Star & Shield Magazine

Lahaina Wildfires: PPOA Board Member Helps Exemplify Laulima in Action

On August 8, the tranquil and historic town of Lahaina, Hawaii, witnessed a devastating, wind-driven wildfire, marking one of the most tragic events in U.S. history. The voracity of the flames left little time for organized evacuation or emergency sirens, amplifying fears of a massive loss of life. As the ash settled, the Department of Health and Human Services mobilized resources, including a portable morgue, to manage the aftermath. PPOA Executive Board member/Coroner Investigator Joyce Kato was central to these efforts, a respected member of the Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team (DMORT) – Region IX and the Victims Identification Team (VIC). Read More

Choices Open Enrollment: Premium Rates Increasing

On September 13, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors adopted the new Choices medical/dental premiums and life insurance rates for next year, beginning January 1, 2024. On September 15 and September 29, PPOA blasted an email notification (conta.cc/46x000f) to all active members, advising of significant increases to the Choices’ medical and dental insurance plans. Hopefully, all our active members followed PPOA’s respectful request of thoroughly reviewing the open enrollment packet, which, by now, should be in your possession. Read More

Custody Assistant Academy Update, CCW Renewals and More

With drafting and staffing continuing to be an issue, we encourage you to ask questions to confirm if some of the methods being used are in line with policy. A unit’s objective is to staff an in-service, and some circumstances are unavoidable. But how it’s done could be problematic. There have been times recently when matters of drafting or pre-drafting have come into question. Sometimes, it’s interpreted incorrectly or not understood clearly. Through collaborative efforts with the units themselves or through the Board of Labor Relations and Compliance (BOLRAC), we have avoided some members having their lives and family time more adversely affected than it already is. Read More

If You Don’t Prioritize Your Well-Being, Who Will?

Greetings, co-workers. How time flies — we are into October, and the year has flown by. By the time you read this article, you should have received your next pay raise, which was secured during contract negotiations. That increase of 3.25% will come into effect on October 1 and should be seen on your October 30 paycheck. Also, when you start making your health care decisions, make sure you read about the plans and rates in detail. Also, ensure that any life events are taken care of and get your confirmation of the changes. Read More

Lady Justice: An Unwavering Symbol More Relevant to Our Profession Than Ever Before

As many of you know, being a part of our profession is more challenging and difficult than ever before. With so much misguided anger, confusion and misunderstanding on what our profession is and how we all play a vital role, it is very easy to lose sight of what we took an oath and obligation to do. It is easy to forget the work that we do and the impact we have in the communities and public we serve and protect every day. In these difficult times, I find myself reverting to and thinking about a symbol that reminds me of how important and necessary we all are to do the work we do. Read More

A Heartbreaking Loss for a Family, a Fiancée and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department

Readers of this column learned early on that my monthly articles are rarely about specific PPOA or Unit 621 issues. My highly competent fellow 621 board members use their microphones/articles to update our 621 members on issues, and they do a great job. So, I use this resource to talk about issues that may not necessarily directly affect a specific group but have a more general focus. That said, I had to change my column topic from the extremely dark topic of suicide and law enforcement to one even more tragic. I have never personally known a member of the Sheriff’s Department who was killed in the line of duty. Read More