November 24, 2020 – Today, a PPOA team consisting of Henry Jimenez, the newly sworn-in Board Member representing Security Officers, President Tab Rhodes, Vice-President Jim Blankenship, Secretary Tony Coleman, Executive Director Wayne Quint Jr., Labor Representative Teresa O’Neil, and counsel Dennis Hayes, participated in a teleconference with representatives of the Sheriff’s Department regarding the demobilization of Community Colleges Bureau (CCB). This initial meeting with the Department, followed the meeting of Saturday, November 20, 2020, in which PPOA met with approximately 35 CCB Security Officers, at Los Angeles City College, to exchange information and discuss potential impacts.
During today’s meeting, the Department confirmed that all attempts to renegotiate a contract for services with the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) had broken down. As a result, effective January 1, 2021, all security services to the Community Colleges will be provided by a contract security company. While the timing of this development and its impact are horrendous during these unprecedented historic times of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department has assured PPOA that their intention is to ensure NO LAYOFFS or demotions will be necessary.
The Department will, in the near future, be providing information requested by PPOA, as well as their proposal for member re-assignment. The logistics of demobilizing and re-assigning personnel on such a short timeline and during the holidays are extremely burdensome to Department resources. Thankfully, initial conversations with the Department were optimistic and collaborative. While PPOA would like to provide further information at this time, we must give the Department time to prepare responses for further review.
PPOA strongly urges members to monitor the mobile app, your personal emails, and all other PPOA communications to ensure you have only the best and confirmed information available. PPOA requests that you direct any rumors or information provided by the Department regarding these issues directly to info@ppoa.com, for our review.