Newsletter - PresidentsMessage

February 2010

2/20/2010 12:00:00 AM

Happy New Year CAHN Members!

First let me start this message with some sad/happy news. The sad news is that one of your southern representatives, who has served this association for many years, reluctantly resigned her post in January.

The good news is Pam Curry, having put in her years of service to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has retired and moved on to bigger and better things. Though the executive board will miss Pam and all she has done for us over the years we wish her well in her new endeavors in building her lake front home in Tennessee.

I am also pleased to welcome Rosemary Herrera (Torrance PD) to the Southern Region board to fill the last several months of Pam's tenure. I am happy to see some new members becoming involved in the regions, it is good to have some new blood on the regional boards as most of us serving now have been around for a while and will not be around forever.

Thanks to all who have stepped forward to run for open positions.

Your Conference Committee is hard at work for this year's ATC in Monterey. I know budgets are tight this year and it becomes a challenge to attend, but we are exploring options to help in the future to offset funding so we can keep this valuable training resource moving forward. You may register for the conference now and also book your room if you find the funding, so don't wait for the last minute, let's get yourself registered.

There are new voting procedures that were announced at the regional trainings and should be posted in this newsletter. Please read them carefully and elect a representative from your team to place your vote. We are trying this on-line to allow all members to vote via an electoral process and not just at a regional training or ATC you may or may not be able to attend.

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to e-mail an executive board member and we will be happy to answer your questions.

The regional trainings seem to be going well. I am happy to see teams stepping forward to provide incident debriefs and talk about what went well and what didn't go so well. It is a great learning tool for us all.

If you have an incident to debrief or an idea for training, please contact your regional reps so they can assist you or help to bring the desired training to your regions and maybe ultimately to the rest of the membership.

As always, this is your association, please don't hesitate to call or e-mail anyone on the executive board with your ideas or concerns.

See everyone in Monterey in May.

Matt Thomas

President

June 2009

6/29/2009 12:00:00 AM

I hope this edition of the newsletter finds everyone well. Thanks to everyone who attended this year's annual conference, it was a great one. For those of you who were unable to attend, we missed you, although we understand. Hopefully we all will weather this storm and return to the training schedule soon. I would like to thank Tim Hunter and his committee for an excellent and successful conference.

I know some of the attendees had difficulty with checking into their rooms prior to 1500, but please keep in mind the industry standard is check-in after 1500. The hotel, just as the airline industry, overbooks to cover for the "no shows", so they had difficulty keeping up with cleaning the rooms for preparing for our arrival. They have been made aware. Otherwise the hotel staff was accommodating and took good care of us.

The banquet on the Midway was a great success and the food was excellent. Everyone had a great time.

Remember when we return to San Diego in 2011 we will move the conference a week a forward, the week after Memorial week, as a high tech company has negotiated a deal with CAHN for our meeting space during our normal week, so mark your calendars for 2011.

Just to keep everyone in the loop for the future, we have begun to search for new hotels and locations to conduct our 2013 conference. I have looked at several hotels in the Anaheim area and we are also going to look into the Long Beach area as well. Any input you have on locations would be gladly accepted.

Please continue to attend your quarterly trainings to keep current as your regional boards continue to work hard to provide you with great training.

As always this is your association, so please don't hesitate to contact any member of the regional or state board with input or questions.

Thanks for another great year,

Matt Thomas

President

March 2009

3/2/2009 12:00:00 AM

Happy New Year to you all. I know budgets are tight this year and it will be tough for all to attend trainings and the annual conference. As I talk to members at regional trainings the discussion usually turns to finding creative ways to finance teams to attend the ATC. Some agencies were looking for corporate sponsors, some doing fundraisers. In Petaluma, for the past 7 years, we have held a golf tournament to raise funds for our team. The first year it was slow going, but each year it has grown and become a very popular community event. There are many types of fundraising possibilities out there. I have found that many businesses were very happy to help their local law enforcement agencies.

As a brief reminder, be diligent with your credit information: After the 2008 ATC we discovered an unknown individual began using one of the Northern Regions credit card numbers to make overseas purchases. It has been a long process and we are close to recovering most of the monies taken. It just proves that no one, not even those of us in Law Enforcement, are safe.

As we approach the 2009 ATC your conference committee is hard at work planning the 20^th Anniversary conference. Back by popular demand is the USS Midway. This year we will visit the Midway on Wednesday evening in conjunction with our banquet. The banquet will be held on the Midway.

There will be plenty of great speakers for your learning enjoyment throughout the week. There will be some new presenters and some presenters you have heard before presenting new topics. We are always looking for presentations, so if you know of any presentations, please contact your local regional representatives. This is your conference and we welcome your input.

With elections drawing near we need your involvement. This is a volunteer board and works for the good of the membership. Those of us that are on the board are committed to this organization and work hard for our members throughout the year. Having said that there will come a point in time for some of us to move on so we need your involvement. Contact your local regional board and get involved at that level to see if you want to make a larger commitment in the future.

