PPOA Board Member
Security Officer, LASD
hjimenez@ppoa.com
As some of you may recall, a few articles ago in the Star & Shield I wrote about being vigilant and how important your roles as Sheriff’s Security Officers and Security Assistants are to LASD. As I sat here in my home, preparing to write a new article, a breaking news flash came on the television that reported a heavily armed man was detained trying to enter a garage of a downtown L.A. federal building. The potential threat was stopped by an alert Security Officer hired to protect and screen visitors entering the building. The man detained was later determined to be wearing body armor and had multiple loaded firearms and knives inside his vehicle. This made me think about our roles, particularly how they pertain to our day-to-day functions at our different units of assignment. Can something like this happen at any one of the facilities we protect? I’m wise enough to know that it can, and it’s not a matter of if; it’s a matter of when. I ask that you all, once again, discuss a plan of action and talk among yourselves about the different scenarios that may play out when dealing with nefarious individuals. It would also be a good idea to be mentally prepared for what you may do personally if or when an incident like the one mentioned above occurs.
I ask that you all discuss a plan of action and talk among yourselves about the different scenarios that may play out when dealing with nefarious individuals.
Current Events
So much has happened this past month, and yet so much is yet to come. Last month, PPOA’s Executive Director Wayne Quint along with Labor Representatives Teresa O’Neil and Venise Wallace and myself were up early one morning to ensure that the displaced SSOs and SSAs were reassigned fairly during the curtailment of the HOA and HOR contract through Countywide Services Division. Despite the circumstances they were faced with, the impacted personnel handled it professionally and understood their performance was not the reason the curtailment took place. We were happy to be there to answer their questions and ensure the transition would occur as smoothly as possible.
Delegates Meeting
It has been a while since we have had an in-person delegates meeting. The next meeting will take place on Thursday, October 7, 2021, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Almansor Court in Alhambra. I highly encourage you to get involved and attend this upcoming meeting. As I make my way around the county, several members have presented very good questions and concerns, and this is the perfect place to address them. Get involved! Get heard!
PPOA Pre-Labor Day BBQ
PPOA is preparing to hold its annual Pre-Labor Day BBQ. You may recall that this event was canceled last year due to COVID-19. The upcoming event will take place on Wednesday, September 1, 2021, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Biscailuz Training Center in East Los Angeles. If time and duty permit, please stop by for a free freshly grilled lunch for PPOA members. I hope to see you all there. Until then, stay safe!
