June 1991 - San Francisco Police Officers Association

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Page 6 Notebook June, 1991Cops for ChristLuncheon, June 20, 199112 NoonThis Month's SpeakerRetired InspectorJim HigginsOur speaker this month is Jim Higginswho retired four years ago afterserving 39 years in the San FranciscoPolice Department.Jim served in the U.S. Marines inWorld War II and was involved in fiercecombat including hand to hand in Guamand Okinawa. Jim was wounded in actiononce.After entering the S.F.P.D., Jimwalked the beat in the old FillmoreDistrict. Jim then worked in Narcotics,the Sex Crimes Detail and RobberyDetail.Jim was the Co-Founder of Cops forChrist" and will share his personaltestimony.The Cops for Christ Luncheon will beheld at the Police Officers AssociationBuilding at 510 7th Street near BryantStreet. The cost of the luncheon is$6.00. Please notify one of the belowof your intention of attending. Bring aguest. Jim Crowley 553-1500, EdErdelatz 553-1148 or Dan Hampton553-1101.KEVIN SMITHMACCON MASONRYMATERIALS, INC.367 BAYSHORE BOULEVARDSAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124PHONE. 285-5025FRANK'STRADING, INC.1660 HUDSON ST.SAN FRANCISCO,CALIFORNIA 94124415/285-9888Courtesy[IIIAIFriendhotel nikko san franciscoy day started on a happy note a fewMdays ago due to receiving a mostwelcome letter from a former Police Inspectorand a dear friend of over sixty years.I know that just hearing the name will startmany of his former police friends to startreminiscing.There are so many things that come tomind when I think of "The Man." First andmost important is the deep, precious lovehe had in his heart for his parents. Thesacrifices and the pleasure that he deniedhimself were manifested in many ways. Hewas a devoted son and a man of thehighest morals.Paul loved all sports, with boxing beinghis main interest and first love, and nextin line baseball gave him the most pleasureas a spectator sport. I can recall on Saturdaysat Funston Playground in 1936, agroup of players would show up, sideswere chosen and we would play for a dimea man and you'd think we were playing inthe world series; but a dime in those dayswould buy a milk shake. Getting back toPaul; he was always the last one chosenand would end up in right field and bat afterthe pitcher. His ability was limited, but asfar as his determination and the effort hedisplayed he would be batting first in mybook.One thing about Paul is that you couldalways count on him to be in shape, asworking out (to him) was like putting onhis clothes in the morning. The results ofthese workouts were self-evident: he hadthe build of a Greek god. His clothing matchedhis appearance. All his clothes weretailor-made, including his shirts, which cost$40.00 each. Paul is a native San Franciscan,having been born in the NorthBeach area on August 30, 1918. He attendedCommerce High School andgraduated in 1937.This is not an article on Paul's police exploits,but, briefly, he was sworn in as oneof San Francisco's Finest on May 19,1947, and retired as an Inspector on May7, 1977, spending most of his time in theFraud Detail.When Paul retired, two of our policereporters, Baron Mueller and Malcon"Scoop" Glover, wrote articles that referredto him as "Mr. Nice Guy." The personwho was most instrumental in Paul joiningthe Police Department was a wellknownand highly respected fight managerby the name of Joey Fox who lovedpolicemen. Many of his close friends werefrom the police department.When Paul decided to turn professional,Joey Fox became his manager. This wasarranged by Ray Luñny II who was alsomanaged by Joey Fox. Paul recalls withfond memories how he enjoyed seeing RayLunny II and his son in the ring and thegrace and beauty as they performed. TheLunny Brothers were all top fighters in theirdays, not only fighting in main events butalso fighting for the world light weight divisionchampionships. Ray Lunny II was sowell-respected that Stanford University retainedhim as their boxing coach and heremained there for a quarter of a century.Proud Supporter of SFPOAOffering:Special Weekend PackagesExquisite Diningin Benkay or Cafe 222Located one block from Union Square at 222 Mason Street.Pleasecall(415)394-1111 .RETIRED.MEMBERSCOLUMNby Gino Marionetti & Mike SugrueRetired Inspector Paul A. Cavagnaroaka Paul "The Man" CavagnaroA Legend In His Own Time\ "HThe friendship and admiration betweenJoey Fox and Paul Cavagnaro was so deepand ever-lasting that Paul calls him thegreatest fight manager that ever lived and• day doesn't go by that he doesn't take• few moments to relive the moments andmemories and how much he misses hisfriend.Paul grew up in the North Beach areawhich was an Italian