October - Broward County Police Benevolent Association

TheBroward
Centurion
The Official Publication of the Broward County
Police Benevolent Association
Volume 8 Issue 10
October 2006
Lighthouse Point Agrees to Contract
A
fter 19 months of
negotiations, the City
of Lighthouse Point and
the Broward County Police
Benevolent Association
have agreed to two
separate contracts. The old
contract expired on
September 30, 2005. Since
the 2005-2006 fiscal year
was about over, the City
made an offer for a oneyear contract, 2005-2006,
in which everything would
remain the same except
for a three percent wage
increase, retroactive to
October 1, 2005. If that
offer was ratified by the
membership, then the
City was offering a three-year deal, 20062009, which included a four percent wage
increase each year, an increase in the
City’s contribution to health
insurance, overtime for certain
holidays, a market adjustment of
$2,400.00 each year, and changes
in eight other articles. The
membership voted
overwhelmingly in favor of both
contracts.
The Broward County PBA
would like to thank the
Lighthouse Point PBA Reps, Mike
Search and Jon Esposito, and all the
members who showed up at the
negotiation sessions, for all their hard
work. The PBA would also like to thank
Mayor Fred Schorr, Commission President
Susie Gordon, Commission Vice President
Chip LaMarca, Commissioner
Sandy Johnson,
Commissioner Tom
Hasis,
Commissioner
Mike Long, City
Administrator
John Lavisky,
Finance
Director Terry
Sharp, and
Attorney Jim
Crosland. Without
both sides
constantly
continuing to work towards
reaching a fair and equitable
agreement, it would have
never happened.
Manors To Merge With BSO?
Members voting on possible move to Sheriff’s Office
T
he City of Wilton
Manors may be going to
BSO if members have
their way. Due to
frustration with
the ongoing
deadlock in
contract
negotiations,
PBA members
are voting on
whether to support a
merger with the
Sheriff’s Office.
According to PBA
Senior Vice President Pat
Hanrahan, “If the city
can’t afford the police
department, then something has to be
done.” Wilton Manors has imposed a oneyear contract retroactive to October 1,
2005 that gtook away the 3 percent COLA
from their pension..
In August, a general membership
meeting was held and a preliminary
vote taken. The vote came out
overwhelmingly in favor of the
merger. A formal mail vote is now
underway.
The City Commission has not taken
the matter under consideration as yet, but
Wilton Manors Vice Mayor Ted Galatis
indicated that it should be put to the
residents of the city by referendum.
Source: Miami Herald
In This Issue
Hollywood Protest ......... 4
State Expands LEO
Deifnition ...................... 6
Useless Trivia ................ 11
Welcome to the
Family ........................... 12
"Bodies" in South
Florida .......................... 13
The Broward Centurion
October 2006
The Broward Centurion
The Official Publication of the
Broward County PBA
(A Charter of the Florida PBA)
2650 West State Road 84
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33312
Telephone: 954/584-7600
Fax: 954/583-0405
President's
Message
Megan Gordon, Editor
E-mail: [email protected]
The Broward Centurion is
published by the Broward
County Police Benevolent
Association for the sole
benefit of its members. The
Broward Centurion is dedicated
to the advancement of the law
enforcement profession
through better and stronger
community relations. The
opinions expressed in the
publication of The Broward
Centurion are not necssarily
those of the Broward County
PBA, its Executive Board or
the Board of Directors.
Members or readers
submitting letters to the
editor or articles for
publication are requested to
adhere to the following:
•
Submissions should be
sent to:
Broward County PBA
Attn: Centurion
2650 West State Road 84
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
33312
•
Letters or articles must be
accompanied by the
writer's true name and
address.
•
All articles submitted
for publication must be
accompanied by a
statement giving
permission to publish.
•
All submissions must be
legible.
•
The Broward County PBA
reserves the right of the
Executive Board or
Editor to amend or to add
an editor's comment to any
article or letter submitted.
•
Advertisment in this
publication does not imply
endorsement by the
Broward County PBA
unless otherwise specified.
2
T
he next month is an important one for the PBA and
our members. Why? Elections. The race for our
next governor is uppermost in everyone's mind,
especially members who are in FRS. I am sure by now
you realize that the PBA is endorsing Charlie Crist for
governor; it is extremely important to the PBA, and to
you, that Charlie gets elected. As I have said many
times over the years, the PBA's involvement in politics
is the way we continue to improve our lifestyles. Those
elected officials mean a great deal to us when it comes
to increasing benefits and pay and improving working
conditions.
Sometimes those elected do not come through as
promised, but every now and then they do. When that
happens our lifestyles are enhanced. So how important
is it to go out and vote for PBA-endorsed candidates?
Your future depends on it. And by the way, encourage
your family and friends to vote the PBA way in
November.
Dick Brickman
Order Your
PBA License Tag
Available at the main county tag office.
