Harbor Police

On Patrol with Damith Rodrigo, Harbor Police Officer

melicone@portofsandiego.org (Marguerite Elicone (619) 686-6222) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:55:04 +0000

On a recent afternoon, a small group of homeless men were camped beneath the sheltering arbors of a shuttered restaurant and seafood market when Harbor Police Officer Damith Rodrigo approached on foot. Tension filled the bay front air.

It is not unusual to see homeless people loitering around the closed restaurant and seafood market, sandwiched between Seaport Village and San Diego Bay. Rodrigo has seen them many times as he has patrolled the Port’s tidelands during his 12 years in the department. But no encounter with street people is ever routine. The bundles and backpacks they carry contain their possessions, but they may also conceal weapons.

Rodrigo approached the men slowly, yet confidently. He addressed them like a teacher talking to students in firm, compassionate tones. He told them it was illegal to loiter there and gave them two hours to leave. Then he piled back into his car to continue his rounds. When he circled back 20 minutes later, the men had moved on.

Destined to Wear a Uniform

Rodrigo has come a long way to wear the Harbor Police badge. Growing up in Sri Lanka, he was encouraged to become a doctor, a lawyer, or an engineer – prized professions in his native land. However, he knew at an early age that he was destined to wear a uniform. He proudly remembers how sharp his father looked in his officer’s uniform of the Royal Ceylon Air Force in Sri Lanka.

Rodrigo doesn’t regret not following the traditional path of his fellow students.

“Being a police officer gives me a chance to be a little bit of all those professions,” he said. “I get to counsel people, enforce the law and even practice a little medicine.”

He often tells his two younger brothers this. One of his brothers is a lawyer, the other is an aspiring emergency room physician in medical school. They both look up to him and each has a photo of Rodrigo in uniform as their screen saver on their work computers. He also has a five year old son, Sean Patrick Rodrigo, who lives out of state.

It’s about two and a half hours into his 10-hour patrol shift and the day is turning out to be a quiet one. Rodrigo cruises his beat, which today includes an area stretching from Shelter Island to Cesar Chavez Parkway. There are only three officers covering the beat at a time, and if one gets into a situation that needs assistance, the other two need to be close by to help out.

The shift began at 1:30 with the officers lining up to receive their assignments from the sergeant on patrol. Announcements and updates were given and the officers headed off to their police cruisers. Rodrigo loaded a rifle and an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) into the back of his car and was ready to go.

"Sri Lanken Cowboy"

His fellow Harbor Police officers refer to him as the “Sri Lanken Cowboy.” He earned this nickname from his unique way of learning English. When he first arrived in Los Angeles, he bought a walkman music player and constantly listened to country music. His fondness for the lyrics helped him pick up English quickly.

“When I came to America 19 years ago, I had a minimal understanding of the English language,” he said. “Everything was new to me and I had to start from the beginning. I still do the two-step and go to In Cahoots (a local country and western club),” he said.

Rodrigo’s introduction to America was a far cry from his life in Sri Lanka. There, his family lived with three servants. He remembers playing with a pet elephant at his grandparents’ home. In 1991, his father won a visa lottery and moved the family to Los Angeles.

He began his police career at Los Angeles Community College when he was 17, serving as a police cadet on campus. He then joined the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department at 19 and became a deputy explorer.

The first real challenges in his police career occurred when he joined the L.A. Housing Authority Police. He worked in the projects, which were rife with drugs, gangs and other illegal activity. Many of his response calls were for reports of shots being fired.

When he heard about the Harbor Police job opening, he jumped at the opportunity. The competition was tough. For each open position, there were hundreds of applicants. It took Rodrigo about a year and a half to get the job.

“When I got off the plane in San Diego for my interview, I knew right away that this was the place for me,” he said. “I could see myself in this beautiful city for at least 30 years.”

While working as a Harbor Police officer, Rodrigo attended San Diego State University. There he was a double major, graduating with degrees in Public Administration and Criminal Justice. He is currently working on his Masters Degree in Public Administration.

