesitate send me your ideas and feedback on this issue or for what should be included in the criteria or proposal. Remember Don't Shoot The Messenger! :-)

Hi Region 10 I wrote a nice long Blog at the beginning of this month but it didn't take so I will try this again. 1. Thank you to everyone for all the support when my Mom passed. It was a little tough thru the holidays but my family and I made it through. I hope all of you had a safe and happy holiday season and I wish everyone a safe and Prosperous New Year. 2. South Africa has finally got their website up, this means you can register for the 2013 Conference and get your hotel room. Please go to the iawp website and click on the conference logo. For those who pre-registered the conference committee and Jane are working on confirming those registrations. 3. The Early Board Meeting will be in Trinidad/Tobago in April. I will be attending the Board Meeting. I will post a synopsis of the topics discussed after the Meeting. If there is anything you would like me to bring up at the Board Meeting please let me know. 4. If members forward me training info I will forward it out in email. I forwarded out training info this morning, if you did not receive it that means I have an incorrect email. Please let other members know that if they aren't receiving any emails from me it's because I either don't have their email or I have an incorrect address. Ask them to email me at spacegirl1361@gmail.com. 5. This month the nation celebrated the birth of Dr Martin Luther King and the Inauguration of President Obama. Next month we have the SuperBowl (GO NINERS!!) and Presidents Day and also Chinese New Year. Happy Birthday to all the January Babies. Take Care and Be Safe Out There

Hello Region 10 I apologize for being so long in writing. Many of you know my Mom passed away just after my last Blog. I thank everyone for the kind thoughts and prayers. My family and I are working our way through feelings and memories. Mom loved Christmas and Thanksgiving so this year will be a little hard. I have been keeping up with what's going on around the world but was unable to get back into my email and then this Blog. My email was hijacked the same day my Mom passed so now I have a new email it is spacegirl1361@gmail.com. Please change my address in your computer. IAWP has a new online shop where you can now purchase iawp products just go to the website. IAWP Retired Member Senior Superintendent Christie McMillan, Trinidad and Tobago Police Department, lost her son, Trinidad and Tobago Police Constable Kevin McMillan, in an off-duty incident. Please keep her and her family in your thoughts and prayers. As of Nov 9, 2012 we have had 6 female officers killed in the line of duty since our conference in St. John's, PLEASE be safe out there. President Jane Townsley, appointed Jennifer Rowe as the Region 8 Coordinator. She also appointed Myra James as the official IAWP Affiliate Liaison, a non voting position, that will report to the BOD (Board of Directors). Both will be confirmed for the purposes of minutes at our early board meeting in 2013. If a quorum is attained, by BOD members confirming their attendance, the Early Board Meeting will be held in Trinidad and Tobago (YEAH) I have confirmed my presence. Although anyone may attend the following training conference, only attendees from California can receive POST (Police Officer Standard and Training) credits. POST Training Managers Workshop, Tuesday-Thursday, March 26-28,2013. At the Hilton San Francisco Airport Bayfront. Registration is $125.00 and fulfills 24 CPT hours. I will forward the flyer to Region 10 Members. Ok I will write again soon so meanwhile - BE SAFE OUT THERE. FABIAN

Hi Region 10 Members With Robin's assistance I have finally gained access to the Blog!! Yeah!. This entry will be short and sweet. Just wanted to Thank all of you for your support. I have updatd my introduction information. I have over 25 years experience in law enforcement as a National Park Ranger and now as a Deputy Sheriff for San Francisco CA. I enjoy outdoor activties, reading, dancing and my children and grandchildren. I am also a Boardmember for BALEAF (BayArea Law Enforcement Assistance Fund)and President of the local chapter of the National Black Police Association. This year I traveled to St. John's NewFoundland for the International Training Conference for IAWP. The classes were exceptional (as usual) and the people attending were truly international. So many different uniforms. I will try to post some photos from the conference on my next entry. Our next conference will be in Durban, South Africa. You can now register online for this conference ( go to iawp.org). Hotel accommodations are still being arranged. Don't forget to update your passport and get your shots next year(probably) in the Spring. Winnipeg Canada in 2014 and 2015 we will be in Cardiff Wales. Until the next time... be safe out there Fabian

Summer Greetings!

