Retired Seattle Police Officers Association
 

Pension Office News | May 2017

PENSION OFFICE NEWS

There is one Plan II retirement to report this month.

Diane Stone #4293, the Department’s Elder Abuse Advocate is leaving on June 30, 2017 after five years in this position. Before that, she had retired in 2006 after 27 years and 10 months as a sworn SPD Officer and Detective. She has served almost 33 years on the Seattle Police Department.

Diane was born and raised in Seattle. She attended Roosevelt High. Then she went from a so-so Rough Rider to a real Cougar. She graduated from Washington State University in 1974. Jobs were scarce to find during the mid-1970s stagnate national economy. Seattle’s economy was even in more in dire straits. So, Diane’s BA qualified her for a position at Seattle Pacific College – a cook. To make ends meet, she also worked as a part time Detention Officer at the King County Youth Service Center. After a year, Diane determined the students could cook for themselves and baby jail’s corporate enabling culture was not for her. She quit both jobs in 1975. At the beginning of 1976, she moved to the Tri Cities to work at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation as armed security. She lasted a year before deciding the health hazard was not worth the wages or pension. So, back to Seattle where she applied to be a Port of Seattle Police Officer. She got the job. Diane went to BLET Class #91 at the Range with all SPD instructors, but no SPD recruits.

She worked at the Port for over two years when the administration reorganized, attriting several officers’ positions. She saw the handwriting on the wall and applied as a lateral to SPD. She was hired in October 1979. Her first assignment was Georgetown. Her second posting was the East Precinct.

In 1986, she transferred to the Detectives, over the next seven years she worked Background, Burglary, and then Juvenile (which she hated.) Diane complained so much about working Juvenile, that Marsha Camp #3989 offered Diane an escape to Advance Training to work alongside Ron Rispoli #3649. She immediately won him over by bringing him homemade chocolate cookies and listening to his stories.

One year later, Diane was recruited to work the newly started Domestic Violence Unit. These cases were previously handled by the Robbery Unit as an ancillary duty. After three years, Liz Eddy #4204 saw a need for a dedicated detective to work on elderly disabled adult abuse cases. Diane volunteered for the assignment and worked it until 2006 when she retired. Then she had to retire to care for her elderly parents and disabled sister. When her father passed away and her mother moved into a retirement residence, Diane got a job there. The pay was $10.50 per hour for the position of jack-of-all-trades; including being a greeter, kitchen worker, front desk clerk, janitor, and bartender at happy hour.

In January 2012, the Department instituted a new position – Elder Advocate. Diane applied. Her varied experience working with juvies, college students, and nine years with elder victims put her as the lead applicant. She got the job in February 2012. That’s very fast for government to move. Her 20 years of work in the private sector and law enforcement with the elderly has made her the local expert for elder abuse cases.

Diane retired with a total of 37 years of experience in the law enforcement security field. Now she looks forward to gardening and crocheting, unless another interesting job arises in the elder abuse field.

 

  • The COLA for Division I Widows effective July 1, 2017 is 2.23%.
  • The results of the June 8, 2017 election for the Pension Board is in – John Nordlund won again. His new term starts July 1, 2017 and runs through June 30th, 2020. 
  • A Reminder – the Pension Fund cannot pay family members or personal friends who provide in-home care for our retirees.
  • This year’s RAP Picnic is on Thursday, August 3, 2017 at the Range. Bocce ball prelims start at 10:00 a.m. Lunch is served around noon. Don’t forget to bring a white elephant gift for the raffle.
  • Those retirees that travel out of state and wish to carry a handgun – the LEOSA qualification dates are: July 21st; August 9th and 23rd; September 7th and 20th; October 11th and 18th; and November 8th and 15th. The times for the relays are 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., but show up 45 minutes early for gun inspections and vest fitting. You must have a strong side waist holster to qualify. Finally, you must contact SPD Personnel at 206-684-5464 two weeks in advance to schedule your shooting date and relay.