FOP98

METRO's K-9 Teams Win Top Awards

2009-02-07T18:43:00.000-06:00

METRO's K-9 dog teams captured top honors at a recent regional competition that showcased the dogs' drug and bomb-detecting abilities, along with their obedience skills.
For the first time since METRO started its K-9 unit in 1998, METRO won two first-place awards and the highest honor, The Top Dog Team Award. Sponsored by the National Narcotic Detector Dog Association (NNDA), the competition last Friday pitted 70 dog teams from around the region, including Louisiana.
Officer Ted Armstrong and his dog Missy, a Belgium Malinois, captured three awards: First Place in Patrol, First Place in Explosives, and Top Dog Team Award.
Officer Chris Obenland and his dog Shadow, a Belgium Malinois, won Third Place in Patrol.
"It just happened to be mine and Missy's day that day," said Armstrong. "We just happened to be on. She was very quick, very fluid searching all the boxes and desk drawers. She was on the money."
A specialist in detecting explosives, Missy was off her leash when she and her handler walked into a large entertainment hall, cluttered with columns of boxes, suitcases, filing cabinets and desk drawers. Metal-legged chairs were stacked up, newspapers scattered around.
"They hide explosives out there. They give you five minutes to find as many explosives as you can," said Armstong. If the dog makes a false alert, the dog team is disqualified.
"There's so much stuff. We as humans can't tell what the dog is picking up on. Dogs could be overwhelmed," said Armstrong.
Missy wasn't. She detected five explosives - and then performed flawlessly in the Patrol competition, which tests obedience skills, off leash.
Armstrong and Missy made history by winning two First Place awards - the first time in the contest's history that a team has done that. By scoring high in two categories, Armstrong and Missy also received a trophy for the Top Dog Team Award.
Obenland and his dog, Shadow, won Third Place in Patrol after completing a five-minute routine - off the leash - that included Shadow walking right next to his handler, staying in a "down" position for two minutes, and apprehending a robbery suspect - along with a second, hidden suspect the team knew nothing about. Judges analyzed the handler's strategy in using his dog to help apprehend both suspects.
When a stray, black cat strutted by Shadow during the obedience competition, the well-trained canine didn't move a muscle.
"I just wanted to hug him and give him a pack of hot dogs. That was a very, very rewarding thing," said Obenland. "He normally likes to run after cats. It's natural for the dog to want to chase after them."
Both Armstrong and Obenland pointed out that METRO's entire K-9 unit is highly trained and skilled, and officers are always trading tips on how to best train their dogs.
"Our whole dog team could have won," said Armstrong.
Added Obenland: "Our dogs are phenomenal. We constantly get compliments by the instructors about how sharp our dogs are and how good they are each year. They improve each year."

HOUSTON METRO COP SAVES LIFE AT INAUGURATION!

2009-01-20T23:12:00.003-06:00

SWAINSON STANDS OUT IN WAHSINGTON D.C.!

Officer Swainson is the Vice President of our Houston Metro FOP Lodge 98.

A Houston Metro transit officer attending President Barack Obama's inauguration in Washington saved the life of a woman who fell in front of a Metrorail train, officials said.A 68-year-old woman fell onto the tracks of an oncoming Metrorail train and couldn't move, officials said. When officer Eliot Swainson heard of the woman's conditions, he jumped on the tracks and tried to move her.But when Swainson couldn't get the woman off the tracks as a train was nearing, he pulled the woman into the safety areas under the track platforms until the train could pass, officials said.

Once the train passed, emergency crews were called and the woman was lifted on to the tracks. She was transported to a local hospital to treat a dislocated shoulder.Swainson was in Washington helping regulate the rails and had been trained on certain aspects of the Metro Rail System, including the locations of the safety areas, officials said.

Anniversity Letter

2009-01-10T22:24:00.006-06:00

Check out the anniversity letter that Vice President Swainson posted on his page on the website. One year down, and a look back of the events of the Lodge and Department.

Wanted Webmaster

2009-01-04T01:03:00.003-06:00

I need a second WEBMASTER to help maintain the Website, Blog and Guestbook. No prior experience is necessary, I self taught myself and now I am a webmaster to several sites and even more Blogs. The FOP 98 site is a rather large site that could change daily. With this in mind, it would be beneficial to have a second webmaster on board. If you are interested please call or email me at webmaster@fop98.org.

Reflection Post Removed

2009-01-04T00:30:00.002-06:00

I received an email from the president regarding reflection of 2008. I normally post general information here for comments, and on the website. I have learned that this post was directed at the members only and not for general posting. I have removed this post from the blog, due to the President only wanting it on his page. I regret the error of posting it in general information.

Webmaster

San Francisco Transit Officer Shoots Suspect

2009-01-03T14:14:00.000-06:00

Transit officer fatally shoots fight suspect
By Jill Tucker, Kelly Zito and Heather Knight San Francisco Chronicle

SAN FRANCISCO — A young man allegedly involved in a fight aboard a BART train was shot to death by a BART police officer on the platform of the Fruitvale Station early New Year's Day, in the midst of a brawl between two groups of young train passengers.
Oscar Grant, 22, was shot once while on the platform after a BART officer drew his gun during what officials called a volatile and chaotic scene. A gravely wounded Grant was taken to Highland Hospital, where he died Thursday morning, the Alameda County coroner's office said.
While witness accounts reported by news organizations indicate Grant was on the platform and handcuffed when he was shot, BART spokesman Jim Allison said the victim was not restrained when the gun discharged. BART officials wouldn't comment on whether the shooting was accidental or deliberate.
"Any incident with that many people, you're going to have different perceptions of what happened," Allison said.
Officials said no weapon was recovered from Grant or others involved in the altercation.
Witnesses' account
Allison and witnesses gave this account of the events leading up to Grant's death:
Apparently, two groups of young men were fighting on the train, which had come from San Francisco. Sometime while the train was en route to Dublin/Pleasanton, BART's operations control center learned of the disturbance and dispatched five BART police officers to the Fruitvale Station about 2 a.m. The train was ordered to stop and hold at Fruitvale so the police could deal with the situation.
The train arrived at Fruitvale, and police began trying to isolate the young men as they fought. Officers believe the group included Grant.
As officers attempted to control the situation, the two groups apparently continued to scuffle on the platform. At one point, three or four individuals on the platform were handcuffed, Allison said. Two people involved in the scuffle were detained, questioned by police and later released.
On Thursday afternoon, BART officials held a news conference and confirmed the officer had drawn his weapon during the incident. In describing the incident, however, they chose their wording very carefully, repeatedly referring to the shooting as a weapon "discharge," without specifically saying that the officer shot Grant.
Grant lived in Hayward, where family and friends gathered Thursday evening, too distraught to talk about the incident.
They would only say that he leaves behind a 4-year-old daughter.
At a park around the corner from his home, dozens of his friends gathered to share stories and express sadness over his sudden death.
"I knew Oscar for 19 years," said friend Robert Johnson. "He was everything. He was the world."
When a Chronicle reporter tried to interview other friends of Grant, a grief-stricken relative asked the group not to talk to reporters.
At the news conference, BART Patrol Cmdr. Travis Gibson said officers are trained to pull their guns when a BART patron or an officer is in danger.
"You use what force is reasonable to neutralize the situation without the person losing their life or the officer their life," he said.
Gibson said New Year's Eve had been a chaotic night for the officers on duty, with one gun recovered in San Francisco and another in West Oakland.
Officer tested, put on leave
The officer involved in the shooting was not identified, but Allison said he had been on the force nearly two years. The officer was given an alcohol and drug test, per department policy, and placed on administrative leave. Results of the alcohol and drug test are pending.
"It's too early to go into the specifics of the officer's record," Allison said.
Officials said the officer was carrying a baton in addition to his gun, but they were unsure whether he also carried a stun gun.
BART police have launched an internal investigation as well as a criminal investigation into the incident. The Alameda County district attorney's office has opened its own investigation, Allison said.
The Fruitvale Station has cameras, but BART officials said they are used only for monitoring and are not capable of recording. Some BART stations do have cameras that can record events, but not all of them.
Oakland attorney John Burris, who has handled several high-profile cases involving police shootings, said the incident prompts several questions to determine whether the shooting was justified.
Burris said he would want to know why the officer believed deadly force was required and whether the victim had a weapon or posed an immediate threat, or, if the shooting was accidental, why the officer's gun was drawn.
"The question is whether the person's civil rights have been violated," he said.
BART police ask anyone with information about the incident to call 877 679-7000, extension 7040.
The BART police force has 206 sworn officers, many of whom were patrolling the system on New Year's Eve. The trains were running on extended service until 3 a.m. to accommodate late-night partygoers.
Copyright 2009 San Francisco Chronicle

