I hope that all of you had the ability to spend some quality time with your families and loved ones during the recent holiday season. Let’s also hope that the worst of this difficult economy is behind us. With that said, the DSA is going to get right to work this new year on several specific issues with the department.

At the first Meet and Discuss meeting of the year, we will discuss the 336 appeal hearings, the corporal position, return to work doctor’s notes, and minimum staffing levels in the detentions bureau. Quite a heavy load for the beginning of the year, but I’ll keep you up to date as progress is made.

The year also starts off with two questionable court decisions coming from the bench. The first is a recent decision from the 2nd District Court, which in short, overturns the California law banning the possession of body armor by violent felons. This decision stems from the arrest of a convicted felon for wearing a ten pound bulletproof vest beneath his shirt. The defendant’s attorney successfully argued that the law (ban) failed to clearly define what constituted body armor and that the current definition was vague, and thus unconstitutional. Memories of the 1997 North Hollywood gun battle between LAPD and two bank robbery suspects should serve to prove that this is truly a poor decision on the part of the court. Attorney General Jerry Brown has petitioned the California Supreme court requesting that the decision be reviewed.

The second case involves our own 9th Circuit, which recently ruled that unless an officer is actually under physical attack, the use of a Taser to subdue a suspect should be restricted. In the courts opinion, a suspect must pose an immediate threat to the officer or a member of the public. Statements made by officers that he or she feared for their safety are not enough. The court feels that irrational and unarmed suspects who are defying officer commands do not pose immediate threats as long as the suspect stays 15 feet or more away from the officer. Academy Director Lt. Dave Moss, has sent out an informational e-mail regarding this issue, so please make it a point to read and understand SDSD policy pertaining to the use of the Taser.

We begin the New Year by setting goals for ourselves that in many instances are not attained. The most common are those of losing weight and getting into shape. I find myself guilty of both almost every year, but yet I, along with many of you, will give it a try once again. This year, I plan on setting goals for the membership that I feel are within reach, not just by me, but by many of you. The first is to improve and develop our skills in public speaking. This can be as simple as a corporal providing instruction to his or her team or making a presentation to command staff at EMT.

Once you find your comfort zone in front of your peers, don’t stop there. As a member of the public safety profession, you may be asked to speak to a community group outside of your comfort zone. Do not fear practicing in front of those you know, because it serves a purpose. I’ll even go a step further when it comes to public speaking. If you’re like me, cameras make you nervous and jittery. I‘ve done a bit better this past year, but still have a long way to go. I plan on making it a personal goal that I will actually meet, because it has nothing to do with losing weight.

During this last DSA board election cycle, thirteen members expressed their desire to run for the board of your association. By the time this issue of the Silver Star arrives at your home, the voting will be over and the will of the membership will be expressed. In the nine years I have spent serving the membership, I have not seen this much enthusiasm to serve on the board. The DSA is a successful corporation that continues to move forward on the basis of working for the good of the whole membership. I only ask that we keep this in mind as we congratulate those who were elected by the membership to represent and lead us this new year. I look forward to working with all of you.

Take care, stay healthy, and be safe.