Los Angeles County Professional Peace Officers AssociationLos Angeles County Professional Peace Officers Association

Greg Torres

Vaccine Mandate: Sheriff Continues to Stomp on Negotiation Rights

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Jan. 14, 2022 — Today at 1:45 PM, PPOA was advised, “some of your members who have not provided proof of full vaccination will be receiving the attached message later today.” 
 
“You are receiving this email because you have been identified as a Department member that has not provided proof of full vaccination. The County policy requires proof of full vaccination, or submit to weekly testing.” PPOA was informed the distribution of this message was directed by Sheriff Villanueva.
 
Didn’t you, Sheriff Villanueva, say that you were not enforcing the County COVID-19 vaccination mandate?
 
Upon receiving this information, PPOA immediately and vehemently objected, verbally to Employee Relations and followed up in writing from our legal staff. Over our objection, starting at 2:08PM, members began contacting PPOA having received this Department message.
 
Is Sheriff Villanueva now enforcing the County mandate? When did this happen?
 
This ask of members, without a lawfully required Meet and Confer, and notification coming on Friday afternoon going into a three-day weekend as well as starting on a County holiday is UNREASONABLE to say the least.
 
The information contained in this notification contradicts previous Department direction and appears to misrepresent County policy, creates many more questions, and undermines any continuity of direction to members from the Sheriff.  
 
Who are the vendors behind these various testing sites? Are they Fulgent testing sites? 
 
Didn’t you, Sheriff Villanueva, direct Department members not to utilize Fulgent-related products?
 
As PPOA is in a continued Meet and Confer process with the Department regarding COVID-19 policies, a cease and desist of the distribution of this email and accompanying new policy has been demanded pending completion of our negotiations.
 
Attempts by PPOA to directly contact Sheriff Villanueva for assistance and/or consideration received no response.

Retired LASD Chief Hired to Lead Alhambra PD

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https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2021/12/14/alhambra-city-council-unanimously-approves-contract-for-new-police-chief-kelley-fraser/

Support for approval on a contract for Kelley Fraser to become the next Chief of the Alhambra Police Department was overwhelmingly positive at Monday night’s Alhambra City Council meeting.

Council members Sasha Renee Perez, Ross Maza and Adele Andrade-Stadler all voted to confirm the contract that will come at an annual salary of $233,343.84, as did Vice Mayor Jeffrey Maloney and Mayor Katherine Lee for a 5-0 vote.

Fraser will officially become Chief on Dec. 27, a week after outgoing Chief Eric Parra is sworn in as the new Chief in Huntington Beach, where he has resided since 1993.

Perez couldn’t say enough about the appointment of Fraser, who was Assistant Chief for Alhambra PD from October 2019 through this past September before retiring. She was asked by Parra to consider coming back to be Chief.

“It’s been great just getting to know Chief Fraser better,” Perez said. “She’s fantastic. I know we were all a little sad to lose Chief Parra, but I think she’s going to be an excellent leader within our police department.

“It’s also wonderful to know that they’ve worked so closely together and I think that they share a lot of the same kind of values and vision around community policing, which is certainly a priority for me and I know a priority for the community.”

Fraser will be just the second female police chief in the San Gabriel Valley along with Monterey Park’s Kelly Gordon. Fraser will also be the first permanent female police chief in the 118-year history of Alhambra PD.

This is not lost on Perez.

“I also did see on the news that she is going to be only the second female police chief in the entire San Gabriel Valley, so I do think that’s pretty cool that we’ll also be making some history with this in these positions that are usually held by men; it’s certainly nice to see a woman in leadership,” Perez said.

Parra was also named Assistant Chief in October 2019 before being made chief this past March. He and Fraser previously worked together while at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Dept.

Maloney said the city is fortunate to have someone the caliber of Fraser step into this role.

“I think you want to express appreciation for Chief Parra for thinking about this and considering what position he’d be leaving the city in,” Maloney said. “I don’t begrudge him moving to take the reins of his hometown; I totally understand that.

“But I do appreciate the fact that he’s able to help fill the void that was created by his departure with somebody that he’s obviously got a lot of confidence in, that he’s worked with for a long time both in Alhambra and at the Sheriff’s Department, so we’re pretty fortunate.”

Chief Fraser this past week talked about her excitement upon learning she was wanted as the next chief.

“Immediately you’re humbled and you automatically go to, it’s heavy shoes to fill behind Chief Parra because I know what he’s done here; I’ve worked with him and for him in my career,” she said. “And now to be offered that type of opportunity, let’s just say it was overwhelming, but (I’m) completely excited and looking forward to this great opportunity as well.”

