Informant 2008-01

THE INFORMANT Vol. 10 No. 1 January 2008

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Volunteer Opportunities

Warrant Round-Up Mark your calendars – the first Warrant Round up of 2008 will be Saturday, February 16th! Plans have not been finalized but briefing has been tentatively scheduled to begin at 5:30 a.m. at Municipal Court. The Round Up should be concluded by 11:30 a.m. Our duties at past warrant round-ups have included assisting with paperwork and supervising arrestees as they call friends and family members to secure funds to pay off their warrants. Stay tuned for more information in The Snitch, The Informant or at our February meeting.

Audit Committee Are you with good with numbers? Our 2008 Audit Committee could use your skills! Our Alumni bylaws require an annual audit of our financial records before the 60th day of the new year (March 1st). Larry McManus, who served on the 2007 Audit Committee, has volunteered to chair this year’s Audit Committee. Two additional volunteers are needed. Duties are reviewing receipts, checks, bank statements and our balance sheet for accuracy. The

audit is usually completed in a 2- 3 hour committee meeting. Serving on the Audit Committee does not require a big time commitment and is an excellent way to be involved with the Alumni. Please Larry on his cell phone at 785-3925 if you would like to help with the audit.

Fund Raising Opportunity Our major fundraiser of the year is almost here! We will be working in the Texadelphia concession stand at Dell Diamond during six Express games. We will be working the following Saturday evening games: June 14 June 28 July 12 July 26 August 9 August 16 Three volunteers are needed for each game and all volunteers are required to have completed a 3 hour TABC certification class within the past 2 years. Game time on these dates is 7:05 p.m. so workers will need to be at Dell Diamond by 5:30 p.m. Workers will normally work until 9:30 p.m. TABC certification classes are given at Dell Diamond as well as other locations and on line. For further information regarding

THE INFORMANT January 2008

Volunteer Opportunities cont’d

certification and locations other than Dell Diamond, visit the TABC website Course Provider page by clicking this link: http://www.tabc.state.tx.us/liccom/seller/CourseProvider.htm Details on attending the TABC class at Dell Diamond are available from Mike Goggin via email at [email protected] or via phone at 512-470-2764 The Alumni Handbook that will be handed out at our February meeting will give a more detail description of our fundraiser.

National Telecommunicators Week

To honor the RRPD Dispatchers, the Alumni has submitted a proclamation for National Telecommunicators Week, April 13 – 19, 2008. The proclamation will be read at an upcoming City Council meeting. Details will be provided in a future edition of The Informant, in The Snitch, on the GoClub and at our February 7th general meeting. We encourage all members to attend the City Council meeting as this presents an opportunity for the citizens of Round Rock to observe the CPAAA in action. A little background on NTW…… National Telecommunicators Week was created in 1980. During National Secretaries Day, the Contra Costa, California Sheriff's Department brass took ALL the secretaries out to a long lunch. When they all went to lunch, all the divisional secretaries programmed their phones to ring in the dispatch center. (With a staff of about 700, there were a lot of secretaries and the transferred phone load was substantial.) Patricia Anderson (“just a dispatcher”) felt

Newsletter of the Round Rock Citizen’s Police Academy Alumni Association Laura McManus, President Michael Flicinski, 1st Vice President Edie Heuss, 2nd Vice President Dana Mueller, Treasurer Diane Gargano, Secretary Frank Gargano, Sgt.-at-Arms Ronnie Mueller, Immediate Past President Stan Simpson, Liaison Sgt. Robert Horton, COP Liaison Officer Lloyd Bird, CPA Cooordinator RRCPAAA 615 East Palm Valley Blvd. Round Rock, TX 78681 On the Internet at: www.rrcpaaa.org

victimized by the situation, and while the secretaries were out being wined and dined that day in 1980, she stood up in the dispatch center and declared that the second week of April in every year hence would be known as National Dispatchers Week. For the first several years, the only people in the world who celebrated NDW were the CCCSO dispatchers, but they did it well. The brass participated, a grand sheet cake was furnished, the place was decorated, and the news media received press releases. Then other PD's in the area began to join in. The Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) eventually joined in and after many years of hard work, were able to get a Congressional-Presidential resolution in 1992 officially recognizing the second full week in April as National Telecommunications Week.


Volunteer Opportunities, cont’d

Relay for Life

Relay for Life is a fun-filled overnight event designed to celebrate cancer survivorship and raise money for research and programs of the American Cancer Society.

As the largest fundraising walk in the nation, Relay for Life brings together 3.5 million people each year to…….

Celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer. The strength of survivors inspires others to continue to fight.

Remember loved ones lost to the disease. At Relay, people who have walked alongside those battling cancer can grieve and find healing.

Fight Back. We Relay because we have been touched by cancer and desperately want to put an end to the disease.

