Volume 7 Issue 7 PBA Endorses Charlie Crist For Governor · 2015. 3. 23. · Pembroke Pines Jim...
Transcript of Volume 7 Issue 7 PBA Endorses Charlie Crist For Governor · 2015. 3. 23. · Pembroke Pines Jim...
THe Official Publication of the Broward CountyPolice Benevolent Association
The BrowardCenturion
wwwwwwwwwwwwwww.bcpb.bcpb.bcpb.bcpb.bcpba.oa.oa.oa.oa.orrrrrggggg July 2005
In This IssueFBI Missed 9/11Chances ............................. 4Get More House WithoutPaying More ..................... 7
From The Editor ............... 8Supreme Court ShootsDown Medical Pot .......... 10Spam Capital ................... 11Police Unity Tour ............ 12Police Week ..................... 13
Volume 7 Issue 7
The Florida PBAheld its Board of Directors
meeting on Saturday, June11, in Orlando.
One of the mainagenda items for thisBoard meeting was thescreening of candidatesfor the office of governor.The election for Floridagovernor will be held inNovember, 2006. Allthe announced candidatesanswered the PBA’s screening
PBA Endorses Charlie CristFor Governor
questions in writing prior to the board meeting.Democratic candidate State Senator Rod Smith and Republican
candidate Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist spoke atthe meeting. Democratic candidates Scott Maddox andU.S. Congressman Jim Davis, along with Republicancandidate Florida CFO Tom Gallagher, expressed theirapologies for being unable to attend, but placedconference calls directly to the Board during themeeting.
The Board's choice was unanimous: Charlie Crist isthe PBA's pick for governor.
TheFlorida PBABoard ofDirectors alsorecognizedseverallegislators fortheiraccomplishmentsduring the lastlegislativesession. Presentto receive theirawards wereSenator MikeFasano, Representative Bob Allen, Representative John Legg, andRepresentative Joe Negron.
Florida Board of Directors makes its pick for 2006By Pat Hanrahan, Sr. VP
L to R: Dick Brickman, Jeff Marano, Charlie Crist, PatHanarahan, Debbie Reggio and Neil Vaughan
The Official Publication of theBroward County PBA
(A Charter of the Florida PBA)2650 West State Road 84
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33312Telephone: 954/584-7600
Fax: 954/583-0405
Megan Gordon, Editor
E-mail: [email protected]
The Broward Centurion is published bythe Broward County PoliceBenevolent Association for the solebenefit of its members. The BrowardCenturion is dedicated to theadvancement of the law enforcementprofession through better andstronger community relations. Theopinions expressed in the publicationof The Broward Centurion are notnecssarily those of the BrowardCounty PBA, its Executive Board orthe Board of Directors.
Members or readers submitting lettersto the editor or articles for publicationare requested to adhere to thefollowing:
• Submissions should be sentto:
Broward County PBAAttn: Centurion2650 West State Road 84Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33312
• Letters or articles must beaccompanied by thewriter's true name andaddress.
• All articles submittedfor publication must beaccompanied by astatement givingpermission to publish.
• All submissions must belegible.
• The Broward County PBAreserves the right of theExecutive Board orEditor to amend or to add aneditor's comment to anyarticle or letter submitted.
• Advertisment in thispublication does not implyendorsement by theBroward County PBAunless otherwise specified.
TTTTThhhhheeeee BBBBBrrrrrooooowwwwwaaaaarrrrrd d d d d CeCeCeCeCennnnntttttuuuuurrrrriiiiiooooonnnnn
President'sMessage
The Broward Centurion june 2005
2
Dick Brickman
In the past several months there have been many articles written about pension plans and how the
cost of these plans have put a heavy burden onemployers, i.e., United Airlines. In the 1970s therewere over 112,000 defined benefit plans in the UnitedStates. Today there are less than 30,000 still inexistence. Most employers have changed these plansinto defined contribution plans so that they have noobligation except for the set contribution made on theemployee's behalf.
For those that don’t know the difference betweena “Defined Benefit Plan” and a ”DefinedContribution Plan,” it is this: A Defined Benefit Planis the typical pension plan that you have with the cityand FRS. It guarantees the employee a percentage ofhis pay when he retires; the employer is responsiblefor contributing money to make the plan sound. ADefined Contribution Plan has the employer putting aset amount (say 8%) of the employee's pay into anaccount. The employee can then put the money intoan investment fund. When the employee retires,whatever money is in the account belongs to theemployee. The problem is you better be a goodinvestor and hope the market does not take a turn forthe worse when you decide to retire.
