Her Fight with the County for Survivor benefits

Summary

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Law Enforcement Talk: True Crime and Trauma Stories

Episode: Her Fight with the County for Survivor Benefits

Host: John "Jay" Wiley
Guest: Maureen Ennor
Date: April 1, 2026

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Overview of the Episode

This episode features Maureen Ennor, widow of Deputy Oscar Rocha (Alameda County Sheriff's Office, CA), who died in the line of duty from COVID-19 on July 23, 2020. Maureen recounts Oscar’s story, her personal journey through grief, and her ongoing struggle to secure survivor benefits from his employer—a battle that exposes gaps in support for survivors of law enforcement officers who die of “natural causes” while serving. The discussion delivers a rare, first-person perspective on trauma, bureaucratic resistance, and the realities of life after a law enforcement officer's death, especially under the unique circumstances of the pandemic.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Oscar’s Career and Exposure to COVID-19

• Oscar Rocha's Background:
  • Longtime deputy with 25 years of service, close to retirement ([04:31]).
  • During the 2020 pandemic onset, Oscar was reassigned from bailiff to jail duties, working 12-hour shifts 6-7 days a week to cover for younger deputies who could take time off under COVID accommodations ([05:20], [06:45]).
• Maureen recalls:
  • “My husband went to work every day knowing that if something happened to him that I would be taken care of. .... But when you’re married to a cop, that’s the way you live and those are the things you believe.” (Maureen, [03:39]).

2. The Circumstances of Oscar’s Illness and Death

• COVID-19 Contracted On-Duty:
  • Oscar developed symptoms in April 2020, soon after reassignment ([04:31]).
  • Initial tests were unreliable, and he couldn’t take time off—felt obligation to his department and team ([10:03], [12:17]).
  • Maureen herself was hospitalized with severe COVID; Oscar, alone at home, rapidly deteriorated and was eventually admitted in critical condition ([12:54]-[14:52]).
• In-Hospital Experience:
  • Strict pandemic regulations: family only allowed brief visits; Maureen credited a legal contact for helping her see Oscar at all ([14:56]).
  • Emotional, dignified sendoff:
    • “My husband died the moment the motors [motorcycle police] rolled up under the hospital window… He waited for his backup.” (Maureen, [15:54])

3. Trauma—Isolation, Loss, and Unresolved Grief

• Pandemic Grief Compounded:
  • Maureen describes Oscar dying alone except for a brief final visit, with the police community showing support for the funeral but "the minute the funeral is over, you don’t ever hear from them again" ([16:36], [17:28]).
  • California restrictions prevented a traditional religious ceremony; only a “celebration” was permitted ([17:31]).
  • “It was unbelievably beautiful how he… got to have a beautiful funeral... but the minute the funeral is over, you don’t ever hear from them again.” (Maureen, [17:28])

4. Bureaucracy and the Fight for Survivor Benefits

• Survivor Benefits Denied:
  • Oscar’s county (Alameda, via the ACERA retirement fund) conducted an investigation and ultimately denied Maureen full widow’s benefits, despite CalOSHA finding the department liable ([22:12]).
  • Maureen: “I have spent all of my money on lawyers. . . . A widow of a police officer in this country should not be living the way I'm living.” ([23:24])
• Minimal Support:
  • Received only partial pension, no continued health insurance, and was denied donations from support organizations ([23:49]).
  • “The 100 Club, they refused to give me a donation... I did get the Porac life insurance ... and the federal, the psob. Nothing from his county.” (Maureen, [23:49])
• Legal and Political Obstacles:
  • County refused to acknowledge state-level presumptive laws covering COVID as job-related.
  • Maureen notes that Oscar was the only Alameda County first responder to die of COVID-19.
• Lasting Impact:
  • Ongoing five-year legal battle has depleted her finances and prolonged her grief ([26:31]).
  • “I feel like in the last five years of fighting for benefits, I haven’t even been able to properly mourn him.” (Maureen, [26:31])
  • Repeatedly asks for help and connection, even reaching out to numerous non-profits and officials, but always told, "You don't fit the criteria" ([27:20]).

5. Societal, Political, and Cultural Challenges

• COVID-19 Politics:
  • The discussion frequently returns to the politicization of COVID-19, which Maureen and Jay note has affected public and official willingness to support pandemic survivors ([08:17], [34:41]).
  • The city and county, described as having a “liberal” bent, are said to avoid supporting law enforcement survivors, especially in COVID circumstances ([34:56]).
• Support for Survivors:
  • Maureen urges any COVID widow, particularly those denied benefits, to reach out to her to organize for mutual support ([28:16]).