Metro police work to reduce auto-train crashes

2008-12-18T22:37:00.004-06:00

By ROSANNA RUIZ
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

Agency's officers park at downtown intersections to deter motorists' turns into trains' path

The Metro Police Department is taking a stand against auto-train accidents by taking a seat.
The transit agency has parked officers at six downtown intersections every day for the past month, aimed at preventing motorists from making illegal turns into the path of oncoming light rail trains.
There have been 57 accidents on the rail line this year — five fewer than in the first year of operation — many of them the result of illegal turns, the transit agency has said.
The officers are monitoring the intersections as part of a pilot program that began Nov. 17, said Police Chief Tom Lambert of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County. Last month, the city of Houston and Metro made adjustments to traffic signals at the same intersections to allow rail cars to proceed a few moments ahead of motorists.
"Some may say we're being very aggressive with having officers at every intersection," Lambert said. "But we have a responsibility to public safety to make sure we reduce accidents."
Lambert said he will scale back the number of officers at the intersections along Main at St. Joseph, Franklin, Texas, Prairie, Preston and Congress. He said his review revealed no accidents had occurred at those sites since the start of the pilot program.
Starting Friday, he said, officers will be assigned to patrol "as appropriate" between Pierce and Commerce.
The change could not come soon enough for Metro officers, who have questioned the wisdom of requiring police to sit at the intersections for an entire shift rather than being out on patrol, said Dean Goodrick, the president of the Houston Police Patrolman's Union.
Robert Lozano, president of the Houston Metro Fraternal Order of Police would only say that officers follow the chief's orders.
Metro's response to the accidents is similar to the "saturation" method the Houston Police Department has employed to deal with spikes in crime in various parts of Houston, said Larry Hoover, a criminal justice professor and director of the Police Research Center at Sam Houston State University.
"The issue is how long or what is the duration of that assignment," Hoover said. "As long as it stays temporary, because if it becomes permanent, the price you pay to personal motivation and morale can be pretty strong."
mailto:rosanna.ruiz@chron.com

METRO WRITE ON BLOG HAD THIS POSTED TODAY:

Train Accidents Decline in Pilot Program
Thursday, December 18, 2008 12:55 PM

In the past 30 days, there have been no car/rail accidents caused by cars turning left downtown in front of a train.
That safety record is the result of a pilot program that ends this week and is a result of three factors, says Assistant Police Chief Tim Kelly of MPD.
"Education - the media attention to this effort helped to educate the driving public. Engineering - the signal timing changes implemented by the city of Houston. Enforcement - the dedicated police officers at six downtown intersections," explained Kelly. "It is a combination of these three, and no one factor can be attributed solely to this accident reduction."
Earlier, we wrote about how the city has worked closely with MPD to adjust the timing of traffic signals along the Red Line. The six test locations along Main Street are: St. Joseph, Franklin, Texas, Prairie, Preston and Congress.
The re-signaling has meant that METRORail gets a green light first, a few seconds before drivers get a green light to proceed. This permits the train to travel ahead of regular traffic at these intersections. Westbound and eastbound traffic has not been affected.
So far, this three-pronged approach is working.
By the end of this week, the police officers who have been deployed at the six downtown intersections will be reassigned, but "there will be continue to be dedicated police enforcement along Main Street to reinforce the positive changes we have made," said Kelly.
The new signal timing will stay in place. The city and METRO will work closely together to determine if more traffic lights need to be adjusted to benefit the rest of the Red Line.
"All in all, this has been a very successful joint effort between the city and METRO to enhance public safety along the Red Line corridor," said Kelly.

COMMENTS OR DISSCUSSION?

Remembering Fallen Officer Tim Abernethy

2008-12-08T22:18:00.004-06:00

Courtney Zubowski / 11 News
HOUSTON -- Prosecutors have charged 28-year-old Mabry Landor with capital murder for allegedly shooting and killing Officer Tim Abernethy on Sunday. Landor will be in court on Tuesday, but tonight, friends and family are remembering the fallen officer.

Officer Tim Abernethy had been with the Houston Police Department for 11 years. To some, Abernethy was known as a police officer. To others, he was a son, a father and a husband.
"We called him Timbo," said Officer Lance Gibson, from the Houston Police Department.
Abernethy was a fun-loving and dedicated colleague.
"It's going to hurt this department. It's something that I'll never forget," said Gibson.
Officer Lance Gibson spent the last nine years working with Abernethy.
"It was tough, and it still hasn't hit me. I wanted to see him because I did not believe it. He was a close friend and we were together all week. The last time I had seen him was Friday," said Gibson.

On Friday, Gibson said Abernethy was happy and laughing at their division Christmas party.
"We were joking like we usually do and everything was normal. We were talking about what we were going to do the following week," said Gibson.
But instead of laughter, so far this week, has been filled with tears.
“When we got the word yesterday, it was like a part of you was missing. Tim will be missed," said Sgt. Leo Boutte, Houston Police Department.
Sergeant Leo Boutte was Abernethy’s supervisor. He said he was a hard worker and dedicated to his job.
"He was out there working a hot spot location, which is a place where there were crime problems. He was there to address it. The people lost someone who was out there fighting for them," said Boutte.
Boutte also said Abernethy was a family man and proud of it.
"His family was his number one thing. He was always talking about his family. He was proud of his son in the Navy, and real proud of his daughter who is an A&M graduate," said Boutte.
He was also proud of what he did as a police officer. He was a man his colleagues said you wanted to follow because you always knew Tim Abernethy would steer you in the right direction.
A vigil for the fallen officer is planned for Tuesday night at 6:30 outside the Luxor Apartments.
Officer Abernethy's family, fellow officers and friends will lay him to rest friday morning at 11:00. The service will be held at the Champion Forest Baptist Church on Stuebner-Airline Road.
The funeral will be open to the public.

I was planning on writing something myself but this article actually is pretty good. This hits home to a lot of us who knew him or knew of him. He will be remembered as the good Officer that he is. Present tense on purpose. He maybe patrolling HEAVEN's beat but he will be with each and everyone of us.

This tragic and senseless end could be anyone of us at anytime. Remember that while you are sitting at the intersections, transit centers or answering that boring emergency alarm. Be prepared for the unexpected and always be alert and have a plan.

Christmas List for the Lodge.

2008-12-07T23:02:00.002-06:00

If you had to turn in a Lodge Christmas list to the Chief or President and the Board, What will be on it? It can be big as retirement or small as placing a flat screen in the officers work area, or a fan for that matter. What will be on your list? You may respond by name or not. Your choice, your list................

A Presidential Posting for November

2008-11-30T20:26:00.001-06:00

Houston METRO
Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge #98
1900 North Loop West, Suite 540
Houston, Texas 77018
(713) 864-2925
www.fop98.org

November 27, 2008

Brothers and Sisters,

As we enter into the latter part of the year, I take a look back at how far we have come and how far we have to go. It has been a rocky road, as we learn each other’s personalities and differences. These are the things that make us a working lodge and keep each other going. I learned that no matter how hard you try or what the goal is, you just can’t make everyone happy.

