Honoring the Legacies and Leadership of Two Recently Fallen PPOA Members

PPOA was saddened to learn of last month’s passing of retired LASD Executive Officer/former PPOA Board Director Raymond “Ray” Leyva and longtime PPOA member Captain Eduardo “Eddie” Hernandez.

Ray Leyva began his career as a Reserve Officer with the Los Angeles Police Department in 1975. In 1976, he worked as a Police Officer for the Burbank Police Department and joined the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in 1981. He rose through the ranks to Commander, having worked in numerous assignments throughout his career. He was highly respected for his leadership qualities and reputation for standing up against corruption and cronyism.

In 2016, he retired from LASD after 35 years of dedicated service. In 2018, he returned to lead the men and women of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department as an Executive Officer, performing the duties of the undersheriff for Sheriff Alex Villanueva. In 2020, Leyva served as Interim Chief of the Los Angeles County Probation Department, performing an important leadership role during the coronavirus pandemic in a challenging year for the Probation Department.

During his years of service in the LASD, Leyva served on the national board for the Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association (HAPCOA), where he eventually became the organization’s president. He also served as president of the Los Angeles County Hispanic Managers Association, a board member of the Los Angeles County Chicano Employees Association and chairman of the POPA Federal Credit Union Board of Directors. Additionally, Leyva served as a PPOA Board member in 2013–14. His passion, dedication, professionalism and executive leadership expertise proved he was an invaluable member as he guided the organization. He passed away on Wednesday, October 12, 2022.

Captain Eddie Hernandez passed away on Sunday, October 9, 2022. He honorably served the Sheriff’s Department and the County of Los Angeles for over 33 years. As a Deputy, he was assigned to the Inmate Reception Center and transferred to Century Station. In 2002, he was promoted to Sergeant and worked in Lakewood Station, Personnel Administration Bureau and Facilities Services Bureau. In 2009, he was promoted to Lieutenant and returned to Lakewood Station as a Watch Commander. He was then assigned to Countywide Services Division and served as an Executive Aide in the Undersheriff’s Office. In 2018, Hernandez was promoted to Captain, overseeing the Major Crimes Bureau. In 2022, he was transferred to oversee Court Services Transportation Bureau. Hernandez will be remembered as a dedicated professional with whom many had the honor to work along with and for.

CALIFORNIA SENATE BILL 2

On September 30, 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Senate Bill 2, a bill that will significantly affect law enforcement agencies across the state. The bill’s stated intent is to increase accountability for misconduct by peace officers, and it makes five significant changes:

• It will create a process for the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) to revoke certifications for peace officers such that those individuals will be disqualified from peace officer employment in California.
• It expands the list of circumstances that will disqualify a person from employment as a peace officer.
• It will require law enforcement agencies to investigate all complaints or claims of serious misconduct by peace officers regardless of whether the subject officer(s) is still employed by the agency.
• It will require law enforcement agencies to report to POST all complaints, claims, allegations and findings of serious misconduct.
• It will remove some immunity provisions for peace officers and their employing agencies in civil rights lawsuits brought under the Tom Bane Civil Rights Act.

Additional details on SB 2 can be found on the POST website (post.ca.gov). PPOA will continue to work with the Sheriff’s Department on this very important bill.

On behalf of myself, the PPOA staff and the PPOA Board of Directors, have a happy Thanksgiving. A special thanks to all members working during the holidays to keep our communities safe.