6. Resilience and Call to Action

• How Maureen Copes:
  • Turned grief into advocacy and media: hosts "Red, White and Blonde" podcast.
  • Uses her experience to spotlight COVID fraud and systemic failures in survivor support ([38:06]).
  • “If you are a COVID widow and you’re listening… please reach out. I would like to be in touch with you so we can try to have some strength in numbers…” (Maureen, [28:16])
• Host's Repeated Call:
  • Jay Wiley emphasizes: “It is never too late to do the right thing ... It is unspeakable that a widow of a police officer in the United States is left penniless. That is unspeakable.” ([26:57])

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Law Enforcement Promises:
  • Jay: “When I was in a police academy, I was taught from day one that if something happens to you, we got your family, we’ll take care of you. That is not the case.” ([03:13])
• Oscar’s Dedication:
  • Maureen: “He was a 25 year hard street cop from Oakland. He knew what his duty was.” ([10:03])
• The Motorcade at the End:
  • Maureen: “He died the moment the motors rolled up under the hospital window… He waited for his backup.” ([15:54])
• On Survivor Treatment:
  • Maureen: “A widow of a police officer in this country should not be living the way I’m living.” ([23:24])
• Jay’s Call to Action:
  • “It is never too late to do the right thing.” ([26:57])

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Important Segment Timestamps

• [03:06] – Maureen introduces herself and the premise of her story
• [04:31] – Oscar’s background and exposure during the early pandemic
• [12:54] – Maureen’s recounting of both being hospitalized and Oscar’s decline
• [15:54] – The “motors” arriving for Oscar moments before his passing
• [17:28] – Reflections on support at funerals vs. aftercare for survivors
• [22:12] – The county’s investigation and denial of survivor benefits
• [23:49] – Detailing what benefits were (and weren’t) received
• [26:31] – Impact of fighting the bureaucracy on Maureen’s grief and healing
• [28:16] – Maureen’s appeal to other Covid-19 widows to connect for support
• [34:41] – Challenge of “proving” where COVID was contracted on duty
• [38:06] – How advocacy and podcasting became part of Maureen’s fight

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Connect with Maureen Ennor

• Facebook/Instagram: Search for Maureen Ennor ("I’m very responsive," [41:24])
• Podcast: Red, White and Blonde (on YouTube)
• For support & organizations: Email the host ([e-mail]) to be connected directly

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Tone and Takeaways

• Frank, unfiltered, and at times emotional—both host and guest share frustration with systemic failures and heartbreak at continuing neglect.
• The episode is as much a call-to-action as it is a story of trauma and resilience.
• Emphasis on the hidden struggles faced by survivors of line-of-duty deaths that don’t fit traditional modes and the need for both legal reform and community support.

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For listeners seeking more information or wishing to help, reach out via the podcast’s channels or connect with Maureen directly through social media.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever think about switching insurance companies to see if you could save some cash? Progressive makes it easy to see if you could save when you bundle your home and auto policies. Try [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states. She is from a segment of the population we almost never get to hear from. She's a surviving widow of a deputy who died in line of duty from Alameda County Sheriff's office due to COVID 19. She's here to talk about his death and her struggles and life after. Welcome to the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show. In the Law Enforcement Talk Radio show, we are joined by special guests talking about their experiences, their realities of investigating crimes, plus those have experienced horrendous trauma. Police, first responders, military and victims of crime share their stories. Hi, I'm John J. Wiley. In addition to being a broadcaster, I'm also a retired police sergeant. Be sure to check out our website, letradio.com and also like us on Facebook. Search for the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show One of the questions I get all the time is how can I show my support for law enforcement? We're all busy. We've got busy lives. But there's something oh so simple you can do with our Facebook page. Search for Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show Facebook page and when you see a post you agree with, that resonates with you. Share it especially episodes of the Podcast to do all that, just search for us on Facebook, look for law enforcement talk radio show and be sure to click like joining us from Texas, we have Maureen Enner on the law enforcement talk radio show. Maureen is a widow of Deputy Oscar Rocha of the Alameda County California Sheriff's Office who died in line of duty of COVID 19 on July 23, 2020. She's here to talk about this. She's also a podcaster. Neighbor podcast is Red, White and Bl. That's Red, White and Blonde. Maureen, thanks for being a guest on the law enforcement talk radio and talking about a very difficult topic.

[C]

Yes, thank you so much for having me. I appreciate you giving me the time to tell my story and I really appreciate it.

[B]

Well, it's not that often we get to talk to survivors. It's unfortunate. It does happen, but this unheard of segment of society, and I gotta say this right now because I'm a little familiar with your story. When I was in a police academy, I was taught from day one that if something happens to you, we got your family, we'll take care of you. That is not the case. Always as obvious from yours.

[C]

Yes, My husband went to work every day knowing that if something happened to him that I would be taken care of. He told me that all of the time he even would go through the process of who would come to the house, how it would happen. I mean, it was something that I look back on that and I realize we were different because we were married to law enforcement, because average couples don't talk that way. But when you're married to a cop, that's the way you live and those are the things you believe.

[B]

Right. And that's what you're told. And what that really means when you say they'll take care of you, that means if you die in a line of duty. What we'll find out from the conversation with Maureen is that it means if you die in a line of duty by accident or violence, that is not always the case when it comes to what they call natural causes. And I'm air quoting first of all, your husband Oscar, he was not a rookie. He was not brand new at this.