As always this is your association and we welcome your input and ideas

Matt Thomas

November 2008

11/15/2008 12:00:00 AM

I must start this newsletter with some somber news. On 11-12-2008 the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office lost Deputy Larry Canfield to a motorcycle accident.

July 2008

7/5/2008 12:00:00 AM

I hope this newsletter finds everyone well. I would like to thank Tim Hunter and the rest of the Conference Committee for an excellent Conference this year. I have heard a great response regarding the breakout sessions. We will continue to plan for breakouts in the coming years as they break up the full sessions and provide options for everyone to attend different topics. I have heard very good feedback on the speakers and everyone seemed pleased with the majority of speakers.

The food issues are always a hot topic as there is the high cost of providing this service, so allow me to address this concern: The morning coffee is not designed to replace breakfast; it is merely to be a supplement for your breakfast. Each morning we provide coffee, fruit, Danish and such which costs the Association approximately $2,000.00 to $3,000.00 each morning. The Banquet cost anywhere between $30,000.00 to $35,000.00, depending upon whether we are in the South or North. Our total food bill including Monday night hospitality, Lunch on Thursday, all morning service and Thursday evening was $53,633.21. This is just a brief overview of the food costs so you understand why we don't just keep refilling the tables and coffee each morning. This seems to be a hot topic each year when the coffee seems to stop flowing. Last year in San Diego we were able to have a coffee cart at the hotel, a vendor who works with the hotel. I also received very good feedback on this issue as well. Unfortunately in Monterey this was not an option as there was not a vendor in the area to provide this service.

We can provide coffee throughout the day but just so you know there is a cost involved. I would be happy to take any suggestions you may have if you would like to have coffee provided all day.

The rest of the conference fees are to cover the costs involved in bringing the speaker's, and covering the audio for conference.

I would like to thank Robyn Berlin and her team for running the raffle. Robyn was responsible for the raffle prize donations, collection, organization and distribution. Robyn and her team continue to be an invaluable resource during the conference. It is a relief to see her team when they arrive.

We made a few changes to the board at the last board meeting. Robyn Berlin has vacated the Northern Region Director position and is now the Co-Conference Chair, at her request, to assist Tim Hunter in conference planning. Rex Osborn has been appointed, at his request and Robyn's recommendation, to complete her term. Rex's representative position replacement is pending.

Tim and Robyn as well as the rest of the board are already working on the 2009 ATC, our 20^th Anniversary, in San Diego. We are already working on a new logo, different t-shirts, a special edition challenge coin and many other ideas. On a sad note; the place Enforcement Technology Group hosted a hospitality event in 2007, the Kansas City Barbecue (aka: the "Top Gun" bar), was destroyed by fire the past week. The owners have said they will rebuild, but it is unknown at this time whether it will be rebuilt in time for our conference. We are looking for another venue and welcome any ideas you have for a Monday night hospitality event. Please send your ideas to Tim Hunter via his email which is located on the website.

As always this is your association and the board welcomes your input.

I hope everyone had a safe and happy 4^th of July

Matt Thomas

February 2008

2/9/2008 12:00:00 AM

President’s Message

Happy New Year to all of you, it’s hard to believe a new year is already upon us.

Tim Hunter and his conference staff are hard at work on the upcoming Annual Training Conference (ATC) in Monterey in May.

June 2007

6/25/2007 12:00:00 AM

2007 Post Conference
President’s Message

I would like to thank Tim Hunter and his staff for an excellent conference. The speakers were top notch.

February 2007

2/28/2007 12:00:00 AM

It seems time continues to fly by and here we are preparing for our annual conference. Tim Hunter and crew are working hard to bring you an outstanding conference. I look forward to all the new activities that are in store for you all in San Diego.

We are working toward obtaining POST certification for our quarterly trainings as well at the annual ATC. This process will take some time to complete and hear from POST. Please be patient while we are working towards this certification. It appears the quarterly trainings will be easier to get certified for POST plan IV. It is entirely possible the ATC could only be certified for professional credits. Part of obtaining the certification may require your board to keep roll each day of the conference. The new ID card system will assist us in our records keeping, but may require you to swipe your ID card at the beginning of each day and again when you leave for the end of the day. Please be patient while we contact POST and continue in this endeavor.

We have been working diligently with the IRS to clear up our tax issues over the past several years. Thanks to John Hill, a certified public accountant the board hired, we are very close to being complete and up to date with our tax information.

Lastly, the Sunday, prior to the conference, CAHN will be hosting the annual meeting of the National Council of Negotiations Associations (NCNA). Two representatives from each association from across the US will meet to discuss issues related to Negotiations on a national level. A reciprocal agreement exists between each association for two board members to attend trainings to keep our contacts and professional relationships cohesive. As a result you may see several of the representatives attending our conference, please make them feel welcome.

As always this is your association should you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me or any board member with your input.

Be safe and we will see you in San Diego.