colony. There weremany athletes who went on to greatachievements.In baseball there was Dario Lodigiani,Dino Restelli, Vince and Dominic DiMaggiowho were all close friends of Paul. Inbasketball we have perhaps the greatestplayer to ever wear the uniform and an innovatorof the one-handed shot. AgainstDuquesne University, he scored 50 pointsin one game. He also has a statuededicated to him. He was an All-Americanevery year he attended Stanford University.Naturally I am writing about HankLusietti.The first indication that Paul eventhought about being a boxer was due toan old timer who lived up the street by thename of Paul DeMartini who fought underthe name of Paul Martin. What impressedPaul was that this person, by boxing, wasable to send one son through dental schooland set up the other two sons in their ownconstruction company.Paul's great love for boxing blossomedas he recalls that one Christmas, his dadgave him a pair of boxing gloves. Paulalways had them with him and would lookall over the neighborhood until he foundsomeone that would do a little sparringwith him. This came to a sudden halt aswhen his opponents went home and theparents saw the blackeyes and bloddynoses they would ball Paul's parents andcomplain.While attending Commerce HighSchool, he became close friends with RitchieShinn, also a prominent fighter in hisday, also the Lunny Brothers and aLeonard Hodgson who was a member ofthe Olympic Club.One day Paul was engaged in an altercationin school, and it was then thatLeonard Hodgson saw his prowess. Hetook him to the Olympic Club to try outfor their boxing team which was coachedby the well-known "Spider Roche." Paul'sfirst fight occured in the Golden GlovesTournament in 1937, but it may surprisesome to know that his first opponent wasa, Pat Guglienini who real name was PatValentino. To this day they are the best offriends and have great respect and admirationfor one another. Paul has many boxerfriends, one being Tony Bosnich, aheavy weight who fought all the top contendersin his day. The night that PaulCavagnaro made his debut, Tony Bosnichalso appeared on the fight program. I amsure that a lot of you recall that the fightsin those days were held at the DreamlandRink which was at Post & Steiner Streets.Paul won the Golden Gloves in 1940and I am happy to report that I was therewhen they raised his hands as the winner.The same year he won the Diamond Beltlight heavyweight division. Paul finally wentdown to defeat in Boston, Mass., in theHearst All American Belt tournament. Paulwas in his prime but like so many otheroutstanding athletes, his career was interruptedwhen the Japanese bombed PearlHarbor. He enlisted in the Coast Guardand served our country with distinction anddedication for a period of four years. It wasat this time of his life that he decided toturn pro. One thing that Paul is grateful forand cherishes is the wonderful friendshipsthat he made and will always treasure.The following is a list of these friends,and for anyone knowing the least little bitof boxing, I assure you that they were alltop class boxers with three of them becom-I ing world champions. The three were FreddieApostoli, Bobo Olson, whom I see onoccasions, and Tony Olivera. The list continueswith The Lunny Brothers, BabyArizmendi, Joey Giambra, RockyFumerelle, Little Tiger Wade, Ray Actis, Aland Del Citrino, Billy Luffrano and VictorGrupico.A last insight on this person who I willrefer to as "a Man among Men". He hadfour professional fights and then decidedto call it a career as difficult as it was, buthe honored his mother's wish and the promisehe made to her and gave up boxing.I recall talking to Eddie Booker, who wasa professional fighter and his only fault wasthat he was too good (a lot like ArchieMoore) and the fighters of the time wouldjust avoid them. In our conversations, Eddiewould say his heart bleeds every timehe thinks of Paul, as in those days therewas a lot of talk about finding a white hopeto become a world champion in theheavyweight division. Eddie thought somuch of Paul that he was sincere when hetold me that he really thought that Paul hadthat chance to become a world's champ.Paul wants to extend his greeting to allof his friends and wishes to thank JackCarpenter for his wonderful gesture insending him a card with so manysignatures of his friends. Jack is a fightreferee and Paul spoke so highly of this individual.A special greeting also to Ray Actiswhom I have had the pleasure ofmeeting and playing golf with on occasions.He is a membef of our group, SaintStevens. We have 35 members. Thepolicemen in it are Joseph Engler, MikeDoherty, Joe Curtin, Tom Mulkeen, andFrank Hanarahan.A little insight on Ray Actis is that hewas Paul's