Protecting the Harbor and Tidelands

Back behind the wheel, Rodrigo drives the scenic route along Shelter Island, checking the park to make sure everything is in order. This is his favorite area to patrol, and he likes to look out at the city skyline when he is feeling stressed out. He says it reminds him of the importance of his job – to protect the harbor and the tidelands surrounding it.

Soon Rodrigo spots a driver with expired registration tabs and tinted windows. It’s okay to have the back windows tinted, but to have the driver obscured is against the law. Rodrigo puts on his lights and siren, and before he approaches the driver, he calls in the license plate number to check on the driver’s background and to make sure that the vehicle isn’t stolen. This helps him assess the situation. If a driver has a criminal background, Rodrigo can call for assistance. This driver’s record is clean, so Rodrigo walks toward his window. He finds out that the driver is operating a friend’s vehicle, so he issues a warning.

Shortly after that, a woman in an older-model pick-up truck runs a red light on Harbor Drive. Rodrigo hits the lights and siren and takes off after her. He checks her record, which is clean, and approaches her window. It turns out she is an employee of a Port-tenant business. Rodrigo counsels her on the dangers of speeding and running a red light. She apologizes and tells him that she is late for work. It’s her lucky day and she gets off with a warning.

“I believe it is important to educate people and to practice goodwill efforts with our tenants,” Rodrigo explains. “If she had additional violations on her record and it looked like this was a common practice for her, I would have written her the $474 ticket.”

Rodrigo cruises past the USS Midway and the Port’s collection of military art. Several homeless men are sitting on park benches or at tables. Many of them are veterans, he says, and they feel comfort in this area of war memorials. Rodrigo knows many of them and often stops to chat with them or bring them a sandwich. He doesn’t issue them citations because they don’t camp out in the park.

The next stop for Rodrigo is Harbor Island. There, several fishermen stand by the rip-rap, monitoring their poles. Rodrigo stops to chat with Bob Davis, a senior citizen who often comes down from La Mesa to fish. Proudly displaying his fishing license around his neck, he tells Rodrigo that his uncle was one of the first three Harbor Police officers on staff back in the 1940s.

“I was here when the Padres played at Lane Field,” he says.

Rodrigo likes this aspect of his job. Keeping a presence around the parks allows tourists and residents like Davis to feel safe. It also helps keep potential criminals away. When they see officers constantly patrolling, they won’t linger around.

Specialized Officer

Like all Harbor Police officers, Rodrigo is trained to work at the airport, to operate a vessel on San Diego Bay and to be a firefighter. Harbor Police officers attend the same police academy as all other law enforcement officers in San Diego County, but the Harbor Police are the only law enforcement agency to be able to handle the variety of police work. The Harbor Police also work closely with the U.S. Coast Guard, the Navy and other agencies to improve Homeland Security efforts.

Working at the airport allowed Rodrigo the opportunity to escort dignitaries. He escorted former President George H.W. Bush in 2004 and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger a few years ago when he was in town to attend a convention.

He is one of the only police officers in San Diego county that can speak English and Sinhalese, the main language of Sri Lanka. Because of this, the FBI often calls him to help with translations. He proudly wears a lapel pin bearing the American and Sri Lanken flags on his uniform. He is part of the Honor Guard team and is credited with the new design of the Harbor Police badge.

Rodrigo is proud to work for the Harbor Police and holds his fellow officers in high regard. He says that every officer has a unique talent and special skills. When he talks about his workplace with his mother, he gives the analogy of a hand.

“The department is like the palm of a hand, with different lines and different patterns. Every finger is different, but each contributes to the strength of the hand.”

As a Harbor Police officer, he sees a dark side of life that not many people witness. When the sun goes down and people start drinking, he sees a lot of violent crimes and death.

Rodrigo says he’d like to go back to Sri Lanka one day and find his high school science teacher.

“She told me that the heaviest metal in the world was plutonium,” he said. “I’d like to tell her she’s wrong. The heaviest and most valuable metal is this badge I wear.”