Elected officials would rather have a definedcontribution plan so that they can remove theirliability for funding your pension plan. I believe we asa union have to be wary of any politician that favorsa defined contribution plan pension (i.e., governor ofCalifornia ). This is dangerous for our future. I believethat pensions are going to be the number-one issuethat cities will attack in order to balance theirbudgets—on the backs of their employees.
Sincerely,
PresidentDick Brickman
Senior Vice PresidentPatrick Hanrahan
Vice PresidentNeil Vaughan
SecretaryDebbie Reggio
TreasurerJeff Marano
Legislative DirectorMike Casey
General CounselBarbara Duffy
Executive Board
Board of Directors
Broward CountyPBA
BSO (Support)Paul Weiss
BSO (LE)Dan CiacciarelliJorge CorpionJames DeMatoPete GearyJames HanlonDean MirraJeff Poole
BSO (Lts)Barry Derose
Coconut CreekRalph CaponeDominic Coppola
Coconut Creek (Sgts)Tim Bradshaw
Hallandale BeachMike FowlerRafael MatiasFrank Gobel
Hallandale Beach (Sgts)Duane FlournoyRobin Varone
HollywoodSteven BolgerTony FernandezKeith WadsworthWilbur Fernander
Lighthouse PointMike SearchJon Esposito
WelcomeNew
Members
The Broward Centurion
PBA Office StaffCharter Secretary
LindaReceptionist/Membership
LynnSecretary/Detail Coordinator
KimMembership Secretary
MaxineLegal Assistant
MaryannCommunications Director
Megan 3
New
june 2005
Retired
Reinstated
Margate (Spvrs)Ed Blonder
MiramarAdam LernerTim NevinsRo DurneySteven ToyotaGeorge Mankowski
Pembroke PinesJim FisherGlen ParkerJim Ryan
Sea Ranch LakesJames O'Brien
SunriseJohn Jaslowski
Sunrise (Lts)Athena Skellion
Wilton ManorsBrian BehanEd CostelloDavid Jones
Alternates - BSOMichael CatalanoKelli CovetRich EngelsArmando EnriqueJulie FosterAndrew McConnellThomas PerdueRalph RombRichard HesterSantiago Vazquez
Perry G. Beckford - HollywoodDennis P. Conway - BSODamien E. Garcia - BSOMelanie N. Ince - BSO
Marco A. Lopez - PlantationCosmin Lung - BSO
Christopher A. Marchese - BSODavid A. McGrath - Coconut Creek
Scott N. Nida - BSOAndrew R. Pedrero - Miramar
Marco Rizza - BSOMarvel S. Salinas - Pembroke Pines
Marc A. St. Fort - MiramarHenry Wright - Miramar
Charles E. Wilson
Salvatore A. Celone - BSO
Barbara G. Chovan - BSOMike McDermott - BSO
John Monti - BSOJames D. Restauri - Margate
Associate
The Broward Centurion
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june 2005
FBI MissedSeptember 11CluesReport cites intelligence failures
In the weeks before September 11, 2001, the FBIhad some clues as to what was about to happen,
including a lead from one of its own agents, butfailed to follow up.
A report compiled by the Justice Department'sinspector general reveals how the FBI missed atleast five opportunities to uncover vital informationthat might have led agents to the hijackers.
Two months before the 9/11 hijackings, an FBIagent suggested to the chain of command thatthere was a coordinated effort by Osamabin Laden to send students to the U.S. tostudy ways to take down U.S. aircraft.And in January of 2000, the CIA's binLaden unit, which included four FBIagents, accessed incoming cablescontaining substantial informationabout Khalid al Mihdhar, one of the 9/11 hijackers, but that information wasn'tgiven to the FBI, despite the efforts of one ofthe agents assigned to the CIA's unit. The CIA'sdeputy chief of the bin Laden unit didn't give theFBI agent the go-ahead to forward that informationto the FBI.
According to Attorney General AlbertGonzales, there where laws on the books beforeSeptember 11, 2001 that "discouraged the sharingof information" among law enforcement andintelligence agencies. Many of those laws havesince been eliminated says Gonzales, and hebelieves the government is in a better position tointercept another attack.
