PPOA Week in Review: August 19, 2023

Fraternal Order of Police 66th Biennial Conference

August 14: PPOA representatives joined thousands of fellow Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) delegates at the 66th Biennial National Conference and Expo in Las Vegas. This event is hosted every two years in order for FOP leaders to set the goals and agenda for the organization. The conference also included seminars, a review of the FOP constitution and bylaws, the election of executive board members and exhibitors from all over the country showcasing their law enforcement-related products and services. PPOA representatives at this conference included President Nancy Escobedo, 1st Vice President Jay Chapman, Board Members Juan Carlos Calderon, Roel Garcia, and Jose Rios, as well as Executive Director Wayne Quint Jr. and Intake Representative Kevin Thompson.

PPOA members have long benefitted from our longtime affiliation with the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), the world's largest organization of law enforcement officers, with more than 368,000 members in more than 2,100 lodges nationwide. All active PPOA members are part of California FOP Lodge 1.

Please make it a point to check out Washington Watch — a weekly update provided by the National FOP. We encourage PPOA members to stay up to date on the legislative news and activity impacting public safety personnel nationwide.

Click here to read this week's Washington Watch.

Objection to Disclosure of Personal Information

August 15: On Tuesday, PPOA sent an email to members who are LASD Captains and ranks above regarding an advisement from the Department that photos and identification of all Captains and above, absent objection, will be released in September 2023, pursuant to the existing California Public Records Act (CPRA). Please see attached notification from the Sheriff's Department.

PPOA will object to the release of any/all photos and identification of its members based upon significant security and confidentiality concerns. It is believed that the photos and information will be subjected to biometrics which could be used to track down, or identify, a peace officer in a public setting, subjecting them and their family to increased risk of harm or harassment.

PPOA will be filing a grievance and requesting a "meet and confer" with LASD representatives regarding the impact of the planned release of information.

Support for PPOA Member in Need

August 16: PPOA was honored to help the LASD Fraud and Cyber Crimes Bureau (FCCB) raise support for a Crime Analyst who was recently diagnosed with a serious medical condition. Lunch was grilled on the PPOA BBQ trailer and proceeds from the event at STARS Center were designated for the 12-year department veteran.

Coalition of County Unions Meeting

August 16: LA County labor leaders hosted their monthly Coalition of County Unions (CCU) meeting to discuss the many challenges and issues impacting County employees. PPOA was represented by Executive Director Quint, who participated via conference call.

The CCU collectively represents more than 30,000 union members employed by the County of Los Angeles and is their unified voice on health insurance, vacation pay, retirement and more.

Click here for more information about the CCU.

Graduation for Sheriff's Security Officer Class

August 18: PPOA Board Member Gerry Garcia was honored to attend the graduation ceremony for Sheriff's Security Officer (SSO) Class #58 yesterday at STARS Center. We extend a hearty congratulations to all 15 new SSOs upon this meaningful achievement. Best of luck to all of you in your promising new careers with the Sheriff's Department!

Click here to view the graduation ceremony photo album posted on the PPOA Facebook page.

REMINDER:

Crucial LACERA Election for Retired Members;

Vote for HARRIS and MARTIN

ATTENTION RETIRED PPOA MEMBERS - Help protect your pension and healthcare benefits by voting for these LACERA candidates who have been endorsed by PPOA and ALADS:

J.P. HARRIS (LASD retired/PPOA member/former ALADS president) for Alternate Retired Member, LACERA Board of Retirement
DEBBIE MARTIN (retired LA County chief deputy director) for 8th Member, LACERA Board of Investments

Retired PPOA member Les Robbins is also up for election this year, however he is running unopposed for the LACERA Board of Retirement and will be automatically re-elected.

The PPOA Board of Directors is confident that J.P. Harris and Debbie Martin are uniquely qualified to protect the interests of our members. We strongly encourage retired PPOA members to vote for Harris and Martin for their respective seats.

About the Election

Members of the Los Angeles County Employee Retirement Association (LACERA) who were retired on or before April 15 are eligible to vote in the election. LACERA members may vote by email or printed ballot. Ballots were mailed to members on August 2 and must be received by August 31. Voter information and log-in credentials were e-mailed on August 4 to retirees who have valid e-mail addresses on file with LACERA. Those who do not have an email address or have an invalid e-mail address on file with LACERA will receive log-in credentials and voter information with their paper ballots.

Click here for LACERA election information, candidate statements, and a list of departmental election coordinators.

About LACERA

The Board of Retirement and Board of Investments govern LACERA, which is an independent government entity separate and distinct from the County of Los Angeles. LACERA administers and manages the retirement fund for the County and outside special districts, one of the largest county retirement systems in the United States. The Board of Retirement is responsible for the administration of the retirement system, the retiree health care program, and the review and processing of disability retirement applications. The Board of Investments is responsible for establishing LACERA’s investment policy and objectives, exercising authority and control over the investment management of the fund, and establishing contribution rates to assure proper funding of the system.

22nd Annual PPOA Pre-Labor Day BBQ

and General Membership Meeting

PPOA is excited to announce our 22nd Annual Pre-Labor Day BBQ and General Membership Meeting is scheduled for August 30th. Join hundreds of fellow PPOA members for this FREE, FUN event!

Wednesday, August 30, 2023
Biscailuz Center
10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Free lunch for PPOA members and immediate family, along with free giveaways, drawings, music, vendors and more...

PPOA Delegates Meeting

PPOA delegates will gather for the next quarterly meeting on September 21st at Almansor Court in Alhambra. We look forward to welcoming guest speaker and attorney at law, Ron DeLord. The fiery former Texas cop turned labor organizer is respected nationwide for his work to empower police unions and their members. He will speak with PPOA delegates about the impact of the police reform movement and the challenges going forward.

The meeting begins at 5:00 PM. Eligible PPOA delegates should RSVP no later than September 7th with full name and employee number to (323) 261-3010.