T H E N E W YO R K S TAT E F R AT E R NA L O R D E R O F P O L I C E Issue No. 1 May/June 2015 Members will be able to order motorcylce plates by June. Visit our website for more information on FOP motorcycle plates. A Message from Mike Essig, New York State Fraternal Order of Police President We are grateful for our brothers and sisters who attended police week to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice in law enforcement service. In honor of their comittment to protect and serve, we also pay a very special tribute to the surviving family members who have been left behind. There is common wording we say in law enforcement. All gave some. Some gave All. This ceremony is to honor those who gave all, those who gave their lives in the line of duty. They are heroes not only because of how they died but because of how they lived. The courage shown during those last few moments of their lives is a representation of the structure to which this great state was founded, and continues to build and grow upon. However, we must not forget to give proper recognition and support to those officers who have been disabled or seriously injured in the line of duty, for their sacrafices are of equal importance . Our strength comes from the compassion within our brothers and sisters who demonstrate a relentless desire to make a difference in our communities, and those who support them. May God Bless you All. Fraternally, Mike Essig New York State Fraternal Order of Police President THE BADGE NEWSLETTER | 2 We would like to thank everyone who attended the New York State Fraternal Order of Police Memorial this year, and paid their respects to the fallen officers that gave their life in the line of duty. We have built the tradition of engraving their names upon a symbolic wall of courage, honor, and respect so we may never forget the sacrafices that were made to protect and serve our great state. Unfortunately, with new names to be added with every year that passes, it has come time where our wall must be expanded in order to continue our noble tradition. With your support we shall continue to honor their families with this ceremony until the day comes when no other man or woman must give their life serving our communities. The NYS FOP in conjunction with the NYS FOP Foundation asks for your help in reaching their financial goal so we may properly update this memorial. No contribution is too small. Whether you donate a brick engraved with your personal message, or wish to make an anonymous donation for the sake of honoring a loved one, it is all for a good cause. We welcome everyone to take part in joining our community, paying respects to the fallen, and becoming a part of our ever growing family. T H E N E W YO R K S TAT E F R AT E R NA L O R D E R O F P O L I C E THE BADGE NEWSLETTER | 3 N E V E R PAY A N OT H E R B A N K F E E . SWITCH TO BANKMOBILE. Are You Tired of Bank Fees and Low Interest Rates? Switch to Bankmobile. The only bank in the country with no fees. A REVOLUTIONARY WAY Opening a deposit account takes less than 5 minutes with a drivers license or state ID. A REVOLUTIONARY WAY TO BANK ABSOLUTELY NO ABSOLUTELY NO FEES! 55,000 FREE ATMs A REVOLUTIONARY WAY TO BANK D O W N L O A D T H E A P P T O D A Y. S EAAREVOLUTIONARY R C H “ B A N K M O WAY B I L EABSOLUTELY ” BANK 55,000 FREE ATMs NO FEES! TO PERSONAL BANKE ABSOLUTELY NO 55,000 FEES! 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Offer may be withdrawn at any time. THE BADGE NEWSLETTER | 4 A Message from Mike Nied: New York National Trustee Brothers & Sisters: In addition to the reports that I distribute to your lodge trustees at State Board meetings, I’ve been asked by our State President Mike Essig to prepare a short report to you, the members of the Empire State Lodge Fraternal Order of Police. What does a National Trustee do? Well, as you may already know, each state as a National Trustee representative to the Grand Lodge Board of Trustees. My job is to represent New York at those meetings, and to bring back pertinent information to the State Board here in New York for dissemination to the membership. I work with lodges to assist them in ways to retain and grow their membership, as well as providing information to members regarding Grand Lodge initiatives. I’m a member on the Grand Lodge “Program Development Committee’, and assist with various State Lodge committee work such as Constitution & Bylaws, National Conference, Special Olympics, as well as providing guidance to and sometimes personally meeting with out-of-state FOP members visiting New York. I also work to assist the NYSFOP Foundation with their Great Adventure outing, along with several other projects. The Grand Lodge FOP is comprised of over 320,000 members in 44 states nationwide, having labor responsibilities in about 25 of those states. But the remaining non-labor states, including New York, are still part of a national organization that works for the betterment of all its members and for the law enforcement profession as a whole. If you go to the website www.fop.net, you