PPOA Board Member
Sheriff Security Officer, LASD
lorozco@ppoa.com
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH FOR L.A. COUNTY
As we enter 2025, I have confidence in great things, changes and opportunities for us. At a local level, the citizens of Los Angeles County have raised their voices and told the ousted former District Attorney George Gascón that his social experiment was a complete failure that changed our once-safe communities to a crime-ridden cesspool where criminals had free range to terrorize citizens. The people sought a common-sense leader who would hold criminals accountable for their actions and cast their votes for the new Los Angeles County District Attorney, Nathan Hochman. I had an opportunity to meet Hochman in December and listen to his vision for restoring sensibility to the district attorney’s office, which will, with any luck, raise morale for law enforcement and empower prosecutors to punish offenders and deter criminal acts.
CSB PROBATION DELETION
For those who are unaware, in late 2024, PPOA and I were made aware of the Department’s intentions not to renew the services of the Probation Department at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall and Sylmar Juvenile Hall. I would like to clear up some misconceptions about the role PPOA has in these service contracts. The union cannot strong-arm the Department nor the County to create or continue services with any entities. We will, however, advocate for them when beneficial to our members, enforce guidelines are being met and respond appropriately if they are infringed. With that being said, it is my belief the decision to discontinue these services — and others throughout the County Service Bureau — is asinine and a gauge of poor management and leadership.
County Services Bureau is one of the biggest service providers for facility and medical services, including public libraries, children and family services, register recorders offices, mental health facilities and the Hall of Justice. However, in the past years, it has been dwindling, with closure after closure of assignments.
If the problem is short-staffing, resulting in officer safety concerns, it is an issue that has been long ignored, and corrective measures — including incentivizing applicants and promoting recruitment — are far overdue. In short, something is not working and needs to be addressed or replaced soon.
2024 MEDAL OF VALOR AWARDS — SSO LUIS MEDINA
On October 3, I was honored to attend the Department’s Medal of Valor awards and see our partner, SSO Luis Medina from West Valley DMH, receive a Meritorious Conduct Silver Medal for his brave actions in 2019, which are described as follows:
“On December 11, 2019, while working at the West Valley Department of Mental Health Clinic in Chatsworth, Sheriff’s Security Officer Luis Medina saw thick black smoke coming from a residence across the street from his post … SSO Medina entered the home through the smoke-filled garage and began checking the rooms. He found a male sleeping in one of the bedrooms. He made contact with the male and assisted him out of the residence. When SSO Medina determined there was no one else in the residence, he exited and noticed the fire had intensified.”
Outstanding work, SSO Medina, you make us all very proud.
PASSING OF SSA ANTONIO CRUZ
On Monday, December 9, we received some awful news of the passing of Sheriff Security Assistant Antonio Cruz from Court Services Division East Bureau — Whittier Court. I spoke with SSA Cruz’s son the following day to extend our condolences and offered him assistance on behalf of PPOA for services needed to honor his father. Please keep him and his family in your thoughts during this time.