Teams of 8 to 10 people (along with their sleeping bags and tents) gather and take turns walking or running laps for 24 hours. As a fundraiser, these teams get people/businesses to sponsor them to keep at least one team member on the track at all times. This is Relay’s 10th year in Round Rock and organizers are hoping to raise enough money to make the 10 year total $1.5 million. Relay for Life will be held on April 25, 2008 at the 9th Grade Center football field between the 9th Grade Center and Stony Point High School. Our contribution to Relay for Life will be assisting Sgt. Bob Horton with security for the event. The location change from Dell Diamond will mean with fewer security duties as the

security concerns at the school are different from those at Dell Diamond. Alumni members will be needed until around midnight – not all night as at past Relays for Life. Since the event is at a school, food will probably be allowed on the field, unlike at the Dell Diamond. The COP car will be used to patrol the Ninth Grade Center and Stony Point High School. Sgt. Horton prefers Relay for Life volunteers wear either the red shirt or the blue shirt or both – everyone does not have to wear the same color shirt. Sgt. Horton reports that Relay is still in the planning stages and he will share additional information as the event plans are finalized. Updates about Relay for Life will be provided at our monthly meetings, published in future editions of The Informant, The Snitch, and posted on the GoClub. Relay has been added to the GoClub if you would like to sign up now. You do not have to work the entire event – shifts will be available. Please note that this event involves a lot of walking and standing – comfortable shoes are strongly recommended!

National Police Week

The Alumni will have a proclamation read at an upcoming City Council meeting declaring the week of May 11 to 17 Round Rock Police Week. The proclamation has been tentatively placed on the April 24th City Council meeting. Stay tuned for confirmation of the date in future editions of The Informant, The Snitch, and at future meetings.


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Please plan on joining us and show your support for Round Rock’s finest! A little background on National Police Week……….. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy proclaimed May 15 as National Peace Officer Memorial Day, and the week in which it falls, National Police Week. Except for a few ceremonies held by local departments, there was no national effort to commemorate Police Week until 1982. On May 15th of that year, the Fraternal Order of Police held the first National Peace Officers’ Memorial Day Service in Washington D.C. to honor peace officers killed in the line of duty. In 1991, the National Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial was completed in Washington, D.C. The memorial’s marble walls contain the names of the 17,912 U.S. police officers known to have died in the line of duty since 1792. Concerns of Police Survivors, Inc. distributes a half million blue ribbons for law enforcement agencies to tie to their car antennas to call national attention to National Peace Officers Memorial Day. Alumni members will also hand out blue ribbons at the City Council meeting. Preliminary 2007 Law Enforcement Officer Fatality Statistics as of December 30 National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, Dec. 2007

Research Bulletin 2007 2006 %Change

Total Fatalities 187 145 +29%

Gunshots 69 52 +33% Traffic Incidents 82 73 +12% Other Causes 36 20 +80%

2007 Fatalities - Top 10 States

Texas 22 N. Carolina 8

Florida 16 Georgia 6

New York 12 Missouri 6

California 11 Ohio 6

Louisiana 9 S. Carolina 6

Federal Agencies 17

Committee Chairs/Members

At the beginning of each new year, the Executive Board reviews our existing committees to determine if some are no longer needed or others should be added. Past committees have included Internet/GoClub, Programs, Socials and Scrapbook. Please consider serving as a committee chair or member. Our committees do not require a lot of time – just a desire to help the Alumni be the best group around. If you are interested or have a suggestion for a new committee, please email Pres. Laura McManus at [email protected].



Reporters for The Informant

Calling all creative writers! Help our members get better acquainted with each other by writing member profiles for future editions of The Informant. Interviews for the profiles can be conducted either in person or via email. Or you can write your own profile. Edie will gladly publish any member profiles submitted – via email to [email protected] would be great. Profiles of RRPD officers and non-sworn staff would also be greatly appreciated! Thanks to Laura McManus and Diane Gargano, a list of standard interview questions has been written, making the interviews a snap. Email Laura at [email protected], or Diane at [email protected] for the list if you have a department employee you would like to profile. All CPAAA members are encouraged to submit articles and/or photos! When you participate in a CPAAA activity, bring your camera, and share your experience with other members. A few sentences might encourage members to participate next time the activity comes along, especially if you had fun. (See articles on Ft. Hood in this edition of the newsletter.) If you Ride Out with an officer, you will probably have time to do an interview while you are riding, and most won’t mind posing for a photo. (Please Note: Some activities

are sensitive in nature. Before taking photos, get permission from the event coordinator, a board member, OR police personnel that are working with you.) If writing isn’t your favorite endeavor, if you’ll supply the facts, Edie (or Diane) will supply the creative writing. Submission to future editions of The Informant can be emailed to Edie at [email protected].

Texas CPAA Convention This year’s Texas CPAA Convention will be held in Wichita Falls, July 9 – 12. Several Alumni members, our liaison Stan Simpson and Sgt. Bob Horton are planning on attending. The state convention is a wonderful opportunity to further your law enforcement education and to meet fellow Alumni from associations across Texas. Registration is $110 and includes two lunches and two dinners. Convention hotel is the Wichita Falls Howard Johnson’s with a special rate of $79 per night. A tentative schedule of convention classes will be included in future editions of The Informant. The convention registration form is at the end of this newsletter. Go to http://www.cwftx.net/index.asp?nid=1067 for more information from the Wichita Falls CPAAA website.