can register your username and password, and see the many legislative and safety initiatives. These include: the “Rafael Ramos Wenjiun Liu Blue Alert Act”, which would be similar in implementation to the “Silver Alert”, but for instances when a law enforcement officer is seriously injured or killed in the LOD….and advocating for legislation that includes an attack against a LE officer be categorized as a “hate crime” because it targets an officer due to their LE position. New York State has nearly 16,000 active members; “active” including current and retired LE officers, and approximately 4,000 associate (civilian) members. You may not know this, but in New York, for every LE Officer who is already an FOP member, there are 3 that are not! We need your help so that your lodge can grow in size and to make non-members aware of the missed benefits of being an FOP member. Ask your lodge leadership for ways you can help get the word out, perhaps having ways to refer by e-mail or by carrying paper applications, that way you’ll be ready when an opportunity arises. THE BADGE NEWSLETTER | 5 There are several events coming down the pike that you should try to avail yourselves to: NYSFOP Foundation Great Adventure Outing June 27th Jackson, NJ NYSFOP Foundation Family Picnic July 11th Lido Beach, Nassau 100th Anniversary Grand Lodge Conference Aug 10th-13th Pittsburgh, PA NYSFOP Foundation Mets Game Aug 31st Citifield, Queens Your lodge leadership has more information on all of these events. Get more involved! Reach out to your lodge…..go to meetings and conferences, offer to help ….they will appreciate it very much, and at the same time you’ll get to learn more about the Fraternal Order of Police. If there is any way I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to contact me at [email protected] or (631) 3831310. Stay safe and wear your seatbelts! Fraternally, Mike Nied NY National Trustee THE BADGE NEWSLETTER | 6 Enjoy exclusive savings up to 40% off NYS FOP! Book your Pocono Mountain stay online using the code GETAWAY and receive a one-level suite upgrade at check-in and a 10% discount in our Cafés and Gift Shops. Your Pocono Mountain escapes includes: • Oversized sexy suites • In-suite pools • World-famous champagne tower • Unique dining experiences • Live nightly entertainment • Countless fun-filled activities e New York State v i s u l c x E for Fraternal Order of Police Visit CoveHaven.com/NYSFOP or call (800) 972-2945 and mention Getaway #18281 THE BADGE NEWSLETTER | 7 2015 NYS Fraternal Order of Police Foundation ANNUAL FAMILY DAY RETURNS TO Six Flags Great Adventure & Wild Safari Saturday June 27th, 2015 “THRILL PASS” ADMISSION to all 3 Parks: Great Adventure eme Park (Hours: 10:30 am x 10 pm) Wild Safari Park (Hours: 10:30 am x 5 pm) Hurricane Harbor Water Park (Hours: 10:30 am x 6 pm) FREE PARKING! THREE Hour All-You-Can-Eat BBQ Buffet in “Picnic Grove”: Burgers, Hot Dogs, Fried Chicken, Nachos & Cheese, Italian Pasta Salad, Garden Salad, So drinks & Ice Cream With unlimited re-entry for the entire time slot Plus a Bonus FOURTH Hour: Featuring “so drink only” service! UNLIMITED FUTURE RETURNS TO THE PARK! Good for coming back to Great Adventure & Wild Safari as many times as you like until September 13th, 2015! (Unlimited Future Returns do not include Parking, Hurricane Harbor or BBQ) ALL OF THE ABOVE FOR AN AMAZING FOP PRICE OF $49.00 per person (kids 2 and under are free) All FOP Members & eir Guests Are Welcome! SEE THE REVERSE SIDE FOR TICKET ORDER FORM AND COMPLETE DETAILS THE BADGE NEWSLETTER | 8 THE BADGE NEWSLETTER | 9 ™ ™ Direct Lender. Direct Savings. Direct to You. YOUR HOME FINANCING SOLUTION Whether your looking to purchase or refinance your home, all NYSFOP members, including their family, friends and veterans, receive tremendous cost savings with our special UnionDirect™ program. PLUS, we offer flexible financing options to give you the best possible mortgage available today. Call us for a free consultation. Union Members Save With: NO Application Fees | NO Processing Fees | NO Commitment Fees | NO Underwriting Fees NO Broker Fees | NO Credit Report Fees | REDUCED Title Fees | REDUCED Attorney Fees SHAWN DWYER Assistant Vice President, Sales NMLS ID 218169 MICHAEL R. LAPAGLIA Senior Loan Officer NMLS ID 6626 Office 516.348.0618 Mobile 516.220.6058 Email [email protected] Office 516.348.0645 Mobile 516.805.6261 Email [email protected] 844.27.UNION unions.mortgagecorp.com UnionDirect™ is a program provided by Mid-Island Mortgage Corp.™ 900 Merchants Concourse, Westbury, NY 11590 Legal ©2000-2015 Mid-Island Mortgage Corp.