The Widows’ and Orphans’ Aid Association of the San Francisco Police Department held their monthly meeting on January 9, 2024 at 1130 hours, on Zoom technology.
Roll Call: President Ryan Walsh, Vice President Leroy Lindo, Secretary Mark McDonough, Treasurer Dean Taylor, Trustees Ray Kane, Jim O’Meara, Maureen Leonard, Rob Forneris, and Lou Barberini, and our Administrative Assistant Sally Foster were present.
Approval of the Minutes: Trustee Lou Barberini made a motion to accept the minutes from December 2023. Trustee Maureen Leonard seconded the motion. The motion passed.
Receiving Applications, Suspensions and Reinstatements: There were no new applications, suspensions, or reinstatements this month.
Communication and Bills: Treasurer Dean Taylor read aloud the monthly bills and the beneficiary claims. Trustee Lou Barberini made a motion to pay the bills and beneficiary claims. Vice President Lindo seconded the motion. The motion passed.
Report of Visiting Committee: No report this month.
Report of Trustees: The WOAA Board received the sad news of the passing of our following members:
Gerard D. Evans, age 89: Gerald Evans was born on October 16, 1934 in Honolulu Hawaii and lived with family on the island of Kaui in Hanapepe until the age of 8. The Evans family moved to San Francisco leaving Gerry fond memories of living in Hawaii and not having to wear shoes. Gerry graduated from St. Peter and Paul Parochial Grammar School, and later graduated from Sacred Heart High School. Gerry joined the United States Navy in 1952 and served for 4 years on the U.S.S. Ashtabula A051. He played basketball while serving in the Navy and stated that they were some of the most fun years of his life. Gerry is listed as having been a Warehouseman prior to his career in the San Francisco Police Department. Gerry entered the San Francisco Police Department on July 1, 1959, and was assigned to Star #180. Gerry worked the following assignments during his 30-year career: Mission Police Station (October 6, 1959), Northern Police Station (September 5, 1960), Central Police Station (May 21, 1961), and to the Inspector’s Bureau (July 19, 1970) where he remained for his final 20 years until retirement. Gerry was promoted to Police Inspector on January 3, 1977 and to the rank of Police Sergeant on September 10, 1980. Gerry retired with a Service Pension on January 19, 1990. Gerry worked for many years in the Burglary Detail, was very proud of his service to the City of San Francisco and expressed his years in the Police Department as “fun”. Gerry said if he had ever written a book about his Police Career it would have been titled “if the Radio Car could talk, I’d have to shoot it”. Gerry was proficient in catching bank robbers during his career. During his years of service in the Police Department Gerry also served as the Director of Security for the Cannery in San Francisco. Gerry had a deep friendship for many years with the Martin Family who owned the Cannery. After retiring from the San Francisco Police Officer Gerry worked for 14 years as an investigator for the State of California’s Industrial Medical Council. Gerry then worked for the California State Lottery. Gerry was known for always being present at this children’s sporting events and practices at El Camino High School, and Serra High School. He coached his son Sean at St. Veronica School for basketball. He filmed many of the sporting events for his children, and all the family events. Gerry was very proud to pin the Police Star on his son Sean who followed in his father’s footsteps as South San Francisco Police Officer. Gerry was an avid racehorse enthusiast and owned race horses but never won much money at it. He loved talking racing with his brother Tom on Saturdays and also loved the dinner events at his sister Goria and husband Dayle’s home. He was preceded in death by his mother Rosemarie, his sister Adrienne Richwood, and his brother David Evans. He is survived by his wife of 31 years, Michele Donnelly Evans, his sister Goria Evans of Spokane, WA, his brother Tom Evans of Coeur d’ Alane, De., and his children Sean, Michael, Mark, and Denise Evans, as well as several nieces, nephews, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. AWARDS: Gerard Evans was awarded with one Silver Medal of Valor, six Bronze Medals of Valor, and two Police Commission Commendations. For services rendered on