Star & Shield Magazine

The Erosion of Trust: Implications of a Systemic Breakdown in Oversight

On March 3, 2020, Los Angeles County residents voted into law Measure R, a ballot initiative that substantially strengthens the oversight of the Sheriff’s Department via the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and the Civilian Oversight Commission. The measure significantly impacts the process by which discipline is delivered to personnel; it grants both oversight entities subpoena powers and the ability to conduct investigations within inmate and civilian populations. Fortunately, the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (MMBA) governs employee matters between the County and PPOA. Read More

2024–25 Recommended Budget: Public Safety Remains a Nonpriority

At the April 23 L.A. County Board of Supervisors meeting, the County Chief Executive Office and its CEO, Fesia Davenport, presented the 2024–25 recommended budget to Supervisors Solis, Mitchell, Horvath, Hahn and Barger (Districts 1–5, respectively). This is the first step in the County’s multistep budget process, which includes public hearings in May, deliberations leading to the approval of the adopted budget in June and the supplemental budget, concluding with the approval of the final adopted budget in October 2024. Read More

A Refresher on Rights and Protections for PPOA Members

As a PPOA member, you have rights and protections afforded to you by association. Here are some examples: 

1. The right to representation at any disciplinary proceedings.
2. The right to proceed to an appeal in front of ERCOM.
3. You can attend Board meetings and events.
4. The right to vote on a contract.
5. Accessibility to your Board and labor representatives.
6. Access to legal defense through the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP).

Read More

Meeting With the Sheriff, Bodycam Training and Other Updates

Hello, partners. I hope all is well at work and in your personal lives. As we continue to do our best to fill the vacancies from the staff shortage, try your best to clear your mind and make time to be around friends, family and loved ones. There will always be a shift that needs coverage, an SSO and SSA coming down the line, but there will only be one you, so do not lose sight of the truly meaningful people and events in our lives. Make time for those you love. A few events and updates have occurred these past few weeks, but there is potential for reinforcements coming soon. Read More

Dispatcher of the Year Achieves the American Dream

It is always such a treat to return to the Sheriff’s Communications Center, which to many of us old-timers is still the SRC. I walked through those doors on my first day at the Sheriff’s Department on June 16, 1986. But little did anyone know that nine years later, in the faraway country of Serbia (the former Yugoslavia), Isidora Pejic would enter the world. A few years later, her family would pursue the American dream and come to the U.S. Ultimately, in April 2024, Isidora would be celebrated as the Sheriff’s Communications Center Dispatcher of the Year. Read More