I’m thankful that I have a great e-board working for the members of Lodge 98 and that even though we have different ideas on how to improve and move forward, at the end of the day, this is a volunteer position that just tries to help fellow brothers and sisters when they need that little help. I want to thank all the members of the e-board for their dedication in attending meetings, events, conferences, etc. A big thanks goes out to Greg Schoener for his work and dedication to the Lodge website. Take a minute to visit it and feed your comments, as many civilians and other agencies read it.

In November’s meeting, the members changed the approach on serving the four families and moved toward helping 40 families at the same expense. The concept was great and we managed to help families whose children attend Jane Long Middle, Hamilton Middle, Key Middle, and Gallegos Elementary Schools. Lodge 98 was met with open arms from the representatives of each school and they expressed their gratitude.

In the month of December, we will have our monthly meeting on December 21st. A representative from our new insurance, Conseco, will be present to sign new members up and answer questions. She is offering a product that I hope the members will be proud of. Conseco will be catering the meeting, so I hope all members can make it.

The lodge will be weighing in all participates in the weight loss contest for that $1,000.00 winner. Come see the results and congratulate our winner because they have been working hard this last 6 months.

The lodge was not able to get enough volunteers to help put on this year’s Christmas party, but hopes to put on a Christmas party next year with help from volunteers.

The 2009 member cards should be in any day, along with calendars. I have proposed to the e-board that we put together a care packet to all members that will include items like your calendar, pen, vehicle stickers, member card, etc. Have a safe and memorable holiday season.

Fraternally,
Robert Lozano
Proud to be F.O.P.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING !

2008-11-25T21:59:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving Dinners

2008-11-12T20:52:00.001-06:00

Attention….Attention…Attention….Attention….

The lodge is adopting four families to donate a Thanksgiving dinner to. If you are aware of any families that are in need, please give the information to any board member, as it will be voted on at the November 16th meeting. Please feel free to attend the meeting to push for the family that you want to sponsor. The lodge is trying to place the dinners in four different areas of the county.
Fraternally,
Robert Lozano
President

Proud to be F.O.P.

LOGO's

2008-11-01T21:19:00.003-05:00

After Many Hours of hard work local artists Tra` Slaughter and Sam Sartorius have come up with these two final designs. I have posted them on here for discussion. Each design represents an image or theme that portrays the image of the Lodge, Which design do you like the best?

2008-10-20T21:35:00.000-05:00

2008-10-14T21:09:00.003-05:00

If Your Lucky!

METRO POLICE in the Blogs

2008-10-13T21:32:00.004-05:00

Check out what the Blogging public thinks about METRO and the METRO POLICE. There has been a couple of posts on several Blog sites including Blog Houston and METRO's own WriteOn METRO with Mary Sit.

The posts are only the beginning, what is interesting are all the comments. Do not get mad and burn up your key board in engaging what is said. Remember to review your Departmental Policy Manuel first, and make sure you are within the guidelines, if you do decide to comment or respond.

A police officer cannot exercise the same freedom of speech that the public has a right to enjoy. There has been some progress at the Supreme Court with case law, but don't get your hopes up.

Just read the comments and remember FREEDOM of SPEECH is worth protecting and fighting for, whether you agree with what is said.....or not.

National Night Out, Texas Style!

2008-10-06T21:34:00.002-05:00

Courtesy of Carol Christian’s Blog:

Because Texas in August tends to be extremely hot, National Night Out this year is moving to Oct. 7.
National Night Out is an annual crime-prevention event that for 24 years has taken place on the first Tuesday in August.
This year’s switch throughout Texas to the first Tuesday in October is a test to see how it goes, National Night Out spokesman Matt Peskin told me. The other 49 states will keep the August date.
What’s pretty interesting is that Texas’ undeniably hot August weather appears to be getting hotter, according to post-event reports sent in each year to the National Night Out headquarters in suburban Philadelphia.
Texas towns that recorded temperatures of 99 or 100 a few years ago turned in reports of 103 or 104 degrees the last couple years, Peskin told me by phone.
It does seem to be the state where most of the heat complaints come from. [Peskin]

The METRO POD

2008-10-04T23:11:00.003-05:00

During Hurricane Ike Relief, METRO POLICE OFFICERS moved pallets of cases of water, Boxes of MRE's and Ice. The cases of water were moved by old fashion team work and sweat. I just wanted to thank all the officers for their hard work and dedication to help their fellow METRO employees. METRO POLICE OFFICERS staffed the METRO POD located at Buffalo Bayou Facility and distributed these supplies over a period of a couple of days.

Vice President Eliot Swainson Post

2008-09-30T23:44:00.003-05:00

To all the Brothers and Sisters of Houston Metro F.O.P. Lodge #98,

Having been officially sworn in as the Vice President of this lodge on September 20, 2008, I thought this was a good opportunity to acknowledge the continued hard work of the current Executive Members of our Lodge #98. First and foremost, I wish to echo some of the recent sentiments I have heard and personally felt for the diligent work of our lodge President Robert Lozano. Since the inception of this Lodge #98, Robert has continued to push forward, even when the interest wasn't there to back him up. Most recently he was instrumental in getting a number of shipments delivered for Hurricane IKE relief for any Lodge #98 member wishing to come by Lodge #39.

There have been a number of other (in the scope of current issues) big events that Robert has been instrumental in bringing about some form of resolution. Like the return of the use of the METRO Police bulletin boards for union business, and soon to come the return of automatic draft from your paychecks for union dues.

Other E - Members include the efforts and work of James Cordell in handling the treasury issues related to this Lodge. At each meeting James supplies a detailed run down of all the expenditures related to the lodge.

Enola Hopkins has recently spear headed the weight lost challenge for our Lodge members, with some great prizes in store for the "biggest losers" to borrow a phrase from a TV show.

Roscoe Scott for traveling alone with President Lozano to Corpus Christi to attend the recent State FOP lodge meeting. Roscoe and Robert both brought back some great insight of the inner workings of this greater brotherhood of lodges.

Greg Scheoner, for his continued work on the graphics and up keep of the Houston Metro FOP Lodge #98 web site.

There many more stories and people to thank and I will in future letters. These are just a few of the behind the scene events that most members do not see or even concern themselves with as lodge members.

Please remember this is a fully voluntary operational lodge. The officers acknowledged in this letter work for this lodge only as a personal concern and interest for the betterment of this department and lodge. Try and remember we too have personal lives and everyday issues that need to be attended to just like you, however, these members have stepped forward and at the very least made themselves available if so called upon to do some extra work for this lodge.

They can not do all the work themselves. I ask that you take at least a few hours out of your day once a month, and attend a union meeting. I'm sure you will have a new appreciation for your department and more importantly your lodge after having attend.

Thank you again to all that have contributed currently and recently in the past, for putting forth the effort that has made this a very exciting and up and coming lodge.

Fraternally,

Eliot Swainson

After IKE took the Hike......

2008-09-23T21:57:00.002-05:00

Hurricane Ike Evac

2008-09-23T21:35:00.005-05:00

These are images from the METRO operation to evacuate people from the Webster area. At approximately 12 hours before landfall the tide was already flooding some priers and low lying roads.

The Nassau Bay Hilton became Media Headquarters. It was funny to see the reporters down at the waters edge or standing in the water as they were doing shots.

Metro Police Officer K. Kuhlman, along with Bus Operators A. Noel, D. Washington and J. Murphy, staging in front of the Webster PD.

GOD BLESS US AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!

2008-09-10T21:29:00.002-05:00

MAY GOD PROTECT US AND OUR LOVED ONES, MAY HE WATCH OVER US AND GUIDE US THROUGH THIS TIME OF NEED. BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS FOR WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOD.