father's favorite fighter and asfar as being able to punch, he had no equal.I recall in 1947 I was playing ball forOklahoma City, and we were on the trainto Tulsa, Oklahoma for a series. I happenedto run into a friend who invited me fordinner. There was a third party who joinedus, and he was Billy Conn who couldhave become a world's champ but that isanother story. When Billy Conn heard I wsfrom San Francisco he told me, "Youknow, I fought this little guy named Actisand, of all the fighters I had ever fought,he hit me the hardest and that includes JoeLouis. Gee, that man could really punchand the power he carried wasunbelievable."A side note is that Paul and his lovelywife are looking forward to seeing MonsignorJohn Heaney who will be inMilwaukee on the 27th of May and hasmade arrangements to see Paul on the28th and the 29th of May.I had the pleasure of meeting Paul's wifeand naturally it was in the Police Gym atHunters Point Shipyards and as far as Icould observe she is in wonderful shapeand she is the type of person that after beingwith her and engaging in conversationfor 15 minutes that you feel that you haveknown her all of your life.Paul is still in good shape and at 72 yearsof age states that for a minute and half thathe could go at top speed. In my conditionI would be lucky to answer the bell.Some history on Elm Grove,Washingotn, where Paul's wife comes fromand where they are now living. The city ofMilwaukee is only 15 to 20 minutes away.It measures three square miles but ElmGrove is a very unique place to live and thepopulation is 6,700 inhabitants. It has beenin existence for approximately 150 yearsThere are four churches, each an authenticreproduction of a different architecturestyle. The fire department is manned by 15fire fighters. They are well-respected by thelocals. Somehow Paul's police backgroundsurfaced and they are using his drivewaywith radar guns pointed at on-coming traffic.Needless to say that many speeders arecaught and the revenue to the city has increasedimmensely. Elm Grove has itscultural sources which includes includes afully stocked library, a theater that has allthe Broadway hits throughout the year andit has two large shopping malls that are onlyfive minutes away from their home. They(See CAVAGNARO, Page 10)
June, 1991 Notebook Page 7Controller's Audit: City Workers'Compensation Costs Too Highby Mike Hebel, Welfare OfficerWonder why the number of complaintsabout inadequate medical care for job injuriesare rising? Concerned about physiciansmore concerned about returning youto work than returning you to health?Perplexed by the bureaucratic hassle if youselect your own treating physician?Part of the answer to these and otherconcerns about light duty, payment delays,and use of a very select number of "treatingdoctors", can be found in an Audit Report,dated March 31, 1991, prepared by theCCSF Controller's office.Its major recommendations are trulystartling. Read on.Cost RisingThe audit concluded that San Franciscomaintains an increasingly expensiveworker's compensation program. Costsgrew at a yearly rate of 13% for the pastdecade - almost double the '7% yearlyrate of overall city expenditures, and nearlytriple the Bay Area consumer prie& indexfor the same period.The Audit's major findings were:1. Medical costs increased at an averageof 13% annually over the past decade.2. City employees often net moremoney on industrial disability leave thenwhen working, resulting in extendeddisability payments and increased medicalcosts.3. There is inadequate monitoring ofworkers' compensation claims, resulting inunnecessary medical and disabilitypayments.4. Many City departments lack or refuseto implement limited duty assignments.5. The City is ignoring pre-employmentphysical and psychological standards thereby inviting greater numbers of industrialdisability claims.The audit asks - what is driving thesecost so high and how can they be contained?The answer, surprisingly, is not thatadditional claims are being filed by Cityworkers but rather the rising medical anddisability payments associated with theseclaims.Cost containment suggestions urge fundamentalalterations in the City's workers'compensaion program. They include: effectivepre-employment physical examinations,safe work practices and training,remove financial disincentives foremployees to return to work, develop comprehensiveinterdepartmental light dutyprograms, and alter the manner in whichCity employees receive medical care for jobinjuries.Escalating Medical CostsEscalating medical costs are the majorfactor contributing to increases in workers'compensation expenses. For FY 1981 toFY 1990 medical costs increased from$4.5 million to $14.4 million - a