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Meet
Chief Robert Gustafson |
 Chief
Robert Gustafson was appointed the City of
Orange
's 33rd Police Chief on August 2, 2004 after 28 years with the Orange
Police Department. He is a
recipient of the department's "Award of Distinction" and was
twice named, “Supervisor of the Year."
Over the years, Chief Gustafson has seen many changes in policing.
He says that early in his career, there were few resources for
officers and that it was frustrating.
Particularly frustrating was the lack of resources available to
officers trying to assist those who were confronting death or other
tragedies.
Chief
Gustafson remembers as a young officer having to deal with death on almost
every shift. He still vividly remembers being called to the home of an
elderly couple where the wife had died. Not having a TIP program to
call on, young Gustafson stayed with the elderly husband giving him
support, and then regularly checked in on him.
He became friends with the man and remains friends with him to this
day! Today, Chief Gustafson
sees an increasing awareness in police departments not only of the needs
of victims but also of the emotional needs of police officers. He believes
that the quality of services addressing the emotional needs of officers
and the public has improved significantly.
He views TIP as one of those services which
not only meets the immediate needs of citizens in crisis but also
provides a service which benefits his officers.
“TIP's work not only benefits those who receive TIP services, but
also gives officers peace of mind, knowing that those in distress are left
in caring and competent hands," he says.
Although
Chief Gustafson was very supportive when TIP began serving the City of
Orange
he says that the program has exceeded his expectations.
" TIP has delivered a much higher quality of service with
deeper impact than I expected. The
quality of TIP's committed volunteers makes the organization
excellent," he stated. Mr.
Wayne Fortin, Founder and CEO
of the TIP organization agrees that it's the quality of TIP Volunteers
that makes TIP an excellent organization.
However, Fortin also believes
that the success of TIP in any city is also directly tied to the
commitment of its police and fire chiefs to providing citizens with
compassionate service. “Chief
Gustafson's support of TIP has been essential to the programs acceptance
and utilization by the police officers in his department," says Fortin. |
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Meet
Patti MacLeith |
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TIP
Volunteer Patti MacLeith has lived in the same home in
Garden Grove
for the last 27 years. There, she and her husband Dan raised their four
children, ages 17, 21, 23 and 24. Patti
first became aware of TIP in 2003 when she received a TIP flyer. She filed
the flyer away as a volunteer opportunity she would consider when her
children were grown. Today four years later, Patti is a seasoned TIP
Volunteer who has responded to many TIP Calls.
She is so seasoned that when she is on call, she is able to go
about her normal activities without the anxiety she had when she began as
a new volunteer. Of course, when on call, Patti is always ready to
respond to a call from the TIP Dispatcher.
She even carries a cooler in her car in case she is
dispatched. Initially, Patti's primary concern was whether or
not she would be accepted by those she was called to help.
She
wondered whether traumatized citizens would let a stranger into their
lives. She has learned that after being introduced by an emergency
responder or nurse that clients always welcome and accept her.
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Patti
has found her niche in TIP. She
not only responds to TIP calls but she volunteers for TIP in a number of
other ways. She is on the TIP
Speakers Bureau and she briefs emergency responder on when and how to call
for TIP Volunteers. Also, she
has adopted a number of dispatch centers.
On a monthly basis, Patti delivers goodie baskets to emergency
dispatchers and talks to them about TIP.
She knows that 911 dispatchers are critical to the successful
operation of TIP, and she is determined to keep TIP in front of them.
According
to Debbie Simpson, TIP's Crisis Team Manager, Patti MacLeith is an
invaluable member of the TIP organization. "Patti’s compassion for
people is evident when she is on call," says Simpson.
"She has used her past experiences to become a great asset to
our program, " she said.
When
not volunteering for TIP, Patti has a full life and spends her time
traveling, gardening, scrapbooking and stamping cards.
Patti and her husband are looking forward to retiring in the
Cambria
area in five years. According
to Debbie Simpson, the TIP organization hopes to keep Patti involved in
the Orange County Chapter until then. |
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