Wired Pig's World

Friday, November 26, 2004

An Open Letter to God....

Dear Father,

As you know Rose and I are divorced and have been for almost four years. The divorce was tumultuious at best and worse than the marriage ever was. In the parenting plan, I took it in the shorts so as to not fight with the girls mom and drag it out.
Originally the decree said that I could see the girls on alternating Sundays and Tuesdays. This soon passed into alternating weekends the girls could spend with me. That change was over three years ago. The girls have come to enjoy spending the weekend with me. Rose has continued meddling with me off and on... scheduling the girls for activities that impact my time with them.
Yesterday, after dropping them off after Thanksgiving dinner all that changed. I received an email from Rose saying that there would be no more weekends. She was going back to the original parenting plan... the one that was in place first.
I feel now that my world is crashing in around me. I dont know where to turn. I promised the little one that I would pick her up tonight for the weekend... as far as I knew at the time I was going too. Thats not happening now and I feel that she is hurt though I have not talked to her since last night.
Rose told me we were going to the 'letter of the decree' but in the same message tells me to pick them up Saturday. I told her that the decree says Sundays. The she sends me a message that I cant discuss with the girls about the impending move I have out-of-state or about parenting issues.
I'm so lost Lord. I am truly needy and in despirate need of your help and guidance. I am looking to you Lord to open her heart and let her see what she is doing to the children. I dont care so much about me as I do about the girls. I love them all so much. I will gladly give up all I own or will ever own to be able to remain a part of their lives.
Lord, if you tell me to fight for them I will. Knowing that You are with me and holding me when I am weak is all I ask. Please keep the girls safe and happy. Open their mothers heart to what she is doing. Allow others to intercede on Your behalf if it is your will.
I know I'm asking for things for myself in here... I'm sorry I am. I have a hard time removing my needs from that of seeing my children.
Lord and Father, please grant me the strength to pass this moment in time. I will glady give all I am in Your service. You have truly blessed me and protected me these past 37 years. I ask now that You do what is right in Your sight. Please spare the children from any pain or loss.
Into Your hands I pass my requests.

Through You all is possible.

posted by Glenn H at 11/26/2004 06:16:00 PM
[Link to this post ][ Tell Me What You Think - (0) comments ]

Wednesday, November 03, 2004


Election results as of 1630 Mountain, Nov 3, 2004. Posted by Hello

posted by Glenn H at 11/03/2004 03:31:00 PM
[Link to this post ][ Tell Me What You Think - (0) comments ]

Tuesday, November 02, 2004


Bush Record Exposed. From the Democratic Party. Posted by Hello

posted by Glenn H at 11/02/2004 08:35:00 PM
[Link to this post ][ Tell Me What You Think - (0) comments ]



Who is John Kerry. Courtesy of the RNC. Posted by Hello

posted by Glenn H at 11/02/2004 08:34:00 PM
[Link to this post ][ Tell Me What You Think - (0) comments ]



Current Jefferson County Colorado Election Results Posted by Hello

posted by Glenn H at 11/02/2004 08:31:00 PM
[Link to this post ][ Tell Me What You Think - (0) comments ]

Monday, November 01, 2004


Amy Donovan. Family photo. Amy was killed in the line of duty.Posted by Hello

posted by Glenn H at 11/01/2004 05:38:00 PM
[Link to this post ][ Tell Me What You Think - (0) comments ]



Amy Donovan (on right) ... Austin Police Department.
First Female Line Of Duty Death. Posted by Hello

posted by Glenn H at 11/01/2004 05:38:00 PM
[Link to this post ][ Tell Me What You Think - (0) comments ]


Austin Police Line Of Duty Death

In Memoriam - Officer Amy Donovan

Austin police officer killed in accident during pursuit
Amy Donovan, who became an officer in June, is first woman in the department to die in the line of duty.


By Tony Plohetski
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Monday, November 01, 2004

