Deputy Sheriff’s Association of Bexar County

Bexar County Chronicle First Quarter 2015

Welcome into our family Jalene! With all the recent additions the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office has made by hiring staff for the detention division, DSABC and BCSO partnered to bring on one of the biggest and most unique additions the Sheriff’s Office has ever had.

Jalene Salinas was recently diagnosed with having a rare PNET tumor or Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumor. Despite aggressive treatment and surgeries, the malignant disease has reappeared and got worst. Despite the setbacks she has had up until this point, it has not stopped her from living life to the fullest.

Sheriff Susan Pamerleau awarded four year old Jalene the title of Honorary Deputy, for her courageous and inspiring will she has displayed towards the community during this difficult time. With a heart filled of joy and a smile that can light up a room, Jalene has all the intangibles that is expected of a Depu-ty to have. And it is because of this that we are so proud to welcome her into our family.

Continued on P4….

One badge. One voice

Pictured from left to right: Deputy William Espinoza, Deputy James Ma, DSABC V. Pres. Alfred Alcantar, Honor Guard Deputy Raul Medellin, Deputy Melissa Delgado, Honorary Deputy Jalene Sa-linas, 379th Judge Ron Rangel, DSABC Secretary Rudy Dominguez, Judicial Services Chief Tammy Burr, Honor Guard Deputy Juan Mireles, DSABC PIO Johnny Garcia, Sgt Raul Garza, Sgt Mike Carrillo, Deputy Christopher Jackson.

DSABC President guarantees membership relentless effort for the upcoming year A new year is upon us and along with it comes the negotiation of a new Collective Bar-gaining Agreement. There are several issues that are going to be brought up as important topics. The Board of Directors have been brain storming during meetings since taking office in October. They have chosen to employ labor attorney Craig Deats for the upcoming negotia-tions. Mr. Deats has over thirty years of labor negotiation experience and is very comfortable with the current Board of Directors.

I strongly urge the membership to contact their respective Board of Directors representative and share your thoughts. Any thoughts or ideas are welcome so make sure your voice is heard. Continued on P5….

DSABC’s political en-

dorsement, coincidental-

ly a winning component

or a key factor? P7

Know your rights, and

how the CBA protects

you. P6

dsabc.org

In memory of and dedicated to all of our fallen brothers’ and sisters’

The profession of law enforcement is difficult and dangerous, yet each day holds a certain unknown danger for both detention and law enforcement officers across the nation. We head into work hoping to make it home safe, but for some, that opportunity never comes. From pure acts of valor, to an unexpected gunman deciding to commit pure acts of evil, officers are taken from us far too often. 2015 has already seen 14 line of duty deaths. Two of those deaths were from the TDCJ when the Corrections Officers were transporting inmates and the bus was involved in an acci-dent. One of three K-9’s killed was from Wise County, he was shot and killed by a suspect with several warrants.

The state of law enforcement is

changing, will you be ready for it? 2014 was a difficult year for law enforcement, and for those families of law enforcement officers. From the heav-ily publicized and scrutinized events in Ferguson, MI to the tragic end of 2014 by losing two NYPD officers in a brutal ambush attack by a single lunatic. The day to day actions of law enforcement have never been under such focus as they are today. In 2014, 15 police officers were killed in ambush style attacks. For the fifth year straight, ambush style attacks were the number one cause of police officer fatalities.

During “peaceful protests” in New York City, protes-tors were heard saying: “what do we want? Dead Cops! When do we want it? Now!” just days before the fatal ambush attack on NYPD officers, Wenjian Liu, 7 year veteran and Rafael Ramos, 2 year veteran.

NYPD Patrolman’s Benevolent Association President Pat-rick Lynch blamed New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, for allowing such anti-cop protests to continue during the

time of conflict the department was facing. “I’m putting wings on pigs today... they take one of ours lets take two of theirs,” was the Instagram post made by the would be killer before the ambush occurred.

