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CONGRATULATIONS
to
Our New Hires and to Our
Retirees:
New
Hires:
Deputy A. Balagtas
Deputy H.
Barack
Deputy J.
Chavez-Garcia
Deputy L.
Chiu
Deputy K.
Cittar
Deputy E.
Dizon
Deputy M.
Elliot
Deputy J.
Fender
Deputy M.
Folger
Deputy
A. Fox
Deputy R. Giovannetti
Deputy Z. Grimaldi
Deputy R. Jayme,
Jr.
Deputy N. Kinder
Deputy S.
Kinnear
Deputy M.
Koozmin
Deputy A.
Maceda
Deputy S.
Ned
Deputy R.
Neves
Deputy D.
Pan
Deputy D.
Quintanilla
Deputy B.
Sam
Deputy D.
Wan
Deputy D.
Yanguas
Storekeeper - David
Carter
Rehabilitation Services
Coordinators
Pippi Jones
Ayoola Mitchell
Chloe Turner
Retired
Staff:
George Gong
Institutional Police Officer
30 Years of service
Judy Wilson
Senior Legal Process Clerk
36 Years of service
Lieutenant K. Devoy
24 Years of
service |
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©
2016
San
Francisco
Sheriff's
Department
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A
Message from
Sheriff
Vicki
Hennessy
Welcome
to the March/April edition of our newsletter. I
want to start by thanking Kenya Briggs for all
her work over the past year as the Department's
Public Information Officer, especially in
putting together our newsletter every month and
managing our social media. She did a great job
and we wish her all the best in her new life
with her family on the East
Coast.
This
issue highlights the good work of
our Deputy
Sheriffs that rarely gets reported
in the media, including the honoring of Senior
Deputy Michael Clauzel by Rotary Club #2. We
take a look at the importance of regular
exercise for maintaining good mental health,
continuing training for sworn staff, and an
innovative dog
care class offered at the Women's Resource
Center.
In
last month's issue, we provided information on
suicide prevention. This month, we have a
feature about two separate potential suicides
that were prevented by staff members who
recognized the signs of suicidal thinking and
responded effectively. These cases are
emblematic of the work our Deputy
Sheriffs and staff do every day.
Some of the work is dramatic, like the stories
presented here, but most of the time, it
involves steady, day-to-day excellence in the
performance of our duties and providing a
presence that prevents problems from
happening.
My
calendar for past few weeks has
been very full. Let me share some of the
highlights:
On
February 29, I administered the Oath
of Office
to 24 new Deputy Sheriffs. I spoke to them about
the position of responsibility they now hold
as
public servants and peace officers, and my
expectations for the judicious exercise of their
authority. Four Deputy Sheriffs, who were already
academy trained, reported to work in
the Field Operations Division, while the
remaining 20 reported to the San Mateo Basic
Peace Officer's Standards and Training (POST)
Academy, where they will receive intensive law
enforcement training over the next few months.
Please join me in welcoming them to the
Department.
The
San Francisco health, criminal justice and
social service agencies are working together
more than ever to provide services to people
with mental health and substance abuse issues
who are at risk for offending. I recently
attended a meeting of city stakeholders to learn
more about Seattle's Law Enforcement Assisted
Diversion (LEAD) program, which seeks to divert
people with drug charges out of the criminal
justice system and into substance abuse
treatment. In San Francisco, the Police
Department and the District Attorney's Office
are developing and implementing a similar
program, called ABLE (Assistance Before Law
Enforcement). In addition, Mayor Ed Lee convened
a meeting of city agencies to explore a
cross-disciplinary approach to gun violence,
particularly among young men aged 26 to 36, who
make up the majority of people arrested on these
charges. As Sheriff, I am a member of the San
Francisco Re-Entry Council and the Sentencing
Commission, and look forward to working with the
criminal justice and social service communities
to continue to improve the ways that we address
crime and its underlying social issues.