Hello one and all! I hope that you are all enjoying your summer, and are finding ways to stay cool! I'd like to welcome the following new members to the Region: Officer Frances Graves - San Francisco Police Department Officer Yvette Perrodin - Los Angeles Police Department Sergeant Paula Byrd - San Marino Police Department Retired Inspector Liane Corrales - San Francisco Police Department And, welcome back to the following members who have renewed their memberships: Lieutenant Yvonne Pratt - San Francisco Police Department Retired Lieutenant Susanne Hackett - Minnesota State Patrol (now living in Phoenix) Retired Captain Anna Brown - San Francisco Police Department Sergeant Christa Cappiali - Richmond Police Department Major Moana Heu - Honolulu Police Department Officer Nicole Miller - U.C. Berkeley Police Department Everyone by now should have received your ballot for the upcoming IAWP elections. Anyone whose membership was current as of May 31st is eligible to vote. If you haven't received a ballot in the mail yet, please contact the Elections Chair, Cande Ackler, IMMEDIATELY at cackler@surewest.net, so she can make sure you receive a ballot and you can get it returned to her in time to be included in the vote count. The deadline for Cande receiving your ballot is September 2nd; there will be no on site voting at the IAWP Conference in St. John's in September. It is very important for you to vote, and is a right and privilege of your membership. If you have any questions concerning the election, please contact me at RLM2214A@aol.com, and I'll help you out in anyway I can. Make sure you follow the instructions preciously to ensure that your vote will not be invalidated. Congratulations go out to Deputy Chief Lea Militello from the San Francisco Police Department, who retired on July 1st after 31 years in the Department. Welcome to the club, my friend! Lea was my first work partner when I came into the Department, and was a well respected member of the SFPD. Enjoy your retirement; you deserve it! Congratulations also go out to Senior Inspector Melissa Johnson from the U.S. Marshals Service, who also retired on July 1st after a 30 year career with the Service. Melissa is proud to have served as a second generation U.S. Marshal following in the footsteps of her father, retired Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Jack Ashburn. Melissa retires from the Tactical Operations Division, Strategic National Stockpile Security Operations out of Riverside, California. We also have some promotions to celebrate in the Region, both from the San Francisco Police Department - Rene Pagano was promoted to Lieutenant, and Yulanda Williams was promoted to Sergeant. Way to go, you two! In know you'll both do great in your new roles. Finally, the IAWP Chaplain, and fellow Region 10 member, Tamia Dow, is requesting that anyone who has knowledge of any Fallen Officers in our Region who have lost their lives in the past 10 years, to please forward her their names to Chaplaindow@yahoo.com, so they can be included in the 50th anniversary recognition that she is putting together for the 50th annual conference in St. John's. If you can send those names to her by August 15th, she would be most appreciative. Thanks! Until next time, stay safe!