One minute before the ambush took place, the Balti-more County Police Department sent a fax to NYPD in-forming them of the assailants intentions.

K9 Pepper Wise County Sheriff’s Office EOW: Wednesday, January 28, 2015 Cause of Death: Gunfire

Corrections Officer V Christopher Davis Texas Depart. Of Criminal Justice, TX EOW: Wednesday, January 14, 2015 Cause of Death: Automobile accident

Corrections Officer V Eligio Garcia Texas Department of Criminal Justice, TX EOW: Wednesday, January 14, 2015 Cause of Death: Automobile accident

Not here with us, but in

spirit you shall always

remain...

On behalf of the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard Sgt. Jerry Garza (left) and William Hendricks (right) attended the NYPD funeral for the slain officers in 2014. Courtesy BCSO Facebook

First Quarter 2015 Bexar County Chronicle dsabc.org

Officer Safety With the current events that Police Officers have been involved in, there have been anti-cop movements throughout our nation. Attacks on police officers have been posted on online blogs and articles, through so-cial media sites, and protestors have been chanting for dead officers. Whatever their reasons these protes-tors do not understand the decisions that are made by those with a badge.

Those statements and requests are not only made by Americans who are dissatisfied with Law Enforcement Agencies but also by organizations abroad. FBI and the Department of Homeland security released a bulletin advising all American military, law enforcement, and government person-nel to be vigilant against any attacks requested from ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant). ISIL has made requests for individuals to join their fight. Recent ISIL recruitment prod-ucts include English-language videos, pamphlets, and a magazine. CNN recently reported that “British police say they are concerned about the number of young women and girls who are either hoping to or who al-ready have joined ISIS. While they wouldn't divulge numbers, they say it's a growing trend.“ This statement was reported after three teenage girls hopped on a plane and are believed to be heading to Syria to join ISIL.

For the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office we wear one uniform with the Sheriff/Detention patch being the on-ly difference. When an assailant is approaching they will not see the word “detention” on your shoulder as they are facing you or approaching from the rear. They see a uniform and a badge which is enough to make you their target. When traveling to work in uniform, it is highly recom-mended that you carry your service pistol in case of emergency.

If a licensed Peace Officer com-missioned by the Sheriff, by policy you are required to carry or have im-mediate access to a firearm at all times on and off-duty (Sheriffs Policy 8.11, PC. 46.13). Detention Officers are allowed to carry a firearm in an off-duty status if they have been is-sued a Concealed Handgun License from the Texas Department of Public Safety and are in compliance with current CHL laws.

Although all violent protests against police have not been in San Antonio, there have already been 9 murders within the first 20 days of 2015. Last year there were 6 murders for the entire month of January. San Antonio has one of the highest crime rates in America when compared to other cities of this size. Many post on social media sites were posted by attackers prior to the ambushes against police officers. Be watchful of those and observant of your sur-roundings.

Peaceful protests? Or anti-police protests? Ill witted messages were often seen on display during protest’s in 2014

First Quarter 2015 Bexar County Chronicle dsabc.org

As a uniformed officer, each one of us individually could be a positive influence and appreciated as a role model and public servant. When dealing with the public it is imperative that you display professionalism at all times.

Standards of Professionalism

Continued from P1… Honorary Deputy

On Tuesday February 10, 2015, Judge Ron Rangel form the 379th District Court, numerous court secu-rity deputies, Chief Deputy Longoria, and with the skillful planning of Chief Burr, all contributed to this very special day we will all remember. Jalene had “preferential treatment” like no other and to her credit, treat-ment that she truly deserved. Jalene Salinas has inspired many in the San Antonio community with her brave and strong will, despite her current

health condition. Jalene has not only been an example to those suffer-ing from illnesses alike, but has also been an in-spiration to all. Aside from all the gifts she has been showered with, her top wish is to have the opportunity to dance with Taylor Swift and shake off can-cer. Please keep Deputy Jalene in your prayers.

