January/February/March 2020 Chapter Chat

BY OUR MEMBERS

The intent of this column is to communicate chapter news. Announcements may include items of interest, such as member news, section activities, events, training calendar, special programs, etc. Refer to the editorial submission deadlines, particularly with date sensitive announcements. Submit chapter news on the Chapter Chat Submission Form by the 1st of February, May, August and November. Please attach to the email high-resolution digital .jpg or .tif photos to: Jennifer Naragon at: jnaragon@fbinaa.org

California Chapter

Chapter News

We welcomed in our new President for 2020, Eric Sonstegard, NA Session 246. Eric is the Assistant Chief of the Oxnard Police Department.


Promotions

Congratulations to James Fryhoff, NA Session 261, who was a Captain with the Ventura Co. Sheriff’s Office and Chief of Ojai, (contract city).  James was promoted to Commander and selected as the Chief of Police for Thousand Oaks, which is Ventura County’s largest contract city.


Congratulations to Jason D. White, NA Session 262, who has been selected as the new Police Chief for the Missoula Police Department in Montana. Jason will be leaving the California Highway Patrol where he has worked since joining in 1995. We wish Jason well in his new position.


Congratulation to Matthew Vander Horck, NA Session 276, from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, who was promoted to Captain two months after graduating from the FBINA in August 2019.


Congratulations are in order for Undersheriff Eric Magrini, NA Session 264, who will take over as Sheriff for the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office following Sheriff Bosenko’s retirement.


Congratulations go out to Matthew McCaffrey, NA Session 232, who was appointed Chief of Police for the Novato Police Department in November 2019.


Retirements

Congratulations to Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko, NA Session 205, who retired at the end of December, 2019. Tom started working for the Sheriff’s Department in 1979 and became Sheriff in 2006. He summed up his career by stating, “It has been an honor to serve for over 40 years, 13 as Sheriff and it was quite the honor to attend and graduate from the 205th FBI National Academy”. Thank you for your service Tom.


Congratulations to Captain Phil Holder, NA Session 250, from the Los Angeles Division, who retired in December of 2019.


Passings

We are sad to report the passing of National Academy Graduate, Retired Lieutenant Larry Barrett, NA Session 209, San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Investigations Bureau, who passed away on January 24, 2020.

European Chapter

Passings

Egil Brekke, NA Session 133, Head of the Palace Guard for the King and Queen of Norway, passed away in November 2019.


Florida Chapter

Chapter News

Major Brian Hester, NA Session 265, presented a check to the National Navy UDT SEAL Museum for the proceeds of an event held last month in support of the museum.


BCC Chairman Gayward Hendry, NA Session 184, was presented with the 2019 Doug Muldoon Achievement Award at the January 28 BCC Meeting by Major Mike Hardee, president of the Florida FBI National Academy Associates (FBINAA) Chapter for his demonstration of the highest degree of professionalism in promoting, developing and implementing ideas and programs that have impacted the community in a positive manner.

Chairman Hendry developed and implemented Florida’s first Youth Leadership Academy that allowed 16 well qualified boys and girls to attend a one-week Leadership Summit at Camp Blanding. These young people were exposed to top-tier law enforcement professionals from across the state and graduated with the distinction of being the first Youth Leadership Academy Graduates.

Chairman Hendry is a past President of the Florida FBINAA Chapter and served as a counselor and instructor for the Youth Leadership Program at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia for 15 years, serving as Coordinator of that program for 7 years. Chairman Hendry also served his state and community as a law enforcement officer for over 40 years.


Colonel Nichole Anderson, NA Session 274, was recognized by Sheriff Gregory Tony of the Broward Sheriff's Office. Click here to read the article


In 1989 the Florida Chapter had member John Kirk as a candidate for the FBINAA board when the Section 3 Conference (now called the annual conference) was being held in Norfolk, VA. The idea was to create a giveaway for all attendees. Major Paul “Gene” Gracey, Florida Highway Patrol, had 3000 Challenger memorial license tags made with “FBINAA” imprinted on them. This was the very first FBINAA License tag created in the country at that time.