Lodge Involvement or lack of......

2008-09-09T21:48:00.002-05:00

My Brothers and Sisters of FOP98. I have been doing this blog for a while and also the web site. I have been honored and proud to maintain these sites. There comes a time when you have to say "why bother". I attempted to pass on information to the masses. I tried to bring up morale with postings. I attempted to engage a discussion of issues using postings. Comments? There were a few, I can count them on one hand.

I currently am in charge of 4 Blogs and 3 websites and it seems like that list will be growing shortly if two other projects takes off. The others have interaction, This one, MY BABY, does not.

So what is it going to take? The Elected Positions need to pass on INFORMATION in a timely fashion for postings. If the information is not fresh then people will not check the sites. Members, you need to become involved in your lodge! Even if it is checking the sites and leaving comments. I perfer you attend a meeting also, but.........

We as a LODGE, cannot acomplish anything if we just sit around and piss and moan. I have been very disappointed in the lodge members lately. If a board member calls and ask you to help a fellow brother out by taking him to a doctors appointment, would you? Would you give up your time for a service project like assisting an elderly person by repairing their home? Would you give up some free time to assist in a Lodge event or Lobbying in Austin?

These are some really hard questions that you as lodge members needs to ask yourselves. Only then will the true BROTHERHOOD show.

Happy Labor Day

2008-08-31T21:29:00.000-05:00

Bussing down the Road

2008-08-07T20:14:00.003-05:00

As I was minding my own business driving down the road in ANOTHER state, I came across THIS.........

At first I thought I made a wrong turn and was back in Houston till I saw the ad on the side of the bus. I did not find any BUS STOP COPS, but the sheriff's department and especially the US Border Patrol were very active.

So who came up with the red and blue stripes first? Is it the same if the stripes are reversed? or chopped at the bottom?

A FREE for ALL!

2008-07-30T22:02:00.003-05:00

The Web Master is taking a few days off. I am leaving this POST as a free-for-all. If you have someting on your mind, just post a comment and let your fellow Brothers and Sisters or our supporters respond with their own comments. God Bless and BE SAFE!

Minnesota Homeowners Invite Over the SWAT Team

2008-07-30T21:35:00.003-05:00

SUSAN PERRYCourtesy of the MinnPost

On a gray, rainy morning last month, Jon and Barbara Scoll calmly sipped coffee on their private dock while 100 feet away a SWAT team broke down the front door to their Edina home and swarmed across the threshold, guns held high.
The team's breach man had to pound the door five times with his steel battering ram before it finally gave way.
"He should have gotten in with two hits," said St. Louis Park police officer Mike Merwin to the Scolls. "You had a good door."
"Who knew?" said Barbara Scoll.
Most people, of course, are anything but nonchalant when a SWAT team comes banging on their door. For the Scolls, however, the raid on their home last month was not only eagerly anticipated, but invited.
They're among a small number of Twin Cities homeowners who have donated their houses to their local police or fire department to use for training before the house is razed to make room for a newer model.

Read the entire story here.

This topic was discussed on the "grunt" level. METRO as acquire ALL types of property. Most of these properties will be idea for training exercises. We all know the layout of KASHMERE by now. I do know of some officers and FTO's who have used these properties to "stay fresh" on their skills and training. The properties includes a ROW of residential houses, a warehouse, gas station, etc. Most are completely boarded up, so that demonstrates why officers need to have a functional flashlight on day shift. An unlucky PPO or two found that out. This is a GOLD MINE to any police agency training section.

What are your feelings or comments?

Why Cops Carry Guns

2008-07-25T00:06:00.003-05:00

This article really hit close to home. I feel that I am training more and more of these types of recruits.-webmaster

Law Enforcement Firearms with Richard Fairburn

I suppose part of getting older is the eternal cycle of accusing the latest generation of being a bunch of wimps compared to their predecessors. Still, kids nowadays in the “X” or “Y” (or whatever they call themselves) generation are pretty different.
A few years ago, when I ran an academy firearms training unit, one of the range officers walked into my office and announced that Cadet “Smith” refuses to shoot a gun ... she wouldn’t even pick one up. “We’ve tried everything," he said, "even explaining she’ll be terminated from the program. But she won’t touch the damn thing.”

So, Cadet Smith was ushered into my office. She was an obviously bright young lady, not much older than my daughter, but damn certain she wasn’t going to shoot a pistol. She thought that as a police officer, carrying a gun would be optional. Why goodness, gracious, she could never bring herself to harm another human being, so why would she want to carry a gun? Her goal, she explained, was to work with children or perhaps investigate internet crimes.

Putting aside my desire to ask several politically incorrect questions, I settled on conducting a polite little background examination. “What did you do before coming to the police academy?” I quizzed. She had been a social worker for Family Services. “OK,” I continued, “why do you want to be a Police Officer?” Her answer was simple and direct, “Cops make a lot more money ... but I will never fire a gun.”

At one point, the young lady made the argument that she should be able to choose whether or not to carry a gun. “After all,” she continued, “if I get myself killed for not carrying a gun, that’s my choice.”

WRONG ANSWER.

If we allowed the young lady to place herself in mortal danger by not being armed while on duty, other officers might need to risk their lives to save hers. By not carrying her fair share of the load, other officers could die. That is not a choice she is entitled to make.

True to her word, she never fired the gun. A short time later she resigned before being fired, returning I presume, to the world of social work. Surprisingly, we have encountered a similar mindset in other young trainees, all of whom eventually came around. We have seen variations of this in a handful of older officers when they are sent to Rapid Deployment training. The idea of charging into a school to hunt down an active shooter curdles the blood of a few experienced officers. Most officers embrace active shooter training and remember the “serve and protect” oath they swore, but a few claim they simply didn’t sign on to go into what they deem to be a “SWAT-only” environment.

The discovery of these misguided souls who manage to get past the screening process prompted me to develop a half-hour lecture for all new trainees I entitled “Gun-fighting 101.” If you train new recruits, you might find it handy for getting their attention.

1. We carry and train with firearms because police officers have a sworn obligation to save lives and sometimes deadly force is the only way to stop a terrible person from committing a terrible act. Our goal is to stop, and we would like to be able to stop them without the possibility of killing them, but we don’t have a Star Trek “phaser” to set on stun. Yeah, I know, we have an array of less lethal options for those cases where they are a viable alternative, but gunpowder and lead is the only certain way we have to stop the bad guys, for now.

2. The firearm is merely a tool we use to make the bad guy stop. A firearm is nothing more than a long-distance, chemically-powered cordless drill. They come with different size drill bits (I like .45 caliber, personally), but they all accomplish the same end. The cordless drill does its job by letting stuff run out the hole it creates. Generally, blood runs out. Sometimes the suspect’s life runs out, too. Sorry, but stopping sometimes requires killing, even deliberate killing with a head shot if that is our only option. Better him than me, or my partner, or an innocent victim. So, if you’re not mentally prepared to kill, you shouldn’t carry a gun. If you don’t carry a gun, you can’t be a law enforcement officer. Not being willing to kill doesn’t make you a bad person. Hell, you might be a better person than me. You’re just not cut out to be a cop — no shame in that. I suggest social worker, firefighter, or paramedic — noble public service professions, all.

3. Shooting a firearm is primarily a mental exercise. Some basic physical skills are also needed, but mastery requires the proper mindset. Part of that mindset is pre-deciding that you are capable of killing another human being under the proper legal and moral conditions. Get over the idea of the “Thou shalt not Kill” commandment. It was mistranslated in the King James version. The original language of the Commandment prohibited murder - an unjustified killing. Since before the days of King David, killing those who need killing is indeed God’s work. As Clint Smith of Thunder Ranch stated so eloquently on an episode of 60 Minutes II; “Some people just need to be shot!”

