Editors
note: Gold and Blue is a series of police stories which may be
inappropriate for younger readers. This is a small peek behind the badge
of America's Finest.
 |
|
SDPD Chief of Police
Shelley Zimmerman
|
I felt a sense of both melancholy
and excitement as I stood with a good friend at the rear of the City of
San Diego Council Chambers last week and witnessed the historic
confirmation of Shelley Zimmerman as our new Chief of Police.
At
one point in the ceremony, "Shell" as I have called her for over thirty
years, and her brother and mom turned and smiled at the overflow crowd
who had filled the chambers and an adjoining waiting area.
I
returned her smile along with countless other attendees and about a
dozen news crews and reporters. My eyes then traveled further down the
front row where she stood alongside the other members of the San Diego
Police Department Command Staff. There was more brass standing in that
row than you would see at an antique road show.
I recognized all of them. Their names are ones you have frequently read about in the newspaper or have heard in t
he
media, Executive Assistant Chief Dave Ramirez, Assistant Chief's Mark
Jones, Walt Vasquez, Captains Manny Guaderrama, Joe Ramos and the list
goes on.
It
seemed funny because to me they are just, Dave, Mark, Walt, Manny and
Joe. I then thought back to when we all worked together on the streets
of San Diego. I still recall that hectic sunny day in the heat of the
summer when a hard core and extremely chubby street gang member with a
death wish, stepped out of his home on South Gregory Street brandishing
semi automatic rifles in each arm and started shooting in an ill fated
attempt to kill as many police officers as possible.
When the shooting ended, the gang member was dead and Dave had a gunshot wound to his lower leg. Despite his injury, he never stopped fulfilling his duties as a Police Sergeant. Looking
back to that day, I can now laugh when I think about how he was cursing
like a sailor, when San Diego Fire Department Paramedics were trying to
convince him to get in the paramedic van and lay down. Cops are just tough like that. You
learn early in your career never to scream in the police radio and if
you are shot, you never quit. Dave successfully did both.
I
also thought about Shelley (our new Chief) and her contagious smile and
unbridled enthusiasm that still makes me bust up laughing. It
was hilarious seeing her in multiple undercover roles including
narcotics or vice and hearing her talk about her love of family, being a
police officer and of course the all important, Ohio State Buckeyes. 
Most
people don't know Chief Zimmerman cut her teeth on supervising a large
staff at the Indochinese storefront in the turbulent and violent
Mid-City Command, where over fifty-three different languages are spoken
Shelley
rarely ever took a day off despite my frequent pleadings for her to go
on vacation. Besides flying back to Ohio for a Buckeye game or to visit
family. she was always at work. Her unyielding work ethic is well known
among Department veterans.
At
times the City Council hearing was tedious, so I began thinking of
other slices in time with members of the SDPD command staff. I still recall the SWAT
 |
| Officer Ron Davis |
emergency
Code 11 that brought Mark and I to a meet at a foggy parking lot in
Southeast San Diego. It was long before sunrise and Officer Ron Davis
who had recently welcomed his second son into this world was shot and
killed. Ron had just stepped from his patrol car while investigating a domestic disturbance when his young life was ended. T Davis.
Mark
and I began the process in the TOC (Tactical Operations Center) of
tracking down his killer alongside SWAT XO Lt. Jim Duncan and CO Lt.
John Welter. Like many cop killers he was a coward and
decided ultimately to put the period on the final sentence of his own
life. We all heard the confrontation and the accompanying gunshots less
than 100 yards from the TOC.
TO READ MORE ABOUT OFFICER DAVIS CLICK HERE.
The list of critical incidents seemed endless, weather
it was fighting suspects high on PCP with Manny, SWAT emergency entries
with Joe, or all the long days and nights Walt and I worked in
preparing our City and the Department for the Republican National or the
International Biotech Conventions, I realized there was a common
thread.
 |
This
Photo was taken of the Bravo Company on the eve of the 2001 Biotech
Convention. FBI Intel reports predicted we would be overwhelmed by
criminal acts. We had no issues.
Captains Joel Bryden and Cheryl
Meyers are to the left side. The San Diego Police Department
photographer was Carlos Medina. As always, the Officers did an amazing
job. |
That
commonality is each member of the current San Diego Police leadership
team have been there in the heat of the battle when not only the chips
were down, but in fact there was not a single chip left spinning slowly
on the table. Hope could have been lost several times where human life's had been taken or they still hung in the balance. In
each instance, each of these men and Shelley demonstrated courage,
fortitude and love for their fellow officers as well as the citizens of
our town.
As
I drove home later in the evening, I thought about that front row in
the eighth largest city in these United States of America and what
challenges face Chief Zimmerman and my friends who are now tasked with
leading the San Diego Police Department to a better place. An exceptional opportunity placed in their care thanks to the leadership and decisiveness of our new Mayor, Kevin Faulconer.
As
I walked in the front door of our home in Del Sur, it took Theresa
about a New Jersey second to pick up on my peculiar mood, as I thought
about that darn front row. She said, "you are always like this after going to those." I knew immediately what she meant.
Honestly
I love cops, what they represent, and their sense of honor and service.
It will always be an important part of me. But there is something I
love so much more. I knew what I had to do to get past my temporary
personal turmoil. I opened our nine year old sons door and he was just falling asleep. I did what we both have done almost every single night since he was an infant.
It
is our routine and it is always the same. I kiss left cheek and tell
him this is my favorite time of the evening. I then say, "sweet dreams,
love you, good night." He then always repeats the same words in his
little boy voice. Sometimes he or I will squeeze in, "see you tomorrow."
It too is then repeated.
Words in time I treasure like no others. Words
and special moments in time that so many cops, deputies, or other
emergency personnel so often miss due to changing shifts, overtime, call
outs and caring for complete strangers and other people's children.
 |
| Ryan Shay |
I knew when I walked away from the SDPD, soon after Ryan was born, that I was making a trade. I
don't know if I would have ever been selected to be in that front row,
but as the years pass and our children continue to grow, I am at peace
with my decision. I traded the chance to compete for a front row seat
to sit down on their beds in the darkness almost every single night and
say, "goodnight." Not such a bad trade.
I am so proud of "Shell" as I look forward to now calling her, "Chief." I
am also very confident of her abilities and that of her Command Staff
to renew our citizens faith in America's Finest police department. A faith I have never lost ...
Ray and Theresa Shay
2013 - Shay Realtors - All Rights Reserved