Ask for the "Support Law Enforcement " tag.
The Broward Centurion
October 2006
Broward County
PBA
Executive Board
President
Dick Brickman
Senior Vice President
Patrick Hanrahan
Welcome
New
Members
Vice President
Neil Vaughan
Secretary
Debbie Reggio
Treasurer
Jeff Marano
Legislative Director
Mike Casey
General Counsel
Barbara Duffy
Board of Directors
BSO (Support)
Paul Weiss
Margate (Spvrs)
Ed Blonder
BSO (LE)
Roger Caron
Ronnie DeAngelo
James DeMato
Armando Enrique
Pete Geary
Dean Mirra
Jim Pendergast
Jeff Poole
Miramar
Adam Lerner
Tim Nevins
Ro Durney - Alt.
Steven Toyota - Alt.
George Mankowski
BSO (Lts)
Barry Derose
Broward Schools
Investigative Unit
Kathleen Andersen
Alan Niloff - Alt.
Coconut Creek
Ralph Capone
Dominic Coppola
Coconut Creek (Sgts)
Tim Bradshaw
Hallandale Beach
Frank Gobel
Hallandale Beach (Sgts)
Robin Varone
Hollywood
Steven Bolger
Tony Fernandez
Keith Wadsworth
Wilbur Fernander
Lighthouse Point
Mike Search
Jon Esposito
Pembroke Pines
Jeff David - Alt.
Adam Feiner - Alt.
Jim Fisher
Glen Parker
Jim Ryan
Sea Ranch Lakes
James O'Brien
New
Kenneth J. Brown - BSO
Matthew R. Casey - Hallandale Beach
Dimos Charoudis - BSO
Frederick A. Chidsey - Hallandale Beach
Leon D. Florez - Hallandale Beach
Lee A. Geiger - BSO
Marco A. McAdam - Hallandale Beach
Eric Rodriguez - BSO
Nicole M. Spagno - BSO
Stephen E. Tulloch - BSO
David Velex - Miramar
Clint Williams - BSO
Retired
Lawrence Downing - Hollywood
Marv Roberts - Hollywood
Associate
Pat Gray
Steve Rossi
Sunrise
John Jaslowski
Sunrise (Lts)
Athena Skellion
Wilton Manors
Brian Behan
Ed Costello
Chuck Howard
Alternates - BSO
Jonathan Bailen
Kelli Covet
Rich Engels
Julie Foster
Lynn Gariboldi
Craig Jacobson
Matt Patten
Mike Sweeney
Jerry Vossberg
Jim Wilson
PBA Office Staff
Charter Secretary
Linda
Receptionist/Membership
Lynn
Secretary/Detail Coordinator
Kim
Membership Secretary
Maxine
Legal Assistant
Maryann
Communications Director
Megan
3
The Broward Centurion
Protest At
Hollywood
Budget
Meeting
Holds Off Talk
Of BSO
Merger
PBA, firefighters’ and city
unions stand together
P
BA members, firefighters and
city employees stood together,
150 strong, at the City of
Hollywood’s budget meeting on
September 18. The silent protest
was in opposition to a proposed
merger of the Hollywood’s
dispatch with BSO. Also under
fire was the question of
pensions for
union
members.
The protest
proved
successful for
the time
being. City
Manager
Cameron
Benson stated
that he didn’t think budget time
was a good time to discuss a
possible merger.
Negotiations with BSO are
ongoing, according to the City
Manager.
Source: Miami Herald, Sun Sentinel
October 2006
2006 Primary Results
The following PBA-endorsed candidates
won spots on the November ballot:
Charlie Crist
Governor
Walter “Skip” Campbell
Attorney General
Perry E. Thruston, Jr.
State Representative, District 93
Matthew J. Meadows
State Representative, District 94
Jim Waldman
State Representative, District 95
Elaine J. Schwartz
State Representative, District 99
Diana Wasserman-Rubin
County Commission, District 8
Alan Marks
County Court Judge, Group 30
Carole Andres
Broward County School Board, District 1
Stephainie Kraft
Broward County School Board, District 4
Jennifer Gottlieb
Broward County School Board, District 8
These candidates will face runoff elections:
John C. Rayson
Circuit Judge, Circuit 17, Group 57
Marina G. Wood
Circuit Judge, Circuit 17, Group 58
Brenda Lynn Di loia
County Court Judge, Group 32
Marty Rubinstein
Broward County School Board, District 6
Remember to vote on
November 7 and to support
PBA-endorsed candidates
4
The Broward Centurion
October 2006
5
The Broward Centurion
October 2006
Florida Expands
Definition Of Law
Enforcement In Statute
Justice?—You get
justice in the next
world, in this
world you have
the law.