The report, created a year ago, has beenreleased in connection to court fight concerningimprisoned terrorist conspirator ZacariasMoussaoui. References to Moussaoui were deletedwhen the report was released in June.Source: Associated Press
TerrorDatabase
Missing InfoThe new centralized, national database of
terror suspects is missing some names and hasinaccurate information about other names,according to the Justice Department inspectorgeneral.
According to a recent report from the IG, lastyear someone on the government's no-fly list wasallowed to board a domestic airline flight becauseof poor coordination between the FBI-run
Terrorist Screening Center and other lawenforcement agencies.
The Terrorist Screening Center wascreated in September 2003 and combinesabout a dozen databases from nineagencies. It is accessible to anygovernment official, from a Customsagent to an airport to local law
enforcement.In addition to having some data on
publicly known terrorists missing, there wasalso information missing on other people thatauthorities could use to assess a possible threatposed in an encounter. The system has alsomistakenly identified people as being in thedatabase.Source: Associated Press
The Broward Centurion
5
june 2005
Solid Endorsements from P ros in Enforc e m e n t !
Looking for a mortgage? Listen to those you trust.
Offices is Hollywood • Fort Lauderdale • Sunny Isles
At Mortgage Bankers we make the right mortgage easy!• Rates starting at 1.00% (4.54% APR)
• Interest-Only Loans and Jumbo Loans 95%• FHA/VA / Conventional Lender
• Investor Loans 95% / Second Mortgages 125%• Equity Lines of Credit
“ I highly recommend DaveFraser and his team to anyfellow officer looking for aMortgage. They’re thebest.”—Lt. Jeff Marano
Treasurer, P.B.A.
“A co-worker referred me toDave Fraser for refinancing.Mortgage Bankers foundthe lowest rates availableand made it all so easy.”—Rick Penton
Hollywood Detective
“When it came to our mort-gage, it was great to find theprofessional team atMortgage Bankers. Theyunderstood my needs andtreated me and my wife withrespect and importance.”—Mike Burrowes
Hollywood Detective
“Hats off to the team atMortgage Bankers. They’reexperts in their business andI couldn’t be happier withtheir service.”—Sgt. Tony Fernandez
Hollywood Rep.
Dave Fraser
Serving South Florida, Hablamos Espanol Apply by phone 954.926.6263 • 800.563.4089
Maria Ford Cori Fraser
m o rtgage bankers n.a., inc.CORRESPONDENT MORTGAGE LENDERS
The Broward Centurion
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june 2005
Attention PBA Members25% Off Attorney’s Fees*
*Includes immediate family members
Florida Trial Lawyers, P.A.Trial Lawyer’s Building
633 SW 3rd Ave., Ste. 302Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33301
954/524-9798 Evenings: 954/254-088124-Hour Pager: 954/360-3450
No Cost, No Fee If No Recovery
Personal InjuryAuto Accident
Slip & FallWrongful Death
Collect Money Damages Above And Beyond Workers’ Compensation
Frederick W. Hoethke, Esq.Managing Attorney/Civil Trial LawyerFormer Asst. State AttorneyFormer Insurance Defense AttorneyHas Tried Over 120 Jury TrialsNow Solely Representing Injured PartiesServing South Florida For Over 15 Years
7
The Broward Centurion june 2005
By Julio Chang, JC Capital Corporation
Tens of thousands ofAmericans have recently
discovered the power of payingnothing but interest on theirhome loans. Interest-only loansallow the borrower to savehundreds of dollars a month bynot paying down the principal,allowing them to get a largermortgage and a home they mightnot otherwise be able to afford.According to data published bythe mortgage industry, nearly athird of home loans made lastyear included an interest-onlyoption. In the hottest real estatemarkets in the country, almost 70percent of new loans are interest-only.
The problem is that the lowpayments don’t last for theduration of the loan. Eventually,the interest-only feature convertsto a traditional mortgage,resulting in a substantial rise inthe monthly payments.
An interest-only mortgage isan option that can be attachedto any mortgage. After a certaintime (usually three, five, sevenor ten years), the mortgagebecomes fully amortizing andboth interest and principal mustbe paid. Because one is repayingthe principal amount in 20 or 25years instead of 30, thoseprincipal payments are higherthan they would have been.
The biggest problem withthese loans is “paymentshock"—a new monthlypayment that is hundreds ofdollars higher than the initialpayment. Another problem isthat the principal balance is notreduced during the interest-onlyterm although one pays mainlyinterest during the first four orfive years of any mortgage.