The license tag became a huge hit and shortly thereafter many chapters started to have a tag made in their respective states.

In 2005 when the Florida Chapter hosted the FBINAA Annual Conference at Disney World in Orlando, we repeated the tag however used the new Challenger Discovery tag that commemorates the 2 NASA Shuttles that had tragic endings.

Once again in 2013 the Florida Chapter wanted to continue the license tag as a part of the conferences. The decision was to have 2 state tags (NASCAR and The Endless Summer) since both illustrate a part of Florida lifestyles. We also had a limited number of motorcycle tags made on the generic Florida plate for those attending the annual motorcycle ride.

The Florida Chapter once again hosting the 2021 conference the tradition will continue with a special license plate this time to honor those law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. The Thin Blue Line tag will be a gift to those registered attendees.


Retirements

Michael Maurer, NA Session 213, retired from the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office in December 2019.


Kansas/Western Missouri Chapter

Promotions

Zim Schwartze, NA Session 231, was promoted to the Chief of the Missouri Capitol Police in Jefferson City, Missouri on January 6, 2020.


Karen True, NA Session 276, was promoted to Deputy Chief of the Kansas City, MO Police Department on January 1,2020.


Kevin Freeman, NA Session 253, was promoted to Chief of the North Kansas City, MO Police Department on January 1, 2020.


Sloan Powland, NA Session 169, was promoted to the Chief of Police of the Joplin, MO Police Department on January 3, 2020.


Retirements

Major Kelli Bailiff, NA Session 200, retired from the Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Office on January 1, 2020 after 38 years of service! Kelli started her career with the Olathe, KS Police Department in 1982 and served most of her career with Wyandotte County and retired as the Executive Officer of the Operations Division. She served on many Boards including: Section 2 Director of the FBINAA Charitable Foundation, Section 2 YLP Counselor, Crime-Stoppers Tips Hotline and Kansas-Western Missouri Chapter Vendor Coordinator for our Fall Retrainers.

Kelli set the bar high for women in law enforcement by winning numerous awards during her career including: the National Missing Children’s Award from Department of Justice, Liberty Bell Award from the Kansas Law Association, Law Enforcement of the Year Award from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) (2013), National Media Award from Crime Stoppers USA (2013), Hendricks Cadillac Lifetime Achievement Award (2014), Humanitarian Award for Community Leadership in Philanthropy from the Medical Missions Association (2014), Humanitarian Award Olathe (Kansas) Human Relations Commission (2014), Paul Harris Fellow Award by Rotary International (2015), Business Associate of the Year from the Women’s Business Association (2017), Distinguished Service Award for Victims of Domestic Violence, Friends of Yates Association (2018), Outstanding Criminal Justice Law Enforcement Officer Victim Services Award and the Office of the Attorney General (2019). After this outstanding career, Kelli plans on taking a few months off to enjoy retirement! We wish her well and thank her for all of her contributions to her community!


Captain Roy True, NA Session 241, retired from the Kansas City, MO Police Department after 37 years of service on December 28, 2019. True started his career with the Fort Scott, KS Police Department for three years before joining the Kansas City PD since 1986. True has served in various capacities throughout his distinguished career including Patrol, Investigative, Property Crimes, Robbery Unit, Traffic Investigations Unit Fleet Operations, Tactical Team Commander and Special Victims Unit. He was promoted to Sergeant in 1994 and developed KCPD’s first In-Car Video Section and the Internal Audit Unit. True was promoted to Captain in 2002 and served in several commander roles. He is a graduate of the Institute for Law Enforcement Administration-Command College 49th Session. True served as the President of the Kansas-Western Missouri FBINAA Chapter in 2017 and received the prestigious Clarence M. Kelley award from the Chapter in 2019! We appreciate all of his work with our Chapter and his many years of service to his community! He will be missed!