Assault and battery of an officer now includes
other uniformed personnel
A
s of July 1, Section 784.07(2), Florida Statutes
(assault and battery upon law enforcement
officers, firefighters and others) includes non-sworn
law enforcement agency employees certified as
agency inspectors, blood alcohol analysts or breath
test operators while they are in uniform and
engaged in processing, testing, evaluating,
analyzing or transporting a person who is detained
or under arrest for DUI and a person licensed as a
security officer, wearing a uniform that bears at
least one patch or emblem that is visible at all
times that clearly identifies the employing agency
and that clearly identifies the person as a licensed
security officer.
—William Gaddis, U.S.
novelist
Source: Cypen & Cypen Newsletter
NYC Police And
Firefighters Get
Presumption For
Strokes
AA May Prevent
Murders
O
A
ver strong objections from the Mayor of New
York City, Governor George Pataki signed a law
that categorizes strokes as a line-of-duty disability
for New York City police officers and firefighters.
The new law adds strokes to a list of ailments,
including heart disease, hepatitis, HIV and
tuberculosis, that the state had officially deemed
line-of-duty disabilities for police officers and
firefighters. The state estimates that the bill would
cost the city only $375,000 a year, rising to
$750,000 in a few years.
In Florida, firefighters have presumptions for
tuberculosis, hypertension and heart disease under
Sections 112.18 and 175.231, Florida Statutes, and
for hepatitis and meningitis in Section 112.181,
Florida Statutes. Police officers have the same
presumptions under Sections 112.18 and 112.181,
Florida Statutes, and for tuberculosis, hypertension,
heart disease and hardening of the arteries under
Section 185.34, Florida Statutes.
6
Source: Cypen & Cypen newsletter
lcoholics Anonymous, the worldwide group that
helps alcoholics stop drinking and stay sober,
may also help keep the number of murders down.
Canadian researchers noticed that as
membership in Ontario's AA chapter increased,
murders in that community dropped off. They
discovered that for every new AA member per
100,000 residents, the homicide rate drops between
.3 and .5 percent. Other research has shown that
there is a significant relationship between drinking
and homicide in Europe, the U.S. and Canada.
The relationship was only found in men; women
do not seem to be affected the same way.
The researchers concluded that government
officials may want to reduce drinking rates and,
subsequently, the rates of violence, by raising taxes
on alcoholic beverages.
Source: Reuters
The Broward Centurion
October 2006
October Reminder
Annual dues increase
P
lease
note
that,
effective
October 1,
2006, dues
will increase
for all
members.
Dues
increase on
a yearly
basis to
keep pace
with the
costs of
running the Broward County PBA.
This is also an excellent time to
make sure all of your contact and
beneficiary information is up-dodate. Contact the PBA to check our
records and update them if
necessary.
'RQ·W
)RUJHW
Visit Our
Web Site
Heard any
good rumors
lately?
Newsletter Archives
Membership Information
Submit a Question
Contact the PBA
Send them to
The Broward
Centurion and we'll
get the facts.
bcpba.org
e-mail
[email protected]
or call 954/584-7600
7
The Broward Centurion
October 2006
Health & Fitness
Find The Fountain Of Youth
Look and feel younger fast
T
ime marches on, but it doesn’t
have to march all over you. A
twenty-year study of 20 men who
enrolled in a five-day-a-week
exercise program discovered that
after two decades they were as
flexible, strong, fit and lean as
they’d been when they started.
Exercising can help you lose
fat, build muscle and bone and
lower blood pressure, cholesterol
levels and risk of heart disease,
stroke, osteoporosis and diabetes.
Exercise can help ward off "agerelated” decline in immunity as
well. Even your brain can benefit
from keeping fit; a study
discovered that just six months of
aerobic activity bolstered brain
function. According to Walter M.
Bortz II, M.D., a clinical associate
professor of medicine at Stanford
University School of Medicine
and former president of the
American Geriatrics Society,
“Most of the negative
things we associate
with aging aren’t’ a
result of
chronological aging,
but rather a lack of
physical activity.”
Get Started Now
A well-rounded
exercise program
includes aerobic
activity, strength
training, flexibility
training and balance training.
Strive for 30 minutes a
day, five days a week. You can
break up your training types
according to the day of the
week. For example: Monday,
Wednesday and Friday: 10
minutes of flexibility training
and 20 minutes of aerobics.
Tuesday and Thursday: 10 minutes
of flexibility training, 5 minutes of
balance training and 15 minutes of
strength training. You can always
add more if you’re enjoying it.
Changes
Strength
improvements will come
first – in about 8 to 10
weeks. Your balance will
improve along with your
strength. After 4 months,
aerobic gains are
noticeable. Flexibility
gains take the longest to realize,
but you should see improvement in
about 9 months.
So what are you waiting for?
You’re not getting any younger—yet.
