The monthly meeting of the Widows and Orphans Aid Association of the San Francisco Police Department was called to order on Tuesday November 4, 2014 by President Al Luenow. The meeting was held at 850 Bryant Street in room #150, at 1:45pm. The meeting was held one week earlier than our normal schedule due to the Veteran’s Day Holiday.
Roll Call of Officers: President Al Luenow, Vice President John Keane, Secretary Mark McDonough, Treasurer Dean Taylor, and Trustees Sally Foster, John Centurioni, Ray Kane, and Jim O’Meara were present. Trustee Leroy Lindo was excused. Past President Bob Mattox (2013) was also in attendance.
Receiving Applications for New Members; Suspensions and Reinstatements: There were no new applications. We are awaiting the applications for the 243rd Recruit Class that are presently at the San Francisco Police Academy pending completion by the staff. There were no suspensions. Treasurer Dean Taylor announced that Rodney Lee submitted his late dues payment. Trustee Kane made a motion to reinstate Rodney Lee who was currently suspended. Trustee Centurioni seconded the motion which passed without objection. Rodney Lee is reinstated.
Communications and Bills: Treasurer Taylor presented the bills which consisted of our monthly telephone bills, administrative costs and salaries which include but are not limited to our yearly audit by Pilger, Burr, and Mayer, and our account specialists at Wells Fargo Bank. Treasurer Taylor also presented the bill for death benefits for the beneficiaries of Ernest Raabe, Harold McCoy, and Warren Mahan. Trustee Foster presented bills for three floral arrangements sent out the beneficiaries. Trustee Kane made a motion to pay the aforementioned bills. Trustee Foster seconded the motion which passed without objection.
Report of Visiting Committee: No report this month.
Report of Trustees: We received two reports of fallen members:
John Mackey, age 94: John McBurney Mackey was born on May 8, 1920 in San Bruno, California. John later attended Polytechnic High School in San Francisco. He was later employed as a driver for lumber trucks, and eventually joined the United States Navy after the attack on Pearl Harbor. John served his country in the Pacific Theatre during the War (WWII), and fought as a Middleweight on the fleet boxing team. After the war, John worked in construction while beginning his vocal lessons. He married Gloria Holsten in 1946. To support his new family, John who was employed as a Boilermaker, joined the San Francisco Police Department in 1950 and served for the next 25 years. John entered the police academy on 5-1–50 and was assigned to star #1700. On 5-22-50 John was transferred to Park Police Station. One year later on 5-21-51 John was transferred to Southern Police Station. On 8-31-53 John was transferred to Co.K (APB) where he served for nearly twenty years. On 8-9-72 John was promoted to Sergeant and transferred to Taraval Police Station until his service retirement on 4-30-76. During that time, he often performed at both Police functions and at Golden Gate Park concerts, charming the audience with his tenor’s voice. He was referred to as “the Singing Cop”. His singing brought him the attention of Hollywood, which resulted in acting roles in both TV and Movies. He and Gloria retired to Napa Valley where he could further pursue his appreciation for both past and the gift of music. He will be remembered for his easy laugh, his broad Irish Humor and breaking into song at a moment’s notice.
Ed Weaver, age 78 : Edward James Weaver was born in Atlanta,Ga. Ed was employed as a parking controlman prior to entering the San Franciso Police Station. Ed enterered the S.F.P.D. on 7-1-66. Ed was assigned to star #80 and transferred from the Police Academy to Richmond Police Station on 9-12-66. Ed served the city at Richmond Police Station for nearly eight years. On 7-15-73 Ed transferred to Mission Police Station where he served for over five years. Ed transferred to Co.K Solo Motorcyle Unit on 9-27-78 where he remained until his service retirement on 10-3-03. Ed was awarded three medals of valor during his career. Ed earned the “trifecta” receiving one bronze, one silver, and one gold medal of valor. In November of 1966, Ed prevented a woman from jumping out of a fifth floor window grabbing the woman as she jumped. Ed pulled her to safety and was awarded a bronze medal of valor. In 1981, Ed engaged in a physical confrontation with a bank robber, inside the bank at Gerald and Toland streets. The suspect broke free and pulled a .22 handgun from his waistband and pointed it at Ed. Ed pulled his service revolver and fired a shot at the suspect hitting him in the arm. Ed then placed the suspect in custody. Ed received a silver medal of valor. In 1982, three suspects entered the same bank at Gerald and Toland streets and committed a robbery. Ed Weaver gave chase in a hail of gunfire directed at him by the suspects. Somehow Ed did not get hit. Ed returned fire from his service revolver and blew out the windows of the suspect vehicle. The suspects fled and escaped, however, Ed positively identified the suspects from photo spreads. The suspects were subsequently arrested. Ed Weaver received a gold medal of valor. Please refer to the September 1982 issue of the San Francisco Policeman (now the POA Journal), page 5 for a tribute to Ed Weaver. Ed was selected from 180 nominees across the nation as the winner of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Officer of the Year. Ed was recognized for his ‘trifecta’ in winning the bronze, silver, and gold medals of valor. As stated above, Ed won the gold medal of valor in 1982, and his silver medal of valor in 1981 perhaps within a 12 month period. The article was written by then Acting Chief of Police James A. Ryan.
Report of Special Committee: No report this month.