Chief Matt Stewart, NA Session 256, retired from the Joplin, MO Police Department on January 3, 2020. Stewart served over 20 years with Joplin PD and is a graduate of the Missouri Police Chief’s Command College (2012-2013) and Leadership Joplin (2010) in which he served as the elected Class Speaker. He was involved with numerous committees and boards including the Missouri Cyber Crimes Executive Board, Missouri Task Force on Prevention of Sexual Abuse, Tri-States Major Case Squad, CALEA Executive Director Regional Advisory Board, Mercy Hospital Board of Directors, Chair of the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, Children’s Center of Southwest Missouri, One Joplin Human Services, Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team and the Vice President of the Seneca R7 School Board. Chief Stewart will continue as an Adjunct Instructor at the Missouri Southern State University and look for his next adventure. Thank you for your years of service and commitment to our law enforcement community!


Major Mike Raunig, NA Session 219, retired November 1, 2019 with over 33 years of service! Mike was with the Johnson County, KS Sheriff’s Office during his career and was promoted through the ranks retiring as a Major. He did not stay ‘retired’ long and has been chosen as the Director of Safety and Security at the Kansas City Art Institute (Art and Design College) in Kansas City, MO. Thank you to Mike for his many years of law enforcement service to his community and good luck in his new position!


Chief Steve Beamer, NA Session 184, retired January 11, 2020 from the North Kansas City, MO Police Department. Thank you for your many years of law enforcement service to your community!


New York/Eastern Canada Chapter

Chapter News

Congratulations to Ed Hartnett (Deputy Chief, NYPD & former Commissioner, Yonkers PD), NA Session 169, who has been named Hibernian Businessman of the Year.


Congratulations to Deidre Smith-Withers who has been named the 2020 Rockland St. Patrick’s Day Parade Commander. Sergeant Smith-Withers is the daughter of retired Inspector Francis E. Smith, NA Session 157. Sergeant Smith-Withers has served the citizens of Suffern for twenty-two years and is a recipient of the 2005 Rockland County PBA Medal of Valor.


Passings

Michael Vishion, NA Session 210, retired 25 year Captain of the Town of Tonawanda Police Department, passed away on January 31, 2020. Mike also served as President of the Town of Tonawanda Police Club and Union for several years. As an avid golfer, he was the long serving Treasurer of the Town Police and Fire Golf League. Our condolences go out to his family.


Rocky Mountain Chapter

Passings

Chief Roy Lane, NA Session 109, retired Chief of Police for Cortez Police Department, passed away on December 20, 2019. He became the Chief of Police of Holbrook Arizona at the age of 30 and remained there for 7 years until 1981 when he became the Chief of Police of the Cortez Police Department, Cortez Colorado. He had 54 years of law enforcement service with 45 years serving as a Chief of Police, the last 38 with the Cortez Police Department. He was the longest tenured Chief serving in Colorado. Chief Roy Lane had received numerous awards and had been recognized by the Colorado Chiefs of Police Association for his dedicated service. He had served on countless boards and his experience, leadership and guidance cannot be overstated. He will be greatly missed.


Special Congratulations

We would like to congratulate the following people for being selected for the Presidential Law Enforcement Panel

Attorney General William Barr named 18 law enforcement officials to a presidential commission that aims to study ways to reduce crime and increase respect for the law; six of the chosen members are NA Members:

David Bowdich, Deputy Director, Federal Bureau of Investigations
Gina Hawkins, Chief of Police, Fayetteville, NC, NA Session 252, North Carolina Chapter
Craig Price, South Dakota Secretary of Public Safety, NA Session 232, Northwest Chapter
Gordon Ramsay, Chief of Police, Wichita, KS, NA Session 222, Kansas/Western Missouri Chapter
David B. Rausch, Director, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, NA Session 218, Tennessee Chapter
R. John Samaniego, III, Sheriff, Shelby County, AL, NA Session 176, Alabama Chapter