Harbor Police Department Chief Announces Retirement

jgilmore@portofsandiego.org (Ronald Powell (619) 686-6222; (619) 665-2815) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:31:20 +0000

Kirk Sanfilippo, a law enforcement veteran for more than three decades, the past four years as chief of the Port of San Diego’s Harbor Police Department, has announced his retirement effective Jan 5, 2010.

Sanfilippo disclosed his decision on Monday, Oct. 19, 2009, in a memorandum to all Harbor Police personnel.

“Having spent 31 years in public safety work, I along with my wife Jody, have decided to pursue other interests in life,” he wrote in his memorandum. “Primarily, we look forward to being with family and friends in the Pacific Northwest but, additionally, plan to engage in travel, community volunteer opportunities and consulting work.”

A search for the chief’s replacement is underway. It is being conducted by Bob Murray & Associates.

Stephen P. Cushman, chairman of the Board of Port Commissioners, said he is saddened by Sanfilippo’s departure.

“Chief Sanfilippo has been a strong regional and national leader, working cooperatively both with local law enforcement and with federal law enforcement on national security,” Cushman said. “His fairness and calm manner brought honor to the department and to the Port. His mix of veteran police know-how and people skills will be hard to replace.”

Sanfilippo has led the 166-member department, including more than 140 sworn officers, since April 2005 when he was named interim chief. He was appointed permanently to the position the following June.

Port President/CEO Charlie Wurster described Sanfilippo as an exemplary leader who has demonstrated a strong commitment to his department and the Port of San Diego.

“I have been impressed with the chief’s dedication to the Port and the men and women of his department,” Wurster said. “He has demonstrated that he is the type of leader who doesn’t back away from the tough decisions. I value his expert counsel, and wish him all the best in the future.”

Harbor Police officers provide law enforcement services for San Diego International Airport, San Diego Bay and the surrounding tidelands that encompass areas in five Port member cities -- Imperial Beach, Coronado, Chula Vista, National City and San Diego. Department officers also are trained as firefighters and they provide firefighting services on San Diego Bay.

Sanfilippo served 22 years with the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety before joining the Harbor Police force in 2003 as a captain.

He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Santa Clara University.

While in San Diego, he has been an active member of the San Diego County Chiefs and Sheriffs Association, the United States Coast Guard’s Area Maritime Security Committee, the San Diego Association of Government’s Public Safety Committee, the Executive Advisory Committee at Miramar College (Regional Police Academy), the Automated Regional Justice Information System Management Committee, the Regional Communications System Board of Directors, and the Joint Terrorism Task Force Executive Committee.

“As blessed as I have been by the rewards, I am even more grateful for the challenges that I have met during my six years with the San Diego Unified Port District, specifically with the Harbor Police Department,” Sanfilippo said of his career.

“Serving this department and community has been the most rewarding years of my career,” he continued. “I leave with fond memories and my heartfelt hope that service, leadership and integrity will continue to be the purposeful goals and spirit of this organization.”

Sanfilippo told the officers and other employees that he will attend department briefings in the coming weeks to better inform them of the planned recruitment process and transition plan for a new chief.

There is more than travel on his retirement to-do list.

“There is also a very strong possibility that the local golf courses, rod and gun club, bowling alley, campgrounds and our motorcycle will receive some of our attention as well.”

Harbor Police Lieutenant Ken Franke to Retire

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:41:27 +0000

When Harbor Police Lieutenant Ken Franke was 13 years old, his father taught him how to operate the family’s 26-foot speedboat. “A half-hour later I was rescuing a man whose boat had gotten stuck in the rocks on the Niagara River,” Franke said.

During his years as a Harbor Police Officer, he has logged thousands of hours patrolling San Diego Bay aboard the vessel Point Loma, and has rescued many people who’ve fallen from boats and docks and ended up in the bay. After more than 28 years of service to the Harbor Police Department, Franke is retiring on October 28, his 50th birthday.

“It’s been a great career,” Franke said. “I’ve enjoyed working with the waterfront community that includes business owners and military organizations.”

