A message from FPCA's President, Chief Gary R. Grosser:

"If I Had My Life to Live Over"

January 1, 2000

Well, it's finally hereY2K! And, if we're able to read this message, it means that we all survived the transition.

There are two camps with differing views as to what "year 2000" really is. One claims that this is the first year of the "new" millenium; the other argues that this is the last year of the "old". Whatever view we accept, we know two things: we still have things left undone and we have many new things we will be doing.

No matter the successes we have realized over our country's history, we still are faced with issues relating to fairness, impartiality and equality. Like the terms coined by the media: "road rage" and "air rage", we have become familiar with a convolution of DWI to the pejorative "DWB"Driving While Black".

While all professional law enforcement administrators and officers know that this is a much overused term, that incidents of this nature are overstated, we also know that it does happen in some areas of our country; and, the fact that it does happen, at all, is unacceptable.

For all of us who have labored to professionalize our vocation, we recognize that the practice of traffic enforcement based on race, creed, sexanything other than suspicion of statutory or regulatory violations, to be an abhorrent behavior. Condoning the practice is wrong, and a violation of State and Federal laws. Yet, we continue to have reports of isolated incidents. If only one incident can be sustained, that's one too many.

In order to address this issue better, and to reduce the probability of its occurrences, Senator Kendrich Meek, (District 14) and Rep. Tony Hill (District 36) have called upon our association to join in discussion and resolution through the "Committee on Motorist Profiling". Our association, represented by myself, Chief Walter McNeil (Tallahassee PD), and Major George Aylesworth (Metro Dade), along with our law enforcement partners: the Florida Sheriff's Association, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Attorney General's Office, the U.S. Department of Justice, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and representation from our civilian partners: the NAACP, ACLU, Florida State University and the Governor's Office have met to discuss our plans for resolution of this issue.

Only two meetings have occurred, thus far, but our friends at the Florida Sheriff's Association and our FPCA representatives have had many teleconferences in the interim. Both of our associations are "in-sync" on what we think should be done to begin this process of resolution; they are as follows:

1. A joint resolution from both associations making a strong statement regarding racial profiling;

2. A model policy addressing stops and non-tolerance for race-based decisions or profiling

3. A training curriculum for all law enforcement dealing with the appropriate factors for use in arriving at a decision to make a stop (for use at both the basic standards and in-service level);

4. Production of training videos for use by all agencies, customized for sheriff's offices and police departments;

5. A plan for acquiring commitments from agencies that can undertake localized studies of traffic stop data; and,

6. Joint participation, of FPCA and FSA along with a number of other interested parties, in a time dated task force aimed at monitoring law enforcement's progress on this issue.

As developments occur, we'll keep you apprised.

In others news, our association is considering the purchase of a new office in Tallahassee. Your Building Committee and Executive Board have entered into an agreement with the owner which is contingent upon approval by the Board of Directors, at the Mid-Winter Conference. We'll keep you informed of the progress.

And finally, as we begin this "New Year" and "New Millenium", consider the words of Erma Bombeck, author and commentator. As she was dying, at a relatively young age, she had a chance to reflect on her life. She wrote the following:

"If I Had My Life to Live Over", by Erma Bombeck

I would have talked less and listened more.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained or the sofa faded.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching TVand more while watching life.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment of life growing inside me was the only chance I'd get to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later."

There would have been more "I love you's"more "I'm sorry's"but mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute, look at it and really set itlive itand never give it back.

Let's cherish the relationships we have with those who love us, and let's think about what God has blessed us with.