www.SanTanSun.com
Opinion
April 19 - May 2, 2008 31
Commentary from Page 30
Operations (the officers on patrol) leadership role he played in the arrest our crime rates are actually dropping in coaching girls’ amateur fast pitch softball
and Professional Services (forensics, of the Chandler serial rapist. As part Chandler. In fact, the City’s per capita teams for the past 10 years. In fact, his
investigations and community services of his job, he oversees the Criminal crime rate is the lowest it’s been this teams now play at the highest level in the
and emergency operations). Investigations Bureau of the Department. decade. The 2007 rate dropped more than country, and more than 30 of his former
Dave began his law enforcement Members of the Department spent more 11 percent from the prior year. Except players are now playing at the collegiate
career in Iowa in 1979 and joined the than 28,000 hours on the case. Offi cers for robbery and homicide, all major level. Additionally, his youngest daughter
Chandler Police Department in 1986. followed up on more than 2,000 leads and Chandler crime categories have seen is currently a member of the nationally
He has held assignments in Patrol, the 900 individuals were investigated. It was some signifi cant reductions including a ranked Arizona State University Sun
Criminal Investigations Section, the an exhausting experience for everyone 29 percent decrease in auto thefts and a Devils softball team.
Professional Standards Section and the involved. But through it all, the dedication 21 percent decrease in aggravated assault. Dave Neuman is just one more example
Special Assignment Unit. You may recall and professionalism of our department Again, these numbers show that our of a Police Department member who is
he also served as the Interim Police Chief did not waver. That is a testament to both department and its leadership are doing dedicated to excellence and to the people
from January 2003 to January 2004 after Chief Kiyler and Assistant Chief Neuman the right things. of this community.
the retirement of former Chief Bobby Joe and their leadership skills and ability to While Dave has committed himself
Harris. He is also a 2004 graduate of the manage their resources to ensure levels of fully to the job, he also likes to relax
FBI National Academy. service never dropped. through sports and by helping young
I am glad I chose to write about Dave While it seems like this would be a people in the community. An avid softball
last because I can now talk about the drain on our Department’s resources, player, Dave has been actively involved in
Letters
to the
Editor
Noisy helicopter sounds
cle about the Tech-savvy kids caught my
Chandler Relay for Life
Americans, so researchers can study the
like freedom
eye. Personally growing up in a very tech-
The Chandler Relay for Life is approach-
part that genes, lifestyle, and environ-
About two months ago, I also noticed
nical age, I totally agree with the writer.
ing fast. Mark your calendars for from 6
mental factors play in serious chronic
the same noisy north-to-south helicopter
In the past 15 years I have seen many
p.m. Saturday, April 26 to 6 a.m. Sunday,
diseases. To give due credit, however,
fl ying directly over my home between 10
things that I dreamed of owning turn into
April 27 at Tumbleweed Park, 2250 S.
Phoenix College rather than AZCURE was
and 11 p.m. nightly. In fact, one night I
a common convenience in almost every
McQueen Rd. in Chandler.
the host.
was pretty sure it was going to crash land
home. And also some of these things I
Each year across the nation, one event
We did actively promote the event
on my roof. I soon dubbed that helicopter
owned turn into remote controlled, as so
brings together entire communities to
because we thought it would be of
“10 O’Clock Charlie,” borne from a mem-
not ever having to touch it. As a babysit-
take part in the fi ght against cancer. That
immense interest to the general public.
orable episode of “M*A*S*H.”
ter, the longer I continue to watch kids the
event is the American Cancer Society
Small DNA studies have already made
I feel very differently about that “noisy
harder it is to pull them away from their
Relay For Life. It’s a time and place where
important discoveries about the genetic
helicopter” than does the originator of the
technology, whether it is the TV, personal
people come to celebrate those who have
impact on diseases: for example, how the
complaint to the SanTan Sun News (April
video games, or the computer.
survived cancer, remember those we’ve
mutation of a single gene can trigger rare
5, 2008) and the FAA, Kim Bouck-Gloria.
However, (I’m) using some of the things
lost and fi ght back against a disease that
inherited disorders such as Huntington’s
As a former member of the military, the
my mother used to do with my brother
touches too many lives.
disease. These are just the beginning of
fi rst time I heard that “noisy helicopter,”
and I, (such as) baking, arts and crafts or
Won’t you join us this year and be a
what will likely be a long dialogue.
I immediately recognized it as being a
board games. With these, some of the kids
part of Relay? It’s not just an opportunity
My wife, Rosemary, and I had the
military helicopter. No other commercial
I’m watching have come to realize there is
to celebrate, remember, and fi ght back.
good fortune to attend the biobank town
or civil aviation helicopter has quite the
more to life than a screen, and more often
Your involvement will help the American
hall at Phoenix College on Saturday and
thud or bass that a military helicopter
than not I’m called back to watch those
Cancer Society work toward a mission of
found it informative, challenging, and
does in fl ight.
kids again. Thank you for the thoughtful
eliminating cancer as major health issue
very thought-provoking. The three-hour
I don’t think of the overfl ight of my
reminder to parents and caregivers, that
and will support much-needed services
session was very interactive. Following a
house as being a “noisy helicopter.” I
TVs and computers are not there to do
in your community. Thanks in part to the
brief video, individual participants were
think of it as the SOUND OF FREEDOM.
