PPOA Week in Review: May 27, 2023

Meet and Confer re: LASD Security Services Contract

May 22: PPOA representatives took part in a Meet and Confer with County Services Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Relations and Compliance to continue discussions regarding the security services contract with LA County Probation that impacts 15 Sheriff's Security Officers. This was the third in a series of meetings regarding this subject.

Meeting participants from PPOA included President Nancy Escobedo, Board Member/Security Officer Gerry Garcia, Executive Director Wayne Quint Jr., Labor Representative Dave Ladjevic, Intake Representative Kevin Thompson and PPOA Legal Counsel.

LASD Uniform and Equipment Committee Meeting

May 22: PPOA representatives were present for the LASD Uniform and Equipment Committee meeting on Monday. Board Members Gerry Garcia and Tony Romo represented PPOA at this meeting.

Labor Charge Filed Regarding Captain Selection Process

May 24: PPOA, in response to the Sheriff’s Department unilaterally changing the promotional selection process for Captains, filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge on Wednesday against the Sheriff’s Department and the County of Los Angeles for failure to engage in good faith bargaining during the meet and confer process over the proposed changes. Specifically, the Sheriff’s Department requested the applicants to identify whether or not they have ever had a tattoo that is now known to be associated with a deputy gang, clique, subgroup, station, or associated in any way with an association or organization of individuals, on them as part of the profile/questionnaire to be completed when seeking selection as a Captain.

Unfortunately, the Department suddenly, and without notice, withdrew from the meet and confer process before serious and important questions could be asked and answered. Issues including the maintenance of the tattoo information, the extent of the disclosure of the tattoo information, the distribution of the information regarding the tattoo, and how an applicant can be assured that their possession, or lack thereof, of a tattoo did not impact their promotional process.

PPOA reached out to the Sheriff’s Department again in an attempt to go back to the negotiations table to avoid a likely Unfair Labor Practice charge being sustained against the Department, which would potentially cancel any or all promotions and require the Department to start the promotion process over again.

For more information, click here to read the email PPOA sent to members in Units 612 and 615 on Wednesday.

54th Annual Los Angeles County Peace Officers' Memorial

May 24: Families of fallen officers gathered with law enforcement personnel on Wednesday for the 54th Annual Los Angeles County Peace Officers' Memorial ceremony. The service and sacrifice of the peace officers listed below were honored during the ceremony at Biscailuz Center and engraved plaques with their names were added to the memorial wall:

LAPD Officer II Fernando U. Arroyos, EOW: 1/10/22
LAPD Officer Houston Ryan Tipping, EOW: 5/29/22
El Monte PD Sergeant Michael D. Paredes, EOW: 6/14/22
El Monte PD Officer Joseph A. Santana, EOW: 6/14/22

The following personnel were memorialized this week due to historical research shedding light on their line-of-duty deaths:

LASD Officer John M. Black, EOW: 11/22/1929
LASD Officer Morgan W. Honeycutt, EOW: 12/19/1928

Due to COVID-19 and the suspension of in-person events in 2020 and 2021, the following officers were also recognized:

CHP Officer Andy Ornelas, EOW: 11/23/20
LASD Detective Amber Leist, EOW: 1/12/20
LAPD Officer Juan J. Diaz, EOW: 7/27/19
LAPD Officer Esmeralda P. Ramirez, EOW: 6/9/19

President Escobedo and Board Member Joe Walker attended the ceremony on behalf of PPOA.

C lick here to view the memorial ceremony photo album on the PPOA Facebook page.

PPOA Delegates Meeting

May 25: PPOA delegates met with union board members and staff on Thursday evening in Montebello. Agenda topics at the quarterly meeting included PPOA's support for peace officer memorial events, the Office of Inspector General, the Public Records Act Request, bargaining unit contracts, and more. During the meeting, Sergeant Tony Romo also announced his resignation (effective 5/26/23) from the PPOA Board of Directors. The resignation leaves the Unit 612 LASD board seat vacant. Per PPOA bylaws, only LASD Sergeants and Lieutenants currently serving as PPOA delegates are eligible to be appointed to fill this seat.

If you are a LASD Sergeant or Lieutenant currently serving as a PPOA delegate and are interested in being considered to fill the vacant board seat, please send an email to info@ppoa.com (subject line: "612 Board Seat") no later than June 6, 2023. Members who express interest in the appointment will be asked to attend the board meeting on June 14th to speak with PPOA directors about the potential to fill the vacant board seat.

The commitment of every delegate who joined us at the meeting is appreciated. Thank you for making it a priority to stay up-to-date on news affecting PPOA members.

Fraternal Order of Police News Update

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 364,000 members in more than 2,100 lodges nationwide. All active PPOA members are part of California FOP Lodge 1.

Important news regarding FOP membership for retired PPOA members: When a sworn PPOA member retires and wishes to reactivate his/her FOP member benefits, the following step must be taken:

To reactivate your membership as a retired peace officer, you will need to pay FOP annual dues of $40 for 2023. To do so, please send an email to the FOP Lodge 1 Secretary: wmwestermann@sbcglobal.net. Be sure to include your full name and advise you are a retired PPOA member requesting membership with FOP.

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.

PPOA Members - End of Watch Tribute

PPOA extends sincere condolences to the families and friends of the following members who passed in March and April 2023:

Retired Lieutenant Patrick Bearse — 3/7/23

LASD ret. 2020

Spouse of Captain Cynthia Bearse

Retired Sergeant Arthur J. Davis — 3/13/23

LASD ret. 1971

Academy class 82

US Navy veteran

Retired Lieutenant Stefanie Fredericks — 3/13/23

LASD ret. 2017

Spouse of retired LASD Lieutenant Steven Fredericks

Stepmother of LASD Sergeant Michael Fredericks

Retired Sergeant Eldon (Don) Burkett — 3/15/23

LASD ret. 1990

Academy class 70

US Navy veteran

Retired Sergeant John L. Anderson — 3/16/23

LASD ret. 1985

Academy class 147

Retired Lieutenant Terrel Richmond — 3/19/23

LASD ret. 1986

US Air Force Reserves veteran

Retired Assistant Chief Oreal Cotton — 3/20/23

LADA Bureau of Investigation ret. 2003

LASD Deputy Sheriff 1971-1983

Academy class 147

US Air Force veteran

Retired Chief Kenneth Cable — 3/26/23

LASD ret. 1988

Academy class 50

US Navy Veteran

Retired Sr. Investigator Edward Boyer — 4/16/23

LADA ret. 2003

(Served as LASD Deputy from 1964-1974)

Retired Member Nick Popovich — 4/21/21

LASD ret. 1994

Academy class 105

US Armed Forces Veteran

Retired Deputy Richard Chaffin — 4/23/23

LASD ret. 2009

Academy class 221

Spouse of retired LASD Deputy Rhonda Brown

Retired Sergeant James Fosdyck – 4/30/23

LASD ret. 2004

Academy class 144

US Army veteran

23rd Annual PPOA Fishing Trip

Hundreds of PPOA members have enjoyed these annual trips over the last two decades and we hope you join us on the boat this summer! This event often sells out, so please reserve your spot as soon as possible. See flyer for details and contact Shannon at (323) 261-3010 to book your seat on the boat.