The Widows’ and Orphans’ Aid Association of the San Francisco Police Department held their November 2020 monthly meeting via Zoom technology. The meeting commenced at 1200 hours.Roll Call: President Jim O’Meara, Vice President Al Luenow, Secretary Mark McDonough, Treasurer Dean Taylor, Trustees Rob Forneris, Ryan Walsh, Lou Barberini, Leroy Lindo, and Ray Kane, and Administrative Assistant Sally Foster were present. Rob Forneris was present at our Zoom meetings in August, September, and October of 2020. His computer link allowed him to listen to the meeting. He did not have the capability of communicating. Therefore, Rob was present and not excused as previously reported.
New Business: Our regular order of business was preempted for our 2021 WOAA Board Election. For the year 2021, nominations were brought forth by our Board for four positions; President, Vice President, Secretary, and Junior Trustee. I opened the nominations by nominating Al Luenow for 2021 President of the Widows and Orphans Aid Association of the San Francisco Police Department (WOAA). Ray Kane seconded the motion. No other nominations were brought forth. Al Luenow was voted as our 2021 WOAA President with no objections. I nominated Rob Forneris for WOAA 2021 Vice President. Trustee Lou Barberini seconded the motion. No other nominations were brought forth. Rob Forneris was voted as our 2021 Vice President with no objections. President Jim O’Meara nominated Mark McDonough to continue in his position as Secretary. Lou Barberini seconded the motion. No other nominations were brought forth. Secretary Mark McDonough was voted to continue in his position of WOAA Secretary with no objections. I nominated President Jim O’Meara to fill the 2021 vacant Junior Trustee seat. No other nominations were brought forth. President O’Meara was voted as our 2021 Junior Trustee with no objections. The nominations were closed by President O’Meara. Congratulations to Al Luenow, Rob Forneris, Mark McDonough, and Jim O’Meara.
Approval of the Minutes: Trustee Ray Kane made a motion to approve the minutes from our October 2020 meeting. Trustee Ryan Walsh seconded the motion. The motion passed.
Receiving Applications; Suspensions and Reinstatements: Trustee Ray Kane responded to the San Francisco Police Regional Academy to present our membership to the 270th Recruit Class on October 28, 2020, Ray was able to sign up 23 out of 30 Recruits. Unfortunately, that number shrunk by three when three Recruits were released. We welcome the new 20 Recruits of the 270th Recruit Class as temporary members of the WOAA. Once the Recruits pass their probation-phase, they will then become permanent members. There are no new suspensions. Reinstatements: LaurenceMahar who was suspended earlier this year, had submitted his payment of dues and fines prior to the July 1, 2020 date. I mistakenly placed him on our list of members to receive a Drop notification when his suspension letter was returned in the mail. Laurence Mahar is a member is good standing, and we were able to obtain his correct home address.
Communication and Bills: Treasurer Taylor read aloud the regular monthly bills and the Beneficiary Claims of recently deceased members John Minoli and Harry Paretchan. Trustee Rob Forneris made a motion to pay the bills and Beneficiary Claims. Trustee Ray Kane seconded the motion. The motion passed.
Report of Visiting Committee: Due to the California State Restrictions for Covid-19, Funeral services are limited to family members. There will not be a report until the restrictions are lifted.
Report of Trustees: The WOAA Board received the sad news of the passing of our following member(s): Michael Connors, age 84: Michael Edward Connors was born on October 26, 1936, in the state of Vermont. Mike is listed as being a Services Department Superintendent prior to his career in Law Enforcement. Prior to Law Enforcement, Mike served his country as a member of the United States Air Force. Mike joined the San Francisco Police Department on March 16, 1970. Mike graduated from the San Francisco Police Academy on July 19, 1970 and was assigned to Star #1318. Mike worked the following assignments during his 20 plus year career: Northern Police Station (July 19, 1970), Ingleside Police Station (promoted to the rank of Q-50 Sergeant on February 5, 1980 and assigned to Ingleside Station on February 16, 1980), Internal Affairs (Loan on October 12, 1980), Backgrounds (November 13, 1981), Personnel (promoted to the rank of Q-60 Police Lieutenant on September 19, 1984), Potrero Police Station (January 25, 1986), Taraval Police Station (August 19, 1989). Mike resigned from the San Francisco Police Department on August 31, 1990. Mike was awarded with a Bronze Medal of Valor for services rendered on July 16, 1973. Mike, with Sergeant Preston Nolan, and Officers William Mills and John Meeks apprehended an armed suspect who had accosted three women and demanded that they engage in sexual activity with him. The suspect had his gun pointed at the third victim when confronted by the Officers. The suspect turned quickly and pointed his gun at the Officers but dropped the gun when ordered to do so by the Officers. Mike and his partner Alan J, Crestetto were awarded with a Police Commission Commendation for services rendered on April 16, 1974 when the Officers apprehended a suspect who was armed with a shotgun and had just shot his victim seriously wounding him in the abdomen. Mike and his partner Ronald P. Kern were awarded a Silver Medal of Valor for services rendered on Saturday January 24, 1976 at 2020 hours. Connors and Kern arrested an armed homicide suspect. The suspect, when confronted by the Officers, dropped to a crouch position and drew his handgun from his waistband. Connors fired one shot at the suspect who then fled and entered an apartment. The suspect attempted to close the apartment door. Kern fired three shots at the suspect. The Officers pushed open the door and observed the suspect face down with his right arm extended, holding an automatic pistol. The Officers immediately summoned