present colors – pledge of allegiance

55 Pages·2014·0.22 MB·English

by  Maxine Bernstein

Welcome to the September 2014 Portland Police Bureau Awards Ceremony. I’m
Sergeant Pete Simpson and I have the honor and privilege of being your emcee for
today’s event.

I would ask you to please rise as the Portland Police Bureau’s Honor Guard
presents the colors. We will then recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

When you hear the call to “present arms”, uniformed personnel should render a
salute. Members of the Armed Forces and veterans who are present but not in
uniform may render the military salute. Non-uniformed personnel and members of
the public should stand at attention with your hand over your heart.

PRESENT COLORS – PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Thank you. You may be seated.

Today, we’ll be honoring Bureau members, people from our partner agencies and
community members for their dedication and service to the City of Portland, in the
finest traditions of the Police Bureau.

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We’d like to thank the Snowman Foundation, including its founder, Michael Allen
Harrison, Manager, Amy Johnson and pianist, Hailey Rowden, for the music
today. Hailey, who has studied under Michael Allen Harrison, became a piano
teacher at age 12 and has shared her talents by instructing both privately and as a
volunteer.

The Snowman Foundation's mission is to provide opportunity for kids to play
music. The partnership with the Portland Police Bureau allows us to work together
as partners and serve the community in a positive and proactive way.

Make sure you stop by the lobby and find out more about this organization and
how you can help.

We have a few special guests in the audience today who I would like to recognize:

1.____________________________

2. ____________________________

3. ____________________________

4. ____________________________

5. ____________________________

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And now I’d like to introduce Mayor and Police Commissioner, Charlie Hales
MAYOR SPEAKS
Thank you, Mayor. Chief Mike Reese will now say a few words.
CHIEF MIKE REESE SPEAKS
Thank you, Chief.

As you will learn in today’s ceremony, we are honoring tremendous acts of
bravery, innovative work and building relationships. We’d like to start with a short
video today. The idea originated with Diane Haman of the Chief’s Office, who
coordinated getting photos from Bureau members—not an easy task! And it was
created by Marshall Santos of the Bureau’s Communications Unit.
VIDEO GOES HERE

And now it’s time to present the awards. As I call your names, please come on to
the stage to receive your award. Please hold all applause until all the people
receiving an award are on stage.

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CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION
Mr. Grygoriy “George” Fakashchuk

George is employed by PHC and currently assigned to the maintenance of East
Precinct. East Precinct serves a large population from the Slavic community and
on more than one occasion, George has assisted officers with translation needs for
investigations.

George is always willing to help, and often offers his assistance without being
asked. George has translated phone calls received by the front desk and comforted
victims or complainants while they wait for officers to arrive. George's positive
attitude and pleasant demeanor quickly build rapport and make officers’ jobs easier
when conducting interviews.

In December 2013, all non-essential personnel were not required to work because
of hazardous winter conditions. Knowing that officers would still need assistance
and the precinct still needed to be attended to, George responded to work to ensure
the entrances and exits were clear of ice and snow and the much-needed supplies
were stocked for all shifts.

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George continually goes above and beyond his job duties to assist the community
and the officers of East Precinct.

George, for all your continued efforts to assist officers and the community, you are
hereby awarded the Portland Police CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION.

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UNIT COMMENDATION
North Precinct Neighborhood Response Team

In the summer of 2013, North Precinct began a focused effort to proactively improve
the livability of the Northeast Cully and Killingsworth area. Police calls for service
were disproportionately high in this neighborhood, especially around the Arbor
Mobile Home Park. The park was generating more than 2,000 calls for service a
year.

North Precinct wanted to help this extremely diverse community without alienating
the people in which they were trying to serve. Patrol officers began forming and
strengthening community relationships and North Precinct’s Neighborhood
Response Team was tasked to help solve long-term chronic livability and drug
issues in the area. The team identified several park residents involved in narcotics
sales and over the course of six months, the Neighborhood Response Team served
five search warrants at various locations inside the park. They made
approximately 23 arrests and seized more than a pound of heroin. The team was
able to use the arrests to help the owner acknowledge the impact the park was
having on the neighborhood, and he agreed to help make the park more community
friendly.
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However, the park was sold a short time later and Neighborhood Response Team
officers worked with the new owners to ensure a positive and systematic change
occurred in the park. The new owners provided professional and community-
oriented management, and families began to feel safe again. There has been an
overwhelming positive change in the park that community members still enjoy.

Neighborhood Response Team officers were not finished, however. They
continued to trace the source of narcotics sales, which was attracting individuals
who were preying on the local community. They used this information to serve
five search warrants simultaneously in the Cully and Killingsworth Neighborhood.
Ten people were arrested and more than $10,000 of narcotics money was seized.

The concentrated effort by the North Precinct Neighborhood Response Team,
along with the patrol officers and their community outreach efforts, has made a
positive and sustainable impact on this community.

The North Precinct Neighborhood Response Team is hereby awarded the Portland
Police Bureau UNIT COMMENDATION MEDAL.
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COMMENDATION MEDAL
Officer Carlos Ibarra

On the afternoon of Sunday, July 13th, 2014, Officer Carlos Ibarra responded to a
call regarding a homeless family who needed food and place to stay. The family,
who had seven kids, had driven back to Portland from Arizona, when things did
not work out for the family in that state.

Speaking little English, and hoping they might see someone they knew, the family
went back to the house they used to live in. The house was empty, and with
nowhere to go, the family called police, but the dispatcher was unable to
understand the family due to the language barrier.

Officer Ibarra responded and knew the family needed assistance. It was extremely
hot outside and the family could not survive on the streets or in their car. He spent
hours trying to call local shelters, but since it was a weekend, he could not contact
anyone. He started calling local motels and finally found one that would take the
family for $70. Officer Ibarra paid for the room personally.

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Since the family had not eaten, Officer Ibarra then brought food from the Portland
Police Bureau's Sunshine Division. The children started opening cans and eating,
without even stopping to warm up the soup.

An anonymous person called a local news channel that featured Officer Ibarra on
their newscast and a local church stepped forward to assist the family.

Let’s take a look at the newscast.

VIDEO GOES HERE

Officer Ibarra, your compassion will undoubtedly not be forgotten by the family
involved or the community who heard of your efforts. You are hereby awarded the
Portland Police COMMENDATION MEDAL.
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ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL
Sergeant Kristina Jones;
Officers Michelle Boer, Ryan Bren, Jorge Mendoza, Rashida Saunders, Dave
Thoman, Eric Zajac and Anthony Zoeller and
Office of Neighborhood Involvement Crime Prevention Coordinator Sara
Hussein

The Youth Engagement Project was originally created by officers assigned to the
New Columbia detail, and its goals were to engage the community in meaningful
relationships through positive interactions, while at the same time addressing
livability issues created from criminal activity.

North Precinct asked for volunteers to recreate and implement this program in the
Cully Neighborhood. The Neighborhood Response Team addressed much of the
chronic nuisance activity.

Sergeant Kristina Jones took the lead and coordinated with the Office of
Neighborhood Involvement’s Sara Hussein, to begin the community engagement
component last fall at Los Jardines apartments. The program involved weekly
projects with 3rd to 5th grade school kids, including cleaning and painting the
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