FORMER UPOA President
This is the last Presidentís message that will be written under the threat of a missed deadline and all that the Editor could, would, should, do to me. Itís been a great term, but I am ready for it to be done. Ready because I leave the helm of the UPOA with the greatest hopes for the next three years. I believe that the leadership in line for the next terms, Dennis Bailey, Russ Lee, and Mike Galieti, form a core of vision and leadership that will take the UPOA to greater heights of service than ever before.
Thanks are due to: 1, my wife; 2, every deputy, officer, jailer, controller, agent, marshal, dispatcher, mister and maíam, who walks the law enforcement and corrections path, and who is at the heart of public safety service; 3, my bosses; and, 4, the men and women of the legislature who listened and cared. My wife is owed for constant support and no complaints over my travel and meeting schedule (except to note that I am wearing out). Some have commented to me that they donít understand how I get done the things I get done. I donít think that I do much more than anyone else, but what good I do is primarily because of my wifeís encouragement and counsel.
I owe every officer in this state for their individual contributions. I have the opportunity to travel and visit many other departments throughout the nation. Perhaps you have heard me comment that Utah officers donít get paid the best (duh!). Or that Utah officers have good training, but not the best. And Utah officers have adequate equipment, but not the latest and not the best. Why does Utah have the best public safety officers in the nation, in the world? We strive, and accomplish, to have excellence in integrity. For that, I thank you, and for your example to me, I humbly take off my hat to you.
More hours than I ever imagined are required to stand at the helm of the UPOA. Without a great Editor and Administrative Assistant, it could not be done. There are two others who made it possible. Without the public and private encouragement and unfailing support of Commissioner Bob Flowers and Director Sid Groll, I could not have had the time to actively participate in many meetings, or to spend innumerable waking hours (and a few sleeping hours) at the Legislature, and to travel throughout the state to meet with officers.
As I have worked with the President of the Utah Sheriffs Association, Sheriff Lamont Smith, and the President of the Utah Chiefs of Police Association, Chief Val Shupe, as well as many other agency executives, I have consistently observed that their primary concern, first and foremost, has been the men and women in their organizations. They struggle with the realities of budgets and city councils and county commissions and state legislatures, and they publicly support your efforts for better pay and benefits. I see that they not only support you behind closed doors, but they are truly concerned about you and your families. When was the last time that you wrote a private note of thanks to your boss? Would you consider doing that today?
Weíve not been wildly successful at the Legislature in the past few years. Budgets have been tight. About the only thing that has freely flown in the state capitol has been blame for the years of revenue shortages. Even so, many legislators have placed public safety officer benefits squarely toward the top of their priority lists. Thank you to the legislators who have listened, empathized, and voted. Thank you to those who have made quiet promises, backed by integrity, instead of reckless promises of a better tomorrow, if only you will vote for me. We know times are tough. But donít make public safety the whipping boy of the budget. We deliver integrity and commitment to Utah; we ask you to return the same to us.
While we giving thanks, I am grateful to have worked with wonderful leaders in the Utah Highway Patrol Association, local and state lodges of the Fraternal Order of Police, Retired Troopers Association, Utah Sheriffís Association, Utah Public Employees Association Law Enforcement District, AFSCME Law Enforcement District, Utah Correctional Association, Utah Chiefs of Police Association, and many, many individual officers, and individual county and city associations. We came together like never before to move the retirement issue off dead center. We learned that representing 9,000 officers and their voting families can have a real impact. Watch out! To quote the California Governator: ìWeíll be back!î
I challenge you to not vote for any legislative candidate next month that you donít know. Take the time to call the women and men running. Extract personal commitments from them about their commitment to public safety issues. At the very least, be confident that you are voting for someone who will take your phone call, or come to the House or Senate chamber doors to see you, during the next Legislature. Donít reelect those who have wilfully failed us. Ask the hard questions and expect answers.
Now what? Iíll still be around; I canít afford to take early retirement and move to Tahiti. Thatís not really part of the plan, anyway. Last year, Rick, Dennis, Russ, and I decided that more continuity was needed in two UPOA functions. Thus, we agreed that Dennis Bailey would serve at least three years on the POST Council. I am happy to report that he is in his second year, and is contributing well. We also agreed that I would serve as the legislative liaison (AKA ìlobbyistî) at least through the end of Russís term. So the Representatives and Senators and Governor will have me knocking on their doors through the 2006 Legislature. As for the rest of UPOA business, I plan to get out of Dennisís way quite quickly and to stay out of his way. Iíll also be working hard to finish a legal guide for street cops in Utah, to be published by the UPOA.
