The Widows’ and Orphans’ Aid Association of the San Francisco
Police Department held their monthly meeting at the Italian Athletic Club in
San Francisco, at 1700 hours.
Roll Call: President Ray Kane, Vice
President Jim O’Meara, Trustees Al Luenow, Rob Forneris, Lou Barberini, and
Leroy Lindo were present. Secretary Mark McDonough, Treasurer Dean Taylor and
Administrative Assistant Sally Foster attended via conference call. Trustee
Ryan Walsh was excused.
Approval of the Minutes: Vice President Jim O’Meara made a motion to accept
the minutes from our November 2019 meeting. Trustee Al Luenow seconded the
motion. The motion passed without objection.
Receiving Applications; Suspensions and Reinstatements: There were no new
applications or suspensions. President Ray Kane will respond to the San
Francisco Police Academy on Monday December 23, 2018 at 0800 to present our
membership to the 267th Recruit Class. Dropped member Morgan Petiti paid
his back dues and fines, and submitted a Doctor’s note of good health. Vice
President Jim O’Meara made a motion to reinstate Morgan Petiti. Trustee Leroy
Lindo seconded the motion. The motion passed without objection. Welcome back
Morgan Petiti.
Communications and Bills: Treasurer Dean Taylor read aloud the bills and
the death benefit payments to the beneficiary of Mike Toropovsky and Richard
Janese. Trustee Rob Forneris made a motion to pay the monthly bills and the death
benefit for the beneficiary of Richard Janese and Mike Toropovsky. Trustee Leroy Lindo seconded the motion. The
motion passed without objection.
Report of Visiting Committee: No report this month.
Report of Trustees: We received the sad news of the passing of one of our
members:
Barbara Ruth Pinelli, age 56: Barbara
Ruth Pinelli was born on August 18, 1963 in San Francisco. Barbara was known as
“Ruthie” by her family. Barbara was raised in Daly City by her parents Ray and
Barbara. She attended Our Lady of Mercy Grammar School and St. Rose Academy
High School, Class of 81. Barbara had a love for baseball and worked her way
through school as an Usher at Candlestick Park for the San Francisco Giants. Barbara entered the San Francisco Police
Department on September 2, 1986. Barbara was assigned to Star #1611. Barbara
worked the following assignments during her 30 plus year career: Southern
Police Station (December 30, 1986), Park Police Station (April 18, 1987), Vice
Crimes (August 26, 1995), Mission Police Station (April 26, 1997), Violent
Crimes T.F. (January 18, 2002), Personnel (June 7, 2003), Operations Center
(June 20, 2003), Crime and Intel Center (April 3, 2010), BRICC Crime (June 26,
2010), Operations Center (September 3, 2011), and F.O.B. (September 23, 2017).
Barbara retired on June 28, 2018 with a Service Pension. Barbara Pinelli was
awarded a Bronze Medal of Valor for services rendered on August 14, 1993 at
approximately 2200 hours. Barbara responded to 222 Schwerin Street on a call of
a building fire. Several units responded. Pinelli and other Officers entered
the building and observed the sprinklers to be malfunctioning. Pinelli and the
other responding Officers deployed themselves to several parts of the building
and were able to assist in the removal of 100 occupants, many of whom were
elderly and disabled. Several Officers encountered smoke and fire and faced the
danger to save lives. The fire caused
major damaged and injured nine Fire Department Officers, two Police Officers,
and three citizens. For their efforts in the case of extreme danger and known
risks, Barbara Pinelli, Sergeant George Pohley, and Officers Steve Ford, Damon
Williams, Kirk Tomioka, Peter Walsh, John Mulkern, John Robertson, Kenny Park,
Severo Flores, and Patrick Tobin were awarded the Bronze Medal of Valor. Barbara was awarded the Department’s highest
award on August 24, 1994, the Gold Medal of Valor. There was no date given for
this incident in the Police Commission report. Officer Pinelli and her partner
Joseph Buono were working in a plainclothes assignment and assigned to the gang
activity reduction team in the Ingleside Police District. While driving an
unmarked vehicle into the Alemany Street Housing Projects, they observed a
large group of males congregating as Buono drove on to Ellsworth Street. Almost
immediately, a group of six to eight subjects began running at the Officer’s
vehicle. As the group neared, they observed one subject to have a revolver in