Four months after they left the police academy together, Austin officers Amy Donovan and Adrian Valdovino were patrolling late Saturday night for drug dealers and prostitutes along Poquito Street when they spotted a man acting suspiciously.
Donovan jumped from the car to question the man, who began running. As Donovan chased him, Valdovino threw the car in reverse to block the fleeing man, Police Chief Stan Knee said.
Instead, Valdovino hit his partner, pinning her against a telephone pole.
Three hours later, at 2 a.m. Sunday, Donovan, a 37-year-old mother of four, became Austin's first female officer to die in the line of duty.
"It is indeed a sad day for the Police Department and this community," Knee said in a news conference an hour later. "She took to heart the responsibility of being a commissioned officer. Her actions tonight fall right in line with that observation."
The man Donovan was chasing was not caught. It was not clear Sunday why he drew their suspicion.
Many details about the incident, which occurred between 13th and 14th streets, remained unclear Sunday night. During the pre-dawn news conference, in which Knee was visibly disturbed at times, the chief did not comment on why two rookies were working together — a situation that seemed unusual to two nationally known police experts — or whether Valdovino was trying to use a maneuver he had learned in the academy.
Knee said the department has launched an investigation to determine the patrol car's speed and the distance it traveled in reverse.
He said the inquiry also will include a review of how officers are trained to drive. The academy currently requires 40 hours of driving instruction.
Valdovino has been placed on leave until an investigation is completed, which is standard for officers involved in fatal incidents. Knee said Valdovino was "very emotional" and was being comforted by fellow officers. He had helped administer first aid to Donovan at the scene before paramedics arrived.
Hours before dawn, some 50 officers, shaken and upset, gathered outside Brackenridge Hospital, where Donovan died in surgery. Dozens more, including those assigned to her patrol district, huddled for a prayer service at the city's East Austin police substation.
Officers wore black ribbons across their badges throughout the day, and flags at the department were lowered to half-staff.
"This is a tragedy in the truest sense of the word," said Mike Sheffield, president of the Austin Police Association. "You never really have the right words to describe the range of feelings that go with an event like this."
Friends and partners
Officers assigned to the department's academy were among the most grief-stricken. Donovan, a former stockbroker and restaurant owner, had graduated in June in the top 10 percent of her class, excelling in particular at mock interviews.
She was among 11 women in her 78-member cadet class.
Jay Swann, an Amarillo native and Harvard graduate, was elected one of its two class presidents. He was on patrol in Southwest Austin when he got a text page from another classmate that Donovan had been in an accident.
At the time, her condition was critical. He learned a couple of hours later that she had died.
"I was just full of sorrow for her, for her family . . . for Adrian and the misery that he's living through right now," Swann said. "It just serves as a very chilling reminder that police work is dangerous."
Fellow cadets and training officers said that Donovan and Valdovino studied side by side at the academy but that their camaraderie strengthened after they both were assigned to patrol East Austin. Valdovino was described as a quiet student; Donovan dreamed of being a detective. The two frequently served as each other's backup.
Austin officers typically work alone, but Saturday night, Donovan and Valdovino were working special duty. It was not clear Sunday evening whether they were assigned to work together or selected each other as partners for the night.
Knee said police had recently increased patrols in the area, where drug dealing and other crimes occur at higher rates.
Gary Gilleland, who lives near the scene of the incident, said he has participated in several forums with police commanders recently to discuss his concerns. He said he generally calls police at least once a week to report suspicious activity — typically drug dealing and prostitution — outside his home.
When he saw the flashing lights of police cars late Saturday night, he first thought they had responded to a routine call.
"When you call them, they come out," said Gilleland, who stayed inside his home and did not learn of Donovan's death until early Sunday. "It's tragic, obviously."
Robert Funchess, who lives on East 13th Street, left his front porch to investigate soon after seeing the car moving in reverse and hearing a loud noise a few seconds later.
He said Donovan appeared to be conscious at first as emergency officials gathered around.
"It's sad," he said, "for her to have had four kids. . . . That's a loss right there."
Experts weigh in
Sheffield would not comment on whether it was routine for two rookies to be paired soon after graduating from the academy. City Manager Toby Futrell referred all calls to Knee.
Both officers had recently completed the department's field training program, in which rookies are assigned to work with more experienced officers after graduation.
Austin officers participate in the program for at least eight weeks, but some continue for 12 weeks. Supervisors decide when a new officer should be released from the program, and each officer also must pass a final exam. By comparison, new Dallas officers participate in field training programs for 24 weeks, according to the department's Web site; San Antonio officers must complete a minimum of 14 weeks.
According to a report issued last week by the Police Executive Research Forum in Washington, Austin should work to strengthen its field training operation by better training the more senior officers.
William Naber, a retired sheriff's captain in Auburn, Calif., who is an expert in law enforcement training, said many departments nationwide conduct such programs for six to 18 months.
"To have two rookies in a car, I'm absolutely taken aback by that," he said.
Edward Mamet, a retired New York City police captain who now works as an expert witness and litigation consultant, said having rookies paired together seems unusual.
He also said most police department policies do not address how to conduct pursuits with one officer on foot and the other behind the wheel.
He said incidents such as Donovan's death will probably cause departments to begin addressing the issue.
"There's nothing wrong with it as long as you use caution," Mamet said.
Department officials said they do not know when the investigation will be complete.
"We are going to look at every angle that you can with the hopes of making sure it never happens again," Knee said.

posted by Glenn H at 11/01/2004 05:26:00 PM
[Link to this post ][ Tell Me What You Think - (0) comments ]

This Journal

A peek into the mind of a techno cop... What is a techno cop? Easy... a cop that uses technology to do his job better, uses technology at home, and uses technology all the stinkin' time!

Wired Pig is a divorced and remarried retired cop with 5 kids... all girls. He likes computers (desktop, pocket, anything technical) and photography.

Contact Me

I can be reached by phone at:
206-20-20-PIG (744)
or via email at:
WiredPig@GMail.com

PodioBooks
Podiobooks I'm listening to:

Subscribe to these Podiobooks here

Cluster Map
Locations of visitors to this page
Previous Posts

Links/Blogs
Blogroll Me!
Archives

October 2003
November 2003
December 2003
January 2004
April 2004
May 2004
June 2004
July 2004
August 2004
November 2004
December 2004
July 2005
August 2005
September 2005
October 2005
November 2005
December 2005
January 2006
April 2006
May 2006
July 2006
August 2006
September 2006
November 2006
December 2006
January 2007
February 2007
March 2007


Photos

The photos used as backgrounds are Wired Pigs. Not that he's in them, but he took them.

Services From




This site is content rated.
Listed on Blogwise
Free image hosting



View My Stats


Hit Counter
A Blogs Worth...

My blog is worth $1,129.08. How much is your blog worth?

Designed by mela | Background Images from Personal Photos | Images hosted by PhotoBucket