379th Judge Ron Rangel administers the Oath of Office to Deputy Jalene Salinas, as Bailiff Deputy Gaska overlooks the swearing in ceremony. Courte-sy BCSO Facebook.

Don’t forget to ….

Visit the DSABC website regularly for event updates, as well as content updates. The website is frequently being updated with useful information for members, as well as training information.

Attend the DSABC monthly meetings. Until further notice, all monthly meeting are held on

the last Wednesday of each month. Feb 25, 2015 at 12 noon, at the DSABC office.

Update your email, telephone, and mailing addresses, with DSABC and CLEAT to

receive the latest information and updates.

First Quarter 2015 Bexar County Chronicle dsabc.org

FYI…

AR-15 Rifle Raffle: 250 tickets. Each ticket for only $10. Second Prize is a Drury’s $500 gift card. For more information call DSABC office (210)223-2213.

Coming Soon: Due to the employee high turnover rate at BCSO, DSABC will conduct a survey so that we can examine our working environment. For those that leave BCSO, an Exit Interview is posted on www.dsabc.org. Please fill out so that we can keep track of why we are losing officers to other agencies and careers. Standby for Infor-mation Sessions prior to roll calls. Sessions will start in March. Time and dates will be posted on the website.

Advertising your Personal Business: If you would like to advertise your personal busi-ness or have any input for any upcoming edition of the Bexar County Chronicle, email billy.blanco@dsabc.org.

Continued from P1… President’s Address Although there are different issues in our contract, I must say that DSABC is among just a handful of bargaining agents across Texas. There are many counties that still have meet and confer and some counties that do not even have a Sheriff’s Civil Service policy that protects them. Our CBA is a living and breathing document just like the United States Constitu-tion. Every time we go to the table for negotiations, the contract will get revised to better benefit the member-ship. For a list of your Board of Di-rectors please contact the Union Office at (210) 223-2213 or go to our website at DSABC.org.

The Union will be entering into arbitration over three grievances. The issue over the outside hires, the Shift Commander’s ability to dictate and settle discipline on their own and one individual grievance still need to be resolved. I would like to take this time and give your current grievance committee a round of applause. They have been diligent in every grievance that has been placed before them. They are careful with the process and base their decisions on informed facts despite the timeline constrictions. The committee takes every grievance presented to them seriously as they understand that the issues are im-portant to the person submitting them. They also make themselves available to the Executive Board regu-larly to ensure that the grievance pro-cess is adhered to and respected.

I would like the membership to remember that we must remain unit-ed through the good and the bad. The issue of tier assignments and in-dividual egos need to be put to rest, in order for the organization to move

forward and progress as ONE. Both sides of the house are equally im-portant to the Union leadership. When we say “us versus them” we should mean the members against the inmates. When we say “us versus them,” we should signify a united front against management when they have violated the CBA. We have to look out for each other because no one else is going to do it for us. I do not make promises very often, but I do promise that as your President, I will continue to hold the well-being of the membership before my own. The membership will continue to be my priority as we all travel the road of solidarity together.

I would like to close with this quote by a famous labor organizer, Murray Kempton: “The Union is not for yourself but for your children. It does not arise to avenge the past, but to claim the future….it is an expres-sion not of the dignity of its leaders but the dignity of all. It was not called into being to celebrate the

majesty of one person; it does not live to serve the self-indulgence of anoth-er. It is not property but mission. Every decent moment in the history of man is the assertion of an affronted conscience. Anyone can belong to a Union; but a Union belongs to no one and least of all to anyone who is ashamed of where he or she came from and indifferent to those he or she left behind. The Union leader is not the owner of an institution; he or she is the caretaker of a tradition.”

Let us all continue to promote unity and solidarity amongst the troops. Without each other we are vulnerable. We all know that togeth-er we are strong and as individuals we will fall. I will continue to keep the cause moving forward in the best in-terest of the membership. If there are any struggles in the future, we will face them together as a Union. Thank You and God bless all my Brothers and Sisters in Blue.

