Wednesday, April 25, 2007

BAKER to VEGAS relay race/run

Rialto Police took part in the Baker to Las Vegas Relay Race April 21st & 22nd.

The Rialto Police Department, and Rialto Police Benefit Assoc. Co-Sponsored a Relay team for the Baker to Vegas (B2V) Relay race. It is a 120 Mile race that starts at Baker High School and runs to Shoshone through Pahrump, Mountain Springs, Down that Interstate 160 to Durango Ave over to West Sunset Road. and the Race ends in a Commercial Parking lot at the corner of West Sunset Road @ Dean Martin Drive.

The First leg wasn't that bad, it was a mild uphill, that was done with ease by Everyone's Favorite K-9 Handler, Fred Poching. (I have been away from the game for a long time, It has been Ten years since my Fatal Accident, where I was brought back from the dead by Sergent Tim Lane, The Brave Men and Woman of the Rialto Fire Department Paramedic's Under the Supervision of Battalion Chief Mike Peel, and all the men and woman of Rialto's SCAT Division (Street Crime Attack Team), The San Bernardino Sheriff's Helicopter (40-King), The Sheriff Deputies On the Ground from Loma Linda, Grand Terrace, Fontana, & Central Division, The California Highway Patrol, & The Men and Woman from Rialto Police Department all of whom closed off Intersections to allow the Ambulance to get from Cedar Ave @ Holly Ave to Loma Linda Hospital in 11 minutes, but that is another story for another time {Ancient history}).

Leg number two was a little more of a hill but three and four was really hard. I believe that the fourth was the worst, with hill that stayed at a 9% grade for almost the whole 6+ miles that had to be ran in that leg. The Officer that ran it Nick Named, "Kobe" Did a wonderful Job, he ran his heart out, and that hill still took a great deal out of him. The Officer that ran the Third leg, Which was the second worse Hill wise. It might have been worse since the hills varied and you could never really set a pace and stick to it since the terrain varied so much.

The B2V Leg 4 to Leg 5 was in such a remote area that they had three helicopter's on stand by to fly anyone out that needed medical attention from the Run. In years past, as many people know Baker Ca. is Known as the Hottest City in the United States. Well in years past when they ran this it was 102 degree's, however on this day it was only in upper 80's. Warm, and to some it was hot if you were not prepared for the run.

B2V Leg was a little easier to run in that it was less hill-ed, but still difficult just the same. Any 7 Mile run is difficult, but the Officer that ran the leg did it pretty well.

The main goal for The Rialto Police Team was to finish, there wasn't a real concern for placing first or getting a finish of third, but to finish, with no penalties.

I was what was called a "Catcher" for the first five legs! Myself along with another person was a "Catch Team" We were to grab a runner once they passed the baton to the next runner. Then we physically grabbed the runner and walked them to the First Aid area, the first aid station made sure that the Runner was okay and not overly exhausted and not in a heat exhaustion situation. Once they were cleared they could go on and hydrate and go home, released from the race.

Rialto Police Departments Motto this year was that they were "Back From the Dead"

It was Sep. 16, 2005 When the City Council Voted 4-1 to contract with Sheriff Penrod For Law Enforcement protection for The City of Rialto. The Citizen's and Rialto Police Benefit Association hired a lawyer and placed a huge costly fight, that ultimately forced the city to halt the Contract that was actually signed with the Sheriff for Law Enforcement Protection!!

The Stay Order came about by a Court Action brought forth by the RPBA/Rialto Citizen's Lawyer, and the City was forced to stop and keep the Rialto Police Department as it was until they could evaluate and Attempt to Re-Negotiate a new contract with the RPBA. In the mean time the City Council/City Administrator Laid off all the people that was in training & on Probation, effectively leaving the City with an emergency situation with not enough Dispatchers to field calls for service. All the Officers in the Academy were relieved of their paychecks, and laid them off as well. That left the Police Department with almost 6 Officers that were due to join the field in a few months.