Weíll be adding to our family shortly. My old police service dog, Monty, of the Uintah County Sheriffs Office, is retiring. In a long standing family tradition of German Shepherds in the house, heíll be coming to live with us. His drug sniffs will be limited to the cars and trucks of young men who wish to date my four daughters. His bite remains solid and deep. Only the finest and bravest young men need apply to date the Wallentine girls.
Thanks for the trust in allowing me to serve. I am deeply honored to serve you. God bless America and her public safety officers.
Everyone has wants and needs. Just ask my teenagers. All is well when the income matches, or exceeds, the output. In the past couple of years, that has not been the case with the UPOA. Add in the sad fact that weíve paid a large number of death claims, and a few other expenses, and we find ourselves needing to tighten belts. Donít sound the alarm just yet. We wonít be laying off our sole office employee, or photocopying the magazine, or canceling any shooting events. But the Board of Directors is wringing its hands at wanting to provide additional training, and even more benefits to members, while looking at shrinking revenues.
Dues are helpful and important. Most of our expenses are paid through selling advertisements in the magazine. Post-9/11, many businesses are belt-tightening and cutting back on contributions and advertising expenses. Thatís the single most impacting factor on our revenue loss.
Weíve taken two steps to turn things around. First, we are aggressively considering additional training opportunities so that we can better serve existing members and recruit new members. Weíre also looking at a major effort to get the UPOA message before every officer and department in the state. Second, weíve added a new fund-raising effort. Fund Raising 2003-04
The Board has decided to partner with a company that creates sports and entertainment events. This spring, we will sponsor a celebrity basketball game with team players from the Denver Broncos, somewhere in the Davis County area. If it works, weíll do more events.
Our role will be limited to sponsorship and providing volunteers to take tickets at the door. This is not a new thing to Utah. Several other law enforcement organizations have done the same fund raising effort with the same company. They report that the events are good family events, and they received substantial financial benefits. The bulk of the ticket sales are made by telephone contacts. Most are to businesses, with some calls going to homes. The marketing message will be reviewed and approved by the UPOA.
Fallen Officer Fund
We also sponsored a Fallen Officer 10k Run to boost the slim dollars
in the Fallen Officer Fund. Sadly, weíve had occasion to help several families
of fallen officers in the past few years. I hope that the Board does not
have to consider any needs for fallen officers during my term. Odds are
that we will. The income from the first run was not great, but weíre doing
a second run in St. George in November. We had many law enforcement
officers and academy cadets run in the first 10k, and hope to see plenty
of runners in St. George. Several corporate sponsors generously donated.
Insurance Benefit
And now a word about insurance. As I write this message, I have
$8,000.00 in checks for the widows of eight officers killed in the line
of duty in the past three years. These checks were delivered to the
UPOA by the American Income Life Insurance Company. Through the UPOA, American
Income Life offers group term life insurance and other insurance products.
Before you dial the phone, let me assure you that the UPOA does not give
out your address or phone number. We mail the mailings directly from our
office (at the companyís expense - not ourís) and your phone number is
dialed only if you provide it on the return card to the company.
Bottom line, you get the $1,000.00 insurance, plus $500.00 for your spouse
and $250.00 for each child, whether you send the card back with your phone
number or not. You choose whether you get a phone call and/or visit.
If you want to talk to American Income Life about additional insurance,
it is your choice. Did I mention that they have paid out $8,000.00
for benefits that cost members absolutely nothing? You are insured at no
cost to you as long as you remain a member of UPOA.
Legislation
The UPOA has joined with the Fraternal Order of Police, Utah Highway
Patrol Association, Utah Public Employees Association, Salt Lake City Police
Association, Utah Sheriffs Association, and the Utah Chiefs of Police Association
in forming CURE (Cops United for Retirement Equity). I have spent
countless hours with this group preparing for the legislature. Iíve
visited with several legislators, and will visit àin personà with most
every legislator before the session to talk about the COLA bill. Last week,
I spent a great evening with two dozen legislators, county commissioners,
mayors, and another dozen sheriffs and chiefs explaining the COLA situation.
In the middle of the discussion, Representative Noel (Kanab) stood up and
told his fellow legislators that supporting the COLA bill was the right
thing to do and he was firmly committed. Weíre confident of his vote,
but we may assign Sergeant Cameron Noel of the Beaver County Sheriffís
Office to continue to lobby Representative (and dad) Noel. Kane County
officers and deputies à when you see Representative Noel, give him a respectful
high five.
Please support the UPOA in this effort. Call your legislator
and invite him or her on a ridealong. Tale them to breakfast or lunch.