whopping220% increase.During this same period, disability payrose from $4.7 million to $7 million - upover 40%.Disability pay for police is up $3.7 millionfrom FY 82-83 to FY 89-90. The Controllerblames this jump on 2 factors:salary increases averaging about 7% annuallyand the provision of full salary forpublic safety officer while recuperating fromjob injuries.Says the Controller: Medical costsand disability pay must be contained!S.F. General HospitalIn 1972 the Retirement System respondedto a flood of complaints about hospitalcare at SFGH for injured City workers byentering into a contract with the St. FrancisHospital.San Francisco General Hospital administratorshave expressed interest in providingmedical care to injured City workers.The Controller is urging the RetirementSystem to rebid the workers' compensationmedical contract.Has SFGH 'improved its hospital careand general environment so as to regainthe trust of City employees? I continuallyhear a. resounding NO!Take Away Full Pay Disability Leave!That's what the Controller recommendsthe Board of Supervisors do! Because industrialdisability pay is tax free, the Auditnotes that disabled public safety employees(police, fire, paramedics) can receive an annualincrease of 37% if off work on DP fora full year - this amounts to more than$10,000. Employees can augment theirtake home pay by purchasing privatedisability insurance policies.The City's chief administrative officerrecently found that: "San Francisco'semployees average 34 days from work foreach disability claim, a rate 100% higherthan the statewide average for local governmentemployees."According to the latest study conductedby the California Department of IndustrialRelations, public safety officers spend moredays away from work due to occupationalinjuries than any other job category.However, the nature of police/fire workmainly explains this finding. These two occupationsrank very high in terms ofdanger, injuries sustained, and theseriousness of the injuries.The Controller's Audit recommended:"The Mayor and Board of Supervisorsshould request the state legislature toamend the state law which gives publicsafety officers more net income when onindustrial disability leave than when theydo work."400 Cases per WorkerState guidelines presently recommendthat claim adjuster caselaods not exceed200 cases. Historically, the CompensationDivision has experienced workloads twicethat amount.The Police Department claim adjustersare Carl Morgan and Joe Unamun. Whilethe subject of some complaints from policeofficers, they generally do a good job consideringtheir enormous caseloads.Light Duty AssignmentsThe audit noted that the Police Departmenthas over 100 light duty positionswhile the Municipal Railway has nonebecause a labor agreement precludesmanagement from requiring injuredworkers to perform light duty.The Audit concludes: "Limited dutyassignments, commonly known as light duty,is a proven method for returning injuryworkers in a timely manner."City Employment Hiring Criticized"The City hires workers who have agreater likelihood of becoming industiraldisability claimants because preemploymentphysical and psychologicalstandards are not established or not ignored."With respect to the Police Department,it was poignantly noted that during themost recent recruitment for police officers,the Department hired for placement intothe Police Academy 40% of the candidateswho received a "D" grade (unacceptable forpolice work) on the psychological exam.The audit boldly asserted: "San Franciscois hiring police officers that otherpolice departments have already rejectedGROSSMAN DESIGN GROUPArchitecture Planning ResearchJohn P. Grossman, Principal151 Townsend St., San Francisco, CA 94107415 543-8618MATRIXLand and Development, Inc.or would refuse to hire." It was noted thatthere was a demonstrated correlation betweena police candidate's grade on thispsychological exam and their actual performanceas a police officer. The Civil ServiceCommission has recently approved a$10,000 contract to study this situation.The Audit urged the Police Departmentto maintain hiring standards pertaining topsychological test results consistent withthose of most other California law enforcementagencies.One From The Heartby Gary Delagnes, Vice PresidentWhen you call a plumber to your hometo fix your toilet it's usually going to costyou about $50 an hour. Go see a shrinkand that will run you about $100 an hour.Hire an attorney to clean up a legal messand that will run you $150 an hour. Godhelp you if you need a good doctor; thatcan run you up to $200 an hour. Now ifyou have a fight with your husband andwant him out of the house, but he won'tleave, you call a cop. He or she is supposedto