Who is a candidate for thistype of loan? Anyone who cancount on a higher income in a
How To Get More House Without Paying Morefew years, a large year-endbonus or periodic commissions,or a stay-at-home parent whoplans to return to work full-timewhen the children begin school.These folks can get into a homenow that will match theirpaychecks down the road.Another candidate is one who isgoing to move or sell soonbecause of a job transfer,retirement, or an expandingfamily.
What if you are tied to aninterest-only mortgage but yourplans to move within a couple ofyears have changed? The highermonthly payments are inevitable.One solution is to refinance intoa fixed-rate mortgage and lock ina rate for the duration of theloan.Julio Chang is a lieutenant with theBroward Sheriff’s Office and a principalbroker at JC Capital Corporation, 954/675-9822.
The Broward Centurion
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june 2005
Health &Fitness
Tea – either black or green—isexcellent for your heart.
Certain compounds in green andblack tea have a healthy effect onseveral markers forheart disease. What’sunknown is which kindis the healthiest. Bothappear equallyprotective against fattyarterial plaque buildup,so pick your favoriteand drink up.
Take care of your teethto take care of your heart.Periodontitis may up your riskfor coronary artery disease.
Ward off gum disease andprotect your heart at the sametime by brushing and flossing
daily.
Simple exercise mayhelp alleviate chronicback pain whileimproving function.Try the stretching andstrengthening benefitsof hatha yoga or Taichi. Always checkwith your healthcareprovider before
starting a new workout.
Smiling regularly may make youhealthier. Research suggests thatupbeat people have less nervoussystem, inflammatory andcardiovascular activity thanpeople who are downbeat. Thisreduced activity may lower diseaserisk. Stay positive—focus on theaffirming aspects of your life,make time for what you enjoy anddon’t dwell on bad experiences.Source: RealAge.com
Little ways to get healthierHealthy Bites
From The EditorDon't leave me hanging....
Hello? Is anyone out there? I'm in my secondyear as editor of this publication, and yet I've
gotten very little feedback from you about how I'mdoing. Sure, I get a few birth announcements hereand there, and some of you have been wonderfulabout feeding me information on events that wouldinterest our members, but I know that those peopleare only a very tiny percentage of our totalmembership.
There have got to be things that you're notseeing that you'd like to see, information that you'dlike to get. Stuff you'd like to trash. I'm notsensitive. Let me know. OK, you don't have to bemean about it, but just tell me.
Do you have questions about the PBA and itsrole in collective bargaining? Do you wonderexactly what it is that we're supposed to be doing?Ask away - I'll get an answer for you.
But I'm not a mind reader. Call me, fax me, e-mail me, stop in and see me. If you want tobring me flowers, that'd be good too.
You have the right…to have all interviews tape-recorded from startto end.to have a PBA representative present duringany interview.to have the interview at a reasonable time andfor 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 answeringquestions.to know the name of the person bringing thecomplaint.not to be threatened, bribed or subjected tooffensive language.
If you need assistance, contact the PBA legalunit at 954/584-7600.
The Broward Centurion
9
june 2005
DISCRIMINATION?WHEN EXPERIENCE COUNTS...
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The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be basedsolely upon advertisements. Before you decide, ask us to send you free
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1515 S. Federal Hwy., Ste. 121Boca Raton, FL 33432
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Office: 561-391-7370Cell: 561-305-1297
The Broward Centurion
10
june 2005
POLICE OFFICERSFIREFIGHTERS
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The United States Supreme Court has ruled thatfederal authorities may prosecute sick people
who smoke pot under a doctor’s recommendation,concluding that state laws regarding medicalmarijuana don’t protect users from federal lawsbanning the drug.
Justice John Paul Stevens, writing the majorityopinion in the 6-3 decision, said that Congresscould change the law to allow medical use ofmarijuana.
The case was an appeal by the Bushadministration in a case that it lost in 2003. Theissue was whether the prosecution of medicalmarijuana users under the federal ControlledSubstances act was constitutional. Under theConstitution, Congress may pass laws regulating astate’s economic activity so long as it involves“interstate commerce” that crosses state borders.