A lieutenant for 21 years, Franke was an incident commander for many of the major events occurring on San Diego Bay that drew thousands of people to the waterfront and boats to the bay.

This includes the recent Red Bull Air Races where tens of thousands of spectators lined the waterfront to watch planes flying low over the bay, Super Bowl waterfront festivals attended by 250,000 football fans, and America’s Cup yacht races during the 1990s.

“Coordinating water and shoreside security for these events is a team effort,” said Franke. Harbor Police lieutenants and sergeants regularly work with the U.S. Coast Guard, and at times, the U.S. Navy.

“I’ve worked closely with the Coast Guard for my entire career here. They’ve been great partners,” Franke said.

An especially memorable day in Franke’s career was September 11, 2001.

“I was at the gym that morning and saw the terrorist attacks on television. I was kind of in shock, and immediately reported to work,” he said, adding that all of the Harbor Police officers called in and offered to report to work.

The Harbor Police and U.S. Coast Guard immediately closed the harbor to ship traffic and set up a blockade at the entrance to San Diego Bay. The bay was closed for eight hours while the Harbor Police and U.S. Coast Guard created a plan that allowed vessels to enter the harbor after being searched by Harbor Police or U.S. Coast Guard officers. The U.S. Navy handled patrol and security on San Diego Bay.

After developing the plan, with the Coast Guard, Franke contacted local sport fishing and harbor excursion boats to inform them of how to proceed with their operations.

“All of the lieutenants were working around-the-clock to provide increased public safety,” Franke said. This included stepped up traffic patrol, especially around San Diego International Airport which had been closed.

All 126 Harbor Police officers began working 12-hour shifts to ramp up security around the Bay.

It is most fitting that Franke has worked with the U.S. Coast Guard throughout his career.

His grandfather was the lightkeeper for 30 years at the Ballast Point Lighthouse at the entrance to San Diego Bay. His grandparents lived at the lighthouse. His father grew up there, joined the U.S. Coast Guard, and retired as a captain after serving as the Executive Officer of San Diego.

When he was 16 years old, Franke started working at San Diego Harbor Excursion on San Diego Bay and learned how to dock large boats. A few years later, he obtained a 100-ton ocean operator license from the U.S. Coast Guard.

He became the captain of the vessel Cabrillo and ferryboat Silvergate and was at the helm during numerous public tours around San Diego Bay. “I often talked to the Harbor Police on the radio while operating the Bay tours,” Franke said.

“Continuing with a career on the water seemed natural to me,” the affable Franke said.

Before joining the Harbor Police, Franke was also operating overnight sportfishing trips out of Mission Bay.

He began his career as a Harbor Police officer in 1981. One of his first projects was to coordinate with the Coast Guard to remove over 1,000 old wrecked boats, and illegally anchored boats, that were scattered throughout San Diego Bay.

“The bay looks a lot better now,” Franke said.

More recently, Franke was involved in planning for the relocation of the Harbor Police communications center from Shelter Island to the U.S. Coast Guard station on San Diego Bay. Known as the Joint Harbor Operations Center, it provides increased security on the waterfront and at San Diego International Airport. It opened in 2004.

Franke said that during his decades with the Harbor Police, the organization has grown from a tiny station at the tip of Shelter Island to multiple stations with sophisticated communications and law enforcement equipment.

“The Harbor Police organization is more technical and the caliber of the officers is excellent. They truly care about the community,” he said.

A highlight for Franke was attending the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia. For three months in 1991, he studied police management with law enforcement members from throughout the world.

Offering crucial assistance throughout the region, Franke participated with a Harbor Police team assigned to the mobile field force for the San Diego County Sheriff’s office during the October 2007 firestorms in San Diego.

Franke was also on a Harbor Police team that worked with the U.S. Coast Guard to devise a system that pumps water from tugboats to shoreside fire trucks in the case of earthquakes or other emergencies where landside water pipelines may not be operating.

Harbor Police Chief Kirk Sanfilippo said Franke’s leadership in the Harbor Police Department was vital to the development and progress toward contemporary public safety practices.