President Juan Contreras (left), Secretary Rudy Dominguez, Treasurer Jeremy Payne, and Vice Pres-ident Alfred Alcantar (right) are reviewing the day to day matters pertaining to the well-being of the membership.

First Quarter 2015 Bexar County Chronicle dsabc.org

How the strength of a union membership is determined,

and what measures are taken into account

The strength of a union or associa-tion is not measured by the political prowess it has garnered, but is meas-ured by the cohesion that it has sus-tained for a long period of time. What makes any organization such as a union or association strong is num-bers. A large group that will stick it out together and represent themselves as a force to be reckoned with.

PAC FUNDS

Officers have continuously ex-pressed to me “well why doesn’t the association stick up for us like SAPOA has stood up to the City Manager, Sheryl Sculley.” We are currently under negotiation and to start off on the wrong foot would be disastrous to accomplish any changes we would like with the Sheriff’s office. Each time you are in a position of negotiation, you want to start off on the right foot and move forward with the best interest of the membership in mind. So for DSABC to begin any negotiation matters and to bargain successfully, it’s important to pick and choose our battles wisely.

Any funds to run an ad campaign for TV ads and Public Service Announce-ments like that would come from the Political Action Committee funds. Currently many officers are not a DSABC member and many that are, do not contribute to the PAC fund. Those funds are necessary and are utilized for situations when we need

to oppose or endorse a candidate.

POLITICAL ENDORSEMENTS

It is necessary to understand that politics is a chess game. Sometimes an endorsement is made not because the candidate is liked but if it’s clear that that candidate will undoubtedly win, it is best to endorse them rather than to have them against you for their entire next term.

The more members any type of or-ganization can have, the stronger that organization will be. It will also show that the organization (DSABC) does have a large influence. When a matter is at hand and we show that we oppose or approve, we must do it as a whole. If it’s a small amount of people showing concern, it doesn’t represent that the issue is important. “When you stand alone the chances of withstanding challenges and over-coming are low. But when there's uni-ty, victory is certain and overcoming challenges is possible”…Frank Mato-bo.

ASSOCIATION BUSINESS LEAVE

Any Bargaining Unit Member who does not wish to contribute their four (4) hours of vacation in any Fiscal Year may do so. All bargaining unit members (all uniformed officers) want a better contract. In order for proper planning by the Board of Directors they all need to meet simultaneously anywhere from twice a month to weekly. The hours contributed go to

Association Business Leave. These hours are utilized when the Board of Directors have to take the time off to sit down and research, discuss, and negotiate for the best possible contract that’s in the best interest of all mem-bers. Currently some members of the elected association leadership are tak-ing their personal time due to insuffi-cient ABL days for this upcoming year. We all want a better contract but when bargaining unit members rescind their four hours of vacation it can affect the proper planning. The Board of Directors were elected by majority of the members because they believe those are the individuals that can prepare and offer what’s in the best interest of DSABC. That being said, it will be difficult to please all members. Remember that several options were decided before all six Board of Directors, both of Detention and Law Enforcement narrowed it down to one. Our interest is that of majority of its members not only a select few. Those ideas start as pro-posals. Some will be approved and others will not. As part of that nego-tiation team we will prioritize as nec-essary. STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

“We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.” The author of that quote is unknown but their message is clear. Within our organization, there are officers that become upset or disgruntled over a situation. Some of those officers attempt to start Continued on P7….

First Quarter 2015 Bexar County Chronicle dsabc.org

Drug and Urine Testing:

When injured in the line of duty you are not required to provide a drug or alcohol test. By agreement of Collective Bargaining, drug testing is only mandatory for: a random testing selection process, post-crash testing, pre-promotion testing, or for-cause testing.

Any clinic or laboratory cannot collect testing samples if not ap-proved by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Fur-

thermore, according to the Drug Testing Services Agreement between Bexar County and DSABC, only A&D Tests, Inc is authorized to ad-minister any drug and alcohol tests.