California’s medical marijuana law, passed in1996, allows individuals to grow, smoke or get potfor medical needs with a doctor’s recommendation.Nine other states have similar laws.Source: Associated Press
State laws don’t protect users from federal prosecutionSupreme Court Shoots Down Medical Marijuana
AlaskaCaliforniaColoradoHawaiiMaine
MontanaNevadaOregon
VermontWashington
Where The Grass Is Greener
These states allow patients to use or obtainpot for medical needs with a doctor's
recommendation:
The Broward Centurion
11
june 2005
While you’re deleting those 30 e-mails trying tosell you Viagra, you may wonder where all
that spam comes from. Look no further than yourown backyard. Miami-Dade, Broward and PalmBeach counties are home to more spammers thanany country on the planet.
According to a watchdog group calledSpamhaus, more than a quarter of the roughly 180hardcore spammers they track are based in Florida –most of those are in the tri-county area. And whichSouth Florida city has the most spammers in the
world? Boca Raton.So why here? Why not? Warm
weather, laid-back lifestyle,lenient bankruptcy laws,proximity to Internet datacenters, a history of
telemarketing and e-mailmarketing and Florida’s reputation
as a good place to do dirty business. The area is sonotorious that after last year’s hurricanes, there wasa short-term decline in global spam.
More than being annoying, spam is a newweapon of choice for predators – an easy way totarget a world of potential victims and remainanonymous. Because the e-mails are often routedthrough overseas hosts, spam is difficult to trace.
Though many spammers operate legally,there is concern that some South Florida spammerswill use e-mail to rip people off, especially in light ofour area’s history as a scam capital.Source: Associated Press
Welcome To The SpamCapital Of The World
While many cops may fear being shot by a suspect, on-duty police
officers are more likely to be killedin traffic accidents.
According to theNational Law Enforcement
Officers Fund, 57 officers died fromgunshots wounds last year, but 73 officers died in
traffic-related accidents.Police traffic deaths have increased 40 percent
in the past 30 years while gun death havedecreased by 36 percent.
Source: The Houston Chronicle
Safety AlertTraffic Accidents Leading
Cause Of Officer’s DeathsWrecks passed guns as top risk
There’s a new reason for computer users toworry. Hackers may be able to lock up the
electronic documents on your computer and thenhold them for ransom, charging $200 to get them
back.The plot was uncovered by San Diego-based
Websense Inc. when a corporatecustomer fell victim to the
infection, which encrypted filesincluding documents,
photographs and spreadsheets. Aransom note was left behind,
demanding $200 for the digitalkey to unlock the files.
There are no widespread reports that thisthreat is spreading, but antivirus providers are
updating protective software to guard against apossible infection of what they call “ransom-ware.”
Source: Associated Press
New Computer Threat
Dep. Covet presented abracelet like this to the
Fatta family in memory ofDep. Todd Fatta
The Broward Centurion
12
june 2005
In May, BSO Deputy Kelli
Covet, CoconutCreek
Sgt. JohnLeonard and
Coconut CreekOfficer Beth Berger, all
members of the Florida Chapter ofthe Police Unity Tour, completed a 3-day, 240-milebike ride from Chesapeake,Virginia to Washington, DC.
The Police Unity Tour is anational, nonprofitorganization that raisesawareness and gives finicalsupport to The National LawEnforcement Officers Memorial(NLEOM) in Washington, DC.The organization has chaptersall over the U.S., but riderscome from all around theworld.
The Florida Chapter’s firstride was in 2004, with 18officers from all over the state participating. Thisyear, over 37 riders joined Dep. Covet, Sgt. Leonardand Ofc. Berger in the grueling ride to the JeffersonMemorial. Aftermeeting up atthe memorial,riders lined upin columns oftwo to completethe trip to theNLEOM. “Thesight of 600 lawenforcementofficers ridingescortedthrough the streets of Washington is
2005 Police Unity TourRiding For Those That Died
something that I will never forget. The showing ofsolidarity and support for those that have made theultimate sacrifice made this experience priceless,”said Beth Berger.
Each rider is assigned an officer in whosememory they ride. That rider is encouraged to findthe fallen officer’s family and present them with ablue aluminum bracelet engraved with the office’sname, agency, and end-of-watch date. Kelli Covetrode in memory of BSO Deputy Todd Fatta, John
Leonard rode for North MiamiBeach Detective Orestes “Oreo”Lorenzo and Beth Berger honoredthe memory of Lucy Ross of theBrevard Sheriff’s Office.