Source: prevention.com
POLICE OFFICERS
FIREFIGHTERS
&
TEACHERS ONLY
1% DOWN
on all
New Purchase
Home Loans
Office .................. 954-583-4007
Cell ...................... 754-224-9553
Fax ...................... 954-581-0001
Tim Parisi, Police Officer
Tara Parisi, Vice President
Diane Martin, Principal Broker
8
The Broward Centurion
October 2006
Inside BSO
For Our Members With The Broward Sheriff's Office
Who’s Representing You At The
Monthly BSO Meetings?
January 2006
Jonathan Bailen
Roger Caron
Ron DeAngelo
James DeMato
Armando Enrique
Julie Foster
Al Pollock
Jeff Poole
Jim DeMato
Andrew Dunbar
Armando Enrique
Dean Mirra
Al Pollock
Jeff Poole
Mike Sweeney
Jerry Vosburgh
Jim Wilson
February 2006
Jonathan Bailen
Roger Caron
Kelli Covet
Ron DeAngelo
Andrew Dunbar
Armando Enrique
Pete Geary
Matt Patten
Jim Pendergast
Al Pollock
Jeff Poole
June 2006
Jonathan Bailen
Roger Caron
Kelli Covet
Ron DeAngelo
Jim DeMato
Andrew Dunbar
Armando Enrique
Al Pollack
Mike Sweeney
Jerry Vosburgh
May 2006
Roger Caron
Ron DeAngelo
Meetings for March and April were
cancelled.
PBA Scorecard
O
n September 14, the
PBA handled four (4)
disciplinary appeals for
our members:
Discipline Overturned ....... 3
Reduced discipline .......... 1
(from suspension to
counseling)
Thank you to General
Counsel Barbara Duffy for
her efforts on behalf of our
members.
Employees of the Month
August 2006
Sgt. Peter Geary
Airport
Sgt. Kypps Poliard
Airport
Sgt. Michael Szish
Airport
Sgt. Jerald Wurms
Airport
Dep. Christopher Neves
Cooper City
Dep. James Fahy
Countywide Operations
Dep. Alexander Jacobi
Countywide Operations
Dep. Clayton Jenkins
Court Services
Dep. Paul Ruffini
Dania Beach
Dep. David Hatfield
Dania Beach
Dep. Matthew Baldwin
Dania Beach
Dep. Leonard Delgatto
Deerfield Beach
Dep. Kreg Costa
Lauderdale-By-The-Sea
Dep. Maria Sosa
Lauderdale-By-The-Sea
Dep. Michael Ruback
Lauderdale Lakes
Dep. Patrick Cummings
North Lauderdale
Dep. James Ramirez
Oakland Park
Dep. Dean Korenic
Parkland
Dep. George Wentland
Parkland
Dep. Eugenio Legra
Pembroke Park/West Park
Dep. Paul Yesbeck
Pompano Beach
Dep. Felix Vasconez
Pompano Beach
Dep. Michael Migneault
Port Everglades
Dep. Vincent Puran
Regional Investigations
Dep. James Manganiello
Weston/SW Ranches
9
The Broward Centurion
October 2006
C R I M I N A L
J U S T I C E
I N S T I T U T E
Fast Forward
Your Career
The M.S. in Criminal Justice program at Nova Southeastern University offers
an online course of study for individuals committed to becoming the finest
of criminal justice professionals. At NSU, you can choose from various
specialty tracks:
Q Organizational Leadership
Q Behavioral Science
Q Business Administration
Q Public Administration
Q Substance Abuse
Q Community Solutions and Partnerships
Q Information Systems
Q Conflict and Crisis Management
Q Child Protection and Juvenile Justice
Q Information Security
Home of the Criminal Justice Honor Society, Alpha
Phi Sigma national headquarters.
Members of the PBA are entitled to a 20% discount.
(954) 262-7001 Q 800-541-6682, ext.7001 Q www.cji.nova.edu
Nova Southeastern University admits students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin. Nova Southeastern University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association
of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097, Telephone number: 404-679-4501) to award associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, educational specialist, and doctoral degrees.
10
10-206-05PGA
The Broward Centurion
October 2006
College Of Useless Knowledge
Trivia to amaze and amuse
you toss a penny 10,000
• Iftimes,
heads will come
up about 4,950 times.
The head’s picture
weighs more, so it ends
up on the bottom.
Angeles’ full name is
• Los
“El Pueblo de Nuestra
Senora la Reina de Los Angeles de
Porciuncula.”
sent birds into space they would
• Ifdie;NASA
they need gravity in order to
swallow.
knights raised
• Armored
their visors to identify
themselves as they
passed the king; this
custom has become the
modern military salute.
•
Ben and Jerry’s send
the waste from ice
cream production to
local hog farmers to
use as feed. The hogs
love it, except for the Mint Oreo flavor.
a statute of a person on a horse has
• Ifboth
the horse’s front legs in the air, the
person died in battle; if the horse has
only one front leg in the air, the person
died as a result of battle wounds; if the
horse has all four legs on the ground,
the person died of natural causes.
bar soap was
• Ivory
never supposed to float.
