Fraternal Order of Police Meeting
February 6: The Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) LA County Lodge 1 hosted it monthly board meeting on Saturday. PPOA members participating in the Zoom video conference included Vice President Ryan Vienna, Intake Representative/FOP Trustee Kevin Thompson and a number of retired — but still dedicated — PPOA members.

Full dues-paying PPOA members also are FOP Lodge 1 members — this membership provides workplace legal protections through the FOP Legal Defense Plan and other significant benefits. The LA County Lodge is one of 30 lodges in the California State FOP, and PPOA is thankful for the diligent work of State Lodge President (and former PPOA President) Roger Mayberry.

Click here to read the latest biweekly news update distributed by the California Fraternal Order of Police (CAFOP).
LASD Sergeant Jamie Arakawa
End of Watch - Feb. 8, 2021
February 8: Hearts have been heavy this week as the family, friends and colleagues of LASD Sergeant Jamie Arakawa mourn his passing. The 25-year LASD veteran succumbed to illness on Monday and is survived by his wife and children. In addition to his dedication to the Sheriff's Department, Sergeant Arakawa served this nation as a U.S. Marine Corps Reservist and Operation Desert Storm veteran.

PPOA extends sincere condolences to Sergeant Arakawa's family and his many friends and co-workers with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. We are eternally grateful for his service and sacrifice.
County Supervisors Approve Unit 612 Contract Extension
February 9: The LA County Board of Supervisors approved a one-year extension of the memorandum of understanding for six bargaining units in LA County public safety unions, including Unit 612 (PPOA) and Unit 611 (ALADS). County Supervisors also approved a Families First Coronavirus Response Act, providing a leave time provision retroactive to January 1, 2021.
PPOA Board of Directors Meeting
February 10: The monthly PPOA Board of Directors meeting took place on Wednesday. Directors participating in the Zoom video conference included: President Tab Rhodes, Vice President Ryan Vienna, Secretary Tony Coleman, Treasurer Robert Maus, and Directors Jim Blankenship, Henry Jimenez Joyce Kato, Carlos Marquez, Chris Lee, Tony Romo, John Satterfield and Jim Schallert. Collectively, the PPOA board brings approximately 300 years of county experience to the table. 
Sheriff Discusses Current Events
February 10: Sheriff Alex Villanueva hosted a Facebook live stream on Wednesday to discuss current events including a new task force, CCWs, academy updates, promotion criteria and more .

Meeting to Discuss County Medical Plans
February 10: PPOA Executive Director Wayne Quint Jr. participated in a special meeting with fellow representatives from the Coalition of County Unions (CCU). The topic of concern at this teleconference was County-sponsored medical plans.

The CCU collectively represents more than 30,000 union members employed by the County of Los Angeles and is their unified voice on County-wide matters such as health insurance, vacation pay, retirement, and other issues impacting County employees and their families. 

COVID-19 Conference With PPOA Legal Team
February 11: PPOA hosted its weekly legal meeting on Thursday in order for President Rhodes, Executive Director Quint, Sr. Labor Rep. Venise Wallace, Labor Rep. Teresa O'Neil, Intake Representative Kevin Thompson and PPOA attorneys to address and analyze COVID-19 issues impacting PPOA members.
Law Enforcement Technician Class Study
February 11: PPOA board and staff members met with representatives from the Sheriff's Department, County CEO's Office, Employee Relations and Personnel to discuss the ongoing Law Enforcement Technician classification study. The meeting was led by PPOA board member/Law Enforcement Technician (LET) Jim Blankenship. PPOA President Rhodes, Executive Director Quint and LASD Chief Eli Vera also participated. All parties agreed to meet again on February 25th to continue the class study discussion.

LET Class Study Background: Upon recommendation from the LET Labor Management Committee (a byproduct of contract negotiations between PPOA, County and LASD), the CEO Classification Division is conducting a review of the staffing and classification concept, standards and duties of LETs throughout the department. For more information about the study, click here to read "The Quest for Equality and Reform for LETs" by PPOA Board Member Jim Blankenship.
Acknowledging 70 Years of Representation
As PPOA celebrates its 70th anniversary, we want to acknowledge the generations of PPOA members who have helped move this union forward since its establishment in 1951. Here's a glance back at a few significant issues and personalities from the first year of service.

The first board meeting on record took place on December 5, 1951 and did not adjourn until 11:30 p.m. Original PPOA directors present at the meeting:
  • Bill Cobb, Chairman
  • Ward Agan
  • Earl Bernard
  • Paul Casey
  • Bob Hall
  • Don Jones
  • Les Keys
  • Tom Slack
  • Frank Aviani

Over the next few months, PPOA directors identified a list of issues affecting members and began fighting “the good fight” to resolve the following:
  • Prevent public employees from unfairly paying into Social Security
  • Establish a uniform allowance
  • Establish shooting pay
  • Establish a 40-hour work week
  • Amend Section 4850 of the Labor Code to include one year of full pay when injured in the line of duty

This list, while successfully resolved over the years for our sworn members, has provided the basis for some of the benefits to be extended to our non-sworn members. While times have changed, PPOA must put up the “good fight” on many resolved issues which remain in different forms. The current PPOA Board of Directors continues to address labor concerns and protect the benefits of its members, including such recent issues as:
  • Increases in uniform allowance
  • Job Duty and Classification Studies,
  • Expanding the scope of Section 4850 of the Labor Code to include our non-sworn members, and of course
  • Working conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic
End of Watch: January 2021
We extend sincere condolences to the families and friends of the following PPOA members who passed in January 2021:

Retired Sergeant John H. Smith
EOW: 1/3/21

Retired Sergeant Ruben Gracia
EOW: 1/8/21

Custody Assistant Richard Bowles
EOW: 1/11/21

Retired Deputy Frank McKay Jr.
EOW: 1/13/21

Retired Custody Assistant Charles Murray
EOW: 1/13/21

Retired Sergeant Joseph Castorina
EOW: 1/25/21

Retired Sergeant Donald Garcia
EOW: 1/26/21
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