Retired LASD Chief Hired to Lead Huntington Beach PD

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https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/story/2021-12-01/huntington-beach-approves-surf-city-native-eric-parra-as-new-police-chief

LA TIMES – 12/1/21

Huntington Beach has hired a Surf City native to guide its police force.

The Huntington Beach City Council approved the hiring of Eric Parra as police chief by a 6-0-1 vote in a special meeting Wednesday afternoon. Councilman Erik Peterson was absent.

Parra, 57, is currently the police chief of the city of Alhambra, a position he’s held since this past March. He came to Alhambra after 31 years of experience with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, where he reached the rank of division chief before leaving in 2019.

Parra, who said he will start Dec. 27, takes over for interim chief Julian Harvey, who was hired in November 2020 after Robert Handy retired. He has been living in Huntington Beach since 1993, and said he intends this to be his last position in law enforcement.

“It is a remarkable feeling,” he said. “It doesn’t matter where I work, I give 200% wherever I’m at. But to go to work everyday, put in effort in my community, then drive home and see it coming together … that’s the world to me. Now, if there’s something I put into play that’s not working, I’ll know it when I’m on the way home. I’ll know it when I’m driving around, when I go to the store. It will give me the opportunity to constantly measure whether I’m effective or not.”

Parra holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Cal State Long Beach and a law degree from Western State. He is licensed by the State Bar of California. Through his career he helped lead Los Angeles County jail system reforms, community policing programs and a variety of patrol initiatives.

He said public trust, transparency and accountability are challenges for law enforcement in general right now. In terms of Huntington Beach specifically, he identified homelessness and proper policing for large events as two key issues.

“We need to figure out how to partner better with our local, state and federal partners to have full wraparound services and full connection with other services,” Parra said, addressing homelessness. “It’s not just law enforcement, it [should be] everybody working together from a government, nonprofit and community perspective to help homeless people reach a level where they’re not homeless, they’re employable and they’re functional in society.”

The city launched a mobile mental health crisis response team in a partnership with Be Well OC this year, freeing up police officers.

“What I want to do is find out from the community what they believe the officers should do with that time,” Parra said. “What type of enforcement efforts would they like to see? Then, we’re using that time for something that’s productive and something that the community wants.”

Huntington Beach City Council members commended Harvey for his service, particularly during a turbulent time for the city. At the same time, they said they look forward to working with Parra.

“Besides the chemistry and the personality and the stellar qualifications, we have a hometown hero in our next chief,” City Councilman Mike Posey said, addressing Parra. “You live here, and that’s comforting to know.”

Mayor Kim Carr said the first time she met Parra, “I went, ‘Oh my gosh, this guy’s serious.’”

“You were a little bit imposing,” she said. “Then once we got to know you, you’re a really funny guy. You have a great sense of humor, and it was fascinating to see that whole evolution. I’m really looking forward to getting to know you.

“Our city absolutely adores our police officers, and we support them. This is a community that will support you, and this is a council that will support you. If there’s anything that you need, just let us know because we’ve got your back.”

Mandate Registration: Sheriff Stomps on Bargaining Rights of PPOA Members

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On December 6th, PPOA was informed by membership of newly enhanced efforts of Sheriff Villanueva to obtain compliance with the COVID-19 mandate registration. The Sheriff’s Department has created a standardized Performance Log Entry (PLE) template under the direct instruction of Sheriff Villanueva. 
 
Members who have failed to register within the Fulgent system and/or the Department’s “internal” tracking system are being served with the attached PLE (click to view) requiring registration within 48 hours or face “formal discipline.” 
 
PPOA OPPOSES this unilateral action by Sheriff Villanueva. 
 
When the Department notified PPOA of the “internal” tracking system, a Meet and Confer was immediately requested. Prior to the issuance of these PLEs, PPOA had repeatedly requested a Meet and Confer with the Department both in writing and in a personal request with Sheriff Villanueva from President Rhodes.
 
When notified yesterday of the PLEs, President Rhodes immediately contacted Employee Relations and later Undersheriff Murakami, again demanding a “cease and desist” to the issuance of PLEs pending the requested (and required by law) Meet and Confer. This afternoon, Mr. Murakami, after discussing the issue with Sheriff Villanueva, notified PPOA that the Department will continue with the issuance of PLEs, effectively ignoring PPOA’s bargaining rights and the rights of our members. 
 
In response, PPOA has asked our legal counsel to prepare an Unfair Labor action against the Department, to be filed by the end of the week.
 
Additionally, should you, as a member, receive a PLE from a supervisor/manager as described above, PPOA’s recommendation is to write “REFUSED” on the signature line, obtain a copy of the PLE, and immediately email the document to info@ppoa.com. PPOA will be gathering all of these documents on behalf of impacted members for purposes of filing a group grievance, and providing a suggested written response to the PLE.