The soap formula was
being overmixed, causing
excess
air in the bar, which made it float. Customers
wrote how much they
loved that it floated,
and it has ever since.
a cat falls off the
•Ifseventh
floor of a
building it has about a
30 percent less chance
of surviving than if it
falls off the 20th floor.
It takes about eight
floors for the cat to
realize what is
happening and correct
itself.
stomach has to produce a new layer of
•Your
mucus every two weeks or it will digest itself.
are the only animals besides
•Armadillos
humans that can contract leprosy.
glue on Israeli postage stamps is certified
•The
kosher.
Source: Infiltec: Lots
of Trivia
characters Bert and Ernie from
• The
“Sesame Street” were
named after Bert the cop
and Ernie the taxi driver
from “It’s a Wonderful
Life.”
is legal in
• Dueling
Paraguay as long as both
parties are registered
blood donors.
England, the Speaker of
• In
the House is not allowed
to speak.
11
The Broward Centurion
October 2006
Welcome To The Family
Aubrey N.
O’Sullivan
Dad:
Jamie O'Sullivan
Mom:
Shelley O'Sullivan
Birth Date: June 15, 2006
"
Children make your
life important
- Erma Bombeck
Isabella
Milagros
Kurz
Dad:
David Kurz
Mom:
Ida Kurz
Birth Date: August 21, 2006
12
"
The Broward Centurion
October 2006
Controversial Exhibit Comes To South
Florida
"Bodies...The Exhibition" Finds A Home In South Miami
T
he bodies—20 whole human cadavers and
260 internal organs and specimens—come
from China, where they were donated or
unidentified. And that, some decision-makers
claimed, was the reason that the City of Ft.
Lauderdale and The Museum of Discovery and
Science both rejected "Bodies...The Exhibition."
And so it has landed in a strip mall in
South Miami, occupying 33,000 square feet
that previously housed a Virgin Megastore.
The exhibition gives visitors a unique
opportunity to see the inside of the human body
as it
actually exists rather than an
artist's rendering. Dr. Ray
Glover, chief medical
director for Bodies...The
Exhibition, says that using
actual bodies allows you
to see the variations in
structure that you won't
see with an idealized
model.
The purpose of
the exhibition is to
educate the public on their bodies
and to teach them how to take
better care of their health and make
positive lifestyle choices. Common
health concerns, such as obesity,
breast cancer, colon cancer,
cirrhosis of the liver, ectopic
pregnancy, arthritis, osteoporosis
and bone fractures are highlighted
as well as the damage done to
organs from smoking and
overeating.
The specimens are
preserved using a
technique called
Polymer
Preservation,
in which
human tissue
is permanently
preserved using
liquid silicone
rubber. The technique
prevents the decaying
process from occurring
so that specimens last
indefinitely. The
finished specimens
retain the look of the
original, but function as
if they were rubber. The
process takes anywhere
from a week to a year to
complete depending on
the size of the
specimen.
Regular admission is $22.50 for adults, $20.50
for Seniors 65+ and $16.00 for children 12 an d
under.
What You Need To Know
Before You Go
Where:
The Shops at Sunset Place
5701 Sunset Drive, Ste. 150
(intersection of US 1 and Red Road)
South Miami
When:
September 22 - March 25, 2007
Hours:
Monday - Thursday, 10 am - 10 pm
Friday and Saturday 10 am - 11 pm
Sunday 10 am - 9 pm
Call 866-866-8265 for more information
13
The Broward Centurion
October 2006
Money Matter$
Developing A Retirement Planning Strategy
By: Jennifer W. Thomason, Financial Advisor, Merrill Lynch
R
etirement planning means
far more than simply
accumulating a nest egg for the
years when you’re no longer
working. It involves developing a
long-term investment strategy
that helps you meet this critical
goal without losing sight of your
more immediate financial
concerns, such as paying your
mortgage or sending a child to
college.
Where Will Your Retirement
Nest Egg Come From?
Retirement planning experts
agree that you will need about
75% of your pre-retirement
income to maintain your
current standard of living in
your retirement years.
Therefore, before you can
formulate a cohesive retirement
plan, you need to determine
what your sources of income will
be in retirement.
Your Social Security Benefits.
These days, Social Security
represents only a small portion
of the income most retirees will
need. According to a study done
by the Employee Benefit
Research Institute, individuals
65-years-old or older whose postretirement annual income was
at least $50,000 would generally
derive only 14% of their
retirement income from Social
Security.
Your Pension. As a municipal
employee, your pension will
probably represent the largest
portion of your retirement
income. It is important that you
understand the differences
between all of the payout
options. This is especially
important if you have a spouse
who will depend on your pension
for income.
Your Deferred Compensation Plan.