The Florida Chapter raised$50,000 for NLEOM. Nationally,$750,000 was raised. The PoliceUnity Tour is the largest privateand/or corporate sponsor of thememorial.
For more information onsupportingthe rideor
participating as a rider inThe Police Unity Tour,contact Sgt. JohnLeonard at the CoconutCreek Police Departmentat 954/956-1483.
The Fattas and Kelli CovetKelli Covet and Shaq at the
Police Memorial
L to R: BSO Deputy Kelli Covet, CoconutCreek Officer Beth Berger and Coconut
Creek Sgt. John Leonard
13
The Broward Centurion june 2005
Police Week 2005
Photographs courtesy of NLEMOF.com
The Broward Centurion
14
june 2005
Money Matter$Fighting "Frugal Burnout"How to live well without busting your budget
Ever felt like everybody else isspending like there's no
tomorrow while you're keepingtrack of every dime? You mightbe suffering from "frugalburnout."
There are ways to stick toyour budget and still live well.All you need to do is focus onyour goal.Remember why you're saving
Keep your goal in mind, anddon't be shy about pattingyourself on the back. Findcreative ways to keep your eyeon the prize.Live in the moment
Don't waste time worryingabout what you don't have. Taketime to appreciate what you dohave. Find less expensive ways tohave fun - spending more timewith friends and family forexample.Splurge once in a whilePut a little give in your budget.You can set aside a certainamount each month to blow onwhatever you love, or you coulduse "found" money, savings fromcoupons and rebates.Laugh at the Joneses, don'tcompete with them
Chances are, your free-spending neighbors are up totheir eyes in debt. That thoughtmay just make it all the easiernot to fall into the same trap.Never pay retail
Almost everything isnegotiable. Give it a try.
Knowing the right time toshop will help you avoid payingretail, too. Shop for winterclothes in winter and summerclothes in summer. Retailersconsider this off-season, so itemsare on sale.Try store brands
Store brands offer name-brand quality at up to 40% lessthan national brands. Andthey're often made by the same
manufacturers. Try switchingone name-brand item for itsstore-brand equivalent at eachtrip to the grocery store.Buy used
Look for high-quality pre-owned items, not junk. You cansave up to 50% off the newprice.Pay cash
Paying with cash is painful,so you tend to spend less. Up to18% less usually. Plus you canget a better deal when you usecash as a negotiating tool.Pick your credit card wisely
Get one that gives back. Try
a no-fee card with a rewardsprogram.Shop around for auto insurance
Get the most cost-effectivecoverage you can. Also, giveyourself a check up once or twicea year to determine if you canraise your deductible andeliminate overlaps in coverage.Check your cell phone plan
Is your plan worth what youpay? Take into account yourusage habits. Prepaid plans arealso a good option.Pay yourself first
Automatically transfer part ofeach paycheck to a retirementaccount before you get your take-home pay. Rule of thumb: Saveone hour a day of your incomeeach week.Control yourself
Before you make a purchase,ask yourself, "Do I really needthis?" Instant gratification is a nicething, but you'll be happier in thelong run if you stick to your plan.
A little willpower and a littleknowledge will go a long way toputting you on the road tofinancial security.Source: MSN Money
AUTOMOTIVECONSULTANTS USA, INC.
CALLING ALL CARS, TRUCKS & VANS
"CALL TODAY"RONALD R. SCHEMBRI, PRESIDENT
Office(954) 584-8220
Pager(954) 619-7900
The Broward Centurion
15
june 2005
Office Assistant Wanted
Extremely busy, general practictioner, Ft. Lauderdalelaw office has an opening for a part-time office
assistant. Duties include reception, filing, generaloffice tasks and assisting the attorneys and paralegalwith case preparation. Hours are flexible. Applicants
must be reliable, dependable, have excellentcommunication skills, be computer literate and learn
quickly.
Previous office experience is helpful, but not essential.Please fax cover letter and resume to 954/791-2141 ormail to Michael Braverman, P.A., Attention: Dianne,2650 West State Road 84, Suite 101A, Ft. Lauderdale,
FL 33312. References are mandatory due toconfidential nature of the practice. Salary
commensurate with education, experience and hoursto be worked.
16
The Broward Centurion
What's Up?News From
Our Members
june 2005
BirthsPembroke Pines Officer Dave Thompson and his
wife, Stacey, welcomed their son, Logan Alston,on May 24. Logan weighed in at 8
lbs., 2 oz. and was 20" long. Mom,Dad and big sister Katie are alldoing well.