“Lt. Franke’s expertise in the maritime arena generally, and the sport fishing industry specifically, has helped contribute to the wonderful and successful business we experience in our harbor,” said Chief Sanfilippo.

Around the Bay, Franke just finished working with Port tenants to regulate motor home parking on Shelter Island. “This has greatly improved public access and organized the area,” said Franke.

Sharon Cloward, San Diego Port Tenants Association executive director, said Franke has worked hand in hand with Port tenant businesses over the years on many issues to improve the waterfront.

Among the areas of tenant interest where Franke lead Harbor Police efforts included establishing the oversized vehicle ordinance, tackling safety concerns at a former boat anchorage in the South Bay, homeless issues, and expanding the La Playa anchorage for the 4th of July fireworks show.

Cloward said Franke has assisted with problem solving for marinas, yacht clubs, boatyards, the sportfishing industry, hotels, restaurants, retail businesses and the boating community at large.

“The Port tenants are united in their admiration for the way he performed his job with great enthusiasm and cooperation with the tenants and other community groups,” she said.

The San Diego Port Tenants Association hosted a retirement reception for Franke on October 1 to personally thank him for all he has done while serving on the Harbor Police Department. A celebration is also being planned by the Harbor Police Department.

In retirement, Franke said he will continue to work with fishing and maritime communities to promote tourism between San Diego and Mexico. He serves on a Mexico-city based tourism advisory panel that promotes fishing and sailing events between the U.S. and Mexico.

For years, Franke has owned and operated a 65-foot sportfishing vessel named Outer Limits. Based in Mission Bay, Outer Limits offers two-day fishing trips to Mexico during the summer. Franke has a crew that operates the boat, but sometimes serves as captain.

During the winter, Franke charters and also volunteers his vessel for marine research projects conducted by Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

As a sport fisherman and business owner, Franke is interested in assisting scientists to improve fish counts while allowing sportfishing operations to also thrive off the Pacific Coast.

Last year, Franke received recognition from the U.S. Department of Commerce for his support of a NOAA project that uses sonar and submarines to track stocks of fish. Franke was instrumental in coordinating NOAA’s marine research operations with the commercial fishing community. After an upcoming peer review, the statistics can be used to better manage California resources. NOAA considers this project one of its top five projects on the West Coast.

Projects Franke has been involved in for Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute include an ongoing program to increase the local rockfish population.

With crew and scientists aboard, his boat travels 100 miles offshore to the Cortez Bank. Along with rockfish, grouper and yellowtail are caught, kept alive in holding tanks, and delivered to SeaWorld for reproductive studies to achieve coastal repopulation of the species.

In addition to retirement time on the water, Franke plans to spend a lot of time with his wife Karen raising their two teenagers, 14-year-old Michael and 12-year-old Megan.

“Ken will be missed greatly, but we wish him a wonderful retirement with his family and friends,” said Chief Sanfilippo.

Fair winds and following seas Lieutenant Franke!

Port of San Diego Awarded $1 Million Security Grant from the Department of Homeland Security

melicone@portofsandiego.org (Marguerite Elicone (619) 686-6281) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 22:51:22 +0000

The Department of Homeland Security announced today the award of $150,000,000 for security improvements at 103 United States ports, including $1 million for the Port of San Diego.

The funding comes from the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Port Security Grant Program. The ARRA is an economic stimulus package that was designed to jump-start the U.S. economy, create or save jobs and to help pay for long-neglected infrastructure projects. The ARRA Port Security Grant Program provides funding to help protect critical port infrastructure from terrorism.

Money from the grant will go towards the ongoing effort to provide a fiber optics communications network that will ultimately ring the entire harbor of San Diego Bay.

In the past seven years, the Port of San Diego has received more than $30 million in security grant funding. The money has been used to enhance physical security, improve surveillance capabilities, expand communications and strengthen security infrastructure throughout the Port.

The Port is working to secure additional grant funding to complete the fiber optic ring and continue enhancements to both the security and safety of the entire region.