™ All Rights Reserved. This is not a commitment to lend. Loans with poorer credit scores are priced higher and are differentiated due to the high level of credit qualifying overlays. Restrictions Apply. Licensed Mortgage Banker-NYS Department of Financial Services; Licensed by the NJ Department of Banking and Insurance; FL Mortgage Lender/Servicer; SCBOFI Mortgage Lender/Servicer; Licensed with the North Carolina Commissioner of Banks; NMLS #1259 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org) THE BADGE NEWSLETTER | 10 THE BADGE NEWSLETTER | 11 HOW DOES HR-218 (THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS SAFETY ACT) APPLY TO YOU IN 2015? By John Comparetto, Immediate Past President Lodge 188 On July 22, 2004, President George W. Bush signed into law the ‘Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act”, commonly known to us as LEOSA or HR-218. It was amended in 2010 and 2013. The law afforded qualified active law enforcement officers (QLEO) and qualified retired law enforcement officers (QRLEO) the privilege of carrying a CONCEALED firearm in all 50 states, Washington DC, Puerto Rico and all U.S. Possessions such as the US Virgin Islands. The amendments changed the number of aggregate years of service to 10 and eliminated the need to have a pension. This added military and DOD police, Amtrak Police, Federal Reserve Police and the Executive Branch of the US Government. IN ADDITION, amendments opened the door to part-time, auxiliaries, reserve and volunteer officers, (they must meet the definition to include authorized by law to engage in or supervise the prevention, detection, investigation, or prosecution of, or the incarceration of any person for any violation of law, AND, has statutory powers of arrest or apprehension; Is authorized by the Agency to carry a firearm, is not subject of any disciplinary action of the agency which could result in loss of police powers, meets standards, if any, established by the agency which require the employee to regularly qualify in the use of firearms, is not under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and is not prohibited by federal law from receiving a firearm) In 2013, the amendment was slipped into a DOD bill and did not allow our organizations to scrutinize the wording. The military wanted the ability to distinguish who was allowed to carry firearms. Hidden within the amendment was language that now mandated that all QLEOs and RQLEOs carry a photo ID that “identifies the employee as a police or law enforcement officer of the agency (or for retirees, as having been employed as a police or law enforcement officer). Why is this a problem? Because nothing in the law requires agencies to issue a “Retired” ID to their members. And, now, if they don’t indicate that you were a police or law enforcement officer you do not qualify under HR218. THE BADGE NEWSLETTER | 12 LETS REVIEW NYPD Look at your ID Card. Unless your rank is Police Officer, no where does it say that you are or were a police officer. Technicality, maybe. My retired ID Card says LIEUTENANT. Common sense dictates that an NYPD Lieutenant or a Detective, Sergeant, Captain or Chief is or was a police officer. I don’t believe there will be a problem but again, it only takes one over zealous officer to have you become the test case. Nothing we can do about this now. My Retired NJ Chiefs ID Card states the following on the reverse: The bearer of this card is a duly sworn law enforcement officer and is authorized to carry a firearm in accordance with New Jersey Title 40 and the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act, HR-218 (United States Code, Chapter 44 of Title 18) I, of course, worded these even prior to the amendment so as to be as clear as possible (Thanks to my yearly attendance at the SHEEPDOG ACADEMY) WHERE CAN’T WE CARRY No good in federal facilities No good on federal park land (But a carry permit is) No good in privately owned POSTED locations No good in licensed premises in some states (Must check local state law) No good in GUN FREE SCHOOL ZONES (Note: you cannot be anywhere in the Borough of Manhattan and not be within 1000’ of a school zone) However, many states Concealed Weapons Permits allow you to carry within these GFSZ. I recommend that you apply for and carry as many Concealed Weapons Permits as you can. This includes Florida, Utah and keep your NY Permit. A recent Court ruling in NYS now allows part-time residents to have a permit. This permit exempts you from GFSZ in NY. NOTE: YOU ARE NOT COVERED UNDER LEOSA IF YOU ARE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL OR NARCOTICS. Be advised that North Carolina has a law that you cannot carry a firearm with “ANY AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL IN YOUR SYSTEM DO I NEED A CONCEALED WEAPONS PERMIT IN NYS IF I CARRY UNDER HR-218 NO YOU DON’T, BUT In many states you do not need a concealed carry permit to own or possess a handgun. However, in NY State you can not legally touch a handgun without a permit. HR-218 would of course exempt you. But here is the problem. If you let your HR-218 expire, say on July 1, you would be in criminal possession of a weapon on July 2. You couldn’t legally go to a range and qualify. WHY PUT YOURSELF IN THIS POSITION. Keep your permit. Plus, why would you want to become overtime for some rookie cop who has no clue as to why you have no permit. THE BADGE NEWSLETTER | 13 MUST WE CARRY CONCEALED I have attended the Sheepdog Academy training on HR-218 for at least the past 7 or 8 years. Steve