Pembroke Pines Officer AdamFeiner and his wife, Tara,
celebrated the birth of Brady Alecon May 27. Brady weighed in at 7
lbs. and was 18" long.Pembroke Pines Officer Tim Anderson and his
wife, Michele, celebrated the birth of their secondson, Caden Michael, on June 10. Caden weighed inat 7.1 lbs. and was 19" long. The whole Andersonfamily is doing well.Pembroke Pines Detective Erwin Lopez and hiswife, Melissa, welcomed their third child, Tyson,on June 16. Tyson weighed in at 8 lbs., 4 oz. andwas 20.5" long. Mom, Dad, baby, big sister Mia andbig brother Brock are all doing well.
Congratulations to all!
Hollywood officer Josh Czerendareceived The Greater Hollywood
Jaycees 2005 Distinguished ServiceAward for Outstanding Young
Floridian in Law Enforcement in aceremony on June 10, 2005.
Congratulations, Josh!
Honors
Cigar Night OutFundraiser for Hallandale PAL
Hallandale PAL is holding a fundraiser on July 25. Cigar Night Out features Horsd'oevres, a cash bar, silent auction and a booksigning with Jack McKeon, manager of the 2003World Champion Florida Marlins.
The event will be held at the Upper DeckRestaurant, 906 East Hallandale Beach Blvd.
from 6 - 8 pm. Tickets are $50 per person,with the proceeds going to PAL.For more information or for tickets,
please contact Ofc. Pat Seals at 954/336-6900.
The Broward Centurion
Law Enforcement NewsItems of Interest From Around The U.S.
17
june 2005
Atlanta, GA – A FultonCounty Sheriff’s Deputy is beinginvestigated after allegedlyleaving a loaded gun in arestroom at the county’s JuvenileJustice Center.
A prosecutor found the gunand notified the DistrictAttorney, who in turn notifiedthe Sheriff. The Sheriff is lookinginto the incident, but nodisciplinary action has beentaken as yet.
This comes as a task force isstudying security at the county’smain courthouse, where a judgeand two others where killed inMarch when inmate BrianNichols when on a shootingspree. Since then, The FultonCounty Sheriff’s department hasbeen criticized for lax security atthe courthouse.Source: Associated Press
New York – A fast food chainhas started charging New York’sfinest half-price for their meals.
Chipolte, a Mexican-foodchain, previously provided lawenforcement officers with mealsfree of charge, something strictlyforbidden by the NYPD.Complaints from othercustomers were cited as thereason for the change however.
A spokeswoman for theDenver-based chain saidcompany officials weren’t awarethat department guidelines barofficers from accepting free food.“We’re just looking to give backto the people who do so muchfor us,” she said.Source: New York Post
Detroit – Dozens of people whohave spent time at the SaginawCounty Jail are charging thatthey were subject to humiliatingbehavior during theirincarceration.
Linda Rose, a 36-year-oldbartender who was arrested fordrunken driving, says she spentthree hours in the jail crouchednaked in the corner of her cell,shivering and sobbing, in front ofa surveillance camera.
The county has admitted toholding Rose and the otherplaintiffs in the case naked,citing a practice they say wasdesigned to prevent distraughtprisoners from using theirclothing to harm themselves, apolicy they say was discontinuedin 2001.
The lawsuit alleges it wasnot, and that over 200 peopleclaim to have been held naked,some for days on end. The FBIhas launched its owninvestigation into the claims.
Allegedly, inmates who wereplaced in an isolation cellbecause of threatening ordisruptive behaviorautomatically were forced tostrip regardless of whetherguards believed the person mightattempt suicide.
The county contends that,since 2001, inmates in isolationare given paper gowns to wear.Source: Associated Press
Chicago – The chief of theMilwaukee police fired eightofficers and disciplined fourothers for their roles in the
beating of a man last fall at aparty at the home of one of theofficers.
Frank Jude, Jr. said he wasbeaten by a group of off-dutypolice officers at a party lastOctober after they accused himof taking a wallet and policebadge. Thirteen officers havebeen disciplined in conjunctionwith this case. One wasdismissed after refusing toanswer questions about the case.
