Monthly Archives: March 2017
Tales of Santa Rosa Police
HSSR hosted a moderated talk on February 28, 2017: Tales of the Santa Rosa Police Department. The introduction was made by Don Silverek. The talk was moderated by Chris Smith featuring Rod “Smokey” Sverko and Gaye LeBaron. Guests enjoyed a hosted beverage reception before the talk and Q & A session that followed. Rod shared police tales from his 40 year career in the Department, many from the era of Melvin F. “Dutch” Flohr as Chief of Police.
The names of 4 SRPD officers filled the night’s stories: Lee Gleason, George Scinto, Karl Meister and Walt Gesek. Their long careers required three to pull the trigger just once, and the fourth, Geason, never did. Knowledge or sight of the officer’s weapon would suffice. LeBaron retold of one such situation. A suspect was fleeing over a fence, the officer shot off the gun as a warning and out of sheer shock and fear the suspect fell to the ground. The officer gasped, fearing he’d actually shot him.
Great stories of Santa Rosa past, told well.