If your employer offers a
deferred compensation
14
plan, you generally have
the ability to invest in a variety
of professionally managed
investment options. The
earnings on the money you
invest are tax deferred, so the
entire amount can be reinvested
in the plan to compound your
return. Contributing to the plan
can also give you immediate
income tax savings. That’s
because deferred compensation
plans are salary-reduction plans,
which means you do not have to
pay income taxes on your
contributions to the plan until
you make a withdrawal. If you
are eligible to participate, you
may generally contribute
up to $14,000 each year
(depending upon the
provisions of the plan).
Individual Retirement
Accounts (IRAs). If you
don’t have an IRA,
you could be
passing up a
valuable
opportunity to
save for your
retirement.
Whether you choose a
traditional IRA or a Roth IRA,1 the
same basic tax-favored principle
applies: every dollar of earnings
can be reinvested to earn more
without having to make current
tax payments.
This powerful feature allows
you to accumulate more assets
than if you had invested the
same dollars in a taxable
account. As a result, an
investment in an IRA is
progressively worth more than
the same amount invested in a
taxable account.2
The Responsibility to Plan Is
Yours. It’s vital that you take the
time now to develop an
intelligent, practical retirement
plan that can help you meet your
retirement income needs.
A good way to start is to
participate to the fullest extent
possible in a deferred
compensation plan (if your
employer provides one) and make
annual contributions to an IRA.
Both give your money the
potential to grow on a taxdeferred basis.
Professional Advice. There are
many tools available to help you
quantify your goals and
implement your plans. By
working with a professional
financial advisor, he or she can
help you develop a retirement
plan that suits your
particular goals and
circumstances.
Through education,
patience and a
disciplined approach to
saving, you can
achieve your
ultimate goal of
financial freedom
in retirement.
Jennifer Thomason is a
Financial Advisor with Merrill
Lynch. As a member of a law
enforcement family, she has dedicated her
practice to financial planning for law
enforcement officers. Her focus is
retirement planning for officers leaving
the Deferred Retirement Option Program
(DROP) or taking lump-sum payouts from
the State of Florida Investment Plan.
Jennifer can be reached at 1-800-9370661 or by email at
[email protected].
1
You must meet certain adjusted gross
income (AGI) limits in order to
contribute to a Roth IRA.
2
All or a portion of the amount
withdrawn from an IRA may be subject
to ordinary income taxes. In addition,
withdrawals taken prior to age 59 1/2
may be subject to an additional 10% tax
penalty for an early withdrawal.
*UBS Financial Services Inc. does not
provide tax or legal advice. Consult
with your tax and legal advisors
regarding your specific situation.
Reprinted from
September 2005
The Broward Centurion
October 2006
What's Up?
News From
Our Members
Births
P
embroke Pines officer Jamie
O’Sullivan and his wife, Shelley,
welcomed a daughter on June 15.
Aubrey N. O’Sullivan weighed in at 7
lbs, 15 oz. See picture on page 12.
Seminole police officer David Kurz
and his wife, Ida, celebrated the birth of
a daughter, Isabella Milagros Kurz, on
August 21. Isabella weighed in at 6 lbs., 8 oz.
Her big brother, Sgt. Brandon Kurz, U.S. Army 82nd Airborne, is
currently serving in Iraq and can’t wait to see her when he comes
home.
Hallandale officer Talous Cirilo and his wife, retired Hollywood
dispatcher Sheri Snow Cirilo, welcomed Brendon Lee Cirilo on
August 17. Brendon weighed in at 7 lbs., 14 oz and was 19 inches long.
The family is doing well. See picture on page 12.
Pembroke Pines officer Jason
Ballata and his wife, Susan,
celebrated the birth of their
daughter, Alyssa Mary Ballata,
on September 13. Alyssa weighed
in at 8 lbs, 7 oz. Mom, dad and
baby are all doing well.
Pembroke Pines Sgt. Darryl
Curiss and his wife, Becky,
welcomed a son, Chase Ryan
Curtiss on September 24. Chase
weighed in at 7 lbs, 5 oz. and was
19 inches long. The family is
happy and healthy.
Congratulations to all;
welcome to the family!
You have the right…
...to have all interviews tape-recorded from start to end.
...to have a PBA representative present during any interview.
...to have the interview at a reasonable time and for a reasonable length
of time.
...to know who is in charge of the investigation.
...not to be forced to resign.
...to know what the charges are.
...to review ALL statements before answering questions.
...to know the name of the person bringing the complaint.
...not to be threatened, bribed or subjected to offensive language.
If you need assistance, contact the PBA legal unit at 954/584-7600.