So, we need to strike a balance when new recruits are trained in deadly force. We need an officer who is willing to kill without hesitation, but would much prefer to never see that day come. There are some among us who WANT to kill someone; they live for the day. We need to screen them out, too. We must reach a delicate equilibrium between confidence in our ability to use deadly force, if we must - and those who WANT to or DREAD to use deadly force.

It will never cease to amaze me that some individuals go through the entire law enforcement application process without giving a thought to the “dark side” of our profession. If law enforcement officers can’t wrap their mind around the concept of using deadly force, then they are not truly armed, even if they do carry a gun.

When God made peace officers

2008-07-24T23:33:00.003-05:00

I come across this article from time to time and it does bring a tear to your eye.......

~Anonymous
When the Lord was creating peace officers, he was into his sixth day of overtime when an angel appeared and said, "You’re doing a lot of fiddling around on this one."
And the Lord said, "Have you read the specs on this order?"
"A peace officer has to be able to run five miles through alleys in the dark, scale walls, enter homes the health inspector wouldn’t touch, and not wrinkle his uniform."
"He has to be able to sit in an undercover car all day on a stakeout, cover a homicide scene that night, canvass the neighborhood for witnesses, and testify in court the next day.
He has to be in top physical condition at all times, running on black coffee and halfeatenmeals. And he has to have six pairs of hands."
The angel shook her head slowly and said, "Six pairs of hands ... no way."
"It’s not the hands that are causing me problems," said the Lord, "it’s the three pairs of eyes an officer has to have."
"That's on the standard model?" asked the angel.

The Lord nodded. One pair that sees through a bulge in a pocket before he asks, "May I see what's in there, sir?" (When he already knows and wishes he’d taken that accounting job.) "Another pair here in the side of his head for his partners’safety. And another pair of eyes here in front that can look reassuringly at a bleeding victim and say, 'You’ll be all right ma'am, when he knows it isn't so."
"Lord," said the angel, touching his sleeve, "rest and work on this tomorrow."
"I can’t," said the Lord, "I already have a model that can talk a 250 pound drunk into a patrol car without incident and feed a family of five on a civil service paycheck."
The angel circled the model of the peace officer very slowly, "Can it think?" she asked.
"You bet," said the Lord. "It can tell you the elements of a hundred crimes; recite Miranda warnings in its sleep; detain, investigate, search, and arrest a gang member on the street in less time than it takes five learned judges to debate the legality of the stop...and still it keeps its sense of humor.
This officer also has phenomenal personal control. He can deal with crime scenes painted in hell, coax a confession from a child abuser, comfort a murder victim’s family, and then read in the daily paper how law enforcement isn’t sensitive to the rights of criminal suspects."
Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek of the peace officer. "There’s a leak," she pronounced. "I told you that you were trying to put too much into this model."
"That’s not a leak," said the Lord, "it’s a tear."
"What’s the tear for?" asked the angel.
"It’s for bottled-up emotions, for fallen comrades, for commitment to that funny piece of cloth called the American flag, for justice."
"You're a genius," said the angel.
The Lord looked somber. "I didn't put it there," he said.

R.I.P. HCSO BLOG

2008-07-21T18:34:00.006-05:00

Even though the FOP98 Bloggers have never met, nor knows the correct identity of the HCSO Blogger, He or she will be missed. The HCSO Blog was removed sometime in the early morning hours of July 21st, 2008. The HCSO Blog told it how it was seen by the grunts on the front line. The Blog will be missed.

Bad Morale: The Facts Now Known

2008-07-19T11:08:00.006-05:00

Thanks to my friend at HCSO Blog that found and share this information.

A ton of interesting reading can be found at the National Institute of Ethics. One is a study on bad morale in law enforcement. I thought you might find the causes interesting.

National Institute of Ethics Anger & Frustration Research

The two-year study conducted by the National Institute of Ethics used a confidential survey to ascertain
the views of 2,552 law enforcement personnel from over 500 agencies in 23 states. The findings reveal
both overall views on what makes personnel angry/frustrated, and stratifies specific findings by gender,
supervisor versus non supervisor, and field training officers. The research goal was to identify what
circumstances cause officers throughout the nation to feel angry and frustrated about their job.
Understanding what prompts these feelings will be valuable for counteracting the reasons officers use to
rationalize their own misconduct.

The survey contained 52 factors to be rated from “0” place a number (0–5) that best describes to what
extent you feel you have been treated unfairly about that specific issue. The numbers were defined as
follows: 0-I don’t feel any anger or frustration; 1-Slightly angry or frustrated; 2-Somewhat angry or
frustrated; 3-Moderately angry or frustrated; 4-Substantially angry or frustrated; 5-Extremely angry or
frustrated.

Overall Findings (25 Greatest Causes of Anger)
Determining the causes of poor morale creates the opportunity to develop solutions. The findings reveal
the majority of the ten greatest sources of anger and frustration among officers have a crucial common
denominator, their administrators.

The overall greatest source of bad morale is the perception of
favoritism committed by administrators.

Overall Averages (2,552 surveys) 0-5 Scale

1. Administration plays favoritism 2.79
2. Staffing levels are low 2.70
3. Motivation and morale is bad 2.63
4. Communication is very poor 2.57
5. Administration is “out of touch” 2.54
6. Administration does not support us 2.49
7. Discipline is unfair and inconsistent 2.46
8. Fellow employees have bad attitudes 2.44
9. Accountability is unfair or inconsistent 2.29
10. Supervisors play politics 2.29
11. Employees aren’t listened to 2.29
12. Criminal Justice system is frustrating 2.26
13. Bias influences leaders decisions 2.20
14. Training (internal) is poor 2.16
15. Respect isn't demonstrated 2.07
16. Teamwork 3
17. Planning is non-existent 1.70
18. Safety is a low priority 1.63
19. Salary is not high enough 1.95
20. Criticism – there’s too much of it 1.93
21. Don't go to enough training seminars 1.86
22. Cooperation among workers is poor 1.85
23. Goals and objectives are never used 1.82
24. Supplies are inadequate 1.76
25. Sincerity - a lack of it is prevalent 1.76

Supervisor and Non-Supervisor Comparison
Comparison by Rank: Non-Supervisors, Supervisors and Field Training Officers
Of three major groups, field Training officers are the most angry.

Field Training Officers (732 surveys) 1.69 (0-5 Scale)
Non-supervisors (1,595 surveys) 1.62 (0-5 Scale)
Supervisors (698 surveys) 1.41 (0-5 Scale)

Non-Supervisors Supervisors FTOs
Administration does not support us 2.67 2.03 2.67
Staffing levels are low 2.76 2.53 3.02
Discipline is unfair and inconsistent 2.55 2.20 2.58
Fellow employees have bad attitudes 2.46 2.38 2.50
Administration plays favoritism 3.00 2.24 3.02
Administration is “out of touch” 2.67 2.16 2.77
Communication is very poor 2.64 2.33 2.75
Motivation n and morale is bad 2.47 2.32 2.83

To read the entire study that Neal Trautman, Ph.D. did click on the title of this post.

The Fraternal Order Of Police Lodge 98 : Weight Loss Challenge

2008-07-18T09:47:00.005-05:00

Lose some weight and earn some cash. This is a contest that is sponsored by Houston Metro FOP Lodge 98 for it's members. The METRO Police Department is in the process of setting fitness standards for their officers.