They were really working on them to the point that they didn't pay to maintain any of the Police Equipment, they didn't change oil, and or anything. stating that they were going to be sold to the Sheriff Department!!

The City Administrator/City Attorney/City Council all had a lot of the Department figuring on the Cities battle loosing, and the city going to the Sheriff Department. If this was to happen, even with the lower that they were getting since none of the raises on the current contract was honored since they figured it was not going to be a contract that was going to be used. It was hard for a lot of Officers & Sergeants to take. They were expecting that extra money for raises. Then the City Admin/City Attorney/& City Council was winning, when @ the whole time it was still just a draw or the RPBA was winning, But they had convinced So many Sergeants and Officers that they lost Double digits I think the number was 12 or 15 to other Departments and the District Attorney's Office as D.A. Investigators.

The Rialto Police Department kept fighting on Even though they were working with small crews each shift, and they had to work their bottom off to keep ahead of the game.

The Citizens did a signature drive for a bill on the next ballot. This bill if made in to a law would force the City to Accept their own Police Agency for Law Enforcement Protection, and the second part of the Bill would Change the City Charter. The City Charter says that the City Council can vote any Department away my Majority Vote, as they did to remove the Police Department. IN the new Charter Change, The City Council would have to place their decision to change the Law Enforcement to a 2/3rd Majority Vote by the City of Rialto Citizens.

The Citizens collected over 7000 signatures when they only needed 4200 signatures. When the signatures were submitted to the City of Rialto Clerk, the Clerk found that the Signatures were not legally collected and could not be used for this bill. She said that there was a very small amount of signatures that were approved, not enough to make this a bill on the next ballot to vote on.

There was a huge UP-ROAR, to have this reviewed by a neutral party, and finally after so many months of people bringing up that the signatures should be reviewed by a neutral party. Then finally the city said that they would have someone form the Voters Offices to have a look at the Petition and see what signatures are collected legally and Illegally. After a five minute review they were found to be collected legally. The City Council being beat voted right then to have the Bill voted into law on the City Charter and also Voted to have the Rialto Police Department return to the Negotiation Tables to start a dialogue, and Reinstate the Police Department as it was.

They also started to purchase new Police cars and got right back on the straight in ad narrow and started to treat their Police Officers Right Again.

They had to do the right thing by getting the right guy to Run the Police department, not a guy that is going to tear down the Men and Woman and make the Department seem like it is an okay Department to the Citizens but the Officers that are working for this Chief are all corrupt, and on the Take. Chief Michael Meyers was just that kind of Leader!! This was a leader that was hired by the Current City Administrator. Garcia. It makes you wonder if that was his plan from the beginning to make Rialto a CORRUPT DEPARTMENT!! So, when the time came to close up shop and Re-Open as a Clean Contract City for the Sheriff Department, I am sure that is the full picture that we didn't get to see.

However, Rialto City Admin. Garcia Went out and got Mark Kling from Baldwin Park Police Department this time, and he did a great thing. There is a great deal of trust that has been built back up in the department and there is a whole lot of people that are loving the situation back at the Police Department again.

The reason that I am writing all this history, is because Chief Mark Kling ran the last leg of the B2V run and did a great job in doing so. When he crossed the finish line Everyone that started the race was right there at the finish line to See the Chief finish the Race. That is the kind of leader this man is. Mark Kling is real nice soft spoken leader that seems to be well on the right track to keep Rialto Police Back to what it was back in the Golden Age when I started Back in the 80's.

I am happy to see that there is so many of the Officer's that are as happy as they were at the B2V, and I am happy that I was invited to take part in this event.

Noretta, Thank You Very much for the invitation and the great time, in Vegas!! I am just sorry that I could not stay that extra day, and eat that great dinner that you spoke of.

Again, I just want to Thank the Men and Woman of Rialto Police Department for the great time.

BS Ranch

PS: Sara, Cindy,& LeAnne Maybe next time I can get some pictures of you guys in the "Portable Rented Hot Tub" to add to my blog..LOL

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