Call me and Iíll come to wherever you are meeting to talk to them with
you. Talk to them about the UPOA and our COLA bill. Tell them
that you care about the issue, and read Mike Galietiís article on the COLA
issue. If any legislator has questions, I will drive to wherever necessary
and meet with them.
I want to thank Les Langford for his years of service on the Utah Retirement
Systems Member Advisory Board. Les is now among the ranks of the retired
himself. What great service he has rendered. We all owe him.
Iíve appointed Officer Mike Galieti of the West Jordan Police Department
to succeed Les. Mike came to law enforcement with a solid background in
business, retirement and financial planning, and insurance.
Why Are Utah Cops the
Best Anywhere?
If you havenít heard me answer this question, call me up and let me
give it to you straight. As I travel around the nation lecturing
and consulting with police agencies, I see that there are officers with
far, far better equipment. I find that most cops throughout this
country make more money doing the same job as we do. While our training
system is good, there are others with much greater resources and offering
superior training. So what makes us the very best, the finest of
all? The answer is simple. Our standards. We expect more of ourselves
and each other. More honor. More integrity. More hard work.
And Utah law enforcement and corrections officers deliver, day in and day
out.
I thank you. God bless America and her public safety officers. Stay
safe, brothers and sisters.
==================================
I failed in business at age 22.
I ran for the State Legislature at age 23 and lost.
I went bankrupt at age 24.
I ran for the State Legislature at age 25 and won.
My true love died when I was 26 and I was distraught. I suffered a
nervous breakdown at age 27.
I ran for Speaker of the Legislature at age 29 and lost.
I ran for Elector at age 31 and lost.
I ran for Congress at age 34 and lost.
I ran for Congress at age 37 and won.
I ran for Congress at age 39 and lost.
I ran for the U.S. Senate at age 46 and lost.
I ran for the U.S. Vice-president at age 47 and lost.
I ran for the U.S. Senate at age 49 and lost.
The answer, of course, is ìHonest Abe.î Before his election as the sixteenth president, Lincoln endured a string of failures and tragedies. He persevered. When provided the opportunity to make excuses, he quietly declined.
My family and I recently traveled throughout the eastern United
States visiting historical sites. We stood at the location of the Boston
Massacre. We walked the Freedom Trail. We crossed the bridge where the
ìshot heard round the worldî was fired. And we experienced the reverence
and dignity of Gettysburg.
As I stood on the location where Lincoln delivered the memorable
Gettysburg Address, I thought of Lincolnís well-earned reputation for integrity.
What would Abraham Lincoln have to say about the state of ethics today?
Would he find the excuses ìeveryone does itî or ìIím entitled to . . .î
acceptable explanations for unethical conduct?
Weíre cops. The beauty of that statement is its simplicity.
Weíre the good guys. Simple and so true. We do the right thing
when the bandits pull capers. I have a constant theme when I speak
to young recruits at Academy graduations. While I invite them to
join the UPOA, I tell them what the men and women of the UPOA and all law
enforcement expect of them.
We expect no excuses for misconduct. We expect total integrity.
We expect fidelity. We expect no sexual misconduct. We expect obedience
to the law. The public expects it of us. We promised to meet that expectation.
We expect it of ourselves, and we honor one another by our integrity.
Last night our family discussed honesty. My twelve year old asked
each family member to share a story of honesty. I chose to tell about the
time my mother caught me stealing a candy bar from a market in Nibley Park.
The details are vivid over forty years later. I wish that I could
say that was the only lapse of integrity in my life. Most of us make mistakes;
most of us learn from them. I often do.
Letís remember that we are all law enforcement mentors, intentional
or not. Ethics are best taught by example. Constant, unfailing, example.
Iím honored to serve the best law enforcement officers in the world.
==============
Vol 81 Issue 1
They say that two things you should never watch being made are
hot dogs and laws. Iíve seen both processes. I donít eat hot dogs. I do
think that you should see laws being made. It is not all bad, though there
are moments that turns oneís stomach.
Law enforcement could have fared worse this year. Law enforcement
could have fared better this year. That about sums up the legislative process
as I have known it since I first went to work on the campaign of an unknown
lawyer named Orrin Hatch.
The heroes of the 2004 General Session of the Utah Legislature:
ï Senator Chris Buttars. Could there have been a more vigorous
and effective advocate for us? I doubt it. Senator Buttars successfully
carried our Lawfully Obtained Private Property Protection Act (the Initiative
B fine tuning bill) in the face of attacks, threats, and an onslaught of
negative publicity. He never wavered, not for one tiny moment. This man
knows no fear. When he was told to back off from the COLA bill, he wouldnít.
The COLA equity train is on the track, and it is Senator Chris Buttars
who deserves that credit. What a great friend to law enforcement.
