The Widows’ and Orphans’ Aid Association of the San Francisco Police Department held their monthly meeting for the month of July 2021, via Zoom technology on Tuesday July 13, 2021.
Roll Call: President Al Luenow, Vice President Rob Forneris, Secretary Mark McDonough, Treasurer Dean Taylor, Trustees Lou Barberini, Ryan Walsh, Leroy Lindo, Jim O’Meara, and Administrative Assistant Sally Foster were present. Trustee Ray Kane was excused.
Approval of the Minutes: Vice President Rob Forneris made a motion to accept the minutes from our last meeting. Trustee Ryan Walsh seconded the motion. The motion passed.
Receiving Applications; Suspensions and Reinstatements: Trustee Ray Kane responded to the San Francisco Police Academy and presented our membership to Recruit Class 273. This class has 19 members, and only 17 were eligible for our membership. Ray signed up 15 of the 17 eligible members. There were no suspensions. Suspended member Telma Chicas-Miranda paid his back dues and fines. Trustee Jim O’Meara made a motion to reinstate Chicas-Miranda as a member in good- standing. Vice President Rob Forneris seconded the motion. The motion passed. Telma Chicas-Miranda is again a member in good-standing. The remaining suspended members will be dropped from our role if we do not receive their back dues and fines. The suspended members will be dropped as of August 1, 2021 and their names will be stated for the record at our next meeting on Tuesday August 10, 2021. Dropped members are required to not only pay their back dues and fines, but must also have a physician’s document stating the dropped member is in good health.
Communications and Bills: Treasurer Taylor addressed our monthly bills and our bill for our yearly required audit in the amount of $15, 794.15. Our audit is performed by CliftonLarsenAllen LLP. Trustee Jim O’Meara made a motion to pay the bills and the audit fee. Vice President Rob Forneris seconded the motion. The motion passed.
Report of Visiting Committee: Trustee Leroy Lindo attended Silvia David’s memorial service. Leroy stated the service was well attended and a tribute to Silvia’s life and career.
Report of Trustees: We received the sad news of the passing of two of our members:
Silvia David, age 68: Silvia David was born on April 14, 1953 in Puerto Cortes, Honduras. Prior to entering Law Enforcement Silvia was a Jr. Buyer in the Retail Clothing Industry. Silvia joined the San Francisco Police Department on August 15, 1977 and was assigned to Star # 667. Silvia worked the following assignments during her 34-year career: Mission Police Station (December 10, 1977), Park Police Station (March 19, 1978), Ingleside Police Station (July 4, 1979), Vice Crimes/Narcotics (July 30, 1980), P&T DP (December 17, 1980), Vice Crimes (January 19, 1981), Park Police Station (March 13, 1983), Muni Transit (May 2, 1984), Records (October 24, 1985), Photo Lab (April 19, 1988). Silvia retired on June 18, 2011 with a Service Retirement. For services rendered on Friday December 12, 1981, Silvia David was awarded a Silver Medal of Valor with her partners David Robinson and Michael A. Williams. Officers David, Robinson and Williams were working as undercover Officers assigned to the Narcotics Detail. The Officers were at Eddy and Leavenworth and observed a man standing in a doorway with a gun butt protruding from his waistband. The armed suspect recognized the Officers and pulled out his firearm and fled. The Officers gave chase and ordered the suspect to halt. The suspect turned and pointed the firearm directly at the Officers and assumed a firing stance. The Officers still pursuing and not wanting a gun battle to endanger innocent citizens dove under the suspect and around him grabbing the suspect and engaging in a violent struggle. The Officers were able to overpower the suspect, disarm him and place him in custody. The suspect was sentenced to Prison on two separate occasions for murder. The Officers were awarded Silver Medals of Valor. The award date is listed as June 18, 1992 which is 11 years after the date of incident with no explanation given. Silvia David was awarded a Silver Medal of Valor for services rendered on July 16, 1982. On this day, with partner Paul Makaveckas, Silvia and Paul conducted a narcotics investigation at Eddy and Taylor Streets at 1845 hours. Officers David and Makaveckas observed one man selling drugs to two other men. The Officers, working in a plainclothes undercover capacity, confronted the three men and identifies themselves as Police Officers. David and Makaveckas placed the men under arrest, however, one suspect broke free. Officer Makaveckas chased the suspect and caught him one block away. A violent struggle ensued. The suspect grabbed Makaveckas’ firearm and fired twice at Paul. The first shot narrowly missed Makaveckas’ abdomen and the second narrowly missed his head. Makaveckas grabbed the suspect and disarmed him, but the suspect broke free once again. Makaveckas caught up to the suspect but was kicked in the stomach causing him to lose his breath while the suspect fled again. Upon hearing the gunshots, Officer David, who had handcuffed the other two suspects, gave chase after the suspect believing the suspect was armed and escaping. David fearlessly chased the suspect for two blocks and tackled him. David placed the suspect in an arm-lock hold on him and placed him in custody. Officer David and Makaveckas were both awarded with a Silver Medal of Valor.
