Star & Shield Magazine

Bidding Adieu to Two Dedicated Law Enforcement Labor Advocates

I want to congratulate PPOA Labor Representative Teresa O’Neil on her retirement after 26-plus years of distinguished service at PPOA. Teresa began her career in 1996 working as administrative staff. She quickly learned the ropes and was appointed to the Executive Administrative Assistant position, ultimately earning her way to becoming the Intake Representative and then the Labor Representative for the past 10 years. Teresa’s stellar work ethic made her a natural at supporting the various classifications PPOA represents. She was exceptional at being professional and providing members with the best customer service. Read More

Dispatchers Are the First, First Responders

National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week (NPSTW) is held annually during the second week of April as the designated time period for the entire public safety community in Los Angeles County and around the country to honor and express our thanks and appreciation for our public safety telecommunicators. The idea for the weeklong event originated in 1981 with longtime dispatcher Patricia Anderson of the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office here in California. The 102nd United States Congress first introduced NPSTW in 1991, and in 1994, President Clinton signed Presidential Proclamation 6667 declaring the second week of April as NPSTW (see tinyurl.com/2vercadh). Read More

Staffing and Overtime Concerns Loom Large

Staffing is an issue. That is obvious. People are tired, burned out and frustrated. PPOA has spoken of this issue with the Department, specifically and directly to Sheriff Luna and Assistant Sheriff Aloma. Both men have acknowledged and expressed their concerns with the staffing levels and the increasing void of manpower. This has also been communicated to Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger. The question is not simply keeping our status quo, but how to bring numbers into a profession that is under intense scrutiny from the public and the media. Those of us who come to work and do our job in a thorough and professional manner are feeling the effects of it. Read More

New Class to Provide Relief for Sheriff’s Security Officers

Hello, fellow PPOA members, and thank you for reading this article. I would like to start with a special shout-out to the personnel who attended the Baker to Vegas event last month, whether you participated as a runner or with a support team. It was a great turnout. I also can’t and won’t forget those of you who stayed behind to work an extra shift or provide coverage on your day off. This is what it’s all about — teamwork. Thank you. For those of you who have been close to or have maxed out your saved time, I am aware of the issue and have forwarded the information to contract negotiations personnel from the County.
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Active Union Board and Membership Are Essential to Face New Era of Law Enforcement

Greetings, PPOA members. This month, I want to talk about what I believe are the important responsibilities of being a PPOA Board member. Our number one responsibility is to the members we represent. We cannot be afraid to disagree with Department leadership if they are violating our Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the Peace Officers Bill of Rights or negatively impacting our working conditions, salary or benefits. Having aspirations to promote to a higher rank should not be a reason to be on the PPOA Board. In fact, the opposite is true. Read More

Hundreds Enjoy Another Successful Retiree Roundup

I have been going to the LASD Retiree Roundup in Laughlin for many years. When I was an active member, Brian Moriguchi and myself would attend with the PPOA crew, and I remember thinking, “Man, retirement cannot come soon enough — these folks are having fun!” But I also remember not knowing many people there. The numbers ranged about 700 back then, steadily growing. Each year, I noticed more and more of my friends now attending as I closed in on retirement. I have now been retired for a few years, and as expected, I know many more people at the Roundup as they retired around the same time as me. Read More