Welcoming New Members

Hello, partners. I would like to start by acknowledging the absence of my submissions in the last two issues of the magazine. I recognize the need and importance of passing on information through Star & Shield and do not want to fill in with “fluff pieces” when there isn’t significant activity about our classifications. Thankfully, we have some positive updates to pass on. We had two classes that went through the STARS Center and joined our family. On May 3, Sheriff Security Assistant Class #24-1 brought six new members to the Department. On July 19, 10 recruits from Sheriff Security Officer Class #60 completed their training and were ready to start their assignments. I want to extend my gratitude to all the recent graduates for taking on the call for service.

Safety Equipment

It has been brought to my attention that some members have been assigned to work without being issued protective vests. If you were never issued a vest and work at an assignment where it is needed (i.e., public entry points, station desks, security screenings), please reach out to your OPS Sergeant and request a memo stating the need for it and acquire a vest from Logistics. It may seem like a hassle or uncomfortable, but it could be a life-saving difference when an incident arises. 

On the subject of equipment, I have assumed a role in the Uniform Committee, and in June, I attended the Department’s Uniform and Equipment Committee meeting at HOJ. I spoke with the Commander, and we discussed the need for some equipment upgrades for the civilian security positions. It was a very positive discussion, and once I gather the necessary details, I hope to present them to the committee for approval.

I have completed the proposals, and for the last few months, I have been meeting up with a few Captains for their support. I hope to complete this task and get the updates we have been waiting on for several years. 

Contract Negotiations

We have not yet started discussions with the County or the Department regarding our new Unit 621 salary contract. When the time does come for us to sit down, I expect the County, Department and PPOA to comprehend the importance of these negotiations and that all eyes will be on us. 

In the last few years, our classifications have been utilized to aid evacuees of the Woolsey fire in Malibu, protect County buildings and employees during the George Floyd riots, serve as emergency service workers who continued working during the global pandemic and continue to train for when an active shooter incident occurs at one of our facilities in L.A. County. We are a vital part of Los Angeles County and the Sheriff’s Department, and this needs to be recognized.

I am mindful that some might not consider it “right” to speak so straightforward; however, I would ask those same people: Do you think tasking someone to respond to gunfire, to save lives while risking their own for $4 an hour more than a kid working the drive-thru at In-N-Out is “right”? Now is the time to fix that. We have incredible people in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department who will do what it takes to get the job done. We don’t ask for much, but what we do ask is this: We need a living wage. We need equal injured-on-duty protection, and we need it now. We have invested years of our lives to serve the public and the County. It is time for the County to invest in us.