Paul Juul, age 76: Paul Juul was born on April 15, 1945, in San Francisco, California. Paul is listed as being a “Butcher” prior to entering Law Enforcement. Paul joined the San Francisco Police Department on February 16, 1967 and was assigned to Star #1351. Paul worked the following assignments during his short 4-year career which ended in a Disability Retirement: Taraval Police Station (May 15, 1967), Southern Police Station (October 28, 1968). The record states that Paul received a Disability Pension on April 17, 1971, however, there is another date of September 26, 1978 on his record. There is no other assignment listed after Southern Police Station.
Craig Piro, age 74: Craig Piro was born on June 10, 1947 in San Francisco, California. Prior to entering Law Enforcement, Craig was a member of the United States Air Force. Craig joined the San Francisco Police Department on April 16, 1969 and was assigned to Star# 482. Craig worked the following assignments during his 8-year career that was cut short by injury resulting in a Disability Retirement: Taraval Police Station (September 8, 1969), Park Police Station (November 3, 1969), C.P. (Crime Prevention Company November 22, 1970), Northern Police Station (September 21, 1975), Vice Crimes (March 7, 1977), Park Police Station (August 9, 1977). Craig retired with a Disability Pension on August 31, 1979. Craig worked at Crime Prevention Company (CPC) from 1970 to 1975. Upon Craig’s transfer out of CPC the unit was re-named Field Patrol Company (FPC). Unit enforcement was conducted on Honda Motorcycles. This unit was originally the Tactical Unit, transitioned to CPHC (Crime Prevention HQ Company), to CPC, to FPC, and is currently the Honda Unit. Officer Craig Piro and his partner Officer Rene LaPrevotte were both awarded a Silver Medal of Valor for services rendered on September 23, 1977. The Officers responded to a call of a mentally disturbed woman at 485 Warren Drive. The Officers arrived and were met by the woman’s husband who informed them that his wife has severe mental problems and was in a psychotic rage and was a danger to herself and other persons. The Officers entered the apartment cautiously and when they were within fifteen feet of the kitchen were startled to see the disturbed woman leap out of the doorway and armed with a meat cleaver. The woman was also naked and had butcher knives in her other hand. The woman threw the meat cleaver at Officer Piro. The cleaver made a direct hit on Piro cutting his shirt and embedding in his bullet proof vest. Piro was knocked off his feet while the disturbed woman commenced throwing several butcher knives at Officer LaPrevotte. LaPrevotte was able to deflect a few knives while others struck his vest. LaPrevotte sprayed the woman with Mace (now Pepper Spray, or described in the general orders as chemical agent). The woman retreated to the kitchen. LaPrevotte then went to Piro and helped him to his feet while removing the cleaver from Piro’s vest. The disturbed woman re-armed herself with more butcher knives and continued her assault on the Officers. The woman slashed LaPrevotte slicing his right hand through to the bone. She also cut LaPrevotte’s left wrist cutting off his wrist watch and cutting him deep. LaPrevotte and Piro sustained additional cuts to their fingers and Piro also sustained a deep laceration to his wrist. The Officers were finally able to overpower and disarm the woman and place her in custody without serious injury to her. The woman was transported and admitted to the Psychiatric Ward at Mt. Zion Hospital. The Officers, who maintained professional decorum and restraint while under a very deadly and dangerous attack, and subduing a deadly adversary while not using deadly force or bringing harm to her, they were awarded Silver Medals of Valor.
Report of Special Committee: No Special Committee at this time.
Old Business: The WOAA Board has not honored an outgoing President, and welcomed an incoming President in over 3 years. We will remedy this issue by going back in time to honor Past President Leroy Lindo. We will meet as a Board to honor Leroy’s year of Leadership.
New Business: The WOAA will be moving their meeting venue to the San Francisco Police Officers Association as a result of Traffic Command moving from 850 Bryant Street. We express our sincere gratitude to SFPOA President Tony Montoya for providing a venue for our meetings.
Good of the Order: No report this month.
Adjournment: President Al Luenow lead our Board in a moment of silence for all our fallen members and our recent fallen members Silvia David, Paul Juul, and Craig Piro.
To All Members: Members can access new beneficiary forms from our website at sfwidowsandorphans.org. Please click on the resources box on our face page and follow the link. Print out and complete the form with all requested information. Mail the form to WOAA, P.O. BOX 4247, San Rafael, CA 94913-4247. Please contact me at 415 681-3660 for any questions or information. We thank our supporters each month for assisting us in our efforts to provide the best customer service for our members. We express our thanks and gratitude to the following people: Retired San Francisco Police Captain and the Defense Administrator for the San Francisco Police Officers Association (SFPOA), Paul Chignell; current San Francisco Police Officer and the current SFPOA Matt Lobre; Retired San Francisco Police Lieutenant and the host of the Gold Country Reaper email (that reaches thousands of active and retired officers), Rene LaPrevotte; Retired San Francisco Police Sergeant and the long-standing editor of the SFPOA Journal, Ray Shine; Risa Tom of the Police Commission Office, David Ng of Personnel, and the entire Traffic Solo Command and Officers for their generosity in providing space for our meetings and files. Traffic Company will be moving in September 2021, and we will be moving our files and our meetings to the San Francisco Police Officers Association courtesy of SFPOA President Tony Montoya.