Still in the Planning Stages:

Meet the Shift

Patrol Captain Alain Babin has given the okay for the Alumni to attend patrol briefings and briefly introduce ourselves. The exact day and time we will attend briefings for each patrol shift have not been determined at this time. Stay tuned for more information in The Snitch, The Informant and/or at our February meeting.

Update Alumni Bulletin Boards Our Alumni bulletin boards (previously located on the 1st floor of Buildings A, B and C) are in need for a facelift before the big move to the new PD. As soon as it is determined how many Alumni bulletin boards will be needed in the new building, a work session for the updating will be scheduled. So, put on your creative thinking caps and plan on joining in the fun! Our bulletin boards have been a wonderful source of publicity for the group – let’s get some ideas for making them the best bulletin boards around! PD Employee Photo Bulletin Boards The Alumni has been given permission to update the RRPD Employee Photo bulletin

boards, currently on the first floor of Building C. The PD has recently made photos of all employees and we will be using those professionally-taken photos for the bulletin boards. It is still a little too soon to know exactly where at the new PD building these bulletin boards will be hung. Details on a work session for this project will be provided in the next month or two.

PD Open House The RRPD will host an open house to show-off the new PD building. Plans for the open house are very tentative and contingent on the exact date of the big move to the building. The Alumni will be assisting with the open house – duties to be determined. Stay tuned for more details.

Emergency Management Lt. Ken Evans, Administrative Services Division, is exploring the possibility of using volunteers to assist the department with emergency management. Some state funding will be available this year for training personnel in emergency management positions. Lt. Evans is researching the feasibility of using that state funding to train volunteers. Stay tuned for more details.


Ft. Hood Training

By Diane Gargano

On Saturday, December 8th, 4 CPAAA volunteers arose before the crack of dawn to ride to Ft. Hood army base to assist the RRPD officers in a training exercise. Tracy Auldridge, John Hughes, Frank Gargano and myself agreed to participate in “physical training” as bad guys, victims, and observers. As we met at the PD prior to the ride to Ft Hood, our discussion centered on the anticipation of what we were getting ourselves into. I mentioned to the others that an unofficial poll of several PD personnel about our participation was met with diverse opinions in that some thought CPAAA participation was a great idea, while others classified it as a major 10-90. We wondered which would prove to be correct. I have to admit, after arriving at the training facility, and observing the officers don their riot gear and stand ready for a weapons inspection, my earlier excitement was in question and I was beginning to question my own sanity. I noticed the ammunition was tipped with either blue or pink, and I asked one of the officers what the different colors were for. He smiled and said, “The pink is for the CPAAA volunteers.”

The first exercise was crowd control. The objective was to assess the crowd, and disperse it based on the environment. Who knew crowds could be so diverse? We learned that each situation is handled accordingly and we were invited to participate in several different venues, each time we were “convinced” to scatter and be on our way. Although this included the excitement of police vehicles racing at you running Code, this was a no-contact and docile assignment suitable for any volunteer. Observers were requested for one scenario as we were allowed to stand in buildings where “bad guys” were hiding. We watched the procedure in which “bad guys” were captured or shot. Even though these were “practice exercises” it was obvious to this observer, that the participants were fully engaged, and committed to successfully complete the assignment. Once again, this assignment was a non-contact assignment. Another assignment involved an exercise where officers were called to a noise disturbance. As volunteers, we were asked to “make noise.” We were happy to oblige with hoots, hollers, whistles, and banging on a desk. Again, a non-contact assignment --- for us ☺ . Now on to the “Good Stuff!” For the more daring volunteers, we got our fill of excitement. When Asst Chief Ryle asked our group, “Who won’t mind getting shot?” you know who raised her hand. When he handed me a “vest” and a knife, I took a deep breath and put on my equipment, as did Frank, Tracy and John. We were assigned to a room in a vacant building to participate in the “Shoot/Don’t Shoot scenario. We all had various experiences, and all of us took our “hits” made out of blue and pink shots. We all learned that a “shot” to the vest or shield was painless, and one to an unprotected area of skin provided a short sting. We all agreed it was worth any small pain to participate.

THE INFORMANT January 2008 During the short debriefing, Asst Chief Ryle thanked the RRCPAAA members for participating, and awarded each of us a SWAT challenge coin for our efforts. What a proud moment for the CPAAA! Our participation has provided us a better understanding and appreciation of the behind the scene preparation and dedication that makes the Round Rock one of the safest cities in the nation, and the RRPD officers the best in the country. On behalf of the CPAAA, I want to thank Asst Chief Ryle for allowing us to participate at Ft Hood. In addition to our participation in helping with the training of personnel, Asst Chief also included us in some of the actual training and allowed us to participate in the execution of some of the situations.