[C]

He had 25 years. He was going to retire in January and he died in July. We were going to be moving to Texas and he got sick with COVID very early on. The country shut down in March and he had his first symptoms in April. So he got the first wave of it. It was very deadly and he died very quickly. So yeah, it's a Line of duty, death without any help.

[B]

Right. And the thing about COVID 19 is, and it is similar to when people die of heart disease or heart attacks or on the job, whatever it might be, that is not, and I'm air quoting again, that is not the sexy violent crime that we're used to.

[C]

Exactly. He didn't go out in a hail of gunfire like most police officers do. But we have to take ourselves back to March of 2020, when the country shut down. It was Covid. And those were the days that I'm telling you, those were the days my husband really told me, if anything happens, you're okay. Because at that point he was then put in the jail because they shut down all of the courthouses and administrative. And he was actually a bailiff at time. And he, he was moved to the jail where he worked sometimes seven days a week, 12 hour days, because the younger guys, they could do the. Remember back in 2020, if you didn't feel safe going to work or you felt like you were going to get sick, you could get time off. You know, there was a. And so he was covering so many of those shifts of these younger guys who just wanted to take the time off paid because it was Covid. And so he was working six to seven days a week, 12 hour days in the jail at Santa Rita jail, county jail.

[B]

And part of the thing is, and I don't know your husband's case, but there's a lot of, lot of guys. When I say guys, that means men or women and police work in our department, they went by your last three years average salary. So they'd work overtime, they'd work extra hours to increase that, to determine your pension. Was that the case with Oscar?

[C]

No, he did not do that. But he had to work in the jail during COVID because they were so short staffed with people taking time off.

[B]

And by the way, this was in 2020 and nothing has really changed. There's still short staff.

[C]

Yes, all of California police agencies, sheriff and police are short staffed by large numbers.

[B]

And I'll be honest with you, Maureen, I don't know of any department across the United States. The ones that we can probably count that are full, we can probably count on one hand and have extra fingers left over. They're all suffering from a manpower shortage. And when people get time on a job, they leave, they retire, or you got like line of duty. And by the way, this COVID 19 thing, and I never had it, I'm very, very lucky. My wife has had it, but I've Never gotten it. However, there were people, literally that we saw videos of people dropping and they were dying from what was going on.

[C]

Yep. It's still a mystery, isn't it? It's one big mystery. And now that it's over, no one wants to talk about it. No one wants to think about it. No one wants to remember what we lived through and the rights we gave up and how our lives were changed. People. We just don't want to remember it.

[B]

Well, it's become very political in nature. I don't know how to have a conversation about without. Without people, oh, he's a conservative. Oh, he's a liberal. He's this. And I don't know how to have a conversation without that.

[C]

Exactly. It became very political very quickly. Once the politicians learned they could have an up game with it, they used it. And it is that especially happened in California. It became just out of control with their Covid mandate.

[B]

Was there a time where Oscar was okay? And then all of a sudden, it's like a light switch hit.

[C]

So quick backstory. We shut down the country in March of 2020. He was moved into the jail. They had some outbreaks of COVID in the jail. Again, this was April of 2020. We're talking barely a month in. My husband came home from work on a Saturday night, working 12 hours in the jail with a fever, headache, coughing. I said, you gotta go. You gotta go to the hospital. So we immediately. I drove him to John Muir. And this is when you had to drop them off. He couldn't go in with them. I had to go back home. You know, all this. They diagnosed him with COVID They diagnosed him. I have all the discharge paperwork. Covid. Five days later, they called and said, oh, your test is negative. But my husband never got better. He was sick continuously from that day, April 11, when he was diagnosed Covid, but sent home and five days later was told, so now we know that the testing kits weren't the best. You know, we're talking not even a month into the disease. And they said he didn't have it. Well, obviously, they didn't diagnose him. Right. And he continued to just get sicker and sicker. And he would have zoom appointments with his doctor because you couldn't get in to see your doctor at that time. And, you know, looking back, I wish I would have been more aggressive about it, but we just didn't know.

[B]

How would you know, Maureen, that coulda, shoulda, woulda is a dangerous thing. How would you know?

[C]

We had no idea. We didn't know if this was real. We were still in shock. They shut down the country. Less than a month later, you're in the hospital with COVID You know, it was just so unreal. It was so unreal. And so once he got the negative phone call that was negative, he went back to work in the jail and never took a day off. I would tell him every time, would you just take a day off and go to the doctor, you're not getting better. And this is what he would say to me, they need me. The young guys are calling in, taking advantage of the COVID situation. I have to work because he was a 25 year hard street cop from Oakland. He knew what his duty was.