A random testing will be fair and impartial and randomly selected by a secured computer program. Any re-ferrals for reporting to a clinic will be issued by the Professional Standards and Integrity office. When an officer is involved in a crash he/she is subject to drug test-ing. If any other minor to serious on the job injury occurs, the officer is not required to submit to a drug test. If medical staff at the clinic or a first

line supervisor requests a urinalysis, you are not required to give one. For-Cause testing is for when there is reasonable suspicion that a member is under the influence of any drug or alcohol or an investigation determines that a member is a user of a controlled substance or an abus-er of legal drugs. A proper requests will be author-ized from Deputy Chiefs or the Sher-iff to submit to drug testing “for-cause, post-crash, random, or pre-promotional.”

Know Your Rights

Continued from P6…. Strength in numbers other ways to represent officers, di-vide Law Enforcement from Deten-tion, or separate others from DSABC. Even if it’s only one member or a few, it takes away from the unity of all possible members that can repre-sent one association, DSABC. Only DSABC can sit with the Sheriff and her staff to find solutions for disa-greements between Administration and uniformed staff. “Unity is a must amongst our membership. The phrase “strength in numbers” cannot be more descriptive (Juan Contreras, President of DSABC).” Only DSABC represents Deputies from the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office with administration, Civil Service, Com-missioners Court, Bexar County, and the Texas State Capitol. GETTING INVOLVED I challenge all members to get in-

volved with association matters. There are many ways such as attend-ing monthly meetings, visit the web-site on a regular basis, participate in events for candidates we endorse (such as functions, block walks, etc), volunteer for fundraisers and events, or ask the association office how you can assist. If you know any officer who is currently not a DSABC mem-ber, encourage them to become a member and explain to them how every officer counts to strengthen what was fought for by other Depu-ties before us and still amongst us. Not all departments in the state of Texas have the privilege of an associa-tion or union representing them when Administrations implement or take away working conditions.

IN THE BEGINNING

Thank you to those who sacrificed their time by block walking for DSABC in 2004. This unity allowed the Collective Bargaining proposal

approved by the voters in 2004 and allowed us to implement the first Collective Bargaining Agreement from 2006-2009. In the upcoming weeks, negotiations will commence for our third contract. Remember, “Strength in Numbers” is what attracts people’s attention when we need to be heard.

Contact the Office to see how you can get involved or participate in Association events. Stop by the office for any updates or to voice your opinion at any time during business hours.

Monday– Friday

9am– 4pm

Phone: (210) 223-2213

Fax: (210) 225-7606

Address: 1202 Hallmark Dr, Ste 301

San Antonio, Texas 78216

First Quarter 2015 Bexar County Chronicle dsabc.org

Membership Contact Information

Executive Board President Juan Contreras Vice President Alfred Alcantar

Email: Juan.Contreras@dsabc.org Email: Alfred.Alcantar@dsabc.org

Treasurer

Jeremy Payne

Email: Jeremy.Payne@dsabc.org

Secretary

Rudy Dominguez

Email: Rudy.Dominguez@dsabc.org

Administrative Assistant

Jovan Cardenas

Email: jovan.cardenas@dsabc.org

Office hours:

Monday– Friday

9am– 4pm

Closed for all County holidays

Phone: (210) 223-2213

Fax: (210) 225-7606

Address: 1202 Hallmark Dr. suite 301

San Antonio, Texas 78216

Follow us on Facebook

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Detention

Billy Blanco

Email: billy.blanco@dsabc.org

Lance Spengler

Email: Lance.Spengler@dsabc.org

Ronald Bailey

Email: Ronald.bailey@dsabc.org

Law Enforcement

Michael Trevino

Email: Michael.Trevino@dsabc.org

Nathan Cartwright

Email: nathan.cartwright@dsabc.org

Pete Gamboa

Email: Pete.Gamboa@dsabc.org

Board of Directors