More on the Ft. Hood Training By Frank Gargano

One scenario involved clearing a building with armed and unarmed suspects. The PD were the armed suspects and the CPA volunteers were unarmed. In each scenario, teams of PD were assigned to sweep the building. Shots were sometimes fired, but everyone was eventually taken into custody. The objective was not to shoot the unarmed suspects and to shoot when fired upon. There was always lots of action. Another exercise involved a noise disturbance at a residence where the CPA volunteer’s job was to raise a racket as a diversion to the real objective. Upon arrival at the scene, the officers came under sniper fire, courtesy of Brian Quick, from an adjacent building. It was the officer’s job to recognize the threat, over the racket we were raising, and to take appropriate action. Again, fun had by all. The final assignment was a school shooting scenario where the objective was for the PD to enter a two story school building and eliminate the threat from a known shooter. The CPA volunteers played wounded or dead students lying in the hallway on the second floor. We were really obstacles for the PD. As the PD arrived as the scene, Bob Mata detonated a flash/bang grenade in the stairwell (what a bang!!!) and smoke grenades were detonated at both ends of the hallway making visibility very difficult for the assault team. As the PD arrived at the second floor they were engaged by a shooter at the very opposite end of the hallway. The PD advanced down the hallway, guns blazing, as the suspect at the other end of the hall sent a volley of rounds in their direction. There were bullets flying everywhere. The assault team drove the shooting suspect back into a room and neutralized the threat. Everyone was wearing protective headgear. Really a great exercise.


My Experience at Ft. Hood By Tracy Auldridge

Going to Fort Hood with the officers and participating in the exercises was an awesome experience! Getting shot was not as bad as I thought it was going to be. My favorite one was playing a victim in the schoolhouse training exercise. The sound of the flash bang, smoke bombs and bullets flying … what more can you ask for. If you have not participated in this you are missing out. I can’t wait to do it again!!!

The final word on the Ft. Hood training….. By John Hughes

"Participating in the recent training exercise at Fort Hood was quite an experience. Being actively involved in the different scenarios really brings to life the situations the officers are challenged with each day. However, laying in a hallway (as a victim) while officers are charging down a smoke-filled hallway to overtake perpetrators at the other end, with gunfire coming overhead from both directions is about as close as anyone would want to be to the "real" thing. This was truly a great way to see and experience the officers in action. It definitely increased my appreciation and understanding of what they do and how they handle many situations."

Ready for action! Left to right: Tracy Auldridge, John Hughes and Frank Gargano.

Those aren’t real bullets are they!


Organization is job #1.

You search upstairs, we’ll take the back.

Franks asks “do I take 10 steps and turn and fire?”

Tracy thinks “they won’t fire at me if I don’t have a weapon.”

What hit me?


Diane wonders “would they have stopped shooting if I put down the knife?”

Remember the pink ones are for the CPAAAs.

Make fun of my pink gloves one more time and you are GOIN’ down


Going in Code 3 to disperse the crowds

CPAAAs joined the wild crowd.

You better get back!

Crowd control maneuvers gone wild!


Blue Santa 2007 By Ronnie Mueller

There were 7 prominent people responsible for the organization and fulfillment of Blue Santa again this year. Sgt. David Pierce, Jennifer Soto, Stacie Hancock, Ivonne Duran, Vinnie Cherrone, Dana and Ronnie Mueller. Blue Santa was a trying 3 weeks for some of us. We served 505 families consisting of 1391 young folks from newborns to 16 years of age (This equates to 4173 wrapped packages).We were able to work out of a new warehouse complex in the Chandler Creek area. Not really large enough for our needs but we made it work. We had our normal turnout of volunteers: boy scouts, girl scouts, realtors, Pflugerville High School students, accountants, church groups, RRPD Explorers and a number of young people doing community service work. Good turnout of PD personnel for Friday morning delivery included Chief Williams, Asst. Chief Tim Ryle, Captain Troy Evans, Lt. Ken Evans, Lt. Willie Richards and Sgts. Helen Cole, Willie Avila, Scott Dunnam, Ben Hall and Bob Mata. In addition to these were a number of too many officers for me to identify. Our organization donated funds for breakfast tacos and Round Rock Donuts.

It’s Dues paying time again!

2008 is shaping up to be an exciting year for the Alumni. We are anxiously looking forward to the opening of our new facility, CPA classes and a new agenda bursting with activities to support the RRPD. Please plan on renewing your membership early this year.

Dues for a single member are $24; dues for a couple who are both Alumni members are $36. Please make checks payable to RRCPAAA (we’ll also accept cash) and give to Treasurer Dana Mueller at your earliest convenience. Checks can be mailed to Dana at 901 Nancy Drive, Round Rock, TX 78664. Dues must be paid by March 31, 2008 for you to remain an active member.

Alumni Uniform Shirts:

Our new uniform shirt (red polo shirt with the logo that is on the front page of The Informant) can be ordered by contacting Ronnie Mueller. Cost is $30 per shirt, payable upon delivery of the shirt. Orders are filled by EmbroidMe-Plano and are usually delivered within 7 to 10 days of Sgt. Horton emailing the order. EmbroidMe-Plano rebates 5% of the purchase price of each shirt back to the RRCPAAA. Please email Ronnie at [email protected] and place your shirt order today!


The Year in Review – 2007 We began the year with Officer Lloyd Bird swearing in our new board

Left to Right: Pres. Ronnie Mueller, 1st VP Walter Klingemann, Sec. Laura McManus, Tres. Dana Mueller, 2nd VP Mike Goggin and Officer Bird. Not shown Sgt.-at-Arms John Hughes

Chief Investigator Joe Lewis with the Texas State Board of Pharmacy entertained us at our January meeting by demonstrating several ways pharmacy employees conceal drugs.

