President's Message

When I was a young deputy just starting my career in the mid-’80s, I was not a member of any union. I really didn’t understand the value of unions, so I didn’t join. I made several mistakes and my lack of understanding about unions nearly cost me my job. One night, I was involved in a fight with an inmate. Not unusual back then, but this inmate was different. His mother was an U.S. attorney. On my day off, I got a call from my sergeant. “The FBI is here and they are interviewing all the inmates about your fight last night. You’d better consult your union,” he said.

As a young deputy, I didn’t know what to do, but I certainly regretted not joining the union. One of the basic and most important benefits of being part of a union is legal representation. I was up the proverbial creek! But I was lucky. The inmate I got in the fight with actually told the truth! I was cleared of any wrongdoing, thanks to his statements. Needless to say, I joined the union immediately after this incident.

Then, in the mid-’90s, I promoted to sergeant. I was supportive of unions but still didn’t really understand what they did. So I paid my dues like most everyone else. I wasn’t always happy with my union. In fact, many times I was very upset with them. Over my 30-plus-year career, I have had bad experiences with a variety of unions. When I was a detective, my union attorney was told not to testify on my behalf because the attorney’s boss felt it would damage the firm’s relationship with management if the attorney testified to what was said between them. Thanks for looking out for my best interest! (Note: The attorney was great, but the integrity of the firm was questionable.) Next, when I was trying to promote to lieutenant, I turned to another union that offered attorneys instead of labor representatives, thinking this would be to my advantage. I was wrong. The attorney made a legal mistake that took away my strongest appeal argument. My appeal was denied and it took me four more years to promote. I was not happy with that union.

Despite these personal experiences, I still had faith in unions. I understood the value of a unified front and strength in numbers even if they weren’t perfect. But I really had no idea what they did until I got involved in PPOA. I, like many of us, complained about our salaries. I recall someone saying, “Put your money where your mouth is and do something about it!” So I did. I joined the PPOA negotiating team. I was very happy with the negotiations and we did very well for our members. But I learned just how hard the union fights for its members and just how hard it is fighting against management.

Like a shark, I think the taste of blood might have whipped me into a frenzy. I actually enjoyed the challenge, but I only knew victory at that time. So I joined the PPOA Board of Directors to get more involved. Wow! What an eye-opener! I learned that PPOA was more than just contract negotiations and legal representation. They had a credit union, offered supplemental insurance, ran a charity, helped members in need and filed lawsuits on behalf of the membership. But what impressed me most was the vigor and effort that went into fighting for individual members against wrongdoing by managers and bad policies and practices. That is still true today.

Just as when I was a young deputy, some complain about their union and claim it doesn’t do anything. But they really don’t know what the unions have done because they are not engaged in their union. They misunderstand the power of the union and believe the union is there to get them out of trouble when they make mistakes: “The union is useless if it can’t get me out of trouble when I beat a guy senseless, take his drugs, sell them on the street for a little extra cash and sleep with the suspect’s girlfriend, promising her not to testify at trial … all on videotape.” Umm. Really? The highest-paid attorneys aren’t going to be able to save your job in a case like this!

I encourage every union member to get involved and learn more about your union. Go to our website, www.ppoa.com, and review all the benefits, successful legislation and litigation fought on behalf of our members and all cops. In fact, PPOA offers far more than most other similarly sized unions. We offer attorneys from many different law firms to avoid conflicts of interest and to give members more options. We have our own credit union, with four branches, and our own insurance company. We provide financial assistance such as financial planners and retirement seminars, wills and trusts, mortgage lenders and a free notary service. We have a deeply discounted online uniform store. We do it all with one of the lowest dues structures of any union. We have an active charitable foundation, the Star & Shield Foundation. Because of our reputation, management asks us for input and we sit on various commissions and task forces. We are active locally and statewide, as well as nationally defending this profession. With all that said, we are not miracle workers and we aren’t able to get everything we want for our members. But rest assured, we will always fight for our members.

Our strength, however, comes directly from our membership. Unity is the key to our success, and our power comes from the willingness of our members to stand together and fight as one. Management is aware of this. So are outside influences like big corporations and anti-pension supporters. Now is the time to stand together, more than at any other time in history. You don’t have to lead the charge but you all should be willing to help in some way. It might be by serving as a delegate and keeping your peers informed about union activity. It might be by wearing a union T-shirt and attending a rally. It might be by writing a letter to your legislator when your union asks. It might be by speaking at hearings or attending events. The point is, there are many ways to support your union in your own way.

WELCOME TO OUR NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

In the last issue of Star & Shield, I discussed the changing of the guard at PPOA as we bid farewell to Paul Roller, our executive director for the last 18 years. After an exhaustive search, we found the right person to step in where Paul left off. Wayne Quint, our new executive director, has extensive knowledge and background in law enforcement labor. Please be sure to read his first article in this issue of Star & Shield. I have known Wayne for many years and I am confident in his leadership. I know he will continue our tradition of “Professionals Representing Professionals” and ensure that PPOA maintains the highest standards of service to our members. Welcome aboard, Wayne!