[B]

We take a short break on the note. We're talking with Maureen Enter, whose husband, Oscar Rocha from the Alameda County Sheriff's Office died of light of Duty COVID 19, on July 23, 2020. She's also a podcast. Name of her podcast is Red, White and Blonde Law enforcement talk radio show. Don't go anywhere. We'll be right back. Of all the radio stations in the United States, there are no other shows like the law enforcement talk radio show. And on Facebook, there is only one official page. Do a search on Facebook for the law enforcement talk radio show and be sure to like the law enforcement talk radio show Facebook page. Return to conversation with Maureen Etner on the law enforcement talk radio show. Conte is from Texas. Her husband, Oscar Rocha was a deputy who died in line of duty for the Alameda County Sheriff's Office. He died of. COVID 19, was working the jail on July 23, 2020. She's a podcaster. Her name podcast is Red, White and Blonde. First of all, I appreciate you talking about this, Maureen. I really do. Secondly, I'm sorry you had to go through there. I wish there's more I could do, but I know there's nothing I can.

[C]

Well, allowing me to tell my story is huge because I cannot get very many people to listen to me. It's been five years. I've been in a battle for my life. And it's just trying to get somebody to just listen is so difficult. And so I appreciate you giving me this opportunity.

[B]

When we left four winter break, you're talking about how he insisted on working. He's a hard charger. He was a cop. He felt an obligation to his agency and I'm hinting the agency, the county didn't feel the same way about him, which is not unusual. But he insisted on going to work because younger People that didn't feel the calling decided they didn't. They didn't want to show up.

[C]

Yeah, they could take advantage of the COVID I don't know what it was exactly called, but if you didn't feel safe, you know, you could take time off.

[B]

When do you feel safe working in a jail, first of all, from anything?

[C]

Right, Right. No. So he just never, you know, he didn't take any time off and he just never got better. It was this constant cough and just dragging and so he thought he had walking pneumonia. He self diagnosed. He did zoom appointments with the doctors and he went to work. And in late May, like around Memorial Day weekend, there was a county that was close to us and they opened up. They were like, no masks. Come out. You can eat. And we were like, well, let's go, let's just get out of here. And we to dinner. And we came back and a couple of days later, I started not feeling well. I ended up coming down with severe Covid. I was in the hospital for 10 days and my husband was. And this is June of 2020. My husband was home alone for 10 days and his body was ravished with COVID He had gone to the workman's comp doctor. He. They were waiting for test results. And the 10 days I was in the hospital, he was at home and he was just dying by the day. He didn't have anyone checking. It was Covid. He thought he was okay. I came home from the hospital the next morning. I was still asleep. He called 911 on himself. He was taken to John Mayer Hospital, the trauma center, one of the best hospitals in Northern California. And the next thing I know is I'm getting a phone call from the emergency room doctor that they admitted him to the ICU and his oxygen levels were in the 40s. He was in respiratory distress. And that was it. I never saw him again. I never talked to him. I got daily phone calls from nurses and doctors with updates. I sincerely know, looking, looking back on that now, the doctors didn't even know what they were talking about. It was very sad. It was a very, very sad time in our, in our lives. It was just nobody knew anything.

[B]

I remember during that time that if people, a lot of people, and there's no way of sugarcoating this, a lot of people died alone because their loved ones couldn't come visit them, couldn't be with them.

[C]

Right, right.

[B]

Situation would be.

[C]

No, I was very lucky. I was in media in California. I've lived there my whole life. I know really good people. And it was actually Harmeet Dhillon, who's now working for the Justice Department. She's an attorney in San Francisco. I reached out to her firm. I don't know how she did it, but she got me in to see my husband for 30 minutes. He was there 10 days at the 10 day mark. And I did get to see him for 30 minutes. He was on a ventilator. I couldn't talk to him. And I was very fortunate. The night he died, his sheriff's department, his sheriff, they came in and they made a pretty hard stand and they let us in. So I got to be with him. When he took his last breath, my son was there on the other side of the glass door from icu. They would not let him in. And I'm going to tell you, this story brings a tear to every cop's eyes. My husband died the moment the motors rolled up under the hospital window. They rolled up and they made the shiver.

[B]

Maureen, stop.

[C]

Yes. And I went to the window and I looked out because I didn't know what it was. It was so noisy. And I said, honey, your motors are here. And I turned. And he died on that exact moment, the moment the motors got there. Yeah. So he was a. Just a cop to the end. He waited for his backup.

[B]

And here's the thing that Maureen, I don't know. And I've talked to a few widows, and they're generally female. Not always, but generally. And usually the officer, their loved one, was dead when they arrived at a hospital or they got the notification at the door. You didn't get that? It was a slow thing, but the end result was the same.

[C]

Yes. And it was. I remember his commanding officers and sergeants, and everybody kept telling me that night, you know, if it wasn't for Covid, we would have been here the whole time. And I kept telling them, if it wasn't for Covid, we wouldn't be here at all. So don't make this comparison. You know, which I know they were trying to make me feel good, but it was like, you know, And I have to say, every single agency in the Bay Area showed up. He had a six mile procession leaving the hospital. They took him back to Oakland. You know, it was just the. What they do is amazing. They show every bit of support and pageantry and all of this, but the minute the funeral is over, you don't ever hear from them again. You know, I mean, I would be in touch with some of the guys, but, you know, it's just a. They know how to do all of that very well.