Special Ranger Chad Barfknecht of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association gave a wonderful talk on present-day cattle rustlers.


Gene Landry with BACA (Bikers Against Child Abuse) gave an excellent presentation on that group’s involvement with abused children.

Special Agent Client Stade gave an informative presentation on the Union Pacific Railroad Police.

Back by popular demand – Special Agent Don Abbott of the United States Secret Service.


Kiddo Cards were a very popular service project this year and a wonderful free benefit to the citizens of Round Rock. Steve O’Connor, Paul Cecil, Ray Thibodaux, and Mike Goggin hard at work making Kiddo Cards.

Sgt. Pierce working with CPAAA volunteers on the Kiddo Cards.

John explains the Kiddo Cards to a citizen.

Wyatt Bellis explaining Kiddo cards to a parent.


CPA Class 19 graduated in 2007. Our Alumni membership increased with the addition of Graduates Tracy Auldridge, (far left), Michael Johnson, (third from left) Diane Ducre, (fourth from left) and John Guiling (third from right).

CPA Class Coordinator Officer Lloyd Bird listening intently as Public Information Officer Eric Poteet teaches the class about the art of dealing with the news media.

Class 19 had a great time at the shooting range. Left – Michael Flicinski assists Diane Ducre at the range. Below – Tracy Auldridge firing away at the range!

Graduation Day and a pizza feast!


Stan Simpson and Walter Klingemann visiting at Class 19’s Graduation.

Look Bob, you’re on Candid Camera (Ofc. John Rowe and Sgt. Horton at the Graduation.)

Look Lloyd, you’re on Candid Camera too! (Ofc. Rowe and CPA Class Coordinator Ofc. Lloyd Bird)


Our socials were popular again this year. Larry McManus enjoys 2nd place at Trivia while Tammy Arrington looks on.

Having fun at Trivia - a game of useless information. Left to right: Frank Gargano, Diane Gargano, Larry McManus, Tammy Arrington, Angie Pierce and Edie Heuss.

Are you in or out? Left to right: Dana Mueller, Sgt. David Pierce and Ronnie Mueller.


Our holiday candy bags continued to be a favorite among PD officers and staff.

Ofc. Justin Carmichael, Sgt. Louis Rackley and Ofc. Mike Losoya enjoying their Easter candy bags.

Ho, ho, ho! Officers are surprised by Alumni elves Mike Goggin, Pam Flicinski, Edie Heuss, Dana Mueller and Linda Zamarripa as they deliver Christmas candy bags.

First we sample, then we sort then we deliver. Top left photo – Dana Mueller, John Hughes, Ronnie Mueller, Walter Klingemann and Tammy Arrington. Left photo: Edie Heuss, Pam Flicinski, Dana Mueller, Linda Zamarripa, Ronnie Mueller, Mike Flicinski and Mike Goggin Top photo: Mike and Pam


Public Safety Day

Ofc. Tim Thomason hard at work setting up the DARE booth

Ofc. Jim Weber reviews some of the DARE materials being handed out.

Sgt. Jess Eckerd takes in the sights. Officers and Animal Control Officers work side by side at Public Safety Day.


Texas CPAA State Convention in Austin

Austin Police Dept. officers chauffeured convention goers to a tour of the UT Tower and the APD/Travis County multi-agency dispatch center.

ADP Air One Helicopter pilot, Tank, treated us to an up-close tour of his department-issued vehicle.

Convention goers get a tour of the APD/Travis County Emergency Operations Center.


Upcoming Events

February Speaker

Troy Kimmel will be the speaker at our February 7th meeting. Troy’s

presentation will be:

Wild Texas Weather! Severe Weather Hazards, History and Safety (A

look at the different severe and inclement weather hazards that

frequent our south central Texas area. In addition to a look at the

history of those events around the greater Austin metro area, we

also look at public perception of these events and how best to

protect yourself during severe weather episodes.)

Troy’s career in broadcasting began in 1978 at KBTX-TV in

Bryan/College Station, where as Weather Director, he was

responsible for the weeknight weathercasts. In 1984, he moved to

KVUE 24 Television (ABC) in Austin where he worked for almost ten

years. From 1993 to 1994, he worked as Chief Meteorologist with the

Lower Colorado River Authority and then from 1994 to 1997 as Chief

Meteorologist with KTBC/Fox 7 Television. Most recently, until

December 2003, he worked as Chief Meteorologist with KEYE

Television. In 1997, he joined KVET/KASE/KFMK Radio Stations in

Austin in his current position as Chief Meteorologist.

Troy has been involved in teaching in the Department of

Geography and the Environment at the University of Texas at Austin

as a Lecturer / Studies in Weather and Climate from 1988 through

2007. He was promoted to Senior Lecturer effective in the fall of

2007. He teaches an introductory class entitled Weather and

Climate as well as an upper level division class entitled Severe and

Unusual Weather.

Kimmel lives in Austin and volunteers for several local agencies

including being a member of Austin Police Department’s Civil

Defense Battalion and CERT Team (where he has a special

assignment to the Austin Police Department Training Academy, the

Austin Airport Public Safety Division, the Operations Area at Austin

Bergstrom International Airport and the Office of Emergency

Management).


