PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

I hope everyone is doing okay during this Covid-19 pandemic, although we are aware that a couple of our members did experience a tragedy in their families as a result of this virus. Our hearts truly go out to them. We have never seen anything like this in our lifetime and we can only pray that our children and grandchildren never see this again in their lifetimes. Please, everyone, stay safe.

· The Board has decided to endorse the following Brothers and Sisters for office in the FOP3 election. We cannot tell you how to vote, but we can ask you to consider those we feel will do the best job for Active and Retirees.

President: Mike Mancuso (He has been doing an excellent job).

1stVP: William McDonald. (The current 1st VP is not running and going to retire and join the BRPBA membership.) 

2ndVP: Paul Blair

3rdVP: Ron Starr

Chaplain: Don Helms

State Trustee: Stan Mezewski

Commission of Trustees: Ellis (Ditty) Baldwin, Dominic Mastromatteo, and George Trainor.

Treasurer: John Nolan

Secretary: Lisa Riha

Guard: Ed Gorwell

· At this time, it looks like the BRPBA will not be able to have a meeting in September 2020. With that in mind, anyone who would like to run for office in the          BRPBA will be given credit for those meetings that had to be canceled. The election may be a little different this year because of Covid-19. Our By-Laws state that a nominating committee chairman has to be appointed at the September meeting (or the next meeting if that meeting is canceled). If necessary, we will have more on this issue via email at a later date.

These officers are up for reelection this year:

President: Daryl Buhrman

1st VP: Richard Nevin

2nd VP: Patrick Youells

Treasurer: Donald Kent

Secretary: Kathleen Conrad

Sgt. At Arms: Ellis Baldwin

Trustee: Charles Brawner

Board of Governors: Michael May

I hope you have confidence to reelect us again.

(Trustees Barry Powell and Ken Dickstein, and Board of Governors Robert Haukdal and Dan Fickus are not currently up for reelection.)

· In the Baltimore City General Election, we recommend that Mr. Ryan Dorsey be replaced in the City Council. Mr. Dorsey tweeted on 11/6/18 that he “often takes a drug dealer’s word over a cop”. Mr. Dorsey has targeted police in regards to their Bill of Rights (LEOBR), and has pushed for defunding of police (as if crime in the City is something to brag about). 

When the Christopher Columbus statue was being torn down and dumped into the harbor, Mr. Dorsey was coaching the lawbreakers to move over to the FOP Memorial and vandalize and damage our memorial to our 144 Brothers and Sisters who died protecting life and property in Baltimore City. On 7/4/2020 he tweeted, “How is it that with all the attention given to the Columbus monuments, and as consistently awful as the FOP is, how is the FOP memorial not on the list of monuments to remove?” 

Let this not be mistaken for a race issue. These are clear cut attacks by Mr. Dorsey on police officers of all color and rank. I ask every Brother and Sister living in Baltimore City District 3 to  vote for Mr. David Marshall Wright, who is currently running against Mr. Dorsey. Mr. Wright was a full time US Army soldier and is now in the Army National Guard. This man has respect for anyone who is now, or did, wear a uniform. Please spread this endorsement to family and friends.

It’s time to send Mr. Dorsey a message that police officers want, and should receive, respect  from our elected officials. Two members of the City Council actually spoke out against Mr. Dorsey’s actions. The FOP3 and BRPBA did not endorse Mr. Dorsey in the Baltimore City Primary. We endorsed Ms. Rain Pryor.

· One of our members, in the early morning hours of 7/25/2020, awoke to a house fire. He and his family (wife, son, dogs and cat) were able to get out of the house in time. They will be displaced for three to four months as their house is being repaired. Within two hours of receiving this information, Don Kent and myself met with our Brother and gave him a check for $1,000 from the Distress Fund to tide him over until his insurance money is received. When we express to you at Raffle time how important our Distress Fund is, these are the sad stories we see quite often. 

 Tragedy hits in a heartbeat. 

Again, stay safe. Wear that dreaded mask in establishments and wash your hands often. This too shall pass.

Daryl