November 23, 1964, Officer Gerard Evans and John E. Toomey were awarded with a 3rd Grade (Bronze) Medal of Valor. Evans and Toomey responded to a call of an alleged insane person threatening patrons of the arcade on Market Street. Evans and Toomey rushed the suspect who was holding the knife. Evans and Toomey disarmed the suspect during the physical altercation and placed him under arrest. For services rendered on February 13, 1965, Officers Gerard Evans, Walter Braunsweig, and James Griffin were awarded with the 3ed Grade (Bronze) Medal of Valor. The Officers responded to a call a man threatening hotel patrons with a firearm. The Officers observed the suspect exiting his room and rushed him. A physical struggle ensued and the Officers arrested the man and disarmed him before he would draw his weapon. Officer Gerard Evans was awarded with a 3rd Grade (Bronze) Medal of Valor for services rendered on September 16, 1965. Officer Evans, while off duty and in his personal vehicle, observed a man driving a car that was recently reported as stolen. Evans pursued the stolen vehicle at great speeds attempting to have the suspect pull to a stop. Evans and the suspect tried to force each other off the road several times. Evans eventually forced the suspect to pull into a service station where he took him into custody by gunpoint. Lt. Charles Koralec, Sergeant John P. Finn, and Officer Gerard Evans and James L. Griffin were awarded with a 3rd Grade (Bronze) Medal of Valor for services rendered on July 27, 1966. The Officers responded to a call of a hotel robbery with 3 armed suspects. The Officers conducted an investigation and were able to identify the armed suspect and his location. The Lieutenant, Sergeant, and Offices Evans and Griffin responded to the suspect’s address, gained entry and arrested the suspect who was reaching for his loaded revolver under his mattress. Officers David P. Christensen and Gerard D. Evans were awarded with a 3rd Grade (Bronze) Medal of Valor for services rendered on July 21, 1967. The Officers, having prior information that two suspects were planning an armed robbery, conducted an extensive search. The Offices spotted the suspects who were two dangerous ex-felons, arrested and disarmed the suspects. Officers Steve Maxoutopoulis, Gerard Evans, and David Kellogg were awarded with a 3rd Grade (Bronze) Medal of Valor for services rendered on June 13, 1968. The Officers located and arrested an armed auto theft suspect and placed him in custody before he could draw his weapon. Officers Gerard D. Evans, David G. Kellogg, Frank C. McCoy, and Edward Tank were award with a 3rd Grade (Bronze) Medal of Valor for services rendered on January 16, 1969. The Officers located and arrested an armed narcotics and robbery suspect who drew his firearm on the Officers. The Officers were able to take the suspect into custody without shots being fired. Inspectors Eugene F, Fogarty and Frank G. McFarland, and Assistant Inspectors Denis A. Devlin, Frank J. Kennedy Jr., Lawrence R. Pasero, Willie E. Johnson Jr. Harold M. Suslow and Thomas F. Tyrrell, and Officers Gerard D. Evans, Anatole Balmy, Gary L. Epperly, and Charley Odman were awarded with a Silver Medal of Valor for services rendered on Friday April 23, 1971 at 2200 hours. The above-named Inspectors, Assistant Inspectors, and Officers were engaged in a surveillance of following three suspected armed robbers who were suspected of committing three armed robberies. The team observed the armed suspects in the commission of what was their fourth armed robbery. The team converged on the suspects who resisted by shooting it out with surveillance team. A furious gun battle ensued wounding two of the three suspects. All three suspects were placed in custody and charged with the robberies. Inspector Evans also received numerous Captain’s Commendations for arrests relating to burglary and rape. He did receive on Captain’s Commendation that appears to be graded lower than expected. For services rendered on Tuesday May 26, 1981, Gerard Evans was working off duty in a Security capacity at the Cannery. Gerry interrupted four suspects in the commission of a burglary. The suspects viciously attacked Evans who fought the suspects. Gerry was in danger of losing his firearm to one of the suspects but was able to wound him. Evans was able to get the situation under control. All suspects were arrested.