his hand. Buono yelled out to the group identifying Pinelli and himself as
Police Officers. Buono ordered the subject to drop the firearm, but the subject
moved adjacent to Buono’s Window, raised the weapon, and aimed and fired at the
Officers. Buono reacted by trying to bend forward and bring his left arm upward
to shield his head. Officer Pinelli ducked down in her seat. Buono then fired three rounds from his
service weapon at the suspect. The suspect fired six rounds from his firearm
into the driver’s side of the unmarked police vehicle. The suspect then
appeared to fall backwards. Officer Buono believed his best chance of surviving
was to exit the vehicle. He rolled out and observed the suspect’s weapon on the
ground, and the suspect crawl behind an adjacent parked car. Pinelli exited the
unmarked police vehicle after the first series of gunshots. Pinelli was unable
to see Buono or the suspect. Pinelli moved to a position that gave her better
visibility. Pinelli observed a different suspect fire two rounds at Officer
Buono. Pinelli moved to a better position of cover and ordered the second
suspect to drop his firearm. When the suspect failed to comply, Pinelli fired
one round at suspect two. Suspect two dropped his gun and raised his hands in a
display of surrender. Buono peering
under the parked vehicle observed the suspect to be bleeding. Buono yelled for
the suspect to raise his hands and it was at this moment that the suspect
surrendered and was taken into custody. Buono and Pinelli were maintaining
control of their prisoners, when a third man approached the first suspect’s
discarded firearm but stopped when the Officers issued a warning. Buono and
Pinelli, while performing their job, were confronted with a life and death
situation without warning or provocation. Two armed suspects fired their guns
at the Officers subsequent to the Officers identifying themselves as Police
Officers. The obvious intent of the suspects was to kill Officers Buono and
Pinelli. Buono and Pinelli demonstrated outstanding bravery and resourcefulness
in not only protecting their lives, but simultaneously taking the suspects into
custody and seizing the suspect’s firearms. Buono and Pinelli were awarded the
Gold Medal of Valor. Barbara loved cooking and had a passion for all animals,
especially horses and dogs. She will be missed by all who knew her and by her
dogs Kenai and Makena, and her mini donkey, Rudy. Barbara was preceded in death
by her brother James (Elizabeth), and her nephew Matthew Pinelli. She will be
deeply missed by her sister Rae Marie (Steve) England, her nieces Carolyn
England-Judeh, Erin (George) Landry, Sarah (Dave) Lofgren, and her adoring
grand-niece Fiona England.
Report of Special Committee: No report this month.
Old Business: No report this month.
New Business: Our WOAA nominated Officers for 2020 resulted in the
following: President Jim O’Meara, Vice President Al Luenow, Treasurer Dean
Taylor, and new Trustee Ray Kane. Rob Forneris is our Senior Trustee and Sally
Foster will remain as the WOAA Administrative Assistant for 2020. The WOAA
board will have a Past President Dinner in January for the Board only, honoring
out-going President Ray Kane.
Good of the Order: No report this month.
Adjournment: President Kane led our board in a moment of silence for member
Barbara Pinelli, and all our passed members. President Kane then scheduled our
next meeting for Tuesday January 14, 2020. The meeting will be held at the Hall
of Justice 850 Bryant Street room #150 in San Francisco, at 1230 hours.
To All Members: Please visit our website sfwidowsandorphans.org. For
beneficiary changes, please click on the RESOURCES box. The link for
beneficiary form will appear. Print the form. Complete the form and obtain a
signature of a Notary, or a WOAA Board member. We give our monthly gratitude to
the following people who assist us in providing customer service to our
members: Retired San Francisco Police Department Captain, and now the POA
Defense Administrator Paul Chignell, retired San Francisco Police Lieutenant
and the host of the Gold Country Reaper Website, Rene LaPrevotte, retired San
Francisco Police Department Sergeant and the long standing editor of the POA
Journal, Ray Shine, Risa Tom of the Police Commission Office, David Ng of
Personnel, and to the Traffic Solo Command and Officers who provide us space
for our meetings and files.
