Sharing something with y'all

[Guest guest]

When I went to work to cover some overtime this past Sunday on my day off,

I found an open letter from my Commander posted on the various bulletin

boards in the Area Office and the Comm Center. I wanted to share it with

everyone as an example of the fine qualities of the great boss I'm really

gonna miss. (The only changes I'll make in his words are to edit out

specific names.)

" Sunday, July 9, 2000

Hi Folks:

On Thursday afternoon, July 6, 2000, Chief [over this sector of the

Division] notified me that SCIF and Disability and Retirement Section had

put me off-duty on 4800 Time pending retirement as a result of the injuries

I sustained in my unfortunate rear-end collision last October. Although

this action was not totally unexpected, I had hoped to at least make it

through the summer working with all of you. Apparently, that was not to be.

The purpose of this letter is to sincerely thank all of you, from the

depths of my heart and soul, for allowing me to do something that many

people never get to do - - to live my dream which was to work and retire as

the Commander of the Monterey Area. It was truly a dream come true and

something I will hold near and dear to my heart for the remainder of my

life. You are the best group of folks I have ever had the opportunity and

pleasure of working with in my 31-year career in law enforcement with two

agencies. I hope all of you realize what a special group of people you

are. Please continue to take good care of, protect and help each other.

Although I truly enjoyed recognizing all of you, the wonderful people that

make the CHP the outstanding Department that it is, I didn't take this job

for the recognition. I took it so I could " practice what I preach " and

" take good care of my people. " As a result, I have absolutely no desire to

be involved in or bore anyone with a costly and time consuming retirement

function, pizza feed, barbecue, etc. However, I would ask you for one

thing. If I made a difference in your life or made the Area or the job

just a little bit better for you, please take the money you would have

spent for a retirement function and make a donation to the charity of your

choice. This is the best type of " recognition " I could ever imagine from

my " kids " from the Monterey Area. It would also help agencies who are

working very hard to help all of us. My personal favorites, in no specific

order, are:

The American Cancer Society

The CAHP Widow's and Orphans Fund

The CHP 11-99 Foundation

Monterey County Special Olympics

Please take good care of [both lieutenants, the senior sergeant, the

clerical supervisor, the Comm Supervisors, by name] and all of your

hard-working and all-knowing supervisors as they " steer the ship. " They

are all very dear personal friends. Deputy Chief [of the Division] has

assured me that he will take good care of you and select a good person as

your next commander. If he doesn't, I'll personally beat him up if I can

catch him (he runs pretty fast for an old guy)!

I won't say goodbye, because I'll be seeing most of you at Starbucks (I

know for a fact I'll see [senior sergeant, graveyard sergeant and motor

sergeant])! So until then, please always remember you are all very special

to me and it has truly been an honor to serve with you. I will miss all of

you very much. Please be happy, stay safe and journey in peace, my friends.

Don Follett "

**************

A couple of explanations: the Captain always referred to the department as

a battleship, with a goal and objective, but being so big and under so much

power of forward motion that it took a long time to make course changes and

traveled a goodly distance before any changes of direction became apparent,

hence the " steer the ship " comment. Little changes in course will

eventually make a difference in the eventual destination.

And the rear-end collision to which he referred happened when he was on his

way home from work, then stopped to handle - NOT JUST REPORT by radio, but

take the paper! - a non-injury accident he encountered. While sitting there

with one of the drivers in the front seat of him, filling out the diagram

and other paperwork, another car plowed into his. He " was a little sore "

but refused an ambulance..... then was off for a couple of days afterward

due to the back pain. He's been coming to work, undergoing occasional

physical therapy to mitigate the dull roar, but the damage from that

accident was confirmed to be significant enough to cause his medical

retirement. (The uniformed brass - including the Commissioner himself -

must be able to perform to specific minimum physical agility; we don't keep

people around to " just push paper " - even if their title and job position

MAY not require running and lifting and all that " catch a criminal "

activity. They may HAVE to act, so when a physician's report indicates a

restriction or inability to perform something required of all uniformed

officers, the department takes 'em off duty. It is both a liability to the

department AND a hazard to the employee, otherwise.)

Oh, and his comment about " recognizing all of you " refers not only to his

habit of recognizing good work, but to attending the going-away functions

for retirements, transfers, promotions, and the like. If schedule

conflicts prevented his attendance at any of 'em, he'd send a personal

letter to the honoree, with his apologies and some positive comment of

having worked with him or her.

He's a rare boss, indeed, and will be sorely missed.

But I might just start hanging out at Starbucks, myself. <grin>

Happy to be here, proud to serve.

Olmstead

Communications Supervisor

~on the Central California coastline~

" Not presumed to be an official statement of my employing agency. "

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