[B]

Oh, yeah. That's quite the scene.

[C]

Yeah. Yeah. It's almost like their campaign, you know, their campaign reels that they use. I mean, and I'm not, believe me, I was very grateful for it. Very. It was unbelievably beautiful how he and my husband did get to have a beautiful funeral outside at an amphitheater at the fairgrounds. But California would not allow a reel religious ceremony. It had to be called a celebration of something that could not have any religion tied to it. Otherwise we would not have been able to gather. Can you believe that?

[B]

Yeah. In this country, freedom of religion is one of the basics. Freedom of speech is another. The right to keep and bear arms is another one. And I'm not surprised how look without getting on my soapbox. And I tend to do that. So I'm trying really hard not to. It is not a surprise to me that politicians didn't take advantage of this Covid thing.

[C]

That they didn't know that.

[B]

No. I'm being sarcastic.

[C]

What do you mean by that? They did. Oh, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, yeah. No, you tricked me there for a minute. Yeah. And I mean strip bar, strip clubs and liquor stores were open, but churches were not.

[B]

Yeah. And here's the thing that people, a lot of people don't get. And I'm as guilty as the next person that with COVID 19, when we think of police officers, sheriff's deputies, state troopers, we think of them being in a patrol car, them by themselves. We don't think of them being in a jail where things are heavily transmitted and health conditions are always an issue.

[C]

Yep, yep. And you know, it's just, I think back to those days, John of like him going to work and sick and the country's closed down and the state is closed down. You know, I just, I. It's just surreal. It's like I literally sometimes have to tell myself, did that really happen? Or I'm imagining that did that. You know, it just is so. It was so surreal. And going back to the non religious ceremony.

[B]

Hold that thought for the next break. We're talking Maureen. She is the enter the widow of deputy Oscar Roach of the Alameda county sheriff's office who died of COVID 19 in line of duty in July 23, 2020. She's also a podcast. Name of her podcast is red, white and blonde. This is law enforcement talk radio show. Don't go anywhere. We'll be right back. There are more than 700 free podcast episodes of the law enforcement talk radio show episodes are converted to a free podcast after airing on radio. You're bound to find a podcast episode that suits [e-mail] letradio.com that's L etradio.com

[A]

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[B]

The Turn of Conversation with Law Enforcement Talk Radio show with Maureen Enner. She's a widow of Deputy Oscar Rocha of the Alameda County, California Sheriff's Office. Dotted line of duty of COVID 19 on July 23, 2020. She also has a podcast. Name of her podcast is Red, White and Blonde. Maureen, one of the things that there's so many things to unpack about your story, we automatically think, or I automatically think of death by gunfire, stabbing, car accident, heart disease. I don't think of COVID 19. However, when we look back and I don't have the numbers in front me, two of the most deadliest times for police in America were during COVID 19. We had a lot of police die. When I say police, that's all aspects of law enforcement. We also had on September 11, 2001, a lot of police died before that. The 70s and 80s were far more violent, far more traumatic than what's going on now. And I believe it was the 1930s that was the high mark for police dying in the line of duty. But I don't think COVID 19 and you've encountered some problems as a result of that.

[C]

Yes. So my husband was 25 years Alameda County Sheriff. They have a pension fund within the county. It's called Acera. Alameda County. I don't even know enrollment of agent, but it's called Acera. He did not get CalPERS. It was Acera. And the day after he died, I didn't know what to do. I didn't call anybody. But little by little it came to me and finally a Sarah and they told me they had to do an investigation. Now there was a Cal OSHA investigation. Cal OSHA found the sheriff's department liable and the sheriff's department was found liable and did pay me a small amount of money. Sarah fought me for five years and Denied me the widow's benefits last February after I fought from the day after he died to five years. And I have spent all of my money on lawyers. I've exhausted everything I have. I have nothing. I have nothing. I cannot survive. A widow of a police officer in this country should not be living the way I'm living.

[B]

And there's a lot that comes with that. And part of it is, number one, when officers are dying in line of duty, there's insurance benefits they get, and then they get paid. And survivors get a lot of things. It doesn't replace the individual that died. You've got federal benefits, but where you're being fought is on a state level

[C]

on the money that he. No, on the county level.

[B]

County level.