January 10 Monthly Meeting

7:00 p.m. New Police Department Swearing in of 2008 Board and tour of New Police Department

17 Board Meeting 6:30 pm Downstairs, Building B – Current PD

February 7 Monthly Meeting

Training Room, Upstairs Building B – Current PD 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Speaker: Troy Kimmel

14 Board Meeting 6:30 pm Downstairs, Building B – Current PD

16 Warrant Round-Up 5:30 a.m. – 11:30 am Tentative Municipal Court

March 6 Monthly Meeting

Training Room, Upstairs Building B - Tentative 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Speaker: Officer Martin Flores

10 Board Meeting 6:30 pm Downstairs, Building B – Tentative

April 10 National Telecommunicators Week Proclamation Tentative

7:00 p.m. City Council Chambers

24 National Police Week Proclamation Tentative 7:00 p.m. City Council Chambers

25 Relay for Life Stony Point High School More information will be furnished in the future

May 15 National Police Week Proclamation at City Council

More information will be furnished in the future

July 9 - 12

2008 State CPAAA Convention Wichita Falls Multi-Purpose Events Center

A convention schedule will be provided as soon as it is available


A message from our President Elect: And now, a message from our President: Wow, I’m now the president! Some folks are scarred about that, some are excited, and I’m a little of both. First let me say thank you to Ronnie Mueller. He gave his time and talent to our organization, never missed a regular meeting or board meeting, attended the majority of our functions and kept us on the ball. He now is our Immediate Past President and we will call upon his counsel to guide us. So who else is on the board? We have Edie returning after a well deserved break as Second VP and she will resume putting out our newsletter, The Informant. She is another tough act to follow, if you’ve ever tackled putting one of these together. I am grateful to be able to call upon her wisdom as she has also been a past president. Diane also returns to the board after a break, this time as Secretary. Thank goodness I don’t have to tape any more meetings! (And yes, I destroyed all of last year’s tapes for those of you wondering.) Diane volunteers at the PD during the day and keeps the rest of us who work in the loop. Frank returns too, after a break, as Sgt. at Arms. I have no doubt he will keep us all in line, I mean keep order. Dana comes back in her role as Treasurer. She does an excellent job of keeping our books organized and making sure ya’ll pay your dues (by the way, get those checkbooks out – she’s a lot nicer in January than in March). She will be required to roll off next year (due to our 4 year limit) so please consider volunteering for this position if you are talented with money and numbers. Our newbie to the board is Mike Flicinski. Thanks Mike for volunteering when we were in a pinch! He is an active member with a positive can-do attitude and we look forward to working with him. All board positions are open every year. It may appear that only certain people or “insiders” can get on the board, but what really happens is that no new members agree to run, so the same old folks agree to come back on or get back on so we can fill all of the required positions. How did I get on the board for the first time? Funny you ask. I joined the CPAAA in 2003 and heard it announced that any member can attend a board meeting. So I did. You would have thought that I had 2 heads, the way they looked at me when I walked into the room. I was later told that “no one had ever just showed up” to a board meeting and they were in shock. Let me now invite any member to attend our board meetings. This year they will be held on the Thursday following the regular meeting, from 6:30pm – 8:00pm (check GoClub for room location). I especially encourage you to sit in on a meeting if you are considering being on the board next year. It’s a great way to find out more about the different positions and what a board member does. I too, am required to roll off after this year, leaving another position vacant. This year will see a lot of changes with the RRPD, not the least of which being the new location. I am excited to be a part of the 2008 Board and to help make the RRCPAAA a continued success. At your service, Laura McManus


A message from our Outgoing-President : A special thank you to those of you who contributed to the success of this past year. We added 13 new members for the year, bringing our end of year total to 43 paid members. I believe this is the largest membership our organization has ever had. Although the 6 to 8 weeks of rain was a blessing for our area of the state, it created problems with our outside activities. During the year we made much needed revisions to the Procedure Manual, an update to the By Laws, adopted a new uniform shirt and replaced two of the departments antique cars with more up to date vehicles for the COPS program. Our total income for the year from Dell Diamond concessions was $316. We’re looking forward to working with Stan Simpson in this new year. For the newer members, Stan has been involved and supportive of our program for the past 10 years. I’m also looking forward to working with the new board and anticipate some enlightening updates to our program. Ronnie Mueller

A Message from the Editor: I hope you enjoyed this edition of The Informant. As some of you know, this will be my sixth year to serve as your newsletter editor. I helped form the Alumni in September 1998 when Dana Goggin and I prepared the initial draft of our bylaws. As an Alumni dinosaur, I’ve been involved in a lot of projects, seen our association in good times and not-so good, and probably stepped on some toes along the way (for that I apologize). I’ve learned a lot along the way too (including how to lose my lunch on a ride-along without being noticed) and gained some terrific friends. As I looked back on the past ten years while preparing our Alumni History for the soon-to-be-published Alumni Handbook, I realized just how much we have accomplished. The wonderful assistance and support I received from several PD employees while writing this newsletter reminded me that the Alumni is indeed an important and respected part of the Round Rock Police Department. I look forward to 2008 and know it will be our best year yet! A special thank you to Laura and Diane for their wonderful editing assistance and moral support during the preparation of the January 2008 Informant. Edie Heuss