an ambulance. The suspect was treated at Mission Emergence Hospital for three gunshot wounds. Mike Connors and his partner Ronald P. Kern were awarded a Police Commission Commendation for services rendered on Wednesday May 12, 1976. Connors and Kern, at 2206 hours, apprehended an arson suspect who had previously been reported at the scene of a fire and acting in a suspicious manner. This same suspect was later observed to be running down the rear staircase of a burning building at 554 Hayes Street. Connors and Kern detained the suspect and conducted a subsequent investigation which resulted in the suspect being arrested for the arsons. Connors and Kern obtained a confession from the suspect for his activities of arson in both cases. Mike was awarded a Police Commission Commendation for services rendered on Thursday March 16, 1978. Mike was off-duty at 1215 hours when he saw a person who closely resembled a suspect from a recent Crime Bulletin. Mike followed this person to City Hall where he identified himself as a Police Officer. Mike detained the person who was in the fact the suspect who was wanted for five bank robberies in San Francisco and was the person on the FBI Crime Bulletin. Mike and his partner Robert F. Martinez were awarded with Meritorious Conduct Award for Outstanding Investigative Performance. Connors and Martinez, on Tuesday August 29, 1978 at 0545 hours arrested a burglary suspect. A diligent and painstaking investigation by Martinez and Connors led to the suspect being charged with numerous burglaries in the Marina area. Mike Connors and Bob Martinez were awarded with a second Meritorious Conduct Award for services rendered on Friday January 12, 1979. Connors and Martinez conducted another diligent and painstaking investigation of the armed robbery of the Viking Sandwich Shop at 1418 Lombard Street. Connors and Martinez’ investigation led to the arrest of two dangerous robbery suspects and recovered a .38 caliber handgun stolen in the crime, and the reported stolen camera and jewelry. Mike Connors and his partner Bob Martinez were awarded with a third Meritorious Conduct Investigation Award for their outstanding investigative work together on March 13, 1979. Connors and Martinez conducted an outstanding investigation of two Pharmacy robberies. Connors and Martinez were able to develop information which led them to the arrest of the suspect in his residence at 1871 Sacramento Street. The suspect was charged with two counts of robbery and three counts of assault with a deadly weapon. Mike Connors and Bob Martinez were awarded together for a final time with a Bronze Medal of Valor. Officers Mike Connors, Robert Martinez, Gene W. Powers, and Edward L. St. Andre were awarded Bronze Medals of Valor for services rendered on Friday November 23, 1979 at approximately 1320 hours. The Officers arrested an armed suspect who had just robbed the Bank of America at 1995 Union Street. The Officers heard the call and quickly decided to drive toward the Golden Gate Bridge believing it was the correct direction of escape. The Officers were positioned at the entrance to the Bridge approach and observed the described suspected suspect(s) vehicle enter the approach. The Officers overtook the suspect vehicle and stopped it. The Officers arrested the two suspects and seized a .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun and $1,350 in stolen bank cash. Mike was especially proud of his educational accomplishment of having put himself through college at night. Mike graduated from the University of San Francisco in 1967.
Report of Special Committee: No report this month.
Old Business: Due to the spiking numbers of Covid-19 victims, we will not be able to hold our Congratulatory Dinner honoring our outgoing 2019 President Ray Kane. The Pandemic threatens the same event for outgoing 2020 President Jim O’Meara. We wait.
New Business: Preempted and conducted after Roll Call. See above.
Good of the Order: No report this month.
Adjournment: President Jim O’Meara led our Board in a moment of silence for all our fallen members. President O’Meara scheduled our next meeting for Tuesday December 8, 2020.
To All Members: Members can access beneficiary forms by visiting our website at sfwidowsandorphans.org. Locate the Resources box on our face page. Click on the box and the link. Print out a beneficiary form and complete all the requested information. The form must be signed by a Notary or a WOAA Board member. Please mail the form, and any other correspondence to WOAA, P.O. Box 4247, San Rafael, CA 94913-4247. I can be contacted for questions or issues at 415 681-3660. We express our thanks and gratitude to the following people who greatly assist our efforts each month to bring our members the best customer service possible: Retired San Francisco Police Captain and the current Defense Administrator of the SFPOA, Paul Chignell; retired San Francisco Police Lieutenant and the current host of the Gold Country Reaper Website, Rene LaPrevotte; retired San Francisco Police Sergeant and the long-standing editor the SFPOA Journal, Ray Shine; David Ng of Personnel, and Risa Tom of the Police Commission Office. Paul and Rene are very involved in assisting us in locating members who have moved their residence location and did not provide the WOAA with their change of address. Rene’s website has over 3000 active and retired members of the SFPD, and Paul has the capability of contacting active and retired members through the SFPOA. Each year we have several bills returned to us in the mail. We then have to conduct computer searches and/or reach out to Paul and Rene in an effort to locate the missing members. Failed efforts to locate relocated members results in their WOAA suspension and Drop (loss of membership). Each year we are mandated by our By-Laws and Constitution to print the names of the suspended and dropped members. When our readers see the list of names, we ask them to contact us if they can assist in locating any lost member. This is a team effort. Thank you to all who help us serve our membership.