show up, clean up the mess,rehabilitate the couple,, and makeeverything beautiful again, all for the low,low price of $20 per hour. What a deal!Many people say that cops are held toa higher level, that they are not in this professionfor the money, but for the gratificationthey feel when they help their fellowman. Pretty realistic, isn't it?Since I have become more involved inthe POA I have seen the terrible toll thatpolice work can take. I have done a lot ofthinking about my own life and the professionthat I chose these past few months,and never before have I questioned why Ibecame a police officer more than I have- recently. I think money is probably part ofit. I'm sick and tired of working 10 side jobsa month to live in a decent house and goout to dinner every once in a while. But Ithink that really is a small part of it. Therewas a day I was so proud to say I was acop. I was so proud to say I was a SanFranciscan. But, as most of us know, thosedays are gone forever.I think of the things that I have seen in13 years. Things that no one else wantsto look at or deal with. Things that we haveall had to deal with. I don't know too manypeople that have had to look at a body lyingon the ground with the head 20 ft.away. I don't know too many professionswhere you have to kick in a door and seea 50-year-old man raping a 12-year-oldboy, or a mother sticking a burningcigarette into her screaming child's skin.How many people have to go inside theapartment of a person who has been deadfor two months and, when you help thecoroner pick up the body, have it explode.How many people have to look at the bodyof a 28-year-old woman who has just takenher life by jumping 30 floors from the SirFrancis Drake Hotel and then you're askedto notify her parents Not pretty thingsto think about or look at. Things all of usC D SCalifornia Drywall Supply, Inc."Service With A Smile"SAL MONTEZ,President 1601 Donner Street, Unit 3(415) 822-8802 San Francisco, CA 94124Randall RudnickPRESIDENT201 Filbert St., Suite 402, San Francisco,CA 94133(415)788-2197 • FAX (415) 989-3676HOLY NAME GRAMMARSCHOOL CELEBRATIONSan Francisco's Holy NameGrammar School will be celebrating50 years of Catholic education in theSunset District on November 10,1991. All of the school's alumni,families and friends are invited tocelebrate with their classmates andneighbors on that Sunday afternoon.Watch your mail for details.For more information or to providea current address or telephonenumber, please contact the schoolat (415) 731-4077.have seen and dealt with.I thought a lot about John Blessing lately.Why he had to die and what he diedfor. We have all had to deal with theRodney King questions. How can this happen?What terrible policemen. And we allthink to ourselves that only another copcould understand why. That, as' wrong asit was, we understand because most of ushave been close. Close to snapping infrustration. And only another cop wouldknow that Rodney King would be in troubleagain, and again, and again! Count onit.Nobody can tell me that this job can'tdestroy you. I'm seeing it now, as a goodfriend of mine will be leaving this departmentsoon. I knew him 13 years ago in myAcademy class and have seen what the joband the frustration has done to him. He isas great a guy now as he ever was, but hehas lost his way and he is going to haveto find his way back again. And you knowwhat. In the end, other cops are the onlyones who will give a s--t. And other copswill help him find his way back.I think I am going to finish my two yearsas Vice President of the POA and thenstart thinking seriously about pulling theplug. I don't want to lose my way (andsometimes I think I am), because I care toomuch. Not about the criminal on the street,but about my fellow cops that so few peopleunderstand, or even care to understand.A lot of people that are not cops mightthink this article is sour grapes. I didn'twrite this article for anybody but othercops, because I think you all know whatI'm talking about. We aren't perfect, but weare doing the best we can, trying to be anauthority figure in the most liberal city inAmerica. It ain't easy. My favorite moviewas always "The Magnificent Seven". In theend Steve McQueen says to Yul Brynner,"Everyone wins but us. The villagers keeptheir crops and their homes, but we rideon." Yul Brynner replies, "The people win,but we lose. We always lose."Sts. Peter aiulfPau(5a[e5iat Scitoof632-666 Filbert StreetSan Francisco, CA94133415/421-5219ILLUSIONTEE SFIIRTS &SWEATSHIRTS2170 INGALLSSAN FRANCISCO,CALIFORNIA 94124415/822-7108
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June 1991 - San Francisco Police Officers Association

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