Introducing Our Liaison Stan Simpson

As your new PD liaison, I would like to tell you something about myself. My name is Stan Simpson, I am married to Gail who is also employed with the City of Round Rock I.T. Department. We have 5 grown children and 5 grandchildren. We have lived in Round Rock for 30 years. All 5 kids went to Voigt Elementary, C.D. Fulkes Middle School and Round Rock High School. I graduated from high school at 18 in Austin and started college at Central Texas College. Due to my age, I began my employment with Austin P.D. as a Police Aid. When I turned 20, I enrolled in the APD Police academy as a Cadet, graduating in March of 1974. My first assignment was in the East Austin Sector on patrol and later I transferred to a walking beat on East 6th Street. After that I was assigned with undercover Vice-Narcotics and Special Crimes. In 1981, I came to RRPD and was on Patrol for less than 6 months, when I transferred to Juvenile Detail as an Investigator. My career at RRPD consists of a series of promotions including Sergeant and Lieutenant and ultimately reaching the status of Captain. During my tenure at RRPD, I was very active in community affairs, schools and civic groups. The CPA was one of the programs that started under my reign in the Community Services Division. In fact, my wife and oldest son Josh went through the CPA classes. Josh then went to work for APD (3 years later, he left the PD and joined the Austin Fire Department…that is another story.) My youngest son, Nick, is currently enrolled in CAPCO Training Academy as a Cadet with RRPD. I retired from RRPD as a Captain in August of 2007, and returned in September, working as a volunteer for the PD in newly established Volunteer Services Detail. My goal is to work with all the volunteer programs and encourage volunteers to become more involved at the PD, Community, and work together with other volunteer organizations within the PD.


RRCPAAA Contacts Laura McManus, President [email protected] 310-1411

Michael Flicinski, 1st Vice President [email protected] 244-5496 Edie Heuss, 2nd Vice President [email protected] 924-4259 Dana Mueller, Treasurer [email protected] 255-5428

Diane Gargano, Secretary [email protected] 246-8120

Frank Gargano, Sgt.-at-Arms

[email protected] 246-8120 Stan Simpson, Liaison [email protected] 218-5520 Sgt. Robert Horton, COP Liaison [email protected] 218-6658

Ofc. Lloyd Bird, CPA Coordinator [email protected] 218-5500

Current Members Angie Pierce Benita Kohlmeyer

Bennett Spelce Chuck Burt Dalton Pugh Dana Goggin Dana Mueller Debbie Bruce-Juhlke Diane Ducre Diane Gargano

Edie Heuss Frank Gargano Gary Brown Gary Gillespie George Joos Huyau Chen Jeff Kohlmeyer

Jeremy Sheard John Guiling John Hughes Judy Anderson Karen Adair-Murphy Kim Gross Larry McManus Laura McManus

Linda Zamarripa Mark Northrup Michael Flicinski Michael Johnson Mike Goggin Morris Noren Nancy Pugh Pam Flicinski

Paul Cecil Ray Thibodaux Rick Scott Ronnie Mueller Sheila Offutt Steve O’Connor Tammy Arrington Tracy Auldridge Walter Klingemann Wyatt Bellis

Interview with Officer Shane Myers By: Diane Gargano

Officer Shane Myers has been in law enforcement for 5 years. This includes the 3 years he has been here in Round Rock. He hails from San Saba Texas, where his parents still live. And he has a sister who has moved with her family up to the big city life in Elgin.

When off-duty, Officer Myers stays on “track” running, working out, and weight lifting. This still leaves time for the love of his life, and roommate for 6 years, Gordy, his German Shepherd. To relax, Officer Myers prefers reading to TV, but when forced to watch, he enjoys Reality Shows.

When asked about entertainment in general, here is his list of favorites:

Officer Myers has always been interested in helping people and decided law enforcement was a perfect method for him to accomplish that. At every scene, there is a potential for a “Life Intervention,” which may become a turning point in a person’s life. This is a responsibility which Officer Myers takes very seriously.

When asked what he likes most about being an officer, Shane replied, “Beginning each Shift and Ending each Shift.” Being an officer is a very rewarding job, but at the end of the shift, it is important to leave the job behind.

Some of the biggest challenges officers face today include keeping up with new technology, staying informed about new laws, and educating yourself about the latest criminal strategies. One thing Officer Myers would like to see is a change in public stereotype of Police Officers. It would be great if the citizens could learn to judge each of us as individuals, rather than be defined by our profession. “After all, isn’t that what citizens expect of us?”

Since I have personal experience with Tasers, I asked what Officer Myers thought about Tasers as a weapon against violent criminals (and crazy volunteers). I was glad to hear that he has a positive opinion, since he also has personal experience. “Good if managed properly and in the right hands.” (Which I assume doesn’t include spouses.)

As for his most interesting case, Officer Myers explained the price for that type of information by saying, “I could tell you, but I’d have to kill you,” so I opted not to travel that road, I am not that dedicated.

Officer Myer’s list of top 10 “things to do before age 50” includes travel, education, family, and promotion… ah to be young again.