[C]

Acera is a county retirement fund for Alameda county sheriff. They have denied me. They put me through absolute deposition over deposition. Just awful. Awful. And two weeks after Oscar died, I got a call. My insurance was canceled. I've never had insurance since that day. And I was recovering from COVID from being in Hospital for 10 days, and they cut me off. So the 100 Club, they refused to give me a donation. And I sent a letter to them asking them why. And they returned it to me. Return defender, the 100 club, that is supposed to help every widow. They need to be looked into, what they're doing. I did get the Porac life insurance. I did get his company, you know, the department's life insurance, and that was it. And I got the federal. The psob, Nothing from his county. I'm getting a small, tiny percentage of his pension. It's very small. It's not enough to live on. I should be getting. I'm supposed to get 100% of his salary and full benefits for the rest of my life. And the city attorney of Oakland told me they didn't want to do that because that comes from Tax ceremony again. My husband was the only first responder in Alameda county, which is huge. 27 agencies. He's the only one to have died of COVID no one else. So it's not like they're paying out money for 1,000 families or 10,000 families. And President, and, excuse me, not president Gavin Newsom had two presumptive orders on the books saying if you were working, clocked in on the clock, got Covid and died. It was work related, end of story. They never. The county refused to look at the presumptive orders. I did get the Workman's Comp. I did get everybody settled with me. Like Workman's Comp. His name is on the wall in dc. I got the psl. All of that was fine. It was his county and I'm telling you, it's personal. They came after me in a personal way. I know it's.

[B]

Well, here's the one thing that. And granted my experience is different from yours, and I don't mean to make it sound like they're the same. I got hurt and retired young. And what wound up happening was when I was retired, two things happened. Number one, my pay got decreased from all the overtime to 66 and two thirds. However, my health insurance tripled immediately and it was a third of my pension. It was not enough to live off of. And I know men and women that are in wheelchairs, that can't have extra jobs, that can't work, that are retired from line of duty stuff, and they don't seem to care. At least Baltimore doesn't care.

[C]

No, they don't. It's such a bureaucracy. I did not realize until my husband died how big that sheriff's department was, how many people. I didn't know where to go. I didn't know who to call. You know, it is. And it's a beast to have to work through, especially when you're trying to mourn the loss of your husband. I feel like in the last five years of fighting for benefits, I haven't even been able to properly mourn him.

[B]

I guarantee right now such a fighting that someone from that agency is listening. And if they're listening, I want people to understand this. Do. It is never too late to do the right thing. It is never too late to do the right thing. And it is unspeakable. That a widow of a police officer in the United States is left penniless. That is unspeakable.

[C]

And I am. I am literally penniless. And I've written to every organization, every police, Gary Sinise, you know, tunnels to tower it, and they all say, no, no, you don't fit the criteria. Nope, we can't help you. I have been begging for someone to help me for. Since last February when I was denied on my last attempt.

[B]

If someone wants to help and they have an agency that does this, or an organization or 501c3, whatever you want to call it, that does this type of work material, just reach out to me and I will forward it to Maureen right now. Someone is listening that can help.

[C]

I hope so, because again, a widow in the United States, a police widow, fireman widow, we should not be living this way. We should live.

[B]

You're not the only one. I'm sure if we let the firefighters alone. How many firefighters died from COVID 19. And I'm sure some of their spouses are going through the same thing.

[C]

Yep. And that's another thing why I want to do this. If you are a Covid widow and you are listening to this show, please reach out. I would like to be in touch with you so we can try to have some strength in numbers, because it's very humiliating. It's exhausting. It's. You're in grief, and I don't know how I'm going to pay my car tags tomorrow. And I'm not lying. That's the way I'm living.

[B]

I don't. I'm not taking exception to anything you say. I don't have any reason to disbelieve what you say. Here's the thing. So how long have you been fighting the county?

[C]

Since the day after he died. Since September or since July 24? I was told they were gonna. And the attorney, even the one attorney I had, he's. He's been doing this for 40 years in California. He even told me. He said, I've never seen a widow treated like you. I've never seen this. I have never seen anything like this.

[B]

Does there come a point where they took it personally and they're coming after you? It's like. It's hard not to take this personal, what I'm getting at.

[C]

What do you think?

[B]

You're a right to. You're right. You have a right to be. That's quite all right.

[C]

And I've never even met that man. I've never even met him for him to say that about me.

[B]

I had a widow on whose husband was a Pierce County, Washington deputy who died from a fatal heart attack and a line of duty while he's working, and his name's on the wall in D.C. and everything else, but they refuse to put it on the wall in Pierce county, in Washington. And they act as if she got all the financial benefits, but they act as if it is somehow their right, their obligation, their fight, and it is not their fight. Here's the one thing I'm gonna close on this on a soapbox. It's one thing to mind your own business, and this is not their business, is all I'm gonna say. So just to recap, Maureen, you have gone without health insurance from since 2020.

[C]

Yep.

[B]

You have gone without benefits, and you've been fought by the county since 2020.

[C]

Yep.

[B]

Every agency that you reached out to for help has said doesn't meet your

[C]

qualifications or the 100 Club sent me a letter back saying return to sender. They didn't even open my letter.

[B]

We're talking with Maureen Hunter. She is a widow of Deputy Oscar Rocha of the Alameda County Sheriff's Office. He died of COVID 19 in the line of duty. This is clearly established as a line of duty death on July 23, 2020. She's a podcaster. The name of her podcast is Red, White and Blonde. This is law enforcement talk radio show. We'll take a short break. I promise you. We'll be right back. How would you like to improve your health? Let's get healthy tips you can use today for free. They don't require any money at all. You can download a free ebook, 15 tips to improve your health at let healthy.com that's LetHealthy.com again it's LetHealthy.com and let's get healthy for free.