their job, but instead they are just tools
donations from Relay For Life and other
asked to share their responses on roving
Bouck-Gloria is the perfect example of
to further the minds of that we are here
events, the Society is saving lives, helping
microphones to a series of questions, and,
the NIMBY (Not-In-My-Back-Yard) way
to mold.
those touched by cancer and empowering
then using a keypad, the entire audience
of today’s society. I have to admit I was
Krista McDaniel, The Springs
people to fi ght this disease all over the
was asked to pick the response that best
quite tickled when I read in the article that world.
refl ected their opinion. A technician tabu-
lated the responses instantly and percent-
Papago Military Reservation had “politely
Looking for lost dog
This year, we will have a wide variety of
ages were fl ashed on a screen. Questions
declined” to fl y around Chandler, but
I was wondering if you could run a
vendors at the event, so stop by and check
ranged from the scope of the proposed
would “attempt to fl y over at higher alti-
piece in your newspaper in regards to our
out our fabulous vendors who have taken
study, the genetic, environmental, and
tudes.” The people in our military sacri-
lost dog.
their time to help this worthy cause. The
life-style issues to be included … (and) one
fi ce quite a bit, and I think we all could
Unfortunately on February 27 I left the
vendor booths will be open from 6 p.m.
question at the end asked the participants
probably sacrifi ce 10 seconds of peace
side gate to our house open and both our
to 10 p.m.
to share their opinions of the relative mer-
and quiet each day for them.
dogs got out. We live in Mesquite Groves
If you want to be a part of the fi ght
its of a national genetic/medical databank.
Viva “10 O’Clock Charlie” and
off of Gilbert Rd. and Riggs Rd. Both our
against cancer, there is still time to sign up
Given the controversial nature of many of
the SOUND OF FREEDOM.
dogs managed to get out onto Gilbert Rd.,
a team for the Relay For Life of Chandler
the issues discussed, I was delighted to see
Chuck Corning, Riggs Ranch Meadows
I assume following the school kids as they
2008 by visiting our website at www.
that 85 percent of the audience believed
were both very friendly dogs. One of our events.cancer.org/rfl chandleraz. If you’re
Prefers the quiet
it was defi nitely or probably a good idea,
dogs was killed on Gilbert Rd. and after interested in learning more about Relay,
and 79 percent said they would defi nitely
I am writing you about the article you posting fl yers and signs thoughout the fundraising ideas or you would like to
or probably participate.
wrote on the chopper noise in the Riggs area, we received a few calls informing us help at the event, please email event Chair
Check out an event AZCURE is helping
Road area. I also live at Riggs Road and that they saw Nittany get killed and Joe Brenda Burroughs at Chandler2006Relay@
to sponsor: the Chandler Unifi ed School
Sun Lakes Blvd. The noise also wakes me our Daschund was hanging around near yahoo.com or call 480-862-4211. Thanks
District and Chandler-Gilbert Community
up because they are fl ying so low and in her, not wanting to leave her. All of these for being a part of Relay For Life!
College combined Catalyst for Change
the evening if I am watching T.V., I hear it people told us a lady stopped her car and Carol Polcyn, S. Chandler
Science Fair at Basha High School from 10
also. Just wanted to add my 2 cents to the was able to get Joe on a leash and take him
a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Sat., April 19.
complaint. in her car. We thought that this was great Phoenix College, not
Joe O’Neill, AZCURE
Camille Irwin, Sun Lakes news as we would surely be able to get AZCURE host of biobank
him back. Unfortunately despite posting Thank you for your recent plug for
Need to unify? his info on websites, street corners and AZCURE. In the April 5 edition, SanTan
I just read your excellent article about even large yard size signs on Gilbert Rd we Sun named AZCURE as the host for the
the mystery chopper; and have also been have not been able to reach this woman. biobank town hall held in Phoenix that
awakened by the late night and early My little boy is 4 about to turn 5 and he same day. That was a very nice gesture,
Letters to the Editor
morning noise. is heart broken about his dogs. putting us in very prestigious company
We know you have your opinion! Share it with the
Please add me to the list if we need Our house is up for sale and we may indeed: The National Institutes of Health
SanTan Sun News. Unless you’re the Mayor, please
to issue another complaint as a unifi ed move but it also breaks my heart to leave and The National Genome Research
keep your Letters to the editor around 200-300 words,
or they may be edited for length. Please include your
group of residents. Joe behind. We had him for 12 years and Institute, the primary sponsors for the fi rst and last name, community or development name
Tom Gregory, S. Chandler even though he is an old dog he is pretty event, and the Genetics and Public Policy
in Southern Chandler (Cooper Commons, Ocotillo,
Sun Groves, etc.) or ZIP code and daytime phone
active for his age and is part of our family. Center at Johns Hopkins University,
number for verifi cation. Anonymous letters are not
‘Tech-savvy kids’ Is there anything you can do to help? which was awarded a $2 million contract typically accepted. Email is the preferred submission
story rings true Name Name, Mesquite Groves to solicit public opinion about the idea of
method, to Letters@SanTanSun.com.
Opinions expressed in Community Commentaries,
As I leafed through the paper this week establishing a national databank of genet-
Letters to the editor or cartoons are those of the
(April 5, 2008 SanTan Sun News), the arti- ic and medical information on 500,000 author, and not that of the SanTan Sun News.
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