Happy Memorial Day

Greetings one and all. I hope you're all been having an enjoyable spring, thus far, and will take a few minutes out of your busy day tomorrow to remember all of those who have served, and are currently serving, in our military as we celebrate Memorial Day. So many of those in law enforcement are also military veterans, and I want to take this time to thank all of you in Region 10 who have served our country in our armed forces. It is very much appreciated! I'd like to welcome the following new members to Region 10: Lieutenant Nancy Killian - Utah County Sheriff's Office Officer Josette Fair - Woodland Police Department And, those who have renewed their memberships: Retired Sergeant Karen Lynch - San Francisco Police Department Lieutenant Pam Keller - Washoe County Sheriff's Office Sergeant Brenda Troubagh - Fresno Police Department Welcome one and all! I'd like to congratulate Inspector Holly Pera and Inspector Liane Corrales from the San Francisco Police Department on their recent retirements. Holly retired on February 19th from the Homicide Unit, and Liane retired on March 19th from the Juvenile Bureau. Enjoy your well earned retirements; you both deserve them and will be SO missed at the SFPD! Santa Monica named Inglewood Police Chief Jacqueline Seabrooks as their city's new Police Chief. Seabrooks had spent 25 years at the Santa Monica Police Department rising to the rank of captain before being named chief in Inglewood 4-1/2 years ago. Welcome back home, Chief! Congratulations also goes out to Lieutenant Gabriela Tazzari from the Paradise Police Department as she was appointed earlier this month as their town's first female Police Chief! Finally, condolences go out to the family of Region 10 member, Theresa "Terri" Collentine, recently retired from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office, who died in a tragic diving accident last week in Northern California. Terri loved the IAWP and everything it stood for, and attended the annual conferences as often as she was able to do so. She was appointed the Nominations Chair of the IAWP in 2009. You will be SO missed, my friend. Take care, stay safe, and don't forget to fly the American flag tomorrow! Happy Memorial Day.

Hello Region 10

Just stopping by to say hello to IAWP Region 10.

Hello to Region 10 Members.

Happy Spring!

Greetings! I hope everyone is enjoying the beginning of the spring season. Those of us in Northern California are FINALLY getting some much needed rain, so be careful in your travels as that old oil comes up to the surface on the roads.

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

Detective Maria Ciuffetelli - Los Angeles Police Department
Lieutenant Tamatha Villa - Pinal County Sheriff's Office
Retired Office Constance O'Connor - San Francisco Police Department

As well as some who have renewed their memberships:

Captain Loretta MacPhail - Chico Police Department
Retired Lieutenant Valna Wilson - Orange County Sheriff's Office
Reired Officer Michelle Wilson - San Diego Police Department
Detective Lori Reynolds - Fresno Police Department
Detective Deborah Golzales - Los Angeles Police Department
Sergeant Tracie Keillor - Sacramento County Sheriff's Office

Welcome one and all! Please forward me any news from your agencies or local areas, such as upcoming trainings, officer safety info, promotions, retirements - anything that you'd like passed onto the Region - and I'll be happy to do that for you. Just send to my personal e-mail at RLM2214A@aol.com, and I'll be sure to share it.

Congratulations to Assistant Police Chief Marcy Korgenski, who retired from the Ogden (Utah) Police Department on March 15th after 30 years of service. She helped establish the OPD's gang unit, and has worked in virtually every division within the Department. When she was promoted to Patrol Sergeant in 1995, Lieutenant in 1999, and Assistanct Chief in 2010, she was the first woman in her agency to ever hold those posts! Congratulations, Marcy; enjoy your retirement!

Congratulations also goes out to Ethel Meares, who was the first female deputy in the San Bernadino County Sheriff's Department. The Department proclaimed February 14th as a day honoring Ethel, describing her as the county's "first policewoman." The proclaimation coincided with Ethel's 100th birthday! Congratulations, Ethel! Things have changed just a bit since you joined the Sheriff's Department in 1955 at the age of 43! Thanks for being a trail blazer for those who followed you.

For those who may not have checked out the IAWP website lately, the IAWP Annual "Officer-of-the-Year" Awards Program submissions are well under way! These are presigious awards given out each year at the annual training conference, and are given out to female police officers who have distinguished themselves in the following categories: Officer-of-the-Year, Excellence in Performance, Leadership, Mentoring, Medal of Valor, and Community Service. There is also a Civilian Achievement Award, which is given to a civilian woman who has gone above and beyond to support, promote and enhance the criminal justice profession. When you go onto the IAWP website at www.iawp.org, scroll down on the home page, and you'll find the link for the Awards Program, which will give you the criteria for each of the awards, as well as the instructions on how to complete the online application! THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS APRIL 9th!

