Hello and Welcome to CoffeeCops!

This site was designed for Retired San Antonio
Police Officers to communicate.

Take your coffee break here and connect
with other SAPD retirees.

This Blog was made to share issues, ideas,
photos, and happenings that are of interest
and/or affect our growing family of police retirees.

This site is intended only for
bona fide retirees, spouses and widows/widowers
of the San Antonio Police Department.

If you would like something posted;
A news article, family event, final tribute, a rant or
opinion please send your comments and photos by email to: blog@coffeecops.net

Retiree's father diagnosed with terminal disease.

My dad has been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and

given only months to live. Please ask our friends to put him on

their prayer list. His name is Leslie F. Miller

Thanks and Happy New Year,

Windy Miller

Coffeecops Note:

Your Thoughts and Prayers would be most appreciated.

Retiree Charles Edwards dies.

Charles W. Edwards, beloved husband, father
and grandfather, died on December 23, 2009,
at the age of 61.

He was born on July 10, 1948 in San Antonio,
where he lived his entire life. He served in the Army
Reserves and as a San Antonio Police Officer for 31 years.

Charles is survived by his loving wife of 40 years, Barbara
Ann Edwards; his daughter, Angelyn Edwards Levinthal
and her husband, Jared I. Levinthal; daughter, Aimee
Edwards Hunter and her husband, Tom Hunter; son,
Zachary Charles Edwards and his wife, Danielle Edwards;
grandchildren, Chandler, Kendall, and Rainey Edwards
Levinthal and Kinley Brynn Edwards; sister, June
LaChapelle and husband, George; sister, Renee Edwards;
and brother, Rick Edwards and his wife, Yolanda.
Charles was preceded in death by his parents, Hemple
and Barbara Edwards.

SERVICES
A Funeral Vigil will be held at St. Joseph's Catholic Church,
Honey Creek in Spring Branch, Texas on December 27,
2009 at 7:00 p.m. preceded by the Viewing at 6:00 p.m.
The Funeral Mass will be celebrated on December 28,
2009 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Joseph's followed by the
interment at Mission Burial Park North.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made
to The 100 Club of San Antonio, P.O. Box 6741,
San Antonio, Texas 78209.

Cadet and FTO reunite.

Here is a picture of
Andy Vaquera having a
beer with his FTO Nacho Tapia
at El Mariachi Bar.
(40th anniversary)

Final Tribute to 4 Officers

Retiree Vic Abate has provided us with words and pictures
of the funeral for the four slain officers in Parkland, Wash.,
a suburb a few miles south of Tacoma.

TacomaFuneral

XEROX IS DOING SOMETHING COOL

Retiree Bob Jordon sent this very nice idea.

XEROX IS DOING SOMETHING COOL

If you go to this web site, www.LetsSayThanks.com you
can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it
will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq .
You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to a member of
the armed services.

How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we
know to send one!!! It is FREE and it only takes a second.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the soldiers received a bunch
of these? Whether you are for or against the war, our
soldiers over there need to know we are behind them.

This takes just 10 seconds and it's a wonderful way to
say thank you. Please take the time and please take the
time to pass it on for others to do. We can never say
enough thank you's.

Thanks for taking to time to support our military!

It really is simple and FREE, no catch! I just did it myself
and it feels good!

Retiree Arthur Graybeal needs your prayers. + updates

A message from retiree Mike Ross:


Hey friends,

Say a prayer for our friend Arthur Graybeal. He will be
undergoing heart bypass surgery on Wednesday,
Dec 2nd, at app 10:00 AM. He is at the TexSan Heart
Hospital 6700 IH 10 W (on IH 10 at the old
Crossroads mall.)

Update :

Friends,

Arthur's operation has been postponed until Thursday
morning at 8:00 AM. He has a total of 5 blockages.
The doctor stated there has NOT been any apparent
damage to the heart and expects a very successful
operation. The doctor stated that Arthur should be able
to "chip n putt" in 2 weeks and take a full swing in about
6 weeks.

He is in room 207a at the Texsan Heart Hospital and,
at present, is in very good spirits.

I'll keep everybody posted as I get it.

ADDITIONAL UPDATE 12/3/09

Friends,

Arthur had 5 bypasses performed this morning. Veins were taken from his wrist, chest cavity, and leg. The surgeon told the family that everything went fine.

He also stated earlier that Arthur should be able to play golf again in

2 months. Everybody is upbeat ( as of this writing ) and looking

forward to full recovery.

Arthur is in room a207 at the TexSan Hospital on IH 10 near

Crossroads Mall. Visitation can begin Friday, Dec 4th.

I recommend Sat Dec 5th.

As a friend of the family, I thank you for your support and prayers.

Thanks
Mike Ross

ADDITIONAL UPDATE 12/4/09

Arthur is comfortable and is doing well. Wife
requesting only two visitors at a time in the
room.

Hospital has open visiting hours. (for you
southsiders that means you can go by
whenever you want) Ha-Ha ……

At this time, he will still be there on
Sat, 12-05. TexSan Hospital, 6700 IH 10W
(SB access rd) @ Gil Road

Thanks
Armando Ynostrosa

How to turn your skills into a Career pt1.

I have received some calls regarding my

previous post, (How to turn your skills into

a new Career) here is synopsis of some of

the questions I have answered:

I retired at 44 with 23 yrs and although that

retirement would have supported me alone

I chose to get married and start a family,

therefore I needed more money than the

average secondary local law enforcement

career could provide. It was scary at first

because I did not have real plan, I spent the

first year working low wage jobs to make

ends meet, but I also took advantage of that

time and learned that the job market has

some unique opportunities you can exploit

because of your past.

First and foremost modern job hunting is

about networking and selling yourself too

yourself. If you have family or friends that

can advise you and assist you, USE THEM.

Don’t be afraid to learn from other people or

your mistakes. I went to every job fair.

Weather it was related to the career I was

seeking or not, it is a great way to get to

know HR people and recruiters, they may

not be able to assist you there, but you can

bet they know someone who can, in business

it is all about referrals, which is all about

networking.

On your resume, your police career should

only be about a paragraph, in business it is

not about awards it is about socialization.

List every interest you have outside of career

and home, like church, coaching, volunteer

work and social networks.

You want too have some of the same interests

as the person interviewing you.

Don’t ever

stop interviewing. I used to go on interviews

while actively employed, the first question

they would ask is “Why do you want to leave

your current employer?” and I would answer,

“I don’t, but if there is a better opportunity

I don’t want to pass it up.” This shows you

have loyalty and ambition, unlike public service

you are rewarded for your ambition and don’t

have to step on people to prove it.

Dress for success, nobody hires a ROP

detective, but they will consider someone

who dresses in a nice suite and tie, is clean

cut and has respectful manners.

Never pay anyone to search for a job for you;

they are all scams, period! Recruiters get paid

by the company that hires you. If you pay for

anything have your resume professionally

done and always have two or three cover

letters with differing ambitions on them,

ready at any given time. Trust me; a

professionally done resume is worth its

weight in gold.

Buy the best clothes you can for your

interviews, the difference in the quality and

look in clothes is measurable and can separate

you from the average. I use Second Looks in

Alamo Heights (to purchase clothes), and

believe me the interviewers do not know the

clothes are used but they can tell the quality.

Success breeds success.

I hope some of this helps, if you have

anymore questions feel free to contact me at

anytime. Good luck.

Buy the way I’m using past tense in my post

because good fortune and business

connections have provided me the opportunity

to start my own business. For me, that was,

and is the ultimate goal of private enterprise.

Matt Jackson

210-367-9705

matthewjackson@gvtc.com