Shawn L. Jackson, age 59: Shawn L. Jackson was born on July 1, 1964. Shawn entered the San Francisco Police Department on January 24, 1994 and was assigned to Star #919. Shawn worked the following assignments during his 27-year career: Potrero Police Station (June 19, 1994), and to the Tenderloin Task Force (TTF) (August 25, 1995) where he remained for the duration of his career. Shawn retired with a Service Pension on September 30, 2021 AWARDS: Officers Shawn Jackson, Van Jackson, and Catherine Bianchi were awarded with a Bronze Medal of Valor (no date given) for their services in this incident. Jackson, Jackson, and Bianchi at 0446 hours, responded to 55 Mason Street on a call of a crazed individual involved in an altercation. The Officers arrived and located the suspect who upon seeing them, attacked them by swinging a large metal fire extinguisher at them. The Officers pepper-sprayed the suspect. The suspect then sprayed the Officers in the face with the fire extinguisher. Officer Shawn Jackson attempted to take the suspect to the ground but the suspect struck Shawn in the head with the fire extinguisher incapacitating him. Officer Bianchi attempted to help Shawn Jackson, however the suspect continued to swing the fire extinguisher at the Officers. Officer Van Jackson seeing Shawn Jackson down, and the suspect continuing his assault drew his service weapon and fired one shot into the suspect’s chest. The suspect had now emptied the contend of the extinguisher in the hallway clouding the entire area. A Sergeant arrived and saw Bianchi and Van Jackson holding their positions, observed Shawn Jackson on the ground and dazed, and observed the suspect still acting in an erratic manner with the fire extinguisher in the clouded hallway. The suspect went back into his room and the Officers attempting to talk the suspect to surrender. An armed suspect with a knife jumped out into the hallway and turned to the suspect’s direction making stabbing motions and then charged the Officers with the knife in hand. The Lieutenant had arrived and struck the suspect’s hand with his baton forcing the knife to fall. The Officers took the knife suspect into custody. Shawn Jackson now up joined Van Jackson and Catherine Bianchi as they converged on suspect one and placed him in custody. Officers Shawn Jackson, Mark Alvarez, John Torrise, Daryl Fong, John Herrold, Michael Deely, Mozelle Langford, Owen Sweeney, Carol Margetts, Jim Trail, and Sergeant William Darr were awarded with Police Commission Commendations for the next incident. Officers Shawn Jackson, Robert Ramos, and John Centurioni were awarded with a Police Commission Commendation for services rendered on August 15, 2000. The Officers responded to a call of a man trapped in a room on fire at the Fairfax Hotel address 420 Eddy Street #38. Officer Shawn Jackson was the first unit to arrive. Jackson entered the building and responded to the second floor where he was engulfed with smoke and observed several people running down the hallway and screaming for help. Officers Ramos and Centurioni arrived and joined Shawn Jackson as they entered room #38 amidst the smoke and flames. The three Officers evacuated all occupants while risking their life to save the building occupants.
Report of Special Committee: No report this month.
Old Business: No report this month.
New Business: No report this month.
Good of the Order: No report this month.
Adjournment: President Ryan Walsh led the WOAA Board in a moment of silence for our recent fallen members, and for all our fallen members. President Walsh scheduled our next meeting for Tuesday February 13, 2024, at 1130 hours, on Zoom technology.
To All Members: Beneficiary forms are available on our website at sfwidowsandorphans.org. Click on Resources on the face page and follow the link. Print out the form, complete the form, obtain the signature of Notary or from one of our Board members (see Roll Call), and mail it to our address at WOAA, P.O. Box 4247, San Rafael, CA 94913-4247. I can be contacted at 415 681-3660. The WOAA Board bestows their gratitude by thanking and acknowledging the following people who assist and support our organization each month. Retired San Francisco Police Captain and the San Francisco Police Officers Association (SFPOA) Defense Administrator, Paul Chignell; retired San Francisco Police Lieutenant and the host of the Gold Country Reaper email, Rene LaPrevotte; retired San Francisco Police Sergeant and the long-standing editor of the SFPOA Journal Newspaper, Ray Shine; David Ng and Maggie Wang of Personnel, and Kristine Singh of the Police Commission Office.