MORALE

For years, we have been complaining about the decline in morale in the Sheriff’s Department. Some improvements have been made, but the Department is nowhere close to where it should be. We are currently meeting with Sheriff McDonnell’s chief of staff to review our recommendations to improve morale based on the morale survey of our members. I am hopeful to get a few more, actually many more, items checked off to improve morale. These are a few big ones the Sheriff needs to focus on:

1. Recruitment and hiring inefficiencies
2. Promotional processes and selection for all ranks
3. Career series for non sworn classifications such as custody assistants and security officers/assistants

Fixing these areas of concern is not monumental, but based on the speed at which they’re being addressed (or not), you would think they were. It will take strong leadership from the top. The Sheriff needs to commit to fixing these areas and demand that his subordinate executives complete the tasks quickly and with utmost priority (or replace them with people who can). The ball is in your court, Sheriff!

First, I want to wish everyone a happy new year, and I hope that 2018 brings happiness and health to all our members and their families. As I mentioned in past articles, 2017 proved to be a difficult year with tragedies befalling many of our members. I ask all of you to remember those who were injured in the Las Vegas shooting rampage and those who lost their lives through other tragic events.

Changing of the Guard

As we move forward into 2018, PPOA will be undergoing significant changes. Foremost is a changing of the guard. Our executive director, Paul Roller, will be retiring after 18 years of service to PPOA. I have been blessed to have had the opportunity to work alongside Paul during my nine years as PPOA president, as well as my few years as a PPOA Board member. I learned a lot about unions from Paul, and his experience proved to be invaluable in guiding me in the right direction. I relied heavily on Paul to
navigate the tricky waters of union business, politics and contract negotiations. Every member of PPOA, active and retired, owes a great deal of gratitude to Paul for his leadership and guidance in making PPOA one of the strongest and most respected unions in California. In Paul’s final article in this issue of Star & Shield, you will hear him speak about integrity, service and honesty. He drilled that into the staff and, more importantly, he led by example. Those tenets serve as the backbone of PPOA and are at the core of our mission. I am grateful for all that he has done for the organization and our membership. I wish him a long and joyous retirement with his wonderful wife, Lillian. I know that even though he is retiring, he will always be available to us for advice and guidance — PPOA is in his blood. Happy retirement, partner!

Our incoming executive director, Wayne Quint Jr., has quite an extensive background in the law enforcement labor movement. You will read more about his background in his first article in next month’s issue of Star & Shield. I have known Wayne for nearly 10 years, from his years of leadership as president of the Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs to his role as executive director of the California Peace Officers’ Memorial Foundation. I look forward to working with him to continue PPOA’s longstanding tradition of integrity, service and honesty.

More Changes at PPOA

In early 2018, PPOA will be introducing a stateof-the-art mobile app. After conducting thorough research on existing law enforcement association apps, we decided to create one from scratch with more “bells and whistles.” The most critical part of this mobile app is the ability for our members to contact PPOA for help in times of need. Whether they’re involved in a shooting or a use-of-force incident, subjected to interviews by supervisors or internal investigators, or in need of legal defense, our members will be able to reach a PPOA representative with a click of a button! The app will have many other capabilities as well. You will have access to our discount uniform store and discounted products and services from PPOA-approved vendors — just as if you were shopping on Amazon (OK, we aren’t going to be that big!). You will also have access to your MOUs, salary schedules and much more with a touch of a button. Lastly, you will receive emergency alert notifications, such as deputy-involved shootings
or major disasters, so you can stay up to date. I am very excited about this new mobile app! Look for a rollout of the app in the near future! Be sure to download it and try it out!

This year, you will see more Board members (and me) visiting your units of assignment. While some members call or email us when they have issues, many do not reach out to us even though there are significant problems in their units of assignments. We want to hear from you, and we believe we can get a better grasp of the issues by coming to your workplace and talking to more members. Of course, you can still call or email us, and we will try to resolve your issues. Although you may not know this, we have resolved many issues by dealing directly with the Sheriff or assistant sheriffs and have seen improvements (clearly not enough, though!). But we cannot fight what we do not know. Please reach out to your PPOA Board representative or me and keep us informed.

This year is the 40th anniversary of the POPA Federal Credit Union (POPA FCU). As many of you know, PPOA established the credit union to provide financial benefits to our members (note: PPOA, the union, changed its name many years ago to coincide with other police association acronyms, but the credit union kept its original name). POPA FCU will host special celebrations at their branches throughout the year, and you will see our PPOA BBQ trailer at each location grilling for POPA FCU members.
Hope to see you there!