The
Immigrant Rights Commission invited me to its
March meeting to discuss my proposed policy for
addressing ICE requests for Voluntary
Notification of Release. I am also continuing to
meet with the Free SF Coalition and other
representatives of the immigrant rights advocacy
community on the same issue.
One
of the most enjoyable aspects of being Sheriff
is having the opportunity to meet so many
interesting and impressive people whose
volunteer work has real impact on the lives of
San Franciscans. It was a great pleasure to meet
with alumnae of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
at their annual San Francisco City Hall Day.
This remarkable organization was formed at
Howard University in 1913 to promote academic
excellence and provide scholarships. The members
are dedicated to performing public service in
underserved communities, with a primary focus on
the African American community.
March
brought the celebration of St. Patrick's Day,
and I was honored to be joined by a group of
Deputy Sheriffs and non-sworn
members of the Department and their
families who volunteered to march in the St.
Patrick's Day Parade. Everyone we encountered
along the route enjoyed being "Irish for the
day," and many expressed their support of our
department.
Finally,
one recent Saturday morning, I joined
Congresswoman Jackie Speier at the Excelsior
Branch Library for "When I Grow Up," a program
that teaches young girls and teens about all the
career possibilities open to them. The
experience made me think of all the great women
and men of the Sheriff's Department who are
positive and motivating role models for the
young people in their communities. It is a
privilege to work with
you. |
Suicide Prevention Skills Save Two
Lives
When
Deputy Diego Perez of the Civil Unit's Eviction
Assistance noticed the elderly evictee he was
counseling had stopped making eye contact, a red
flag went up. The man had fought the eviction
through the Rent Board and the courts and had
won two stays of execution. But he had just
learned that his third request for a stay was
denied and he would have to leave the apartment
that had been his home for more than 20 years.
Now that the eviction was inevitable, he wanted
to know what would happen to his pets and his
property if he could not move them out in time.
As Deputy Perez sat with the man at a table in
the Civil lobby and explained that a
Deputy Sheriff would arrive at the
apartment and ask all occupants to leave while
the locks were changed, the man began to cry. He
said that his wife had recently passed away of
cancer, in their home, as he held her in his
arms. He had watched as the Medical Examiner
took her body away and now all he had left was
the home they had shared. Deputy Perez kept the
man talking as he continued to observe his body
language and listen to his concerns. He told the
man he was deeply concerned about him and asked
him what he planned to do that evening. The man
said, "I am going to go home and kill myself. I
want to end this all."
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Deputy
Perez |
Deputy Perez kept talking to the man,
encouraging him not to give up. Deputy Perez,
together with Sgt. Mike Kilgariff and Sr. Deputy
Jin Choi, made arrangements for the man to be
taken to San Francisco General Hospital's
Psychiatric Emergency Services unit for a mental
health evaluation. Deputy Perez brought the man
into the Civil Unit office and
explained that his statements had caused him to
be deeply concerned for his safety and he
thought it would be helpful for him to speak
with a mental health professional. Deputy Perez
rode with the man as he was transported, and
stayed with him to explain the process. As
Deputy Perez turned to leave, the man shook his
hand and said, "Thank you for saving my life
today, because I would have gone home and done
it."
The
eviction happened as scheduled, but thanks to
Deputy Perez, the man's family was able to get
involved and find a new home for him and his
pets.
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Cadet Singh |
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At San Francisco General Hospital, Cadet
Jonathan Singh was conducting routine exterior
stairwell checks in Building 80 when he saw a
patient exit the fifth floor door and head for
the railing wall, five stories above a parking
lot. Cadet Singh asked him if he was okay.
The man replied that he wanted to jump. As Cadet
Singh moved toward him, telling him to stop, the
man put his arms on top of the wall, preparing
to hoist himself over. Cadet Singh wrapped his
arm around the man, pulled him away from the
wall, and held on to him while using his radio
to summon help. A medical worker exiting the
fifth floor happened upon the scene and ran to
get medical staff to assist. While the man
continued to struggle and try to break free, a
doctor and a medical assistant helped to
restrain him. Senior Deputy Allen, Deputy Li and
Deputy Edwards responded to the scene and
escorted the man back into the hospital where he
was held for a mental health
evaluation.
