From: Mike Helle [mailto:pres@sapoa.org]
Subject: Defunding Police Budget
 
We could use the help from our Retired Friends and Family. Below are two links.
 
The first one is a link that sends the mayor and every city council member an email asking them not to redirect nor defund the police budget. I understand if members do not wish to place their home addresses on the post. They can always use the address of a substation closest to you.
 
The message is the most important piece of information we are trying to convey. Currently the loudest group is the smallest and attempting to defund and repeal bargaining for SAPD families. We need the Silent Majority to rise up and start letting their voices be heard to put a stop to this nonsense of defunding our police.
 
The second link is to the city council agenda meetings. Once you open the link it will list all council meetings and agenda items. On the far right side of the meeting dates you will find a "ecomment" link.
 
We need folks to open that link and fill out the comment section and place statements to support the police and state No to defunding and NO to repealing Civil service 143 and Collective Bargaining 174.
 
They can also copy and paste the comments from the first link regarding the budget and drop them into the ecomment section of council meetings.
 
If these groups are successful in defunding and repealing our rights under 143 and 174, the long term impacts to our Retiree Healthcare and Pension Fund could be devastating as well as the consequences to the moral and welfare of our police work force..
 
Any assistance is greatly appreciated....        
 
  1)   https://publicsafetyfacts.com/policebudget/
2)  https://sanantonio.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx
 Respectfully, Michael F. Helle
 
President San Antonio Police Officers Association
mobile 210.379.8777
office 210.822.4428

Attention All Retired SAPD Officers!
 
The SAPD Training Academy Firearms staff will be holding retiree qualifications on the following dates: Sept 10 and 11th.  Each day there will be a morning qualification at 0900 and an afternoon qualification at 1400.
 
When you call to sign up please specify which time you would like to sign up for as well as the date.  We are limited to 30 shooters per time slot so we will absolutely be taking no walk-ins.  If you are NOT signed up for the specified time/date, you will NOT be allowed to qualify.  NO exceptions.
 
As usual, you will need your firearm, at least two magazines, a holster, 50 rounds of ammo and a check payable to COSA.
 
 MASKS WILL BE REQUIRED AT ALL TIMES EXCEPT ON THE FIRING LINE, NO EXCEPTIONS.  Your own eye and ear protection is highly recommended. 
 
Call the range staff at 210-207-6229 during normal business hours to get on the schedule.
 
October schedules to be posted shortly.
 
Officer Christopher Timmer #1577, SAPD Academy, Firearms Instructor

SA Fire and Police Pensioners Asso. Aug Meeting by ZOOM
 
There will probably more meetings in this forum in the Future. The software application called Zoom 
Members may call into the meeting on their phone. Or they can download an application to their desktop computer, tablet or laptop.
 
The Zoom website will have all the information you need for downloading. By downloading their app  you can use your computer’s video camera
to add a video stream to the meeting
 
We invite all our members to attend. It would be great to see you!
We will be contacting our members with more details about the next meeting with information about how you can join us on ZOOM.
 
Visit our website : https://safppa.org/

From: Charles Ross [mailto:mdr@gvtc.com]
Subject: SAPD ( Retired ) Dave Putnam, Owner of Alamo City Gold and Silver
 
Guys, I just got off the phone with David Putnam, owner of Alamo City Gold and Silver. He has been battling Covid 19 himself and has been in the hospital for 8 days. He is now released and Covid negative. 
 
As you know, Dave has made " End Of Watch " Pendants (Badges) for many years for Officers who have given their lives in the Line of Duty. This includes Officers dying from Covid 19. There have been over a 100 Officers who have died from this disease nationwide. That's NOT counting the officers who have died from gunshot, motor vehicles, etc. The Pendants are given to the next of kin with an accompanying letter thanking them for the service and sacrifice of their loved one.
 
He is over a 100 Pendants behind. He, again, is asking for donations to help offset the cost of the pendants. Each pendant is approximately $130.00 each. He pays for this out of his pocket. He has set up a GoFundMe account. You can access this Fund by going SADiamonds.com. There is a GoFundMe attachment.
 
Dave is asking for any donations you can spare. Even $5.00 would help. 
 
I told him maybe he is taking on too much, but this is something he starting doing years ago, and he doesn't want to stop. This is Dear to his Heart.  I'm asking as a friend, if you can afford to help in ANY AMOUNT, please do.
 
Thanks, Mike Ross

Healthcare Fund Information
 
The Fire and Police Retiree Health Care Fund has extended the Telehealth Benefit due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The benefits (date of services) from March 23, 2020 to August 31, 2020 will only be considered for payment.
 
This announcement was mailed to every participant in the system. Contact the Fund if you did not receive the letter by mail.
 
Also included in the Health Fund letter was new info about Alternative Therapy Program from WELLDYNE.
 
The purpose of the Fire and Police Retiree Health Care Fund, San Antonio is to provide retired firefighters and police officers with family health plan.
Their website is here.
 
CONTACT US
Fire and Police Retiree Health Care Fund, San Antonio
11603 W. Coker Loop, Suite 130, San Antonio, Texas 78216
Office: (866) 652-4237 / Fax: (210) 494-6505
e-mail: faprhcf@swbell.net
www.prefundedsa.com