Contract Negotiations

Bargaining Unit 612 (sergeants and lieutenants) started negotiations with the County late last year. The negotiations are continuing as our current contract is coming to an end. There are many rumors about what is and is not being negotiated and various alleged offers on the table — every one of these rumors is false! Please do not spread wild rumors about these contract negotiations, as they may negatively impact the efforts of your negotiating team. Be patient, and rest assured that your negotiating team will get the best contract possible. The other PPOA bargaining units will begin their negotiations later this year, and it is very important that PPOA members communicate with their negotiating team about the issues on the table. You can reach out to your PPOA Board representative and discuss negotiation issues with them. I am hopeful that we can get another good contract and address many other issues besides salary. Lastly, I sift through hundreds of emails every day and talk to hundreds of members throughout the year. I care about each and every member, but sometimes things just fall off my radar. If I haven’t gotten back to you on an issue, please reconnect with me so we can continue discussions on how to resolve your concerns. I apologize if I dropped the ball or simply haven’t contacted you for follow up. You can reach me at bmoriguchi@ppoa.com.

Thanks, and be safe!

On October 1, a crazed gunman opened fire at thousands attending the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas. To date, 58 people were killed and 546 injured in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. This tragic event will be discussed in another article in this issue, but I wanted to convey my thoughts on the response from the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Department and its personnel. I often have to deal with the negative side of the Department: bad policies, an unfair promotion system, excessive discipline, etc. However, what I saw in Las Vegas made me proud of the Department, its executives (yes, I really said it) and the personnel who responded to help. I, along with fellow PPOA Board member Chris Lee, flew out to Las Vegas to assist our members and other law enforcement officers who were impacted by this shooting. We visited LASD Deputy Lori Kammer and Sergeant Andy Dahring, who were both shot during this horrific incident. Lori and Andy were in good spirits during our visits with each of them and both are recovering from their wounds.

Immediately after the incident occurred, the Los Angeles Sheriff ’s Department reacted. I was in communication with the LASD Operations Center, which was established by the Department at a local Las Vegas hotel in record time. It was fully operational and, every time I called, they were able to provide me with up-to-date information about the situation. We were prepared to offer financial support as needed, but the Department was “taking care of” all financial needs. I was told that Assistant Sheriff Jill Serrano authorized funding without balking at all. This was surprising, as I anticipated the Department telling us that they were short of money or had no funds available for this type of incident. I expected them to tell me that the money was already earmarked for new car stickers and gold buttons (not really!). My point is that I was very impressed that Assistant Sheriff Serrano made the well-being of the injured employees a priority. Some may say that’s a no-brainer, but in my experience, that response was far from the norm in this Department.

Thank you, Assistant Sheriff Serrano! Assistant Sheriff Serrano arrived at the hospital in Las Vegas to visit Andy Dahring while we were there. I was able to express my thanks to her then, but at the time I didn’t realize that she was going to do even more to shock me. Andy was seriously injured but was in a non-trauma hospital due to the overcrowding of hospitals in Las Vegas. Frankly, he was not getting the medical attention that he needed. With clearance from doctors, Assistant Sheriff Serrano flew Andy back to Los Angeles in King Air and then had him transported to a local hospital for better treatment. As far as I know, there was no meeting of the minds to discuss the public perception of such a decision, the liability, the PR spin that may be necessary or the pros and cons of such a decision. Assistant Sheriff Serrano put the life of Andy Dahring before all else. Again, thank you, Assistant Sheriff Serrano! I know Sheriff Jim McDonnell also made the trip to Las Vegas and visited the injured employees, and I am also grateful for his compassion and leadership during this difficult time. While visiting Andy and Lori in their respective hospitals, I was also impressed by the number of Department personnel providing comfort (and security) to our injured folks. There were four to six uniformed personnel standing in the hallways outside their rooms. How much did that cost? Who cares! Once again, the Department put the care and comfort of our injured before costs. Of course, they didn’t fly to Las Vegas first class and weren’t staying in expensive honeymoon suites. My point is that the Department did what was right and did it without hesitation.

When the chips were down and we needed the Department to step up, they did. I watched not only Department executives, but personnel of all ranks step up and do an outstanding job in Las Vegas. I was so proud of every one of them. It reminded me why I joined the Sheriff ’s Department and became a peace officer. During the worst of situations, we stand side by side and work together. All the pettiness and favoritism are irrelevant at that moment in time. This is when we are at our best. When help is needed or when a crisis occurs, we are united. Kudos to everyone who was involved in the Las Vegas response, whether in Las Vegas or in Los Angeles — job well done! But our job is not over. It is just beginning. We have Department folks who have suffered a great deal and need our support and prayers. Reach out to them and let them know that we are family and that we care about their recovery. They will have a long road to healing, and each situation will be unique. Be there to support them as friends, colleagues, partners and family. We are very good at handling emergencies, but sometimes not so good at following up. I am as guilty as the next guy. Let’s make it a point to lend our support throughout the recovery process and beyond. If PPOA can help in any way, we will be there to offer all the support that we can. Please continue to pray for all the people who have been impacted by this horrific tragedy.