15
The Broward Centurion
October 2006
You Must Know “Garrity”
Garrity vs New Jersey and your rights as a police officer
A
ppellants, police officers in certain New Jersey
boroughs, were questioned during the course
of a state investigation concerning alleged traffic
ticket “fixing”. Each officer was first warned that:
anything he said might be used against him in a
state criminal proceeding, he could refuse to
answer if the disclosure would tend to incriminate
him; if he refused to answer he would be subject to
removal from office. The officers’ answers to the
questions were used over their objections in
subsequent prosecutions, which resulted in their
convictions. The State Supreme Court on appeal
upheld the convictions despite the claim that the
statements of the officers were coerced by reason
of the fact that if they refused to answer they
could, under New Jersey forfeiture of state statute,
lose their positions.
That statute provided that a public employee
shall be removed from office if he refuses to testify
or answer any material question before any
commission or body which has the right to inquire
about matters relating to his office or employment
on the ground that his answer may incriminate
him. On the ground that the only real issue in the
case was the voluntary nature of the statements,
the State Supreme Court declined to pass upon the
constitutionality of the statute, though the statute
was considered relevant for the bearing it had on
the voluntary character of the statements used to
convict the officers. The officers appealed to the
U.S. Supreme Court under 28 U.S.C. SEC. 1257(2).
On appeal, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed
the convictions and held that information provided
to a public employer under the threat of dismissal
for non-cooperation with an investigation was not
admissible in criminal court of law to be used
against the employee.
The Court reasoned that because public
employers should have the right to compel their
employees to cooperate in administrative
investigations, subject to discipline for refusal to
so cooperate, any information provided by an
employee which may tend to incriminate him/her
in criminal activity cannot be used against him/
her in a criminal court of law. By prohibiting the
use in a criminal court of law of any information or
evidence furnished by the employee in response to
the compelled interrogation, as well as any
information or evidence which is gained by reason
of the employee’s statements, the court has
adequately balanced an employee’s fifth
amendment right not to incriminate himself/
herself with the employer’s right to
16
thoroughly investigate alleged employee wrongdoing.
Typical Garrity Warnings consist of the following
verbage:
1. The purpose of this meeting is to obtain your
response to questions which arise from suspicions of
misconduct relating to your job.
2. You are advised that this meeting is an
administrative inquiry related to your employment.
You have all the rights and privileges provided for
under the United States Constitution as well as the
Florida Constitution, statutes, and the employee
contract, including the right to remain silent and the
right to be represented by your choice of a
representative or legal counsel.
3. It is important that you understand that you have a
duty as a public employee to answer relevant and
material questions which relate to your official
duties. Your failure to cooperate with this
investigation, and your refusal to answer questions
which relate to your job, may cause you to be
subjected to discipline, including possible dismissal.
4. Therefore, while you have the right to remain
silent, asserting that right in this context may
subject you to dismissal from employment.
5. Any information or evidence that you furnish in
response to questions asked of you during this
meeting, or any information or evidence which is
gained by reason of your answers, may not be used
against you in criminal proceedings, according to the
ruling in Garrity vs. New Jersey, 385 US 493 (1967),
however, any information or evidence you furnish in
this meeting may be used against you
administratively.
NOTE: Keep in mind that the Garrity protections do
not apply to perjury charges arising from the employee’s
compelled statement.
!
You should always have a
PBA attorney present
during any interview!
The Broward Centurion
October 2006
Attention PBA Members
25% Off Attorney’s Fees*
Personal Injury
Auto Accident
Slip & Fall
Wrongful Death
Collect Money Damages Above And Beyond Workers’ Compensation
No Cost, No Fee If No Recovery
Frederick W. Hoethke, Esq.
Managing Attorney/Civil Trial Lawyer
Former Asst. State Attorney
Former Insurance Defense Attorney
Has Tried Over 120 Jury Trials
Now Solely Representing Injured Parties
Serving South Florida For Over 15 Years
Florida Trial Lawyers, P.A.
Trial Lawyer’s Building
633 SW 3rd Ave., Ste. 302
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33301
954/524-9798 Evenings: 954/254-0881
24-Hour Pager: 954/360-3450
*Includes immediate family members17
The Broward Centurion
October 2006
Law Enforcement News
Items of Interest From Around The U.S.
Snyder, Okla. – A police chief’s
job hangs in the balance because
of what his wife does for a living.
Chief Tod Ozmun’s wife is known
worldwide as a plus-sized model on
a porn Web Site.
The mayor of Snyder is asking
for an investigation by the
Oklahoma State Bureau of
Investigation. The inquiry would
focus on determining if city
computers were used for the
pictures and if that violates the
city’s charter.
The mayor is trying to decide
what’s best for his city—keeping a
chief who many believe doesn’t
share their morals or firing a man
who’s keeping residents safe.
According to the mayor, Chief
Ozmun has “done more drug
arrests, solved more crime than
anybody else in town has ever
done.”
Source: Koco.com
Orlando – Operation Street
Sweeper is underway in Orange
County. The Sheriff’s Office has
put together an effort to stop the
county’s surge of violent crime, up
20 percent so far in 2006.
