In reference to the article written in the "TPOA Speaks" section, we would like all members to know that the TPOA was represented as a member of the Oral Board in the interview process of 6 applicants.  When the list was down to three viable candidates, Dr. Cornell was the clear choice. Considering her past experience (see the article) we believe she will fit right in with TPD. The TPOA is looking forward to working with her when she takes the job in February.   

The Tucson Police Department has announced the selection of Dr. Luz Cornell to head the department’s Behavioral Science Unit.

Dr. Cornell is a clinical psychologist, consultant, and trainer with over 17 years of experience working with public safety personnel, their agencies, and their families. She earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in  both Psychology and Sociology/Anthropology from Florida International University in 1989. After completing her doctorate degree at Nova Southeastern University, she joined the Miami-Dade Police Department as a Police Psychologist. Dr. Cornell’s expertise was in providing counseling to individuals, couples, and families experiencing a wide range of stressors. She also provided crisis intervention and critical incident debriefings following police shootings. Dr. Cornell debriefed and counseled personnel affected by large scale incidents including Hurricane Andrew, ValuJet Flight 592 plane crash and the World Trade Center terrorist attacks. She was a consultant for various specialized investigative units and the Hostage Negotiation Team.

In 1999, Dr. Cornell joined a private law enforcement consultation firm in Miami. Her practice included providing counseling, pre-employment psychological screenings of police, correctional, and firefighter applicants, fitness-for-duty evaluations and consultation with police administrators. She was often consulted for her vast expertise in the diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder and its treatment. Additionally, she developed and implemented stress management and other group training programs.

Dr. Cornell relocated to Arizona in 2006 and had been a consultant with various law enforcement agencies including Tempe and Phoenix Police Departments and the Department of Public Safety. She also taught college courses in various areas of psychology including adolescent development, understanding death & dying and the diagnosis and assessment of mental health disorders. She is eager to serve both the professions of psychology and law enforcement as a member of the Tucson Police Department. She is looking forward to the challenges and rewards of being the police psychologist. Dr. Cornell is scheduled to assume her new role in February 2009.

The Tucson Police Department and the TPOA is looking forward to working with Dr. Cornell.

After spending almost 20-years as a City Council member, Steve Leal will not  be running for a 6th term in Ward 5. Leal cited in a media release, "Now, I need to do some things for my family and myself at this time." However, he did indicate that he will continue to work in the community on issues of "sustainability, civil rights, and the arts."

Now, there is the obvious issue of who will run for the seat in 2009. In a time where Tucson is suffering a huge deficit, violent crime increasing, an understaffed police department, and the current Council still trying to figure out what their core priorities should be, the next person who comes in must be fundamentally sound. We cannot have another council member who places their ideology first, rather than putting core services first to keep this city safe, and bowing down to the vocal minority.

Tucson is a big city and we have big problems. It will take strong leaders to turn this ship around before it’s too late and we become the Detroit, Michigan of the Southwest.

Attendees: A/C Allen; TPOA Representatives Larry Lopez, Mike Gurr, Brian Berg, Scott Morken, Jon Zaugra, Dave Contreras

Topics of Discussion:

- Responses to calls requiring 10-84’s: A/C Allen was informed of the constant violations of dispatch protocol when sending a solo officer to calls requiring an 84 and asking the officer, "Do you need a 10-84?" or "Can you advise on a 10-84?" The officer, feeling the need to take the call because of staffing levels and/or pressure from the administration to get calls cleared off the computer screens, takes the call solo. In light of all the violence this year on our officers, the TPOA requested that A/C Allen enforce the rules and not let Commo send a solo officer to those calls. If there are no 84’s the officer waits for one to clear regardless of the call load.

- "Baker Units" : It appears there are mixed responses from the officers about Baker units; however, the Divisional commanders do maintain the option of utilizing theses units. The idea of using Baker units with a senior officer and a rookie officer like a "mentoring" program was discussed. The rookie officer can get exposure to how the senior officer handles field situations and in doing so they already have a Baker unit when the call requires two officers.

