July Hot Sheet 2017

We have learned that we have a new representative in WACOPS (Washington Council of Police and Sheriffs). Mark Lewis, a LEOFF 2 retiree is the new Retired Representative on the WACOPS Executive Board. He is also one of our newest WSRDSPOA members. Mark contacted our president, Joe Dawson and introduced himself. His intent is to let members of WSRDSPOA know that he is our new representative and that WACOPS respects and wants our opinions. Mike can be reached at mlewis@wacops.org

Annual Convention

Don’t forget, the annual convention in Kennewick, make your reservations now. This will be an important event as we vote on the proposed by-law changes. If you don’t RV there are motels in the area available. This is always a great event as it allows us to see folks we haven’t seen since last year, and don’t forget the golf tournament for you golfers. There will be a banquet, general meeting, a luncheon, wine tours, a pot luck dinner and executive board meeting.

 

2017 Annual Convention

 

September 14-16, 2017

 

Columbia Sun RV Resort

103907 Wiser Parkway

Kennewick, WA

855-833-3886 or 509-420-4880

http://columbiasunrvresort.com/ 

 

Interstate I-82, 5 miles south & west of Kennewick

• Full hookups at every site
• Free Wi-Fi and Direct TV
• Picnic tables
• Large Meeting Room with kitchen
• 145 total sites on 25 beautiful acres
• 70 large sites for Big Motor Coaches
• Pool, Spa and Weight Room

Tentative Agenda: The conference starts Thursday morning September 14th with our annual golf tournament. That night will be the banquet at Canyon Lakes Golf course starting at 6 PM. General business meeting starts at 9 AM on Friday the 15th at the RV park. Men’s and Women’s luncheon will start at 12 noon. A potluck starting at 5:30 PM will be held in the RV park meeting room. The Board meeting will start at 9 AM on Saturday the 16th. Location of the luncheon and a possible Friday afternoon event have yet to be confirmed.

When making a reservation, be sure to let the resort know you are attending the annual WSRDSPOA Convention or “The Old Cops”. Fifty sites have been set aside for our group. That block of sites will be held until July 15th. After that date, the remaining sites will be opened to the public.

Canyon Lakes Golf Club

WSRDSPOA CONVENTION GOLF

John Beard the Convention Golf Coordinator informs us all that there will be nine holes of tournament golf played this year. This is an effort to attract more participants. For those that wish to play eighteen holes you may continue on after the first nine. If there are not enough members to hold a tournament, players will just enjoy the game. Please contact John at (509) 932-4081 or johnmyra@smwireless.net before Sept.1st for Tee Time and location.

 

CONVENTION ACCOMMODATIONS

There are accommodations nearby for those not planning to stay in a Recreational Vehicle. In order to receive a group rate from the hotel below, reservations must be made before July 15, 2017. Mention that you are with the WSRDSPOA or “The Old Cops”. Ten rooms have been set aside at the hotel.

 

Best Western Plus – 4001 W 27th Avenue, Kennewick, WA, 99337, Phone: 509 586-1332

 

Qualification

 

Due to popular demand, on Thursday, September 21 there will be an HR218 qualification at the Cascade Shooting Facilities located at 26520 292 AVE SE Ravensdale, WA. There is no fee for this event.

 

We will be holding our second qualification of the year from 0900 – 1300. We will have Bay 4 reserved for the qualification. We will also have Bay 5 reserved for anyone who wants to do some fun shooting at metal targets.

Please bring eye protection, ear protection and plenty ammo for the qualification and fun shoot.

 

If you have any questions contact Zbig @ zkkasprzyk@gmail.com or 206-818-7476.

 

Not All Is Lost

 

The following is an article by the Associated Press printed on May 26, 2017.

 

New ‘Blue Lives Matter’ Laws Raise Concerns Among Activists

More than a dozen states this year have passed laws that come down even harder on crimes against law enforcement officers.

 

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – Following a spike in deadly attacks on police, more than a dozen states have responded this year with “Blue Lives Matter” laws that come down even harder on crimes against law enforcement officers, raising concern among some civil rights activists of a potential setback in police-community relations.

The new measures build upon existing statutes allowing harsher sentences for people who kill or assault police. They impose even tougher penalties, extend them to more offenses, including certain nonviolent ones such as trespassing in Missouri, and broaden the list of victims covered to include off-duty officers, police relatives and some civilians at law enforcement agencies.

Proponents say an escalation of violence against police justifies the heightened protections.

“What we’re getting into as a society is that people are targeting police officers not by something that they may have done to them, but just because they’re wearing that uniform,” said Republican state Rep. Shawn Rhoads of Missouri, a former detective.

People who have been protesting aggressive police tactics are expressing alarm.

“This is another form of heightened repression of activists,” said Zaki Baruti, an activist and community organizer from St. Louis County. “It sends a message to protesters that we better not look at police cross-eyed.”

