It has become very evident in this new administration that patrol is king. As the promotional process with the new Sheriff has yet to be discussed, or for that matter defined, one thing is certain: working a line position in the field has its advantages. For that reason, and after months of conversations on this topic, it was absolutely imperative for tenured lieutenants assigned to Custody Divisions to be provided the opportunity to further their career by transferring to field assignments.
Please note the following details of the agreement:
- During the duration of the “dual track” program, 50% of patrol watch commander lieutenant vacancies will be filled with existing custody lieutenants who meet or exceed the three-year or more custody commitment period, thus allowing patrol sergeants to continue their promotional path while preventing an exodus of lieutenants and their subject matter expertise from Custody Divisions.
- Transfers for all existing lieutenants will be made based on time in grade as a lieutenant. Department seniority will be used as a tiebreaker.
- Existing custody lieutenants who meet the three-year or more custody commitment period shall also be permitted to transfer to non-watch commander assignments.
This new agreement was initiated by changes from the new Sheriff’s paradigm and addresses disparity in the treatment of PPOA members (the custody commitment for sergeants was already reduced to three years by then-Sheriff McDonnell). Lieutenants interested in advancing their career under this new administration may now have the opportunity to do so before reaching an age of career obsolescence due to the one commodity of which none of us have enough — time.
We are grateful to the Department for recognizing the need for this agreement and working with PPOA to resolve the issue. We also want to give special thanks to Undersheriff Murakami and personnel from Employee Relations for making this agreement possible.
— Tab Rhodes