- Supervisor and Lt. Training: TPOA encourages the Department to continue training the supervisors and Lt.’s in the area of personnel issues, i.e. discipline matrix, chain of command reviews, implementation of discipline, grievance protocols. As grievances are filed by members, discrepancies are routinely found in the investigative packages.

- Budget Cuts/Phase III Redeployments: TPD will be holding 50 sworn vacancies open until the end of FY2009 (July 2009); holding civilian vacancies open until the end of FY09; Air Unit flight time reduced; As of now, the Department is declaring  Bikes, Motors, CRT and FORCE as "first responders" to keep City Hall from redeploying them back to patrol.

- Promotions: The Department (with City HRD approval) is planning to promote at least 5 detectives and 4 sergeants in January 2009.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to comment on the Sounding Board or contact any one of the TPOA Reps who attended the meeting. Thanks.

The TPOA would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a safe and Happy New Year!

On Saturday, December 20th the TPOA held our 9th Annual "Kids and Cops" Christmas event at Target Greatland (22nd/Harrison) where we sponsored over 300 children from our community to shop and spend $150 each so they too could have very Merry Christmas. TPD officers, Explorers, commanders and recruits from academy class 08-03 volunteered their time to help make this event the best one yet! Officers from the TPD Traffic Division also handed out free bike helmets for those children who selected a bicycle during their shopping spree.

There is nothing better to see than a smile on child’s face when they get to pick out a toy they have wanted all year and were wondering if they would ever be able to get it. Now that is truly priceless.

The TPOA would like to thank members from Headstart, DES and the Urban League for assisting us with the selection of the children and to all the employees at Target Greatland for their support of our event. A sincere Thank You to the many members of the TPOA and their spouses who spent many hours of their own time to plan and set up the event. Without you this event could never be the huge success it has become over the years.

And of course a let’s not forget to thank the many business sponsors and the community for their generous contributions that fund our kid events throughout the year.

Thank you everyone!

Rumor Control:

- "There are going to start laying off police officers" - FALSE - In a memo from the City Manger and at the Joint Labor Council meeting on December 11th, it was reiterated again that if lay offs were to occur Public Safety would not be touched.

- "They are going to cut our pay" -  FALSE - It appears this rumor began when people were hearing that Mesa PD officers were getting a "pay-cut of 2%". What really is happening is that Mesa officers will not be receiving the 2% pay increase in January that they were hoping to receive, due to the horrible economy and the City of Mesa’s overall poor planning the officers will not get the increase. The City of Mesa is on the verge of economic collapse and this has found its way down to their PD.

- "We have 63 officers in the testing process with other agencies" - FALSE - It appears this number is being confused with the 63 we will have lost this year to the DROP retirements. According to TPD HRD there is one officer currently in a process with another agency. We have however, lost 9 officers to other agencies since July 1, 2008.

FYI - The City of Phoenix is facing a $250 million dollar deficit  and is looking to lay off about 2.500 city employees. The State is facing a $3 Billion dollar deficit which only means more financial trouble for everyone, including Tucson and our comparison cities.

FYI - As of 12/19/08 there are three commanders from TPD who have applied for the Chief position - A/C John Leavitt, Captain Clay Kidd and Captain Brett Klien. There are at least 20 others from the outside who have applied and the application process is still open.

If you have any other rumors that you need verified or quashed, please don’t hesitate to call or go to the Sounding Board and submit them.

Your President,

Larry A. Lopez

Recently,  I met with Chief Criminal Deputy David Berkman and Prosecutor Rick Unklesbay to discuss the issues/concerns over aggravated assaults on officers and the "Brady" list (a.k.a the "liars" list).