[A]

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[C]

But we've got the peace of mind part covered.

[A]

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[B]

From Texas, we have Maureen Enner. She is the widow of Deputy Oscar Rocha of the Alameda County California Sheriff's Office. Died in line of duty of COVID 19, while working in jail on July 23, 2020. She's also a podcaster. Her name, her podcast is Red, White and Blonde. I should name my show Red, White and White. Cause it's I got white hair. I got no blonde. No. Maybe if I bought it in store. I think you guys are blind. I started graying at 28 and now I'm like. My wife calls me Barry White because I'm very white.

[C]

Well, I'm not a natural blonde so you could become blonde too.

[B]

I'm glad we have a moment of lever we can laugh because this is a heartbreaking story. Number one, I want people to understand this. And it's really easy to be skeptical. And some of the bosses, some of the powers that might be, are apparently very skeptical about COVID 19. When you work in a jail and you're exposed to this and people breathing on you, you don't have anywhere else to go. And the fact that you get a highly contagious disease and die from it is not shocking.

[C]

No, no. And they, they wanted to turn it into something I did. They're claiming that I gave it to him. Well, we don't know where I got it. Nobody knows where anybody got it. Now you cannot even say.

[B]

Is there any kind of. Any kind of litmus test that people can use to say, oh, where it came from? Cuz I don't know of that?

[C]

Exactly. There's no way to trace exactly where anyone got Covid. They've come out with that as a proven fact.

[B]

If you can keep that thought, if you can not prove where it came from, how can you readily disprove that it didn't come from working in the jail?

[C]

Exactly. Exactly.

[B]

With all the evidence shows it does.

[C]

The whole state was closed down. We couldn't go anywhere. There was nowhere to go. Everybody was in the house. You know, there was no going anywhere. He was the only one leaving the house.

[B]

Yeah, because I remember, I try not to, but I remember back then where I worked in radio and I went to work and went home because there was really. And Florida was wide open compared to a lot of other states. But it was not a situation where you could say, oh, let's go have to have dinner.

[C]

Yeah, no. Yep. It was totally shut down.

[B]

So again, if this can't be proven where it came from, it can't be disproven where it came from.

[C]

Exactly. But they don't care. They don't want to pay the widow. They don't want to. It's a liberal state, It's a liberal city. City attorney they don't want to take care of. They don't like police, and they're not going to take care of a widow. That's my theory. I lived there.

[B]

And you lived there for how long?

[C]

My whole entire life. Oscar and I were both born in San Francisco. He died when we were 56. We grew up together. We went to high school together. We did not date. We were not friends. We married much later, after high school. But he was a native Californian too. His Whole life.

[B]

I looked at pictures and Amsterdam Memorial Page, odmp, they have a picture. He looked like he was prime Health. He didn't look like. And people want to associate that COVID 19 is deadly with other health conditions. It is, but it can also affect people that have nothing.

[C]

Yeah. He had never spent one night in the hospital in his whole life. He had never been sick. He had never had any problems.

[B]

So do me a favor, Maureen, do not talk about the motorcycle story again. I'm barely holding it together as we talk.

[C]

That's a good one, though. That's a good one. That's like a miracle. Thank God I was there to hear it.

[B]

One thing that it's sad that he died. It's very sad. It's very sad that you've had to live your life. And my wife and I, her name is Stephanie. I call her the Boss. We always focus on being the old folks that in the rocking chairs on the front porch. And I can be as grouchy as the day is long. And we live our lives the way we want. And was that in the cards for you? Did you think that you guys were going to have a long, pleasant life? He's getting ready to retire.

[C]

Yeah. We were leaving California. We were going to move to Texas. He was going to retire. We just had this plan and look what happened. Never in a million years would I have thought. Never in a million years would I have thought he would have died in the line of duty like that.

[B]

I don't know him. I can't speak for him, but I can't imagine him ever thanking you. Be in his position.

[C]

No. And I think that he would be worried. And you know, one of the last things I said to him when he was dying was I said, it's okay. I will take care of everything. Because he always worried about me. He was always worried if something happened to him. He didn't think I was going to be okay. So those were my last words to him. I reassured him, go in peace, and I will be okay. I will take care of everything. And it's been a fight.

[B]

You're going to be all right. It may not be good right now. And again, anybody's listening either from the Alameda County Sheriff, Sheriff's office, the government, you can do the right thing today. It's never too late to do the right thing. If you are working with an organization that can help Maureen and her situation, please reach out to me and I will send the information to her by email. Jyetradio.com that's jeyetradio.com, or just go to our website and the Contact us page. That's letradio.com. maureen, I'm sad that all this stuff has happened. I'm sorry that Oscar died on line of duty, but really sorry that the agency is fighting you. But you've had to take this, and I sense that you take this. I don't want to say you're going to fight, you're going to respond back. You're going to be heard from your podcast, Red, White and Blonde. Is this part of why you do what you do?