Official Rules:
1. All participants must be members in good standing with the Houston Metro Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 98.
2. The weight loss challenge will be based on the percentage of weight loss of the participant.
3. All participants must be present for the first and the final weigh -in
4. There will be a weigh-in midway in the competition (3 months) this weigh in is optional so that the participants will know who is your greatest competition.
5. All weigh-ins will have at least one board member present and the results of the weigh-in will be recorded in the official log for the contest.
6. All participants must be weighed on the official contest scale in order to enter the contest.
7. No shoes, duty belts, guns or rigs of any type will be worn at the time of weigh-in (socks are okay).
8. All weight loss must be natural: no surgery gastric bypass, lapband etc.participants may use supplements.
9. In the event of a tie the 1000.00 prize will be divided amongst the winners.
10. All participants will remit a fee of 10.00 cash order to be a part of the contest.
11. The contest event will begin July 20,2008 and end December 21, 2008 with deadline to enter the contest of July 23, 2008 before 4PM.
12. All pictures ,literature etc. associated with the contest become the sole possession of the Houston Metro Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 98.Original Copies of materials (pictures, literature etc.) will be maintained by the lodge 98 for historical and archival information concerning the lodge. Copies of materials can be obtained upon request and approval by the lodge for a nominal fee.
13. All decisions are final, the winner (s) of the weight loss challenge will receive 1000.00 or the sum total to be divided if there is more than one winner.

Information concerning the contest have been compiled by Enola Hopkins and Phillip Suarez

Understaffing costs Houston taxpayers $150 million in overtime

2008-07-09T19:30:00.001-05:00

Houston & Texas News
July 9, 2008, 12:14AMUnderstaffing costs Houston taxpayers $150 million in overtime
By MATT STILESCopyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

RESOURCES
Search the entire salary database
Look inside the public payroll
Overtime totals by agency -->
Local governmental agencies spent large sums on overtime last year, in part to compensate for their understaffed police forces, according to interviews and an analysis of payroll data.
Combined, the agencies spent about $150 million on overtime in 2007, or about 5 percent of their payrolls, according to a database of payroll records from the city, county and Houston schools, among other agencies.
The spending kept more police officers and sheriff's deputies patrolling streets and guarding jails, officials say, but it also has raised concerns about employee fatigue and morale.
"The show must go on, so to speak. We have to continue working," said Lt. John Legg, spokesman for the Harris County Sheriff's Office, which relies heavily on overtime to meet a state-mandated inmate-to-deputy ratio at county jails.
"It's not an ideal situation," Legg added. "It is taxing on individuals over a long period of time."
The Houston Chronicle compiled detailed electronic payroll data on 81,000 employees at the Metropolitan Transit Authority, city of Houston, Harris County, Port of Houston Authority, Harris County Department of Education, Houston Community College and Houston Independent School District.
The records detail overtime, car allowances, bonuses and total annual pay. The data were collected under the Texas Public Information Act from the agencies, all of which receive property tax revenue from Harris County homeowners.
The Sheriff's Office, for example, spent more than $31 million on overtime, second only to the Houston Police Department, which has dealt with its own staffing shortages.
Dozens of deputies earned more than $50,000 in overtime last year, often doubling their salaries. Two who were paid $92,000 and $87,000 in overtime, respectively, worked 16-hour shifts five days a week. One got paid for a few 24-hour shifts, records show.
The HPD, which has placed a heavy focus on recruiting to increase the ranks, spent about $45 million on overtime, records show. Officials there plan to spend about $51 million over the next 12 months.
Much of the department's spending is funded by state and federal grants. The grants also boost traffic enforcement and extra policing in high-crime areas, police say.
"Unlike the private sector, the public sector has to leverage its limited work force by extending it through the use of overtime," said Joe Fenninger, HPD's deputy director for finance.
The Houston Fire Department and Houston ISD trailed the HPD and Sheriff's Office in overtime spending, with about $19 million and $10 million, respectively.
A change in the rulesHigh overtime totals among HISD police officers prompted an audit by the district's inspector general earlier this year. That inquiry is ongoing, district spokesman Terry Abbott said.
One HISD police sergeant led all public employees in the Chronicle's analysis, earning $95,000 in overtime, pushing the total salary to $158,000.
The sergeant's extra time came from a program to protect school construction sites under HISD bond programs. It also prompted the district police department to revise its rules. Now, no officer may work more than 16 hours in a day, and must have at least eight hours off before returning.
"We've had trouble filling all the positions," Abbott said. "Because we could not fill them all, we used a lot of overtime."
He declined to discuss details of the inspector general inquiry, adding that the public should not make judgments until the process is complete.
The data compiled by the Chronicle also includes rank-and-file workers.
At the port authority, for example, 91 maintenance workers at the Barbours Cut Container Terminal made some $3.9 million in overtime — an average of nearly $43,000 each.
Officials at the port, which receives much of its funding from vessel and cargo services, said the employees have highly technical or specialized skills. The port also saw "record-breaking" stats last year, processing 1.78 million TEUs, a shipping measurement that represents the equivalent of a 20-foot cargo container, said spokeswoman Argentina James.
"Some of the maintenance employees primarily work around ship arrivals, and ships can call at the terminal seven days a week, 24 hours a day," she said in an e-mail exchange.
She added that the port only spends tax revenue on general obligation bonds that finance expansion, she said.
'It's getting tiring'At least one member of Harris County Commissioner's Court has raised concerns about the spending.
Commissioner Steve Radack, who in the past has questioned the port's outside legal expenses, said the port's funds are co-mingled.
"Money's money," he said. "The point of the matter is, if that's the case, they need to use some of their profits for expansion instead of bonds."
Radack, a former Houston police officer and Harris County constable, was less critical about the sheriff's deputies.
But Richard Newby, president of the Harris County Deputies Organization, said the staffing problems the figures reflect are taking a toll on deputies. He said some were being forced to work more than one extra shift a week, if not more.
"The biggest thing that's affecting morale is the staffing issue," he said. "It's getting tiring. We're having forced overtime, because we just don't have the bodies."
matt.stiles@chron.com

This article was written by Matt Stiles with The Houston Chronicle. Their website as a break down of earnings of some of our Brothers and Sisters in Blue. Is this fair to allow our friends and neighbors to find out how much we make? I see my fellow Brothers and Sisters working their ass off to make ends meet. I don't see a lot of "luxury" items that they have. I don't see the benefit to the public on naming names of the working men and women in law enforcement.

We are not Chiefs, Presidents, Judges, CEOs, or Elected Officials. We are the grunts on the front lines. Give us pay raises and Mr and Mrs Citizen, YOU can keep your OVERTIME! I much rather spend time with my love ones. -Ghostrider

Fit to fight crime: Sugar Land police get in shape

2008-07-07T00:12:00.004-05:00

06:01 PM CDT on Sunday, July 6, 2008
By Kevin Reece / 11 News

SUGAR LAND, Texas -- Police officers are often faced with grueling, physical work.
The generally accepted idea is they will have better luck catching bad guys if they’ve spent a little time in the gym.
“I believe that we should have a physical standard,” Officer John Burns said.
Truth is, they do.
And the test program the Sugar Land Police Department started three years ago is now becoming the letter of the law.
But what does it entail?

11 News photo
The standard of six tests includes bench-pressing at least two-thirds of their own weight and running a timed 300-meter dash. They also have to endure a 1.5-mile run.
“I believe it’s a good thing. It’s a standard that all police officers should be held to, some type of physical standard,” Burns said.
But unlike other departments that might only offer fitness suggestions for their officers, Sugar Land police have to pass the tests if they want to stay on the force in the field.
“From the chief all the way down, if you carry a badge and an ID, you are required to pass this fitness course,” Sgt. Jimmy Surratt said.
In fact, the chief has passed the test, and he allows three hours of “fit time” for each officer each week to stay in shape.
“We’re held to a lot of different types of standards, ethically, as far as integrity, our conduct,” Burns said.
And now they have a standard of fitness, too.
So far, SLPD said as many as 88 percent of their officers have passed the test.
The chief said those who don’t pass will be reassigned to non-enforcement positions within the department.

Any comments on this article? Is there going to be any difference between Sugarland's fitness and Metro's?

