Candidate for
Council Member; City of Orange

I was born in Manhattan, the last of five siblings. My father was a WWII Navy veteran and a police officer with the NYPD and my mother was a teacher at a Catholic school. I was raised in the suburbs of New Jersey with a strong sense of personal responsibility and a very clear understanding of right from wrong. I grew up participating in Cub Scout and Boy Scout programs that instilled a deep seated sense of patriotism and civic duty. I worked in a supermarket my junior and senior years of high school and for a year after graduation.

At the age of 19 I realized it was time to seek adventure while at the same time paying my dues for living in the greatest nation in the world. I joined the United States Marine Corps and after surviving boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina, I was trained as a truck driver at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. I was transferred to Camp Pendleton in 1977 and have called California home ever since with the exception of the year I spent in Okinawa, Japan and the three months I spent trying to get warm in New Jersey during the winter of 1980 following my Honorable Discharge.

I returned to this state in February 1981 and enrolled in classes at Chapman University. Despite having the G.I. Bill education benefits, I had to work two full time security jobs (as a campus safety officer at Chapman and for a private security company) to pay my school and living expenses while carrying a full load of 12 credits. Needless to say, this situation took a heavy toll and I only lasted one semester. I always met my employment obligations, but my school work suffered from the intense schedule I tried to keep.

While locking up the hallowed halls of Chapman one night on the graveyard shift, I spied a recruiting poster for a local police department on a bulletin board and decided to apply. I was successful and started the police academy in February 1982. Upon graduation, I was assigned to patrol, qualifying as a field training officer after only about two years. After three years in patrol, I was assigned to the Drinking Driver enforcement Team for about a year and became a School Resource Officer at Santa Ana High School. I then received an assignment as an investigator in the Crimes Against Persons Detail and worked homicide and child sexual and physical abuse cases for three years.

I then obtained my dream job, like my father before me on NYPD, I qualified as a motorcycle officer. I only wish he had lived to see it. I know he would have burst with pride. Since 1989 I have worked as a Traffic Officer, Collision Investigator, Corporal and now acting Sergeant in the Traffic Division. In the last six years, I have successfully applied for, received and administrated 4 grants from the California Office of Traffic Safety and the Orange County Health Care Agency for traffic enforcement and education and the distribution of more than 500 child safety car seats at no cost to low income families. These grants totaled over $725,000.00 above our normal operational budget, allowing us to provide a higher degree of service to the community.

I married my wife Karen in March of 1995 and gained an instant family with her daughters April and Kristin. Our third daughter, Kelsey was born in February of 1996 and I now have three grand children. Throughout my career I have tried to continue my education and finally earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration from the University of LaVerne in 2002. In 2004 I followed up with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Chapman University and will complete my Master of Science in Emergency Services Administration from California State University, Long Beach by the end of November, 2006. I also attended classes at the University of California, San Diego on Saturdays and earned a Specialized Certificate in Community College Instruction.

Since I am a public servant employed by another city, not a businessman, I have nothing to gain from attaining the office of Orange City Council Member other than the satisfaction of serving the people. I am not interested in developing business contacts or championing legislation that I will profit from. I have spent my life protecting society from those who would take advantage of them and I see this position as a venue in which I can continue to stand up for the little guy who is all too often ignored.

I would greatly appreciate your support, and your vote.

Frank Finn