The goal is to reduce that rate
by 20 percent. New deputies, some
from desk jobs, are being dedicated
to the streets. The new deputies
will head into communities in an
attempt to seize illegal guns and
arrest drug dealers and users.
A key element of Operation
Street Sweeper is community
policing. Deputies are encouraged
to go the extra mile and engage
other county agencies to handle
issues such as health problems,
poverty or domestic violence as
they come upon them.
18
Additionally, the Sheriff’s
Office is targeting truants; kids
under 13 are committing crimes
more frequently than they used to.
in Chicago before reporting the
death to avoid the cost of shipping
his body home.
Source: Associated Press
Source: Wesh.com
Houston – A man who believed
that police couldn’t chase him led
Harris County deputies on a chase
through the city of Houston.
The man, who will be charged
with felony evading arrest, refused
to stop when asked to pull over for
a traffic violation, then proceeded
to lead police on a chase reaching
speeds above 80 mph. Eventually
he pulled over at a gas station,
where he told deputies that he
thought Houston police were not
allowed to chase him for a traffic
violation.
The City of Houston did have a
no-chase policy in effect for a bout
a week in August, but the policy
was put on hold after the union
expressed concerns. The policy had
no effect on the Harris County
Sheriff’s Department, who
attempted to pull the man over.
Source: Click2Houston.com
Chicago – A woman traveling on
an Amtrak train with her sick
father waited about 23 hours before
telling authorities that he had died
because she couldn’t afford to ship
the body home.
Daniel Stepanovich died in a
sleeper car around the time the
California Zephyr—which travels
from Emeryville, Calif. to Chicago—
pulled into Glenwood Springs, Colo.
The 80-year-old suffered from lung
and brain cancer. His daughter
waited until the train had arrived
Queensbury, NY – A New York
City man was arrested for the 100th
time after being picked up for
shoplifting in Warren County. The
Brooklyn resident was found with
$1,300 worth of merchandise
stolen from outlet stores in his car.
His 99 prior arrests included
several violent felonies. He’s been
charged with fourth-degree
criminal possession of stolen
property.
Source: The Post-Start; Associated Press
Howell, Mich. – When 20-year-
old Brandon Dickens failed to
return to jury duty after a lunch
break, Livingston County Circuit
Judge David Reader ordered him to
spend three days observing a civil
trial and then write a five-page
paper on the history of jury service.
When Dickens turned the
paper in, a court employee
recognized phrases in the paper.
An Internet search showed that
much of the paper was taken word
for word from “Trials and
Tribulations,” a story by Seattle
writer Matthew Baldwin that
appeared in The Morning News, an
online magazine.
Dickens claims he simply
“quoted” Baldwin’s work. Judge
Reader ordered him to spend a
fourth day in court and come up
with another five-page paper on the
same topic.
Source: Associated Press
The Broward Centurion
October 2006
Member Marketplace
Marc Amendola, Realtor
On the Marc
Selling the Greater Daytona Beach Area
Port Orange, Daytona Beach, Ormond Beach, New Smyrna Beach
direct: 386-235-5866
[email protected]
Member of the Broward County PBA
Retired Hollywood PD
CALLING ALL CARS, TRUCKS & VANS
AUTOMOTIVE
CONSULTANTS USA, INC.
"CALL TODAY"
RONALD R. SCHEMBRI, PRESIDENT
Office
(954) 584-8220
Pager
(954) 619-7900
19
The Broward Centurion
20
October 2006
The Broward Centurion
October 2006
Panza, Maurer & Maynard, P.A.
Attorneys and Counselors at Law
6DOXWHVWKH0HPEHUVRIWKH
Police Benevolent Association
**************
Fort Lauderdale Office
3600 N. Federal Highway
Third Floor
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
(954) 390-0100
West Palm Beach Office
319 Clematis Street, 9th Fl
West Palm Beach, FL
33401
(561) 653-0250
'LVFRXQW7R3%$0HPEHUV
Tallahassee Office
215 Monroe Street, #320
Tallahassee, FL 32301
(850) 681-0980
www.panzamaurer.com
L.E.A.P. PROGRAM
(Law Enforcement Assistance Program)
1-800-680-LEAP
954-327-0396
A No Cost Benefit to
PBA Members & Family Members
John A. LaPointe, PH.D.
Clinical and Consulting Psychologist
Director, L.E.A.P
Kantor, Geisler &
Prepaid Legal Services Plan
For Broward PBA Members
Michael Braverman, P.A.
2650 West State Road 84
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312
(954) 791-2010
21
The Broward Centurion
22
October 2006
The Broward Centurion
October 2006
23
Broward County PBA
2650 West State Road 84
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33312
©2006 Broward County PBA
Non Profit
Organization
U.S. Postage Paid
Permit #1677
Fort Lauderdale, FL