His favorite sport is kayaking. In the Movie category, it

is THE CROW

Favorite Music group, the winner is AC/DC

And in the Food category the winner is, Seafood.

Introducing one of Round Rock’s Finest

Officer Alex Delarosa

Written by Laura McManus, RRCPAAA 1-7-08

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I rode with Officer Delarosa recently and (even after he read my other articles) he agreed to be interviewed. Officer Delarosa is from Brooklyn, NY and his folks are originally from the Dominican Republic. Officer Delarosa joined the Army and served in Desert Storm. He has served 17 years and is currently in the Army Reserve as First Sgt. for Echo Battery 1/355th Regiment and remarked “I don’t even have any tattoos”. He worked at Advance Micro Devices (AMD) for 10 years before joining RRPD in May 2004. He shared that he was Chris Wilson’s Army Drill Sgt. and Chris encouraged him to come ride out (Officer Wilson is currently serving in Afghanistan). He enjoyed it so much, he decided to apply and went through the mini-academy to become an officer.

Officer Delarosa lives in Austin, has been married 14 years, and has three children ages 12, 20, and 22. You might be surprised to learn that he also has two grandchildren! His favorite cartoon character is Patrick, the starfish from the cartoon SpongeBob SquarePants. Officer Delarosa shared that he enjoys woodworking and making things for his grandkids.

Officer Delarosa likes to stay fit (getting ready for the calendar perhaps?) and has run a half marathon. For those of us who are not runners, that is 13.1 miles! His goal is to eventually run a full marathon. His favorite food is steak and his favorite band is Van Halen. He admits that he prefers David Lee Roth over Sammy. Tell us…was it the combination of the music, hair, and outfits that made this your favorite band? Inquiring minds want to know!

Officer Delarosa’s favorite cop shows are COPS and S.W.A.T. that aired in 1975. He also owns the box set of the series The Sopranos, but I told him that does not count as a cop show. Officer Delarosa likes being a police officer “because of the ability to help people when they need it most. To know that I helped someone in their time of need helps me sleep better at night. In many cases, when the police are called, it is when the situation is

at its worst. A police officer resolves problems – whether it’s taking someone who committed a crime to jail or offering advice to someone who needs it”. He would like to eventually leave patrol and venture out into CID. “Crimes against persons really interest me but I have not gotten enough of the street. When that happens, I’ll put in for it and would like to move back into patrol after that as a supervisor.” Officer Delarosa is expected to be called to active duty soon and stationed in Ft. Sill Oklahoma. We will miss him until he returns. Alex truly is an officer and a gentleman!

I first met Officer Flores when he was on patrol and sat down with him recently for this interview. Officer Flores was born and raised in San Antonio and graduated from South San Antonio HS in 1993. He worked in a taxidermy shop. The most interesting thing he stuffed was a two-headed calf which is now on display at the Buckhorn Museum in San Antonio. He then worked for QuadraMed (manages healthcare information) for seven years and went from copy clerk to regional manager, supervising 40 employees.

Since grade school, Officer Flores wanted to be either a cop or a baseball player. He rode out with his best friend who worked at APD and then pursued becoming a police officer. His uncle was a police officer in Corpus Christi and he “loved hearing his cool stories”. He had been offered a job by Corpus PD when Captain Bratton called. “I love salt water fishing in Corpus and I have a lot of family there, but Captain Bratton convinced me to come to Round Rock in 2001. I really appreciate the quality of life in Round Rock. It was not uncommon to hear gunfire in south San Antonio”. Officer Flores patrolled Baker sector and stated he was “one of the original Fabulous Baker Brothers along with Officer Bird”. In 2004, he moved to what is now called the Impact Unit. In 2005, he moved into Traffic Operations Task Force / Highway Interdiction where he drives an unmarked car. In 2006, Officer Flores and Officer Eric Mount seized $400k+, 50+ kilos of cocaine, and 650lbs+ of marijuana. Pretty Fabulous, I’d say! (Officer Flores with K-9 Tessa who is now retired)

Officer Flores is engaged to be married in June and has two children ages 6 and 12. His favorite food is chicken mole made by his mother. In addition to spending time with his kids, he enjoys bowhunting feral hogs, fishing, and still plays softball. He also follows NASCAR driver #99 Carl Edwards. His favorite cartoon character is Woody Woodpecker and his favorite cop shows are COPS and TJ Hooker. What would we be surprised to learn about Officer Flores? “That I am a big softie and I cry at sad movies”. Don’t worry, I won’t tell. So, what was your funniest call? Officer Flores was checking an open door alarm at a church one night. It was freezing outside and the church was very dark. Officer Flores ended up walking right into the baptismal pool up to his waist. “Guess you could say I was baptized that night!” His fellow officers made halos out of coat hangers and presented them to him at briefing the next day. Officer Flores stated that the best thing about being a cop is “I’ve fulfilled a dream and I’m getting paid for it.” He stated he loves RRPD and being on the streets. He would like to eventually promote through the ranks and stay at RRPD. We’re lucky to have you and are glad you chose Round Rock!

Introducing one of Round Rock’s Finest

Officer Martin Flores Written by Laura McManus, RRCPAAA 1-7-08

Informant 2008-01

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