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Port of San Diego Executives Brief Coast Guard Commander on Security Issues

jgilmore@portofsandiego.org (John Gilmore (619) 698-7206 cell (619) 341-5684) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 22:35:10 +0000

Region-wide cooperation among local, state and federal agencies to ensure a steady stream of grant funding to protect San Diego Bay and key installations was underscored during a Port of San Diego briefing for Rear Admiral Joseph “Pepe” Castillo, the head of the 11th Coast Guard District, which includes San Diego. The Rear Admiral made a courtesy call to Charlie Wurster, the Port’s president and CEO, who retired from the Coast Guard as a Vice Admiral.

The Port administrative executives told the Rear Admiral that the San Diego Unified Port District and other key agencies have received more than $30 million in grant funds that are being used to enhance security across the Port region. The cooperation has been vital in securing the funds and enhancing seaport and Port security. The Port, working closely with the Area Maritime Security Committee that includes the Navy and Coast Guard, has worked over the years to secure San Diego Bay, including the National City Marine Terminal, the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal and the B Street Cruise Ship Terminal.

Rear Admiral Castillo, who assumed command of the 11th Coast Guard District about a month ago, was briefed by Port administrative officials on Tuesday, August 18, 2009. Besides making the courtesy call to the Port, Rear Admiral Castillo visited Coast Guard and Navy installations in the area. Wurster was unable to attend the briefing because of a death in the family. Before joining the Port, Wurster served 37 years in the Coast Guard.

The 11th Coast Guard District includes more than 2,300 personnel and encompasses a 3.3-square-mile area stretching 1,000 miles off the California Coastline to the Columbian and the Ecuadorian borders. Before assuming command of the District, Rear Admiral Castillo was the Chief of Staff for the 9th Coast Guard District in Cleveland, Ohio, and he also held a high-level position with the Coast Guard’s 8th District where he lead efforts to rescue and evacuate more than 33,500 people in New Orleans, Mississippi and Alabama after Hurricane Katrina swept through the area. The Rear Admiral works from Coast Guard headquarters in Alameda.

Included in the Port briefing was a demonstration by Ben, a Dutch Shepherd and member of the Harbor Police Department’s K-9 team. With 10 suitcases lined along the Port of San Diego’s second story outdoor area on Pacific Highway, the eager dog began sniffing. At the sixth suitcase, Ben sniffed away then he sat, alerting his handler, Harbor Police Corporal Del MacGray, that something may be inside. He was right. The suitcase contained two sticks of explosives.

Five dogs are members of the Harbor Police K-9 team. The dogs’ primary mission is to detect explosives, patrol San Diego International Airport and often they are called upon to conduct searches for the Secret Service. They also have been involved in searches for other law enforcement agencies throughout the region.

Besides viewing Ben in action, the Rear Admiral was shown underwater equipment that the Port and Harbor Police purchased with about $940,000 in federal grant money. Included were diving gear and a remote operated vehicle that is capable of conducting deep underwater searches in locations where it would be unsafe for police divers to venture.

Since the attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001 and the emphasis on security following the devastation, the Port of San Diego has stepped up security throughout San Diego Bay and the tidelands which it manages. The Harbor Police Department dive team has gone from just nine members to 25 since 2001.

The Harbor Police Department’s central communications command is located in what is called the JHOC, the Joint Harbor Operations Center where Coast Guard personnel and personnel from other law enforcement agencies are located.

Rear Admiral Castillo was complimentary of the cooperative relationship between the Coast Guard and the Port, as was Captain Tom Farris, the head of the Coast Guard sector in San Diego and the Captain of the Port.

“I’m appreciative of the relationship,” said Captain Farris, who noted the cooperation is so good that Harbor Police Chief Kirk Sanfilippo calls him frequently on operational matters.

“I admire this relationship,” he said.

Port administrative officials taking part in the briefing included John MacIntyre, the Port’s Homeland Security Program Manager; Ellen Corey Born, Executive Vice President; Wayne Darbeau, Vice President, Administration; Paul Libuda, the Facility Security Officer for the Port’s Maritime operations and Captain Don Claypool and Lieutenant Kirk Nichols of the Harbor Police Department.

