WHEN SANTA CRUZ POLICE DETECTIVES, SERGEANT LORAN BAKER AND DETECTIVE ELIZABETH BUTLER WERE KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY NEARLY A YEAR AGO, DONATIONS WERE SENT IN FROM THE COMMUNITY TO TWO SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS FOR THE FALLEN OFFICERS’ FAMILIES. THE SANTA CRUZ POLICE OFFICER’S ASSOCIATION UNION WAS GIVEN THE TASK OF MANAGING THE MONEY. TO DATE, NO FUNDS HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO THE FAMILIES. THE DELAY IS REPORTEDLY DUE TO A DISAGREEMENT BY A BAKER FAMILY MEMBER ON HOW THE MONEY IS TO BE SPLIT. THE UNION WANTS TO SPLIT THE FIVE-HUNDRED-FIFTY-SIX-THOUSAND DOLLARS EQUALLY BETWEEN THE TWO FAMILIES AND THEN HAVE THE FAMILIES DISTRIBUTE ACCORDINGLY. THE UNION HAS ASKED FOR AN AGREEMENT BY FEBRUARY 21ST. SERGEANT BAKER LEFT BEHIND A WIFE AND THREE GROWN CHILDREN WHILE DETECTIVE BUTLER LEFT BEHIND HER LONG-TIME DOMESTIC PARTNER, PETER, AND TWO SMALL CHILDREN.
