Retired Seattle Police Officers Association
 

Pension Office News | October 2017

  • LEOFF 1 Officers only – 2017 Medicare Reimbursements and 2018 Reporting Forms

    The 2017 Medicare reimbursement forms will be included with your 2018 Reporting documents, we expect these to go out by the 1st of November from your Police Pension office.  There will be no reimbursement of the 2017 Medicare Reimbursement until your Reporting forms are received, so please plan to return them all at once, as soon as you are able. The deadline for Reporting and Medical Reporting forms is January 30th, 2018!  

    Also, please be aware that the City Financial computer system is being upgraded, therefore any request received for the 2017 Medicare Reimbursement after the 20th of December may be delayed, as we learn this new system.  If you have questions about your reimbursement after the 4-6 weeks processing time, you can email policepension@seattle.gov or call 206-386-1286 and we will respond as soon as we can. 
     
  • RSPOA will also be posting the 2017 Medicare Reimbursement form, as well as the 2018 Reporting Forms on this website.  An email with links will be sent to subscribers as soon as those forms are available.

 

New Retirements

There are two LEOFF II retirements to report this month. 

      George Shilipetar #5183, was born and raised in North Seattle. He attended Laurelhurst Grade School, Sacred Heart Villa Academy for Junior High, and then attended Blanchet High School, where he played football. George earned a football scholarship at the University of Washington. George was a field goal kicker for the team. He was a member of the 1981 football team that won the Pac 10 and went on to beat Iowa in the 1982 Rose Bowl.  This is the same team that Kyle Stevens #5182 played on. George graduated in 1986 with a degree in Society and Justice. But his first job was working at Longacre’s Race Track in Renton. No justice there, just winners and losers. George began applying to various police departments to get a more secure occupation with benefits. Ron Sylve #3537 came to his rescue and offered him a job. The only caveat was that the offer came on a Thursday night and he had to be at the Academy on Monday morning. George said, “No problem.” He showed up at the old Glacier High School in Burien where the Academy was held. However, he didn’t quite have all his gear yet.  He was in Academy Class #209 with one of his old teammates, Kyle Stevens.  

      His Tac Officer was Jerry Wabshall #3074. At one inspection run by Jerry, Lieutenant Steve Quint #4059 showed up to inspect the troops.  Jerry stopped at George and said, “Your shoes are unacceptable, they are dirty.” And then Jerry said, “Look at your Lieutenant’s shoes.” And low and behold, they were in worse shape than George’s. No one was allowed to laugh in rank at this practical joke.  

      After the Academy, George was assigned to 3rd Watch Union Sector. He showed up to work to find his squad was furloughed that night. Bill Green #2236, Relief Sergeant, asked George, “Who the hell are you, and what are you doing here?” This was his introduction to his new assignment.   

      As luck would have it, his first Patrol partner was one of his Academy Instructors, Dan Boardley #4169.  George, now thinking they were equals, attempted to call him ‘Dan’.  He was informed, “No, it’s still FTO Officer Boardley to you!” Years later, one of George’s partners mentioned to another Husky football player who was an officer, that George was a UW kicker. This officer said, “No way, I don’t remember him.” When he saw a picture of George as a young football player, he said “No wonder I didn’t recognize you, you were so skinny then, what happened to you?”  

George spent most of his entire career at the North Precinct, working all three watches, including a short stint in North ACT. His only break from the North Precinct was a temporary (two and a half year) loan assignment to Crime Analysis at the South Precinct. Figure that one out. He also did a couple summer tours at the Seattle Center.  His last partner was Mark Henry #5137, who introduced him to golf.  Turns out that George got better and better to the point that he beats Mark routinely, taking his money.  Mark regrets introducing him to the game to this day. George’s last assignment was working First Watch, covering Boy/John Sectors.  He retired for service on September 12, 2017 with over 30 years of service.

      In retirement, so far, he has continued to golf as much as when he was active. And he is going to be attending the UW football games.

 

      Marsha Wilson #4958, was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. After graduating high school in 1970, she went to Upstate New York to attend the Rochester Institute of Technology. She was studying to be a photo journalist, but the expense of her first two years made it clear that she needed to take another path. She needed a job that would cover her college loans, housing, clothing, and food. So naturally, in May 1973, she found just such a job.  She raised her right hand and joined the US Army. It’s always bothered her that her male compatriots could join at the age of 18, but the females could not, until they were 21 years old. This is no longer the case. Marsha spent 8 years in the military. There, she could continue her training in photo journalism, and she traveled throughout the United States and Europe. The Army even trained her in offset printing. She left the Army in 1981.

      Before finding a permanent job, she decided to visit some friends in Vancouver, Washington. She and her friends took a trip to Seattle, where Marsha fell in love with the city.  So, she moved here, and she attended Highline Community College on the GI Bill. She also landed a job in the reproduction department of Blue Cross/Blue Shield. After a couple of years, Marsha felt she needed a challenge because she was getting bored. An acquaintance recommended she consider applying to the Seattle Police Department. She talked the suggestion over with her supervisor at Blue Shield. Her supervisor, Carolyn, had a brother already on the Department – Manny Washington #4078. With this encouragement, Marsha applied, never thinking she would be accepted. However, she was offered employment in December of 1985 and began the Academy two weeks later. One of her Academy mates was Bill Guyer #6394. Marsha passed all of her courses with no problems, except EVOC. Being from the east coast, she didn’t have much driving experience, except for Army trucks. So, she was held back in a recruit’s pocket, until she passed the EVOC course, which she did. She was sworn in with another Blue Shield co-worker and ex-part-time bus driver, John Gardenhire #4997. Over the next 32 years, she worked Patrol in the South Precinct, South CPT, and South Burglary/Theft. Then she moved into Bias Crimes, Robbery, and CSI. Ed Haynes #4492 asked her if she would be interested in going to the Audit and Policy Unit and share his duties as lobby officer in police headquarters. While working as the lobby officer, she also helped provide polling security for the Seattle Police Relief and Pension Board’s election of trustees.

She retired in September 2017 with almost 32 years of service.  Her favorite assignment during her career was working South Precinct Patrol. Still having the travel bug left over from her time in the Army, she and her spouse, Beth, plan to travel around the world. And, they look forward to spending time with their grandchildren.

 


Wives & Widows

Shirley Frombach, wife of deceased retired Seattle Police Sergeant Cal Frombach #1727 passed away on September 28, 2017 at the age of 87.

Alberta Hayes, wife of retired Seattle Police Officer Joel Hayes #2247, passed away on August 29, 2017 at the age of 78.
 

MAY THEY REST IN PEACE