Mannion, an Attorney (and now U.S. Magistrate) is the countries leading expert on HR-218) Each year I attempted to argue a point with him about HR-218. Steve stated that HR-218 requires that you carry “CONCEALED”. He would give an example of a guy getting out of a car and his sport jacket is caught around his holster/gun and the firearm is now exposed. Steve said “YOU ARE NOT COVERED BY HR-218”. I argued that I can’t believe the law didn’t cover that. WELL, a recent court case in NYC (of course) proved me 100% wrong. A 65 year old retired NJ Deputy was working for a Traffic Management Company following Hurricane Sandy. He was directing traffic near the city hall area. Each time he raised his arms to direct traffic his yellow vest went up and his holstered firearm showed. Someone dialed 9-11. NYPD responded and sat across the street videotaping him. They confronted him. He had his retired ID, his HR-218 qualification card and a copy of the law. For some reason they brought him in for investigation.They called the Sheriff ’s Dept where he retired from in 1995. No one knew him so they arrested him (I can’t explain this). His lawyer made a motion to dismiss under LEOSA. The Judge ruled that he was NOT COVERED BY LEOSA BECAUSE THE WEAPON WAS NOT CONCEALED. He ended up having to plea to a Misdemeanor or risk 3 1/2 year minimum mandatory. Be careful and make sure its concealed. AMMO AND MAGAZINE RESTRICTIONS You are permitted under HR-218 to carry any ammo not banned by the US Government. So yes, you can carry hollowpoints in New Jersey. You cannot carry ammo deemed to be armor piercing by the government. HR-218 does not exempt us from magazine bans. NY SAFE Act says that you can only have up to 7 rounds in a magazine not capable of holding more than 10 rounds. Retired NY COPS ONLY may be exempt from this but only with the firearms that they carried and qualified with prior to retiring. A Federal Judge in the Buffalo area has a stay on this but many District Attorneys don’t seem to care. Check State laws that you are traveling to regarding magazine capacity. WHAT ARE WE DOING TO IMPROVE LEOSA In 2013 myself, retired Chief Jay Kopstein and retired Sgt. Dave Furman came up with a proposal that I presented at the National FOP Convention as an Amendment to a Resolution supporting HR-218. The amendment has the FOP supporting any legislation that would exempt us from Magazine Capacity and Gun Free School Zones. We are also trying to word additional exemptions to include a less restrictive definition of concealed as well as our ability to carry on private posted property and not be charged with a gun crime. Hope to get some members of Congress to write this bill. If I can help you with any matter related to HR-218, I can be emailed at: [email protected] Also, check out Sheepdogacademy.com Try to attend at least one of his trainings. Stay safe Fraternally John Comparetto Immediate Past President Lodge 188 Chief-Retired Passaic County Sheriff Dept Lieutenant- Retired NYPD THE BADGE NEWSLETTER | 14 METS VS. PHILLIES MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015 at 7:10 PM Special ticket prices for NYS FOP members, supporters, friends and families in reserved seating (with this order form in advance of the game) All participants will receive a Tom Seaver ‘T-shirt-style’ Jersey Please have check/money order in no later than Monday July 27th, 2015 Contact Person:________________________________________ Delivery Address:_______________________________________ City/State/Zip:_________________________________________ Email Address:_________________________________________ Daytime Phone:_________________________________________ Lodge Number:_________________________________________ Special NYS FOP Foundation Pricing Seating Level Number of Tickets Left Field Reserved (field level) _______________ All tickets will be shipped Certified Mail OR arrange ticket pick- up options by contacting Steve Palermo (subject to availability) Amount @ $32.00 = __________ Certified Mail Fee = $5.00 TOTAL= __________ Payment Information Payment must be included by check (payable to NYS FOP Foundation), or money order. Payment Amount: S________________________________ Mail to: NYS FOP Foundation- Mets Tickets – PO Box 275 – Hicksville, NY 11802-0275 For more information, please visit: www.nysfoundation.org NYS FOP Foundation is a 501©(3) Charity Contact: Steve Palermo | 347-203-7065 | [email protected] THE BADGE NEWSLETTER | 15 NYS FOP State Surgeon’s Column: For the first column in the new regimen, with the vast possible number of subjects to discuss, I think we should examine one that informs you what action you should take if you are alone and you think you are experiencing the early symptoms of a heart attack...You may be well trained in CPR, but not on yourself...This an entirely different story... Your chest is killing you with pain or you feel a squeezing in either of your armpits + you may have only a few seconds until you pass out...Now begin a series of deep, harsh, repetitive coughs with a deep breath in between each