Harbor Police Department Receives Grant from San Diego County Law Enforcement Foundation

melicone@portofsandiego.org (Marguerite Elicone (619) 686-6281) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:38:45 +0000

The San Diego County Law Enforcement Foundation, a non-profit corporation that provides financial support to county-wide law enforcement agencies, has awarded the Harbor Police Department a grant to buy special equipment.

The award is for $3,780. The money will go toward the purchase of hands-free light-emitting diode (LED) flashlights. LED flashlights use less energy and generally last longer than flashlights with traditional bulbs. The flashlights clip onto an officer’s clothing, allowing them to have both hands free while conducting traffic stops and enforcement operations.

Over the past five years, the Harbor Police have been awarded more than $12,000 in grants from the San Diego County Law Enforcement Foundation. Past grants have been used to purchase automatic external defibrillators, which are devices that automatically diagnose potential cardiac risks. Other equipment purchased included portable emergency rescue tools, diver’s life rafts and emergency breathing devices.

Lifesaving Efforts Recognized by Port Commisioners

dfrost@portofsandiego.org (Dale Frost) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 18:44:50 +0000

Six people, including three Harbor Police Officers, two Navy personnel and a retired physician, were recognized by the Board of Port Commissioners July 7 for their roles in helping to save the lives of two people.

“Their performance reflects the values of the Harbor Police and the Port of San Diego in ensuring a secure environment for the public,” said Harbor Police Chief Kirk Sanfilippo during a presentation at the Board meeting. Each honoree received life-saving commendations, and the Harbor Police Sergeant and two officers received life-saving “shirt bars” to wear on their uniforms.

The most recent rescue was on May 16, 2009, when Harbor Police Officers Timothy Terry and Eugene Wheeldon responded to a call about a man in cardiac arrest aboard his vessel on San Diego Bay.

The officers boarded the vessel, assessed the man’s condition, and used an automated external defibrillator. Retired physician Dr. Frank Mowry was on board the vessel and administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation until San Diego Fire Department paramedics arrived and took over.

The other rescue occurred on November 30, 2008, at 28th Street and Harbor Drive. Harbor Police Sergeant Salvador Colin and two U.S. Navy personnel, Gunner’s Mate Seaman Apprentices Jennifer Hendricks and Victoria Seike, saw a vehicle lose control, strike a traffic light at the center median, and roll over several times before coming to rest on its passenger side.

The vehicle was on fire, and the driver was trapped inside. Sgt. Colin, with assistance from Hendricks and Seike, freed the trapped driver through the vehicle’s rear window, and moved him to safety. Sgt. Colin took control of the scene until San Diego Fire Department paramedics arrived.

“The bravery and prompt actions of Sgt. Colin and Navy personnel Hendricks and Seike saved the life of the driver,” said Chief Sanfilippo.

Sgt. Colin was awarded the Burn Institute’s 2009 Exceptional Service Award, and Hendricks and Seike were awarded the institute’s 2009 Spirit of Courage Award at a ceremony held in May, 2009. Every year, the Burn institute honors people who risked their lives to save another from burn injury or death by fire.

The San Diego Harbor Police is the law enforcement arm of the Port of San Diego. The department provides law enforcement, marine fire-fighting services, airport services, public safety and Homeland Security throughout the tidelands and San Diego Bay. Harbor Police Officers patrol San Diego International Airport under contract with the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority.

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Harbor Police Sergeant Honored for Rescuing Man From Burning Truck

bmoreno@portofsandiego.org (Barbara Moreno) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 19:02:04 +0000

A veteran Harbor Police Sergeant was recently recognized by the Burn Institute for his fast action to remove a driver from a burning truck. Sgt. Salvador Colin, a 23-year veteran of the Harbor Police, received the Exceptional Service Award on May 21 at the organization's 36th Annual Spirit of Courage Awards ceremony.

The rescue took place on November 30, 2008. Colin had just finished his beat as a night watch commander around 1 a.m. when he heard tires squeal and watched as the driver lost control of his speeding vehicle. The truck struck a traffic light in the median of 28th Street and Harbor Drive, rolled over several times and landed on its passenger side with the engine on fire.

