By Joe Hughes
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
March 30, 2002
One officer spent more than 40 years with the San Diego Police Department, a record for the agency. Another spent 34 years on the force and oversaw the Danielle van Dam investigation.
In all, eight senior San Diego police officers will be turning in their badges within a week, taking with them about 300 years of experience.
Police officials cannot remember another instance when so many veterans with so much experience left the department at the same time.
More retirements of longtime veterans may soon follow.
The reason for the exodus, police say, is an enhanced retirement policy that allows officers to retire with up to 90 percent of their salary after 30 years of service.
"There is some concern because we are losing an awful lot of good people," said Bill Farrar, president of the San Diego Police Officers Association. "You can teach people how to do the job, but so much of it is experience."
Capt. Cheryl A. Meyers, who supervises the department's personnel division, said police must become more aggressive in recruiting and may have to start looking for officers beyond state lines.
"We also are considering bringing back some of the people who have retired, under a provisional officers program, to work 90-day periods in some departments," Meyers said. Similar programs have been tried elsewhere.
San Diego's isn't the only police department facing a loss of leadership. Police agencies throughout California have implemented similar retirement plans, lest they become less competitive in recruiting.
The California commission on Police Officers Standards and Training, a Sacramento-based organization that sets statewide standards on training and advises departments on policies, is working with local officials in developing strategies to improve recruiting and retention.
Recruiting is expensive. San Diego officials estimate it costs about $100,000 to recruit and train an officer.
Officers who are leaving say the lure of retirement was too strong to ignore.
"I'm going to play golf, spend some time with the grandkids and smell the roses," said Capt. Ronald G. Newman, 60, who left yesterday.
Lt. Richard Bennett, 58, also left yesterday. He has spent more than 40 years with the department, surpassing by 12 days the record for longevity held by Officer George Pringle, who retired in 1936, according to Steve Willard of the San Diego Police Historical Association.
A graduate of Mission Bay High School, Bennett said he made his move into law enforcement through journalism.
During a high school journalism class, he was assigned to do a story on a now-defunct police cadet program. As part of the story, he applied to become a cadet and was accepted at the age of 18.
He later became a sworn officer.
"I never dreamed I'd be here 40 years," said Bennett, a supervisor in the narcotics division. "It's been a great ride."
Newman headed the Danielle van Dam case and has been involved with more than 900 homicide cases during his tenure. The soft-spoken, Hoover High School graduate who now lives in Escondido also has been the department's spokesman in explaining the recent rash of officer-involved shootings.
He never shot anyone in his career. Last month, however, he had his gun in hand in the middle of a busy downtown freeway, facing an ex-con begging him to shoot. The matter was resolved peacefully.
Co-workers said Newman's forte was getting homicide suspects to talk. He became one of the best in the business at obtaining confessions.
"About 80 percent of all homicide suspects give incriminating statements during police interviews," Newman said. He would use those statements to get suspects to divulge more information.
Newman's peers said the veteran detective's secret was his compassionate personality. Simply put, he got criminals to relax.
Newman said his approach invokes common sense.
"People would be surprised at the number of times just getting someone a cup of coffee brings results; it's more difficult for you to turn down someone who is decent to you."
Others retiring are Lt. Bill Hoover, 58, who spent 34 years on the force; Sgt. Wesley Ashcraft, 60, who spent 33 years on the force; Detective Phil Cooper, 60, who spent 35 years on the force; Detective Gary Reichle, 56, who spent 34 years on the force; Detective Eduardo Medina, 57, who spent 29 years on the force; and Gary Yoshonis, 59, who spent 35 years on the force.
Didn't work this time, huh?
He never shot anyone in his career. Last month, however, he had his gun in hand in the middle of a busy downtown freeway,
"People would be surprised at the number of times just getting someone a cup of coffee brings results; it's more difficult for you to turn down someone who is decent to you." facing an ex-con begging him to shoot. The matter was resolved peacefully.
Co-workers said Newman's forte was getting homicide suspects to talk. He became one of the best in the business at obtaining confessions.
"About 80 percent of all homicide suspects give incriminating statements during police interviews," Newman said. He would use those statements to get suspects to divulge more information.
No one in the VD home pointed a finger at DW. The police have maintained all along, that it was the initial interview on Monday, that made them suspicious of DW. Here we see and independant article on a different subject (police retirement) that the lead investigator is famed for his interviewing abilities. Wonder what his testimony at the trial will be?