cough...You are saving a life! Yours!...You want the breaths to be as deep as when you are trying to bring up phlegm...You want the cycle of deep breath + forced cough to take about 2 seconds each... The deep breaths push oxygen into the lungs...The coughs put pressure on the heart + push the circulation of blood..You can do this until either help arrives, you get to a hospital, your heart reverts to normal rhythm and then you can get to the hospital or your 911 call responds...You can continue this for minutes...And you live to see another day... I wish President Mike Essig and his newly installed board of officers lots of luck...I want to remind you all that the Surgeon’s Lodge SA03 is here to help you any and all times. Gerald Ente, M.D. Chief Surgeon 2/28/15 THE BADGE NEWSLETTER | 16 New York State Fraternal Order of Police Scholarship Application - 2015 To be eligible, the student must be the son or daughter of an active and/or associate member who is in good standing for at least one year. These scholarships will apply to either eighth grade going into ninth grade in fall 2015 or high school seniors going into their freshman year of college and or trade school in the fall 2015. All applications must contain an essay of 250 words describing the applicant in their own words and why they should receive a scholarship. They must also submit proof of enrollment or acceptance for the fall of 2015. A MAXIMUM OF TWO SCHOLARSHIPS PER SUPPORTING LODGE WILL BE AWARDED Application must be received by Wednesday, May 27th, 2015 Member’s Name: _______________________________________ Lodge#: ______________ Student’s Name: ______________________________________________________________ Phone (Home): ______________________________ Cell: ___________________________ Address: ____________________________________________________________________ City: _________________________ State: ________________________ Zip: ____________ School to Attend: _____________________________________________________________ Please Mail to: NYS Fraternal Order of Police 911 Police Plaza Hicksville, NY 11801 Attn: Scholarship Committee THE BADGE NEWSLETTER | 17 ABOUT BEACON FINANCIAL Beacon Financial specializes in providing premier financial education and support to law enforcement and municipalities across the country. Our mission is to provide the resources and education necessary to assist members of law enforcement, municipal workers and their families to make smart financial decisions to ensure they can live the life they deserve in retirement. Beacon Financial currently serves members of law enforcement around the country and maintains partnerships with law enforcement associations across the nation. We believe there is nothing more noble then providing service to others. We are committed to providing education and services to all those that are striving to reach their personal goals, regardless of status and occupation. We are proud to offer Unparalleled financial and insurance services to the men and women of this great nation who protect our streets, educate our children and improve our towns. Speech from the President Randy Landsman Public employees are facing incredible headwinds in our current economic and political climate. Benefits are being reduced or, in some cases, even eliminated. There is a strong debate about whether to switch pension plans into investment plans. One thing is certain - we must take personal responsibility for our future. We understand the issues that are being faced every day, and the problems that need to be solved. We believe that the men and woman who protect our communities and educate our children deserve the same services that the wealthy have had for years. Financial dignity is something that is deserved for all the years of service that have been unselfishly given to your communities. Beacon Financial 911 Police Plaza, Hicksville, NY 11801 Call: 888-610-2239, Email: [email protected] Visit: www.beacon-financial.com THE BADGE NEWSLETTER | 18 Living Benefits Life Insurance you can use while you’re living. Watch this video to learn how products with living benefits could give you peace of mind. Most people purchase life insurance to provide a legacy of financial security at the time of their death. But doesn’t it make sense for the benefits to extend and be available for the difficult financial times they have to face if a chronic, critical or terminal illness precedes death? The industry calls the benefit an “Accelerated Death Benefit Rider.” We refer to it as real Living Benefits. Call us: (888) 610-2239 | Email: [email protected] 911 Police Plaza | Hicksville | NY | 11801 | Visit: www.beacon-financial.com Contact Information Empire State Lodge 911 Police Plaza Hicksville, NY, 11801 Call: 1-888-NYS1FOP Email: [email protected] Visit our website: www.nysfop.org/ follow us on Twitter @NYS_FOP like us at Facebook.com/nys.fop TO PRINT OUT EVENT FLYERS CLICK HERE T H E N E W YO R K S TAT E F R AT E R NA L O R D E R O F P O L I C E THE BADGE NEWSLETTER | 20
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