In April of 1998, a group of people including Val Kirwan, Marty
Halloran, Joe McFadden, Pat Burke, Dermott Philpott, and Kevin Wiley met
at the Irish Cultural Center in San Francisco to discuss the possibility
of forming a Law Enforcement Emerald Society in the Bay Area. Over the
following few months, those people and others met on a regular basis and
were successful in writing the by-laws and set
ting up the necessary
infrastructure of the organization to be called the San Francisco Bay
Area Law Enforcement Emerald Society, or SFBALEES. Michelle Bracconier
designed and donated the official logo of the organization. SFBALEES’ purpose was defined to be to unite all law enforcement, clubs
and associations; to recognize and promote the contribution of the
Irish-American to law enforcement; to strengthen and develop community
relationships between law enforcement and our communities at large in
order to uphold and defend the constitution and laws of the United
states; and to work with other fraternal law enforcement organizations,
agencies, and Irish-American groups on areas of mutual concern. In 1999, the president of the National Conference Law Enforcement
Emerald Societies was Lieutenant Pat O’Brien, US Park Police. O’Brien traveled to San Francisco on March 5, 1999 to attend the first
SFBALEES annual dinner dance. O’Brien swore in the
first official Executive Board of SFBALEES. That board consisted of: Val
Kirwan, President; Kevin Wiley, Vice President; Joe McFadden, Secretary;
Marty Halloran, Treasurer; and Bill Holden, Sergeant at Arms. The first
official Board of Directors was: Pat Burke, Richard Lonergan, Michael
Loughran, Patrick Mahanay, Gordan Moore, T.J O’Connor, and Diarmuid
Philpott. Since its inception, SFBALEES has done tremendous work in meeting its
goals. We have been involved in numerous benefits for deserving or needy
community members. We have sponsored numerous children’s Christmas
parties at the Irish Cultural Center, and we have been instrumental in
raising money for gifts, toys, and electronic equipment for terminally
ill children at UCSF. SFBALEES members have participated in every Saint
Patrick’s Day parade in San Francisco since our inception. To honor our
fellow officers who have given their lives in the line of duty, our
members have attended and participated in National Police Officers’ Week
in Washington, DC. SFBALEES has also co-sponsored the California Peace
Officers Memorial Foundation annual candle light vigil since 2005.