Brother Hernan Morano Retires after 16 years of service !

2008-06-28T10:44:00.004-05:00

Metro PD had a retirement ceremony for Brother Moreno yesterday. Chief Lambert presented him with a plaque, a retired Metro Police ID Card and a bag of "Goodies". President Lozano and Secretary Dillman representing the Lodge, presented Brother Moreno with a Retirement Plaque and retired FOP ID Card. Brother Moreno has worked for Metro PD since May of 1992. Go to the comments to leave your own comment to Brother Moreno. -webmaster

Field Training Officer Burn Out: A Real Problem in Many Agencies

2008-06-21T11:33:00.004-05:00

I came across this well written article, My friend Richard over at Bluesheepdog.com does a really good job. I thought how approprate for us and our rumored mass hiring.

Field Training and Evaluation Programs (FTEP) are the foundations that police agencies use to build quality, career police officers. When a recruit officer is teamed up with motivated, knowledgeable field training officers, that recruit stands a very good chance of becoming a motivated, knowledgeable officer also.
The often overlooked benefit of a quality FTEP program is the high morale displayed by the FTOs will rub off on the recruit. Believe it or not, recruits who are exposed to positive, motivated FTOs, are more likely to stay with that agency for their career.
So what happens if the recruit officer is paired with FTOs that have low morale? Recruit officers normally emulate the behaviors displayed by their mentors and FTOs. The recruit wants to fit in and be part of the team. If everyone else is complaining, they are likely to pick up that attitude. A poor attitude translates to an officer who makes bad cases, gets more internal affairs complaints, and is more likely to leave for another agency.
I’ve seen the real benefits of a positive FTEP. Unfortunately, I have also seen the results of a FTEP with bad morale. It ain’t purty, fellas.
There can be a lot of different reasons why FTOs can develop poor morale and bad attitudes. It can come from administrative issues, improper selection of FTOs, or poor leadership in the FTEP itself. However, one issue I have seen time and time again –that never seems to be addressed– is plain old burn-out.
Sometimes a department is hiring so many new officers that an FTO always has a recruit in the car. A lot of times, the best FTOs get the worst recruits. The same FTOs often get recruits that are in remedial training; recruits that need extra help to do the job or find the door.
All FTOs can get burned-out. The best FTOs tend to be abused and do get burned-out.
With burn-out comes poor attitude and low morale. From there, the quality of training declines sharply, and suddenly the best FTOs are providing sub-standard training. All FTOs deserve down-time. Field training officers need time without recruits to clear their heads and re-focus their own police skills.
My own department is having some morale problems in the field training program. Some of it is a leadership issue. However, most of it is they are just plain tired. Most of the FTOs have been hammered for 18+ months with no significant down time between recruits. Most of the training officers are still in the program only because of the extra pay, not because they still want to do it.
If you are having morale problems in your FTEP, take a look at your FTOs. Are they just burned-out? Would a rest let some of them recharge?
To give FTOs a quality rest between recruits, the program may have to increase the number of officers that are assigned to it. I know some police administrators will claim they cannot afford to expand the training program. But, knowing the benefits a quality program can provide, can they afford not to expand the program?
Stay safe!

Active Shooter are YOU ready?

2008-06-16T21:01:00.003-05:00

Active Shooter is a phrase coined by law enforcement that describes an armed person who has used deadly physical force on persons and continues to do so while having unrestricted access to additional victims. The school shooting at Columbine and similar incidents have caused a paradigm-shift in law enforcement training and tactics. Instead of being taught to wait for a SWAT team to arrive, officers receive training on how to take immediate action during incidents that clearly involve suspects use of deadly force.

United States Attorney Leura G. Canary stated, We hear about a shooting in a school or business every few months now, in both large and small towns. Law enforcement must be prepared to handle these situations as they arise. After the Columbine shooting, law enforcement agencies realized that first-on-the-scene patrol officers must be ready to enter a school, mall or other public place to neutralize a shooter and stop the killing.

In Active Shooter or Immediate Action Rapid Deployment training, officers are provided training on single and team tactics for Active Shooters, and deliberate and dynamic techniques for dealing with the variety of floor plan situations encountered in schools. Mostly, the class stressed the first officer and follow on officer teams moving safely, assertively, and decisively to engage and neutralize the active threat, thereby preventing the further loss of innocent life
This valuable training provided Patrol Officers and School Resource Officers the skills necessary to decisively end these violent encounters and minimize the loss of innocent human life caused by Active Shooters. - HI Tech Criminal Justice Online

I had the honor of being in last weeks Active Shooter class. I was really impressed with the knowledge and skills of the instructors. However, I was not surprised. We have many officers here with many unrecognized skills and talents. Now, My question to you. Are we ready? Are we ready as a Department to respond to an Active Shooter? Are we ready as Metro Officers to respond to an Active Shooter? Are YOU ready to respond?

The Spirt of Giving

2008-06-05T20:18:00.003-05:00

Yes, It is never to early to think of the Holiday's. However, This time think on how the Lodge is going to make the Holiday's brighter for our citizens. I always participated in the BLUE SANTA program sponsored by METRO PD. I usually gave money or gifts to the coordinator. Last year that changed and that's what brings me here tonight.

I made a "routine" report call of a robbery that occurred at a bus stop. My PPO and I met with the Complainant at a school. The Complainant was a Grand Mother taking care of her grand kids by herself. If I remember correctly, She had a lot of cash in her purse ($300.00) for rent and food.

We transported her and her grand kids home because her keys were also in her purse and the house was "locked up". Well, Being a cop for more years then I want to remember, I know a little about "breaking and entering". All I have to say is she was able to get into her locked house without damage being done.

I asked her if I could "use the restroom" before we left, and one of the kids showed me where it was. For those who know me well, this was the first time, I did not have to go, but I wanted to look around a bit. The house was void of lots of kids toys and the alike. I told my PPO to make sure to get the kids information for the "report". I really think she knew what I was up to. She to "had to use the restroom" before we left.

I went back to the station and to the Blue Santa Coordinator's office. I gave all the money I had in my wallet and told her, There is one more family that needs to be included. I then told her if she needed more money or gifts to let me know. I went on the BLUE SANTA delivery that year and of all the families, THAT family, MY Family (My PPO's too) really touched me.

Why am I telling this? The FOP is about service, about taking care of our Brothers and Sisters AND the citizens that we serve. If during the course of your shift, you come across people in need, get the information necessary for US to help them. We are organizing a charity committee that Sister Nancy Demartin is heading. We are looking for idea's and ways to give back to the community.

The E Board has been talking about different programs to sponsor such as: Shop with a Cop, Turkey Dinners from Cops, The Blue Santa, and others. We do not have to wait for the holidays to reach out and help. Read the article posted on "THE BEAT" at our web site (www.fop98.org), it shows how everyday events can be turned into service and it is not all about the money. TIME is just as valuable to give as money.

We have several media outlets that are looking for stories to cover and stories such as these, will bring help to the people who really need it. It may also shed a little light on our Lodge and the Good Men and Women who belong to it.

BE SAFE!

Chief Tom Lambert to Host Next Web Chat at Write On METRO

2008-05-29T21:36:00.005-05:00

Chief Tom Lambert to Host Next Web Chat Thursday, May 29, 2008 4:28 PM
Our next monthly Web chat will be hosted by Chief Tom Lambert next Tuesday, June 3.
The chat, from noon to 1 p.m., will be open to any questions on safety and security in our METRO system or anything over which the METRO Police Department has jurisdiction.
Lambert, who has been police chief since the creation of MPD in 1982, has won industry awards recognizing him for national leadership and honoring METRO for its work in emergency preparedness.
Some of the programs MPD has launched: cameras at our Park & Ride lots with remote-controlled access gates; pepper gel for bus operators; the bus marshal program where officers ride the bus in plain clothes. MPD is also responsible for enforcing the HOV lanes.
Got a question? Join us next Tuesday and ask the chief directly.