This is a wonderful program, and I strongly encourage you to submit names of women who fit the criteria for these awards to give them a chance to be acknowledged for the fantastic work they are doing. We don't often get acknowledged for the great work we do, even in our own Departments, so to be able to be acknowledged internationally is quite an honor, indeed! The online application process is easy to complete and self-explanatory; there is a 4 typed pages maximum, and can contain no newspaper articles, letters, etc. We all know women in law enforcement that have done some amazing things; we don't usually like to "toot our own horns", but this is one time when those horns should be blasting!!! Submit those women for these awards and help get them the acknowledgement they deserve!

1st Asian Region Women Police Conference

Following the trip to Abu Dhabi, we all flew to Dhaka, Bangladesh, where other Board members joined us. After 2 days of Board meetings, we had the privilege of attending the 1st Asian Region Women Police Conference, that was hosted by the Bangladesh Police Women's Network (another new Affiliate of the IAWP) on March 7th and 8th. Approximately 120 women law enforcement officers from throughout Asia attended the conference, which was held at the Police Staff College in Dhaka, and where we were hosted during our stay. The Opening Ceremonies was held at the Intercontinental Hotel, and attended by a number of high ranking government and law enforcement officials, as well as the UN Resident Coordinator for Bangladesh, all who participated in opening remarks. We then returned to the Police College, and the training classes began.

It was an honor being able to participate in this conference, as well as to participate in the first ever International Women's Day March in Dhaka on International Women's Day on March 8th. It was a powerful experience, and I was truly honored to have been able to be a part of their history! It was also amazing to see posters and signs throughout Dhaka about both the conference and the International Women's Day March. It was clear these were both very important events!

We were also able to visit a Victim Support Centre, which takes care of women and children who are victims of trafficking, acid burn, domestic violence, sexual harassment and rape, which is run by the Women Support & Investigation Division of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Department. And, along with all of that, Region 15 Coordinator, and Deputy Police Commissioner, Amena Begum, was able to take us to the Ahsan Manzil Palace Museum, the Parliament Building, and other areas in Dhaka, followed by a final banquet where we were entertained by local dancing and singing. A very nice way to end a wonderful experience!

Sheik Zayed Mosque

Following the Emirates Women Police Conference, we were able to spend a few days touring around the area. One of the amazing places we were able to tour was the Sheik Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi, the 7th largest Mosque in the world. The "call to prayer" that happens 5 times a day, is broadcast through this Mosque, and is connected electronically to all of the other Mosques in Abu Dhabi, so the same "call to prayer" is heard throughout the Emirate.

All women needed to don an abaya (black, full body length covering Arab women often wear) and a sheyla (head covering) prior to entering the grounds of the Mosque. Both are provided at the Mosque; however, knowing I would be touring the Mosque, I had purchased my own head scarf prior to the tour. All who entered were given bags for their shoes, which remained off until we left the grounds. The Mosque and the grounds were breathtaking, and I enjoyed learning more about their faith. I only wish I could have found a booklet about the Mosque, as there were so many details given to us, none of us were able to remember them all. Enjoy some photos from the tour.

The First Women Police Conference in Abu Dhabi

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I had the distinct honor of being able to join a number of the IAWP Board members as we traveled to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, to participate in the first ever Women Police Conference in the Gulf States, February 26th through the 28th. The conference theme was "Women Policing . . . New Horizon for Future". The Opening Ceremonies was held at the spectacular Emirates Palace. Between 400-500 women from throughout the Gulf States participated in this history making conference!

The training at the conference, which was held at the Intercontinental Hotel, was excellent, and each training class had standing room only in them, and a line of women outside the rooms hoping to be able to get in! It was a powerful experience, and the interactions they were able to have with each other, and that we were able to have with them, was priceless! It was also a new experience for me to have to wear headphones for translations from Arabic to English for many of the classes, and it gave me a completely different perspective on what others from around the world who have English as a second language often have to contend with when coming to conferences in North America. Many thanks to His Highness Lt. General Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, U.A.E. Deputy Prime Minister-Minister of Interior, and 1st Lt. Amnah Mohamed, the President of the Emirates Women Police Association (one of our newest IAWP Affiliates), who hosted and facilitated this first, of hopefully, many future conferences! And, special thanks to Region 16 Coordinator, Steph Harding, who was instrumental in helping put this successful conference together!