Police deaths on the job have generally declined over the past four decades, from a recent high of 280 in 1974 to a low of 116 in 2013, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. But they rose last year to 143, including 21 killed in ambushes – the highest number of such attacks in more than two decades.

Nearly all states already have laws enhancing the punishments for certain violent crimes against law officers.

One year ago, Louisiana became the first state to enact a law adding offenses against police, firefighters and emergency medical responders to its list of hate crimes.

More states began expanding their penalties after last summer, when five officers were killed in a July 7 sniper attack at a protest against police brutality in Dallas, and three more officers were slain in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 10 days later.

Penalty enhancements have passed this year in Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah and West Virginia, most of which are led by Republicans. Similar bills are under consideration in other states.

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt cited the case of Bradley Verstraete as one example of the need for such measures. Verstraete was accused of raising an ax handle against police officers responding to a disturbance call in 2015. Police shot and wounded him.

Verstraete was sentenced in February to 8½ years in prison for attempted murder. His sentence could have been doubled under a law signed this month.

Troy Huser, president of the Kansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, called the measure a “knee-jerk response” to the attacks in Dallas and Baton Rouge.

“If you double that sentence, in my opinion, it becomes draconian,” Huser said.

Some civil rights activists contend such laws will make it more difficult to prosecute officers and easier to charge protesters who confront police. They say such measures could undermine the Black Lives Matter movement that grew out of the 2014 killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and other shootings by police around the country.

These laws “deepen divisions between law enforcement and communities with no tangible benefit to law enforcement,” said Sonia Gill Hernandez at the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund.

When Missouri passed its bill this month, the NAACP legal defense organization lambasted it as “an overt display of political posturing” over the Brown case. It dismissed talk of a “war on police” as unsubstantiated.

The Missouri legislation would add involuntary manslaughter, stalking, property damage and trespassing to the list of crimes bearing enhanced penalties for targeting police. It also would apply the tougher punishments to crimes involving officers’ spouses, children, parents, siblings, grandparents and in-laws.

It is awaiting the signature of Republican Gov. Eric Greitens, who vowed to put in place “the toughest penalties possible for anyone who attacks a law enforcement officer.”

“Missouri will show no mercy to cowards who assault cops,” he said.

Georgia’s Back the Badge Act increases mandatory minimum prison terms for assault or battery against public safety officers. Some of Arkansas’ enhanced penalties for targeting current and retired law officers, first responders and their families were passed via an emergency declaration, making them effective immediately upon Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s signature.

Arizona’s Blue Lives Matter Law expands the crime of aggravated assault against on-duty officers to apply to off-duty officers not engaged in police activities.

Some lawmakers also are seeking enhanced federal laws. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and Rep. Ted Poe – both Texas Republicans – recently reintroduced the Back the Blue Act that would increase the punishments for crimes against law enforcement officers. It would make killing a judge or police officer punishable by death or a minimum of 30 years in prison.

Some question whether such steps are a deterrent. Jens Ohlin, a criminal law expert at Cornell University Law School in New York, said the new laws “reek of political pressure to do something symbolic as a way of expressing solidarity with police officers.”

“The problems that need to be solved are really problems on the ground. They’re not gaps in the statute,” Ohlin said. “You need to give police officers the tools necessary to protect themselves on the street, and you have to defuse dangerous situations on the ground before they escalate into violence against police officers.”

 

Bylaw Change

 

We will be voting on a bylaw change at our annual convention in Kennewick this September. The change will be to increase our membership dues to $30 per couple. This will be the first increase ever and does cover both retiree and their spouse.

 

New Coalition VP

For all you LEOFF 1 folks, you now have a new Vice President on the LEOFF1 Coalition Board, please welcome, Dennis (Denny) Hooper. Denny replaces Mark Curtis who has moved on to being a lobbyist for LEOFF 1. 

Notifications

If there are any changes at all in your marital status please make sure to notify DRS, Department of Retirement Services (360-664-7000) (http://www.drs.wa.gov/) and let them know of the changes. Some folks have not done so and it seems to cause some major problems down the line. Secondly, please take time to sit down with your loved ones and go over your financial situation with them. Problems can arise when the retiree passes away and the spouse has no idea what happens with the retirement money, at least make sure the Executor to your Will knows.

AROUND THE BEAT

Deaths

There was a celebration of life for retired King County Deputy Bill Carrabba on May 12, 2017. Bill passed away earlier this year.

 

It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of retired King County Deputy Jeff Nicolai.  He passed peacefully on Sunday, May 21st, at the age of 51, with his family and friends at his side.  Jeff started out as a Reserve with KCSO at Precinct 3.  Shortly thereafter he decided to become a fully commissioned officer in February of 1990.  During the early part of his career he served at Precincts 2 and 5.  Then he became a fixture at Precinct 3 and retired from there after 25 years with the KCSO in October of 2015.

John and Robin Reed           King County Sheriff’s Office