Sgt. Colin and two female sailors, Navy Gunner's Mate Jennifer Hendricks and her shipmate Victoria Seike, came upon the crash site together and rushed to help. Colin and Hendricks worked together to remove the driver through the vehicle's rear window.

Hendricks and Seike, were also honored for their efforts, receiving the Burn Institute's Spirit of Courage Award.

"These courageous individuals put their own safety aside to help someone they have never met," said James Floros, Burn Institute Executive Director/CEO. "They are heroes in the truest sense."

Every year, the Burn institute honors people who risked their lives to save another from burn injury or death by fire. Recipients include firefighters, law enforcement personnel and citizens who responded to incidents throughout the county. The Burn Institute is a nonprofit health agency dedicated to reducing the number of burn injuries and deaths in San Diego, Imperial and San Bernardino counties through fire and burn prevention education, burn care research and treatment, and burn survivor support services. For more information, please visit www.burninstitute.org.

Harbor Police to Begin Enforcement of Oversize Vehicle Ordinance

bmoreno@portofsandiego.org (Lt. John Forsythe, 619-686-6595) — Sat, 23 May 2009 14:59:20 +0000

Beginning Memorial Day Weekend, the San Diego Harbor Police Department announced they will begin enforcing section 8.09 of the San Diego Unified Port District Code. This ordinance was enacted in February of this year and regulates the parking of oversize vehicles on Shelter Island along with overnight parking of any vehicle on Shelter Island Drive.

The ordinance defines an oversize vehicle as a bus, camping trainer, fifth-wheel trailer, house car, recreational vehicle, slide-in trailer, trailer and/or trailer bus, and/or vehicle greater than 20 feet in length

Under this ordinance, oversize vehicles may park only in designated spaces on Shelter Island Drive and in the parking lots of Shelter Island Shoreline Park, said Lt. John Forsythe. Additionally, the parking of any vehicle along Shelter Island Drive from the 1400 block to Anchorage Lane is prohibited daily between the hours of 3 a.m. and 4:30 a.m.

Harbor Police Officers Assist in Navy Helicopter Crash Search, Recovery

Wed, 20 May 2009 23:41:46 +0000

Officers with the Port of San Diego's Harbor Police Department were among the first responders following the crash of a U.S. Navy helicopter in the ocean near the Coronado Islands late Tuesday night. Three bodies were recovered from the water and the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy searched throughout the day Wednesday for two others who were onboard at the time of the crash.

"We received the call about 11:56 p.m. Tuesday night of a Navy helicopter down about 14 miles southwest of San Diego near the Coronado Islands," said Lt. Bill Kellerman. "We sent two of our combination fire patrol boats and one of our fast boats to the scene."

The first of the vessels, the fast boat, arrived about 12:28 a.m. and the other boats arrived within 20 minutes. There were five police officers involved altogether. A Customs and Border Patrol agent was also on board one of those vessels.

"When they arrived on scene, there was a debris field from the helicopter and a Coast Guard helicopter was able to spot for them," said Kellerman. "Two of our vessels each recovered a body and there was a third body recovered by either a Coast Guard or Navy vessel. The bodies were all transported to our fast boat."

Kellerman said there was no opportunity for any first aid or CPR attempts on the victims.

"It appeared it was a pretty violent impact," he said. "The bodies were all transported to the Coast Guard Air Station on Harbor Drive around 4 a.m. (Wednesday)."

The two other Harbor Police vessels continued the search alongside the Coast Guard, U.S. Navy and Mexican Navy until 5 a.m. Kellerman said.

The crash victims' remains were turned over the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office. They were then taken to Balboa Navy Hospital with a Navy escort. Their identities have not been released. Military officials said the downed HH-60 Seahawk helicopter, from Carrier Air Wing 11, had taken off from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz as part of a training exercise before it went into the sea late Tuesday.

For the latest on the search, visit the U.S. Coast Guard San Diego's web site.