ONLY ON ABC7 NEWS: First openly gay person to head San Francisco's POA speaks on issues facing department
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- San Francisco's police union has a new leader who reflects the diversity of the city.
Fifty year old Tony Montoya is a veteran cop of the SFPD, who moves up from Vice President of the POA to assume the top position.
Sergeant Tony Montoya has been a cop in San Francisco for 24 years.
He last worked out of Mission Station. He was on the Executive Board of the Police Officers Association for a decade and a half.
Now he's president of the POA.
Montoya is Latino and openly gay.
"I am the first gay person to be head of the Association," he said.
FULL INTERVIEW: New POA president discusses issues facing department
Montoya is proud to be gay and proud to be a cop.
"We have a large lesbian gay bisexual transgender presence in the police force and it's also reflective of what the city represents. So for me it's never been an issue," Montoya said.
Montoya takes over the leadership of the police union from Marty Halloran, who will return to full-time police work.
"I want to be sure there's not a break in the representation of members. That's not going to change," said Montoya.
He says there'll be conflicts with the department and city hall. "I think many times we'll agree to disagree on many issues but we need to be respectful."
Disagreements on issues like the Department's ban on shooting at moving vehicles.
On Monday, police released new body cam video of a wild chase May 11 where a suspected car burglar crashed a stolen car into two patrol vehicles and drove toward officers.
One of them fired at the moving vehicle but missed.
"I think people will interpret the policy that fits their particular agenda and my concern right now is this officer will fall victim to political correctness," Montoya said.
Montoya sees his role as the voice of the rank and file cops in a department he says where the morale is low. "The members as a whole have not felt connected with the current chief and current command staff. And once again, it falls on the shoulders of the POA to be the voice of the members."
Montoya's term as president of the POA expires in 2020.