Unfinished Business: Last month Trustee Jim O’Meara stated he would speak to a Labor Attorney regarding the issue of beneficiary payments made to a listed beneficiary in regard to divorce situations. This issue is a current spouse who is not listed as the beneficiary, when a member does not update his/her form. The California Probate Code is in conflict with a U.S. Supreme Court decision (Egelhoff vs. Egelhoff). The WOAA board has submitted the issue to ERISA, our Non-Profit status governing body for an opinion. The WOAA continues to advise all members to update their beneficiaries, and their contact information.
New Business: Nominations for new seats on the board are made annually at our November meeting. President Al Luenow nominated Vice President John Keane for WOAA President in 2015. Trustee Centurioni seconded the nomination. Secretary McDonough nominated Sally Foster for Vice President which was seconded by Trustee O’Meara. Past President Bob Mattox nominated Secretary McDonough for Secretary which was seconded by Trustee Kane. Trustee Centurioni nominated outgoing President Al Luenow for the Trustee vacancy. Trustee Foster seconded the nomination. Nominations were completed, and closed.
Vice President Keane announced the upcoming Memorial Service on November 13, 2015 for murdered Police Officer James Guelff. James Guelff was fatally shot down in the line of duty on Pine Street near Franklin on November 14, 2015 by an armed assailant. The suspect had opened fire on Officer Guelff after carjacking a vehicle and double parking on Pine Street. Officer Guelff was shot as he approached the suspect, and bravely returned fire at the suspect who was wearing protective equipment and was in possession of hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Officer Guelff who had emptied his firearm and was now wounded, courageously attempted to reload his weapon under extreme fire by the suspect. Guelff was shot again as he was reloading his service weapon and succumbed to his gunshot wounds. Another San Francisco Police Officer, a paramedic, and a civilian were wounded when the suspect shot several rounds of bullets at the responders. The suspect eventually was shot and killed by the San Francisco Police Department SWAT Team.
Good of the Association: Attention Past Presidents…the Past Presidents Dinner will be held on January 24, 2015 honoring outgoing President Al Luenow. The dinner will be held at IL Fornaio on the Embarcadero in San Francisco. Invitations will be sent. I was unable to locate contact information on a few of our Past Presidents .I was unable to find contact information last year for a few Past Presidents dating back to the 1970’s. If you are a Past President, and did not receive an invitation, please contact me at 415 681-3660, or ‘markmac825@comcast.net’.
Adjournment: President Al Luenow closed the meeting with a ‘moment of silence’ for our fallen members. President Luenow set our next meeting for December, 2014, at 850 Bryant Street in the Hall of Justice, room #150 at 1:45pm.
To All Members: Please visit our website at ‘sfwidowsandorphans.org’. Members can access Beneficiary Forms when clicking on the ‘resources’ box which is located on the upper right portion of the tool bar. Please use this form for beneficiary changes, and for any address and/or contact information. The beneficiary changes require a signature of a Board Member, or a Notary Public. Please mail you forms to: WOAA, P.O. Box 880034, San Francisco, Ca, 94188. I can be contacted at 415 681-3660, and emailed at ‘markmac825@comcast.net’. We continue to give thanks to the following people for their continued assistance and support for our cause: Paul Chignell of the POA, Jon Voong and Lt. Troy Dangerfield of Personnel, and Insp. John Monroe of the Police Commission Office. Paul has contacted numerous members who we were unable to locate. Jon Voong, Lt. Dangerfield, and Insp. Monroe continue to provide necessary information for our obituary section in regard to employment history and department awards respectively.
To Current Members: All active SFPD members will be transitioned from paying their dues to once a year in January. This transition will begin in January of 2015. Active members will no longer pay small amounts in 26 pay periods. This will greatly assist our efforts in collection of dues. This transition will also bring active members and retired members together in paying their dues at the same time each year. This will also assist members into retirement who are unaware that their direct deposit to WOAA ends upon retirement. We are attending all Retirement Seminars and informing members that they must Re-Sign their direct deposit to us which terminates upon retirement with the city. Any member can set up a direct payment to us in January at their choice of financial institution. The SFPCU is very familiar with this process.
To Recent Retirees: As stated above, please understand that your direct deposits will terminate upon retirement. Direct payments from your check must be reinstituted at your bank or financial institution, post-retirement. We “strongly encourage” all retirees to sign up for the direct payment every January to the WOAA for your annual dues of $72.00. Please send us $6.00 a month for the remaining months in the Calendar year after you retire. If you retire on June 30th,, you will owe us $36 for the remainder of the year. You will then owe $72.00 each January. Members who are delinquent in dues payment for a period of six months will be suspended from membership and charged an extra $5 per month (I incorrectly listed this as $6.00 per month in last month’s article) after suspension until the correct amount is paid. Any member who does not pay their dues for a period of one year will be dropped from the Membership. A dropped member must pay back their dues and extra late charges, and must also write a letter asking to be reinstated. Our Constitution and By-Laws clearly define the rules of suspension, dropped members, and payments. We devote a great amount of time and effort each year tracking down members who have not paid their membership dues. This effort has resulted in our Board to create positive changes by reaching out to members with this article and through our website to provide every avenue possible to keep our members. We want to retain our members, not lose them through relocation, miscommunication, or misunderstanding. Please contact me at the above provided phone number or email address for assistance or information.