Posted by Mary Sit
Filed under: Web chat

This Post is on the Write On METRO Blog. Think of some good questions to ask for Tuesday or post them at Write On METRO for Mary Sit to ask. - fop98 webmaster

Bike Patrols at METRO?

2008-05-26T23:32:00.002-05:00

Tired of pricey gas, police pump up bike patrols
By DAN NEPHIN, Associated Press Writer Mon May 26, 5:48 PM ET

PITTSBURGH - Since even the long arm of the law can't rein in fuel prices, the long legs of the law are getting more exercise these days.
Bicycle patrols — a community policing tactic that some law enforcement agencies de-emphasized in recent years — are seeing a resurgence as the price of gasoline approaches or surpasses $4 a gallon across the country.
"You think the car's the great savior of us all, but in urban areas and dense areas, you're probably better off on a bike," said Chris Menton, an associate professor in the School of Justice Studies at Roger Williams University in Rhode Island who has studied police bike patrols.
In the tiny western Pennsylvania borough of Hollidaysburg, police Chief Jeff Ketner said high gas prices prompted him to resume daily bike patrols several weeks ago.
The department's regular bike patrol had fallen by the wayside and was mainly being used for special events. Ketner resurrected the program after realizing he was on pace to go $6,000 over budget on the department's four vehicles by the end of the year.
Other departments are making similar decisions. In Clive, Iowa, a Des Moines suburb, police Chief Robert Cox said more officers will be biking and walking to save gas.
With gas at more than $3.50 a gallon, Cox said his department has already spent its 2007-08 budget of nearly $41,000, which allotted $2.40 a gallon for 17,000 gallons.
It's the same story in Toledo, Ohio. Chief Mike Navarre said that although the department has long had bikes, he has been telling his officers to use them more, and walk more, to save gas.
Police bike organizations say they have noticed a spike in interest.
"Gas is one of a number of factors that come together in terms of establishing, revitalizing or expanding a unit," said Maureen Becker, executive director of the Baltimore-based International Police Mountain Bike Association, which provides training and resources to public safety agencies.
In the 1980s and 1990s, many departments started bike patrols, which were then a relatively new concept, said Wes Branham, a police officer with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department in North Carolina. But after the Sept. 11 attacks, he said, they went "totally out the door. Money went elsewhere."
Now bikes are coming off the rack.
Branham, who heads his department's bike unit, said it began with two officers in 1994 and has grown to 25 full-time officers and 150 part-time riders. The department has about 1,800 officers.
"Departments are just trying to find more economical ways to patrol," he said. "A lot of departments are starting to realize they're getting a lot of bang for their buck with a bike."
Even departments that implemented bike units for other reasons are noticing gas savings.
In Bedford, Va., the police department bought eight bikes last year and is now saving 200 to 400 gallons of fuel per month, said Lt. Jim Bennett, who's in charge of the department's bike unit. The benefit is twofold, he said, with cost savings and increased police visibility.
Trek Bicycle Corp., in Waterloo, Wis., sells more than 1,000 police bikes a year, and sales have been going up for three years, said Stefan Downing, who manages the company's police bike program. He said rising gas prices have probably been a factor.
The prices of police bikes vary, but they typically cost about $1,100, Downing said. One special feature: a silent hub that doesn't make the ratcheting sound that typical hubs make.
Bike patrols do have limitations. Weather can be a problem and bikes can't be used to transport suspects or chase vehicles.
But advocates say the benefits are worth it. Bikes even help officers keep in shape.
"I keep myself in pretty good shape, but it's hard," said Hollidaysburg Sgt. David Gehret, 46. "I'm primarily a desk sergeant ... it was really nice to get out and about."
___
On The Net:
International Police Mountain Bike Association: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/ap/ap_on_re_us/storytext/bike_police_gas/27635454/SIG=10m2ruvku/*http://www.ipmba.org
Law Enforcement Bicycle Association: http://www.leba.org/

Do we have a BIKE PATROL at METRO?

President Lozano's 10 hour shift proposal

2008-05-24T14:27:00.002-05:00

Chief,

As you are aware, gas prices are getting outrageous, and we are all being affected. The news (NBC, May 22, 2008) reported that gas is estimated to soar up to $7.00 a gallon by next year, and as much as $10.00 a gallon by the end of the year 2009.

With this in mind, and as per our conversation this past November, you informed me that if a plan could be put together, you would take a look at working four 10-hour shifts a week for patrol officers. I know that you said that a major concern of yours was the weekend coverage. Keeping this in mind, most shifts have around 10 officers working, and a suggestion would be:

Per Platoon:
4 Officers RDO Sun/Mon/Tues
3 Officers RDO Thurs/Fri/Sat
3 Officers RDO Tues/Wed/Thurs

The emphasis would be on having more officers off early in the week, due to the decline in work call load trends. The same amount of officers would be covering the same shifts with more on other days, as the schedule already shows. We would in fact be gaining coverage on some days, and not losing any coverage at all.

I feel that this plan could also be a hiring incentive for officers.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Respectfully,

Dressing Down METRO Police

2008-05-19T08:04:00.003-05:00

The Houston Chronicle

Viewpoints, Outlook
May 17, 2008, 10:43AM LETTERS

Dressing down Metro police

On May 9, I exited the Metro train at the TMC Transit Center station and a man called out to me asking me to stop. I looked at him, saw that he was dressed in a University of Houston jersey, and thought he was trying to hand out information or advertise something. I turned away from him to continue down the platform so I could go to work. He ran up to me before I reached the end of the platform, screamed at me and grabbed my arm. It was only at this time that I recognized him as a plain-clothed Metro police officer.
The only form of identification he had was a badge hanging on his neck that previously was not visible because of the crowd. Even when he identified himself, he shoved me toward the center of the platform where his partner in harassment, dressed in a Pittsburgh Steelers jersey, verbally berated me as well. This rude behavior from an officer in plain clothes is needless to verify that I, a 34-year-old man in professional dress, paid a dollar to ride the train.
This whole incident could have been avoided if the men were in uniform and clearly identified as Metro police.
CHRISTOPHER DONOHOE Tomball

What is your opinion or comment?

Brotherhood of Blue

2008-05-17T16:58:00.005-05:00

With Police Week passing us by, I have heard the term "Brotherhood" tossed around a lot. What does it mean to you? Do you feel as if you have fraternal brothers and sisters in blue? How do you know? What is this Brotherhood?

I feel that after we started the FOP 98 Lodge, The Brotherhood is starting to materialize. I think of Brotherhood when a fellow brother needed a ride from the hospital, calls were made and he got picked up and taken home. I think of Brotherhood when I call out on something and I look around and there is a fellow brother (or sister). I think of Brotherhood when an assist drops, the only thing that is smelled on the scene, is burning brakes of police cars. I think of brotherhood when after a high stress call, a phone call is received to just check on you, and make sure you don't need anything (personally or business), I think of Brotherhood when you have to get off on time, and your fellow brothers and sisters take all the calls dispatch is trying to dump on you.

Brotherhood, It is catching here at the Lodge. I think of Brotherhood when your on short or long term, and calls are received to see if you need anything, and if you do, it's done. I think of Brotherhood when families come together and we learn each other's kids names. I think of Brotherhood, I think we are looking out for each other in all senses.

Yes, I believe I am starting to finally see "BROTHERHOOD" here for the first time. God Bless, my Brothers and Sisters in blue, and I hope the "BROTHERHOOD" is here to stay.

What do you think?

Welcome to the Blog

2008-05-15T07:57:00.001-05:00

Ok, Let's try this blogging thing. We can share ideas and concerns here. I have been surfing the Blogging community and have learned a lot from them. Now let's learn alot from each other.