[C]

Part of what I do, yes. And I was in media in California and I decided the best way I could maybe fight this was go on the air and bring in some powerful people. I'm interviewing a lot of candidates in California right now, high level ones, letting them know the story, because there's so much fraud in California. There's so much Covid fraud. That's what I'm focusing on with these politicians, because somebody's got to help people like me because this Covid fraud did nothing. Where's that money? Where's the money that was supposed to go to mental health? All of the medical money that's being just stolen out of California. And there's people like me who literally cannot afford to live.

[B]

That's the thing that's really troubling. And by the way, I'm not going to believe that it's a partisan issue. It doesn't need to be. Because on one side of the problem say, oh, great, I'm a conservative. I do this, I do that, I fight for this. Great. You're also part of the problem because

[C]

you haven't fixed it, right? Well, there is that, too. But, girl, we gotta have hope, right? You gotta have hope. Otherwise, what's the option?

[B]

You're gonna give up?

[C]

Yeah. Yeah. And there's many days that I have felt like I wanted to in the last couple of months. It's been very difficult. I can't even afford to go back to D.C. for Police Week. I cannot even afford to go back to participate in Police Week because I can't afford it. And, you know, live. You live for five years with a certain amount of money that was given to me, which I'm grateful for. But you live by a house, live day to day, and then pay these enormous legal fees, and in five years, possible.

[B]

And by the way, I hate to bring my wife again, but we're doing very well. I'm earning far more than I ever have in my Life. However, it still doesn't get rid of the fear of financial insecurity that I've always lived with. And we had a conversation the other day. Wouldn't it be nice if you needed tires in the car? You didn't have to worry about the finances. Yep, that's what we're talking about. We're not talking about being independently wealthy. We're talking about not having to worry

[C]

just to be able to live and maybe go back to D.C. for police work. That's what I'm talking about. All this pageantry and everything is great, but there's people that are literally, they can't survive. I cannot survive this way.

[B]

There are companies right now that can hire you, that can donate, that can do all kinds of things to help your plate. By the way, you worked in media for a long time. You're media savvy. You got through to me, which is easier said than done.

[C]

No, I know how to do it. I do know how to get on air. I do know how to do that. But you know what? I wasn't ready. It was only a few months ago that I was like, you know what? Okay, I'm ready. It took me a long time. His death took a lot out of me. This fight has taken a lot out of me. And now I'm finally feeling like I can do this. I can really fight. Because before I couldn't. I was so broken.

[B]

By the way, check out her podcast. Maureen Ennor's podcast is called Red, White and Blonde. Where can people get in touch with you? I don't believe you have a website.

[C]

I do not at this time. All of my videos for Red, White and blonde are on YouTube. You can find me on Facebook. I'm there as Maureen Ennor. You can go right to it. And on Instagram, Maureen Enner.

[B]

And that's spelled E, N, N, O, R. Am I right?

[C]

Yes. Yes. And I'm on Facebook and Instagram. I'm very, very on social media all the time. I'm very responsive. And, yeah, I'm just. You know, I called Gavin and Gavin or G. Gavin Newsom's office probably 200 times and written 70 letters, and he's never.

[B]

He was out getting hair gel at the time.

[C]

Yeah, that's a lot of money to have hair gel in California.

[B]

I'll tell you what, I wish I looked that good. I wish I looked as good as he did. I never have. Even in my prom, I never looked that good. We're talking with Maureen Enner, by the way. I want to just reiterate this. If you want to reach out to help her in any way, shape or form, just send me an email. I'll make sure she gets it. That's j a y etradio.com j a yecradio.com Maureen thanks for being guest on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio show and tell us all about it.

[C]

Thank you so much and thank you to your audience. I really appreciate it. Thank you.

[B]

If you want to be a guest on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio show, simply contact us. It couldn't be easier. You can send us a message on Facebook, look for and like the Law Enforcement Talk Radio show page or email jetradio.com that's J A Y etradio.com I'd like to thank our guests for coming on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show. The Law Enforcement Talk Radio show is a nationally syndicated weekly radio show broadcast on numerous AM&FM radio stations across the country. We're always adding more affiliate stations. If you enjoyed the podcast version of the show, which is always free, please do me a favor and tell a friend or two or three. I'll be back in just a few days with another episode of Law Enforcement Talk Radio show and Podcast. Until then, this is John J. Wiley. See ya.

[A]

When you manage procurement for multiple facilities, every order matters. But when it's for a hospital system, they matter even more. Grainger gets it and knows there's no time for managing multiple suppliers and no room for shipping delays.

[C]

That's why.

[A]

That's why Grainger offers millions of products in fast, dependable delivery so you can keep your facility stocked, safe and running smoothly. Call 1-800-GRAINGER Click grainger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done.

[B]

If you like the show, please take a moment to rate, review and subscribe. It really does help the show to grow. Thank you for listening.