Each
of these stories illustrates the importance of
closely observing the people we come in contact
with every day and knowing how to engage someone
determined to end their life. Deputy Perez used
his verbal skills to keep the man facing
eviction talking until he expressed his desire
to commit suicide, and then kept him safe until
he could receive mental health care. Cadet
Singh's task was more physical, but by verbally
engaging the patient, he distracted him, gaining
just enough time to reach him and pull him away
from
danger. |
San Francisco Rotary Club Honors Senior
Deputy
On February 23, Senior Deputy Michael
Clauzel was awarded the 2015, Rotary
Club Emergency Services Award
for his skill and bravery in the face of grave
danger.
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Senior Deputy
Clauzel |
On
October 8, 2015, Senior Deputy Clauzel was
driving home from work on Interstate 580 near
the intersection of Interstate 205 when a
serious collision happened in front of him. He
saw a Jeep resting upside down in the middle of
the number one lane, debris scattered all over
the highway and motorists stopping to help. Sr.
Deputy Clauzel stopped his car and organized the
motorists to assist the passengers of the Jeep
to safety at the side of the freeway. It was
then that he noticed a badly damaged BMW SUV
down an embankment with fire burning all around
it. As the fire intensified and spread, he ran
toward the car and discovered a young woman who
had been ejected from the vehicle, lying on the
ground, covered in blood and severely injured.
He tried to pull her away as the flames came
closer, but found he couldn't do it alone. He
called to two Good Samaritans to assist him.
Together, directed by him, they were able to
carry her to safety. Sr. Deputy Clauzel then
instructed the two to place his jacket under her
head, immobilize her to prevent further injury
and treat her for shock.
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Sheriff Hennessy
congratulating Senior Deputy Clauzel at the
Rotary Club award
Luncheon |
Returning
to the freeway, Sr. Deputy Clauzel
assisted off-duty San
Francisco Police Officer Raymond Padmore, who
had also happened upon the scene, in directing
traffic around the accident. He moved his car to
block traffic in front of the injured woman,
while Officer Padmore cleared a path for
emergency vehicles and created space for a life
flight helicopter to land. When the California
Highway Patrol and the Tracy Fire Department
arrived, Sr. Deputy Clauzel and Officer Padmore
stayed to assist in stabilizing the scene and
interviewing witnesses.
In
addition to saving the life of Brianna Vargas,
Sr. Deputy Clauzel's quick thinking and
leadership ability contained the accident and
prevented other motorists from crashing into it.
In accepting the Rotary Club award, Sr. Deputy
Clauzel recognized the unselfish acts of the
Good Samaritans who stopped to render aid, and
the exceptional work of Officer
Padmore. |
Dog Care at the Women's Resource
Center
In
March, the staff
of the
Women's
Resource Center hosted a four-part series of dog
care workshops, where dog lovers learned how to
better care for their loyal companions
and how to translate those new skills into
possible employment.
Practicing on real dogs - four friendly and very
patient dogs - students learned the
basics of grooming, including nail care, as well
as the proper way to walk a dog. They learned
dog etiquette, how to read a dog's body
language and the right way to approach a dog for
the first time. Most important, students learned
how to perform dog cardiopulmonary
resuscitation (CPR)
to save the lives of the pets who add so much to
the lives of their human
companions.
 Taught by a
skillful dog groomer, the workshops gave
students the opportunity to get real
experience working with a professional and
learned useful skills they can use every
day. |
Exercise: It's Easier Than You
Think
Scientists
have found that regular participation in aerobic
exercise has been shown to decrease overall
levels of tension, elevate and stabilize mood,
improve sleep, and improve
self-esteem.
Stress and
anxiety are part of all of our lives. But,
for about 10 percent of the US population stress
can turn into anxiety disorders. The good news
is that more and more studies show that one
important - and easy - way to keep stress in
check is regular exercise.