ï Representative Steve Urquhart. Representative Urquhart
carried the Lawfully Obtained Private Property Protection Act in the House
of Representatives. He built a coalition against the greatest of
odds. When the Speaker of the House was hugging (literally) the radical
representative from F.E.A.R., Representative Urquhart was putting it on
the line for cops fighting drugs.
ï Representative Darin Peterson from Juab County. This legislator
actually came to me and asked how he could help the UPOA this session.
Every time we needed to see him, without exception, he promptly left the
floor, politely listened to our needs, and he let us know where he stood
without any waffling. Fact is, he also voted 100% of the time for law enforcement
interests, even when threatened by the opponents of SB 175. He stood tall
and defended Utah cops on the House floor when Representative LaVar Christensen
called us ìcops on commissionî trying to get our hands on forfeiture money
from drug dealers. None of Representative Petersonís constituents were
among the over one hundred cops in the House Gallery listening, but he
wasnít going to sit back and listen to that kind of insult to Utah law
enforcement. He didnít gain any brownie points with his voters, but he
showed his true colors. That was courage and integrity!
ï Representative David Litvak. Once again, he presented himself
to be beaten up over trying to get a good hate crimes law passed. The law
enforcement community has supported this effort for many years. By
the way, Representative Litvak also voted 100% of the time for law enforcement
interests.
ï Colonel Scott Duncan. What a gentleman. I wish that the troopers
could have all seen what I saw as Colonel Duncan quietly and passionately
worked for his troops. My respect deepened for his concern for the men
and women who call him boss.
ï Bob Flowers and Sid Groll. The UPOA Board did not give
me a raise this year, meaning that I get paid exactly the same as last
year to represent your legislative interests: (nada). But thanks
to my boss at POST, Iíve been able to work flexible hours to get the urgent
stuff done, and the Director and others have picked up some of my slack.
Without their support, I could not have spent every day at the Capitol.
When I offered to take vacation time to be at the Legislature, so that
Commissioner Flowers could not be criticized by some legislators who wish
that cops would stay silently in the background, Bob Flowers responded
with characteristic aplomb: ìheck (or something like that) no!î ìYou
do what you have to do to represent the UPOA. I support the UPOA!î
Commissioner Flowers has been a great support for our organization, both
as St. George P.D. Chief of Police and now as Commissioner of Public Safety.
ï Representatives and Senators. Most of them listened,
many of them supported us, and the vast majority worked hard for the public
good and not private interests. Theyíre good people, and they deserve
our sincere appreciation. Even if they donít always agree with cops.
ï Utah law enforcement officers. For the first time ever,
we joined forces as over 9,000 active and retired officers. We made a difference.
We played nice together. And by darn, it worked! Watch out for us next
year!
Yes, there were a few non-heroes. Letís worry about getting out
to caucuses and out to vote and make sure that the non-heroes are replaced
by men and women who will listen carefully to the needs of law enforcement.
That part is up to you.
Within the next two months, I will have the chance to meet with
nearly all officers in the state as you are invited to the annual legislative
updates held throughout the urban and rural areas. Please attend and learn.
Along with Paul Boyden and Mark Nash, Iíll be working on a booklet to give
you a summary of all the bills that affect law enforcement. Iíll see some
of you at EDI and weíll talk about the new laws.
Tomorrow (March 5), at POST, weíll be having a great time doing
sit-ups and push-ups to benefit the son of one of our officers. Bug Fowers
is suffering from leukemia and phenomenally costly treatment. I hope that
you contributed. Itís not too late if you did not; just visit the UPOA
web site. This is what makes me most proud, to see you give so generously
when one of our own suffers.
Yes, I think that you should watch laws being made. You should
watch, so that you know how to influence the law-making process. Our legislators
did a pretty good job. Mostly, they do what they do for what they believe
to be the right reasons. The only thing worse than living in the United
States of America is living anywhere else.
Can I ask just one more thing from you? Would you call
your senator and representative and express your appreciation?
And while youíre at it, thank God that you live in the most free
nation ever to exist on this earth. Thank Him that your son doesnít
have leukemia, and maybe drop a word on behalf of Bug Fowers. Remember
Jade Pusey in your prayers, too.
God bless America and her public safety professionals.
Editorís Note: Our President in his message left out one person who, in my opinion, is another hero, and not just during the 2004 Legislative Session, but in general, and thatís Ken Wallentine. He has done our law enforcement family a lot of good. Thank you so much!!! We appreciate what you have done and will do for us in the future. And we want to thank his wife, Janet, for her support. Many of us understand how tough legislative session is on hard-working individuals such as Ken and their families.
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