A criminal complaint againstthree of the fired officerscontends that they choked,punched and kicked Mr. Jude,put a knife to his neck, a gun tohis head and stuck a sharp objectin his ears while he washandcuffed.
Mr. Jude was at the partywith some acquaintances whohad been invited.Source: New York Times
Dallas – The Dallas PoliceDepartment has a uniqueaddition to their SWAT team: afull-time, tactically trainedtrauma surgeon.
The department is looking tocreate a medical supportprogram for its team, trainingand maintaining a team ofparamedics from Dallas FireRescue so that the support teamcan respond with the SWATteam as needed.
Medical support is morecommon among smallersuburban SWAT teams because itcosts less to have the additionalpersonnel as they are less activethan teams in large cities.Source: Officer.com
The Broward Centurion
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june 2005
Letters & ThanksTo: Broward County PBA
2650 West SR 84Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312
From: Vincent ParlatoreBSO/Deputy District 8
Date: June 9, 2005
Dear Sir:
On December 6, 2004, I was involved in an on-duty shooting.This was the first time during my law enforcement career that Ihad discharged my firearm.
After things settled down I contacted my PBA representative,Sgt. Ciacciarelli, who promptly contacted the on-duty generalcounsel. A supervisor had reminded me to contact myrepresentative as a lot of things were going on at the same time.
Barbara Duffy, along with Debbie Reggio, responded in a verytimely manner. Although I was treated in a very courteous andprofessional manner by my BSO counterparts, and they couldn’tdo enough to accommodate me, I did feel more at ease uponBarbara and Debbie’s arrival.
I have been represented by Barbara Duffy and Tony Alfero onunrelated issues and, as always, someone had accompanied me.Never was there an excuse that someone couldn’t.
I would like to thank all my co-workers, supervisors,specialized units and other police agencies that took part andassisted during this stressful situation.
Sincerely,
june 2005The Broward Centurion
19
The Broward Centurion
Inside BSOFor Our Members With The Broward Sheriff's Office
20
june 2005
Employees ofthe MonthMay 2005
Dep. Jonathan KormanAirport
Dep. John IndiaCriminal Investigations
Sgt. Jerry BrownCooper City
Dep. Semaj JacksonDania Beach
Dep. Leonard DelgattoDeerfield Beach
Sgt. Douglas BrownLauderdale-By-The-Sea
Sgt. Richard LaCerraOakland Park
Dep. Bryan NordParkland
Dep. Andrew BakPompano Beach
Dep. Eric BlakePompano Beach
Dep. Christopher MarchesePompano Beach
Dep. Michael RobertoTamarac
BSO retirees and DROP participants will be having a reunion in Tamarac on Saturday, September 24. The reunion is open to all
retired BSO personnel and their guests. There will be an Italian buffetand a cash bar with domestic beer for $1.50 and mixed house drinksfor $1.75. A local DJ will provide music.
Out-of-town attendees can receive a special rate of $69 per night atthe Hampton Inn at 4499 West Commercial Blvd. You can contactthem at 954/735-7575 or by e-mail at: [email protected]. Besure to refer to “BSO Retirees” to get the special rate. Stays may beextended before and after the event. Rooms must be booked bySeptember 10th to qualify for the special rate.
What: BSO Retirees ReunionWhen: Saturday, September 24, 2005
6:00 pm - ??Where: Lauderdale Lakes
Moose Lodge #22676191 Rock Island RoadTamarac, FL 33319
Cost: $15.00 per person (does notinclude cash bar)
Anyone interested in attending the reunion should send a check ormoney order for $15.00 per person made out to BSO Retiree Reunion bySeptember 1 to:Eileen Forrester9362 Newnan CirclePort Charlotte, FL 33981
Add your name to the retiree Web site to get future news andinformation: [email protected]
1st Annual BSO RetireesReunion
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The Broward Centurion
L.E.A.P. PROGRAM(Law Enforcement Assistance Program)
1-800-680-LEAP954-327-0396
A No Cost Benefit toPBA Members & Family Members
John A. LaPointe, PH.D.Clinical and Consulting Psychologist
Director, L.E.A.P
Prepaid Legal Services PlanFor Broward PBA Members
Michael Braverman, P.A.2650 West State Road 84
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The Broward Centurion
22
june 2005
The Broward Centurion
23
june 2005
Non ProfitOrganization
U.S. Postage PaidPermit #1677
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Broward County PBA2650 West State Road 84Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33312
©2005 Broward County PBA