At the West Coast Post
Trauma Retreat, which is designed especially for
first respondors
who suffer
from the effects of Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), regular exercise is
included as part of the participants' ongoing
treatment plans. Aerobic exercise is
particularly helpful in dealing with stress both
at work and at home. Short term, it can clear
the mind. Long term, it provides a sense of
accomplishment. Additionally, using an approach
that includes regular aerobic exercise to
resolve stress has a positive long-term impact
on overall health that unhealthy alternatives,
like overeating or abusing drugs and alcohol,
can't provide.
What
constitutes aerobic activity? There are many
more scientific definitions out there, but
aerobic exercise is any activity that causes you
to sweat and to breathe harder for a sustained
period of time. When first starting, that can be
as short as a few minutes. It is as easy as
simply walking. If you are new to exercise, try
walking at a pace that feels brisk to you and
requires a bit of effort for about 20 minutes
three times a week. Just putting one foot in
front of another is something that can be done
wherever you are and takes no special
equipment.
You
may feel immediate positive results, but give
yourself six to eight weeks for your body to get
used to moving around and for walking to become
a habit. You just might find yourself exploring
other forms of aerobic exercise, like swimming,
running or cycling, but even if walking is all
you want to do, do it regularly and you will
find yourself better able to handle
stress. |
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Spotlight
on Training - Crisis Intervention
Training
The
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has
found that each year, more than two million jail
bookings in the United States involve a person
with mental illness. In the San Francisco County
Jails, it is estimated that between seven and 14
percent of the 2015 population suffered from
serious mental illness. One in four people
killed in officer involved shootings nationwide
had a serious mental illness. These numbers make
clear what those in law enforcement have known
anecdotally for many years, that law enforcement
agencies have become the first responders to
people experiencing mental health crisis, and
jails have become the principal providers of
mental health treatment.
In
response to that sad reality, the Sheriff's
Department, in consultation with the Department
of Public Health's Behavioral Health Services,
developed and implemented a 24-hour block of
crisis intervention training given as part of
the jail operations course, and reinforced in
subsequent periodic training. It is conducted in
a collaborative format by a team of sworn
Department staff and staff from Behavioral
Health Services. The training consists of
de-escalation techniques designed to facilitate
positive resolution to incidents involving
individuals who have a severe mental illness,
may be developmentally disabled, or be
experiencing a psychiatric emergency.
The
Department provides additional opportunities for
sworn staff to improve their responsiveness to
crisis situations by serving in the Crisis
Negotiation Team (CNT). Selection
for the CNT is rigorous, consisting of a
combination of oral boards and written exams,
including the Commission on Peace Officer
Standards and Training (POST) Hostage
Negotiators Basic Course. Members participate in
on-going professional training. They respond
with the Special Response Team to critical
incidents in all divisions, including the Civil
Unit, where there may be a need for
negotiations, such as hostage situations or
barricaded individuals. They also assist in
intelligence gathering and logistics during
critical
incidents. |
Sheriff's
Department
Employees
March
in
the
Saint
Patrick's Day Parade
In
March, the Sheriff's Department joined Irish
Americans through the San Francisco Bay Area by
marching in the Saint Patrick's Day
Parade.
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Members of the Sheriff's Department waiting
to begin the parade.
From Left to Right: Senior Deputy
Campion, Senior Deputy Conway, Deputy
O'Malley, Sergeant O'Shea, Deputy Webb,
Sergeant Kuhns, Sheriff Hennessy, Captain
Fisher, Senior Deputy James, Deputy
Cosgrove, Deputy Quinn, Chief Deputy
Gorwood, Deputy Josif, Lieutenant
Scannell |
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Sheriff Hennessy passes out Junior Deputy
stickers to kids at the Saint Patrick's Day
Parade. |
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From Left to Right:
Deputy Cosgrove, Captain Fisher,
Sheriff Hennessy, Sergeant Kuhns, Lietutenant
Scannell | |
and
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