More Good Stuff Happening in the Region

Greetings one and all. First of all, I'd like to welcome the following new members to the Region since my last blog posting:

Sergeant Margarita Rios - Los Angeles School Police
Officer Erin Behm - Syracuse Police Department
Officer Jennifer Fiorello - San Francisco Police Department
Officer Regina Collier - Anderson Police Department
Officer Jacqui Perna - Menlo Park Police Department
Sergeant Suzanne (Jill) Morrison - North Las Vegas Police Department
C/O Cynthia Hubert - Henderson Police Department/Corrections
Officer Jennifer Jones - California Highway Patrol
Officer Ashley Ohrn - Phoenix Police Department
Lieutenant Julie Angulo - California Department of Corrections
Captain Valerie Tanguay-Masner - San Bernadino County Sheriff's Office
Officer Jaxi Close - Los Angeles General Services Police Department

SO good to have you join the IAWP family! Any information you'd like to pass onto the Region concerning upcoming trainings in your agency or regional areas, retirements, officer safety issues, promotions, or anything else you'd like to share, please e-mail them to me at RLM2214A@aol.com, and I'll be happy to pass it onto the Region, either through e-mail or through the blog.

I'd also like to welcome back the following members on their renewals:

Sergeant Wendy Bear - San Francisco Police Department
Sheriff Penny Kalua - Hawaii State Sheriff
Chief Sandra Spanoli - San Leandro Police Department
Officer Kristina Hershberger - Clovis Police Department
Retired Sergeant Carolyn (Carri) Lucas - San Francisco Police Department

Good to have you all back!

I had the honor of attending yet another one of our Region member's retirement dinners last night - this time, for Captain Alana Forrest from the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department. Alana served as a police officer for 28 years, working first with the Palo Alto Police Department, where she rose to the rank of Lieutenant, and then moving to the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department as a Captain in 2000. Congratulations, my friend; enjoy your well deserved retirement!

I also wanted to note that when I attended IAWP Chaplain, Tamia Dow's, retirement party in Las Vegas earlier this month, the Nevada Governor, Brian Sandoval, proclaimed February 1, 2012 as Tamia Dow Day in the State of Nevada. Very, very cool!!

Congratulations also go out to Region 10 member, Assistant Chief Patrol Agent Darcy Olmos from the U.S. Border Patrol on HER retirement on January 30th! Darcy served almost 27-1/2 years with the Border Patrol in Arizona. Congratulations, and have fun enjoying your new career! You're going to love it!

The only IAWP Affiliate in our Region, the Los Angeles Women Police Officers and Associates (LAWPOA), will be presenting their 2012 Professional Training and Development Symposium on March 22nd at the Sheraton Universal Hotel at 333 Universal Hollywood Drive in Universal City. Featured speakers include Lt. Col. (retired) Dave Grossman, speaking about "The Bulletproof Mind"; Olga Trujillo, J.D., speaking about "The Impact of Physical and Sexual Violence" and "Victim Behavior: Assessing Credibility"; Cynthia Tobias, M.Ed., speaking about "Turning Conflict Into Cooperation: Bringing Out the Best in the Strong-Willed Person"; and Sean Riley, speaking about "Life, Rise and Fall of a Cop".

Registration for the symposium is from 6:30-7:30 a.m. and the symposium will be from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuition is $90.00 for LAWPOA members and $100.00 for non-LAWPOA members. Checks shuld be made payable to LAWPOA at P.O. Box 531067, Los Angeles, CA 90053. For additional information, please contact John Vasquez at 213-486-8402, or Angeles Reynoso at 213-486-7668.

Congratulations go out to Rosanne Richeal, who was selected as the City of Rancho Cordova's first female police chief! She'll begin her new job on March 19th. Roseanne previously served as Assistant Chief for the Department.