Matt Thomas

December 2006

12/3/2006 12:00:00 AM

Time seems to be flying by this year. It seems only yesterday we were enjoying the hospitality and great weather of Monterey, yet here we are with Christmas Holidays upon us.

I have been reading about a lot of incidents in the paper and seeing news clips both on the internet and the evening news. This brings to mind that our quarterly trainings are very important to our membership current in our methods. To this I am happy to report that quarterly trainings are receiving high ratings and praise for their content. I have to commend and thank the regional and state board members who are working hard to bring relevant information to everyone. As always you are doing an outstanding job.

During this time I would like to address two subjects:

The first is the membership cards. It appears while I was working with the company who created the software for our membership cards, we encountered a minor problem. While creating our design template, I was instructed to delete the field which reads and translates the information onto the back of the membership card. Deleting this field made the magnetic strip on the back of the card useless. Patricia Larrigan has been in contact with the manufacturer to work on this issue. I am hopeful we can solve this problem soon. We are working with the manufacturer to provide replacement cards and several ribbons for the printer to complete the task. However, it will mean we will have to replace all of the membership cards that have been distributed. Please hold onto your cards and we will issue you new ones as they come on line. I apologize for any inconvenience and hopefully will have this problem solved before the next conference.

The second item I would like to address is press inquiries. I have been contacted on numerous occasions by press asking for a critique of an in progress incident or asking what tactics a negotiator would use in a given situation. Each time I have responded that CAHN would not comment on an in progress call as we do not want to be perceived as critiquing another agencies operation. I also do not feel comfortable having only the press agencies view of events. They don’t always give us the straight info or in most cases don’t have all of the facts. Each time I have responded that I would be happy to provide information once I have had the time to gather the facts from sources other than the press agency making the inquiry. Each time I have received the response “I need the info now; I’m working on a deadline”. The press has found our website and contacted several state board members for comments, going down the list when they don’t get an answer or a reply. I would caution anyone making any statements to beware as the press will take a small comment and make more out of it than what your intention would be. They will also ask you what agency you work for, even though they may have contacted you as CAHN member. The most recent incident I can think of was a “jumper” in San Francisco. A Fire Department Lieutenant approached a subject who was on the ledge and in active negotiations with Police on the ground. The Lieutenant did not tell/nor ask permission from the police command post about what he was going to do. The end result was a failed attempt to grab the subject and pull him to safety. Instead the subject was startled, did not know what was happening and began to fight and subsequently fell to his death. A member was contacted and gave a statement, which I agreed with and was right on track with our training. This is just a reminder to be careful when talking with the press and ask for time to research the incident before answering questions for the press. This is how the state board has been asked to handle the situation.

As always, if you have any questions or input, please do not hesitate to contact myself or any regional or state board member. We are happy to have your input for your association.

Happy Holidays to you and your family and be safe.

Matt Thomas

Summer 2006

8/10/2006 12:00:00 AM

President’s Message

I can hardly believe another year has passed. I would like to extend my thanks to my Conference Committee, they did an incredible job. The presentations were well received and provided some insight on how others work. I hope everyone learned a lot, rekindled some old friendships and had a good time. Stay tuned in 2007 as we will try to bring the Chinese presenters to you. I know there were some issues with the coffee service and the limitations of our locations. Also due to area limitations, we tried some different entertainment this year. They seemed to be crowd pleasers and we will try to do the same in San Diego. Check back soon for a quick survey that will be posted on the website to help us plan the 2007 conference. Thanks to everyone who was able to attend and provide the feedback on the surveys.

The membership cards handed out at the conference as your name tags will be used at all trainings from this point forward. Each region will have a card scanner for you to swipe your card at check in. The membership database will tell us whether your membership is current or needs to be renewed. Please keep these cards with you for these training sessions as it will hopefully make the check-in process flow quicker and smoother.

The new board members are in place for the next two years. Hopefully this will help to keep things running in the same direction. I would like to see a process put into place so the conference in the North and the South use the same process so we do not reinvent the wheel, the merchandise ordered will be the same amount etc… This will make planning the conferences a little easier and allow us to concentrate on finding quality speakers.

As always, if you have any questions or suggestions for the conference or anything else, feel free to contact myself or any board member as we are always happy to have your input. After all this is your association.

Thank you again for another successful year,

Matt Thomas

May 2006

5/11/2006 12:00:00 AM

Just a quick follow-up to the last letter. I am happy to announce our membership is at approximately 1100 members, thanks in large part to the website.

Winter 2006

2/24/2006 12:00:00 AM

First of all we must extend our Congratulations to Valerie Harris as she was promoted to Chief of the Auburn Police Department in January. It is also with great sadness that Valerie will have to resign her position as the state treasurer to fulfill her Chiefly duties.

Summer 2005

6/25/2005 12:00:00 AM

Another year has passed and the torch passed from one president to the next. I first want to extend my congratulations and thank you for an excellent conference put on by Lisa McConnell and committee.