Berkman indicated it appears there is a misunderstanding with regard to aggravated assaults on officers, when cases are prosecuted, plea bargained, sent to City Court, or dismissed. I explained to them and cited cases where officers who were victims were never notified of the disposition or received a notice after the case was closed and that this was causing distrust for the County Attorney’s office. I told them that not only was the notification system breaking down, but State law requires the C.A.’s Office to notify the officer before the case is adjudicated. Mr. Berkman stated that  he would work with TPD detectives to make sure that officers are notified of their case, and if the officer was not satisfied with the decisions of the C.A. he would personally meet with the officer. He also said he will be conducting internal training with the line attorneys with regard to these issues.

I am continuing to work with Mr. Berkman to remove four of our officers from the "Brady" list who have been on there without just cause. These officers were added to the list by former TPD legal advisor Bev Ginn several years ago and even after TPOA and former Chief of Police Miranda disagreed with the Ginn’s submitted names, County Attorney Barbara LaWall refused to remove them. A written request to State Attorney General Goddard to have his office investigate LaWall’s decision was basically ignored. Mr. Berkman indicated that he will personally review the cases and make a decision on whether or not to remove the officers from the list.

In a letter written to me following this meeting, Berkman stated, "This office is willing to do what ever it takes to make sure that the relationship we have with law enforcement is one of mutual understanding." He continued by stating, "I would reiterate my request that when there are problems that your members or any police officers are having with this office that they bring them to my attention. Police officers have one of the most difficult jobs in our community and I am always willing to sit down and listen to their concerns."

I will keep you posted on any changes. Please feel free to comment on the Sounding Board.

Your President,
Larry A. Lopez

On December 9, 2008 Mayor and Council approved a $31 million dollar budget cut recommendation from City Manager Mike Hien which included cutting TPD’s operational budget up to $7 million before the end of the fiscal year (June ‘09). The March ‘09 police academy was canceled leaving only the January ‘09 academy with 30-33 recruits. Originally, TPD was to hire at least 135 new officers prior to the end of the fiscal year. This leaves TPD down 75 authorized positions. With TPD losing at least 18 officers to mandatory retirement by June ‘09 it is unlikely that TPD will meet its authorized strength of staffing.

Meanwhile, M&C (with the exception of Ms. Scott, Ward IV) are still trying to figure out what their priorities should be and what should be cut. Fortunately, as of now the City is not looking to lay-off any of its personnel, but at the same time they are not willing to cut from "outside"groups funded by the City which equates to $130 Million in discretionary funds (tax payers money!). They would rather cut TPD to the bone when Tucson is dealing with record breaking homicides (74), gangs, increased narcotic trafficking, sky rocketing home invasions, and the most violent year against our police officers in TPD’s history. All this as our officers are forced to do more with less.

M&C wants to "balance" their priorities (they refuse to define what those are) between public safety and other services. What this means is they are are not willing to give up subsidizing their special interest groups (i.e. Kidco, Access TV, Wingspan, Pima County Interfaith Council), but rather continue cuts to TPD and not allow us to hire much needed patrol officers. This will force TPD to re-deploy its Bike, Community Response Teams, DUI officers and possibly our Motorcycle officers back to patrol. In doing so, this would cause huge gaps in service throughout the City.

In the first recommendation of cuts from Mike Hein he included cuts to these special interest groups; however, M&C said "no" - describing the cuts as too "harsh". The second recommendation only had a 10% cut from these groups. Here’s what I think is too harsh - one officer killed, two officers shot, one officer severely stabbed, several officers shot at, and many officers victims of aggravated assault.

If M&C really cared about this City and its police officers it would have taken the discretionary funds and balanced the budget which would have removed the deficit and funded public safety. But when you have Ms. Trasoff continuing to state, "We as Mayor and Council have to figure out what our priorities are", you have to demand this Council to stand up and make the right decisions.

Here’s my question to you, the tax payers: Name one thing this M&C has done in the last three years that has had a significant impact on our community  - not just for the vocal minority - but for everyone? If you have an answer, please let me know.