Congratulations also go out to Jackie Rubin, who was hired by the St. Helena City Council as their first female police chief! Jackie is a 26-year veteran of the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office. She began her new job on January 11th.

AWESOME to see more women rising to the rank of Chief! Good luck to one and all!

Finally, if you haven't seen the San Francisco Police Department's video of the "It Gets Better" project, check it out at www.itgetsbetter.org. It's a VERY powerful video; I believe that the San Francisco Police Department is the first law enforcement organization in the country to film a message for the project. Many thanks to their Department's LGBT organization, the S.F. Police Officer's Pride Alliance, who spearheaded the project, and to Chief Greg Suhr, who supported it wholeheartedly from it's inception! The video is anticipated to go viral, and once you see it, you'll know why. Four days after it's release, it hit 106,000 hits on U-Tube!! Please pass it along to your colleagues near and far; it's a powerful message that needs to be passed spread like wildfire.

Until next time, stay safe!

Promotions and Retirements and Trainings, Oh My!

Greetings! Lots of great stuff has been happening in the Region since my last post. First of all, I'd like to welcome two new members to the Region: Officer Jaxi Christine Close from the Los Angeles Police Department, and Denise Jablonski-Kaye, Ph.D, from Los Angeles. Welcome to the IAWP family!

Congratulations goes out to Yvonne Allen from the San Francisco Police Department on her promotion to Lieutenant on January 7th! Way to go, Yvonne! I know you'll be successful in your new position.

I had the honor of attending the retirement dinner for Sergeant Joni Lee from the South San Francisco Police Department on January 20th. Joni retired from her agency on December 31st after over 31 years of service. Congratulations, Joni! "South City" won't be the same without you!

Congratulations also goes out to Region 10 member, and IAWP Chaplain, Detective Tamia Dow, who will be retiring from the Las Vegas Metro Police Department on February 1st after over 27 years. I'll also have the honor to be able to attend her retirement dinner, as well, along with a host of other IAWP members. Congratulations, Tamia! From one fellow retiree to another, you're going to love it!

For those who may not have seen it, K-9 Officer Sonia Mariona from the San Francisco Police Department did a video segment for PoliceOne.com on K-9 Tactical Operations. Check it out at http://www.policeone.com/training/videos/4927583-K9-Tactical-Operations-The-Evolution-of-Training/.

There's also some great training classes coming up in the Region, both of which are being put on by Calibre Press. This first is on March 6th and 7th at Bally's Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Lt. Colonel Dave Grossman will do a course which will include info on Post Traumatic Stress indicators and management, dreaming that our firearms don't work, combat preparation for your spouse, similarities of school & workplace terror, important drills that nobody practices, games that are more dangerous than movies, surviving gunshot wounds, the killing enabling process, survivor guilt, new killer in the 21st century, recent salient events, asymmetrical warfare, violent visual imagery, and reality vs. fantasy. Tuition is $215.00, and IAWP members save 15% (use code IAWP).

The second class is the Street Survival for Women in Law Enforcement training that will be held October 17th and 18th at the Mont Bleu Resort, Casino & Spa in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, presented by Dave Smith and Sergeant Betsy Brantner Smith. This is the ORIGINAL law enforcement seminar that is designed specifically for female officers and for those who train and manage them. The class if completely revised for 2012, and will help you develop the tactical awareness necessary for your ultimate survival, learn to communicate effectively on and off the job, examine training & equipment issues specific to the female mind and body, make better, more controlled decisions even under high stress, see what it takes to become a leader regardless of rank, learn how to balance your career and home life, combat the effects of "routine" on your performance, learn to properly manage pregnancy on the job, gain off-duty survival skills you can share with those you love, develop a "Not Today" attitude, every day, on every shift, expand your tactical and mental preparation for armed encounters, and develop and maintain a Warrior Mindset to WIN every encounter. Tuition for this class is also $215.00.

To register or obtain more information on either of these outstanding classes, please contact Megan Gravley at Calibre Press by calling 972-629-6025, or by e-mail at megan.gravley@calibrepress.com.

Until next time, stay safe!

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