PPOA Board Member
Security Officer, LASD
ggarcia@ppoa.com
Greetings, everybody. It’s hard to believe we are only a couple months into the new year and are already extremely busy. Some members have asked about the status of Academy classes for SSOs. Personnel representatives have informed PPOA that no academies are currently scheduled. When the Department removed the requirement for associate degrees for deputies, many, if not all, future candidates moved their process to DST. With that in mind, I want to say thank you for the work you do keeping the public safe and, most importantly, ensuring you and your co-workers make it home at the end of the day. And to those picking up overtime to help other bureaus, thank you.
We are trying to set up a meeting with Sheriff Luna to express our concerns and follow up with ideas. He expressed much enthusiasm about working together with the unions, but we also understand he is trying to see the mechanics of this complex machine (LASD) that keeps moving forward every day.
Vests are in stock at Logistics, so please get yours exchanged. If you have a Generation #1 MP9, make sure to take it with you to exchange for the Generation #2. And please prioritize making an appointment to get your vest exchanged. PPOA will also be working with the Department to come up with additional locations to do the exchange being that the County is so large and Logistics is only available during certain hours. We conveyed member concerns about the difficulty of traveling with no coverage at some assignments. I’ll update members as I get more information.
I’ve mentioned this in a past article, but I want to remind you to double-check your Department information. Everybody needs to be up to date. Do this for your loved ones, your co-workers and the safety aspect of it all. For example, think about your life insurance, health coverage and emergency paperwork. Please don’t let procrastination prevent you from getting this done.
Last month, PPOA Board members gathered for the annual planning session, and we anticipate sending out more information to keep members informed. We discussed several issues, including member safety, protection, career survival, 4850 time, IOD issues, SB 2 and more.
If you have questions about union issues, make sure to contact me or any PPOA Board member. And please be wary of rumors and hearsay that always find a way to spread so quickly around the workplace.
Last month, County Services hosted training, and I am pleased to see the Bureau taking the initiative to do extra training. Kudos to everyone involved with that. In addition, I had a chance to speak with many of you regarding occurrences throughout the Department.
Some of you have reached the halfway point of your career and some are well beyond that point. Make sure to check on your progress with LACERA and Horizons. We hope to once again host retirement workshops in the PPOA conference room and maybe, with the help of LACERA, we can bring the information to a location near you.
As we gear up for what will definitely be an eventful year, I want you to rest assured that PPOA is monitoring the changes in the Department and County, and we will provide support for members as concerns arise.
As we get into the warmer months, I will make visits to various units to listen to concerns and address any rumors. As for now, stay safe and practice with the tools given.