PPOA Week in Review - Jan. 27, 2024

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Custody Assistant Heidi Ziebeck

1963—2024

We were sincerely saddened to learn of the off-duty death of Custody Assistant Heidi Ziebeck early this week. The 25-year Sheriff's Department veteran was assigned to Temple Station.

An update will be shared with PPOA members as further details become available.

California Coalition of Law Enforcement Associations Meeting, Press Conference and Legislative Reception

January 22: PPOA President Steve Johnson and Executive Director Wayne Quint Jr. joined fellow representatives of the California Coalition of Law Enforcement Associations (CCLEA) for a board meeting in Sacramento to discuss issues impacting public safety employees around the state.

Following the meeting, CCLEA members attended a press conference in support of Assembly Bill 1772, which would bring consequences back to retail theft. As most are aware, Prop. 47 decimated these consequences in 2014 and a number of efforts to restore order have failed to pass the Legislative Public Safety Committee in recent years.

In an impressive display of bipartisan support, the press conference for AB1772 brought together lawmakers from both sides of the political aisle, along with police chiefs, sheriffs and law enforcement labor leaders from all over the state. This crucial bill aims to recalibrate the balance between accountability and punishment for those engaging in multiple theft-related offenses.

CCLEA members also hosted their annual legislative reception, which provided labor leaders an opportunity to meet with senators and assembly members who author and vote on crucial legislation related to law enforcement.

CCLEA is the state’s largest law enforcement organization, representing more than 40 law enforcement associations and 150,000 peace officers. For more information, visit CCLEA.ORG

Four PPOA Board Members Approved as LA County Federation 'House of Labor' Representatives

January 22: The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO announced during its House of Labor meeting on Monday that it approved credentials designating PPOA President Steve Johnson and Board Members Kevin Ahsmuhs, Walter Arcos, and Luis Orozco as representatives to the Federation. This officially provides all four PPOA members with voting rights for House of Labor meetings going forward. The County Federation of Labor includes more than 300 unions, representing approximately 800,000 members.

Board Members Arcos and Orozco attended the meeting on behalf of PPOA.

PPOA Files Lawsuit Against Office of Inspector General

January 23: PPOA filed a verified Petition for Writ of Mandate and Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive relief against the Office of Inspector General (OIG), the County of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD).

The Writ of Mandate arises from a subpoena issued by the OIG on 12/19/2023 and served on the Sheriff of Los Angeles County on 01/02/2024, seeking confidential and protected information from PPOA members and other Sheriff's Department personnel. Specifically, the OIG is seeking the identity of LASD peace officers who exercised their constitutional right not to speak to an investigator during 2023 regarding potential criminal conduct occurring in the Department.

PPOA contends that the OIG continues to violate an Order by the Los Angeles County Employee Relations Commission (ERCOM) not to subpoena peace officers’ records until PPOA, the County and the OIG finish the mandated negotiations (meet and confer) over the nature and scope of the OIG subpoenas. PPOA and ALADS have already met with the County and the OIG on six occasions and are set to meet again in February.

This Writ of Mandate from PPOA seeks to stop the Sheriff’s Department from delivering, and the OIG from receiving, the subpoenaed records until we are able to complete the mandated meet and confer process.

PPOA sent an email to members about the lawsuit on the day it was filed (01/23/2024) and will continue to provide updates on the progress of this litigation.

Funeral for Custody Assistant Arturo Guzman

January 24: Family, friends and colleagues of Custody Assistant Arturo Guzman gathered at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier to pay final respects to the 49-year old dedicated public servant. Custody Assistant Guzman was assigned to IRC at the time of his passing and is survived by his wife and two children.

President Steve Johnson and 2nd Vice President Tony Coleman attended the memorial service on behalf of PPOA.

Fraternal Order of Police News Update

PPOA members have long benefitted from our affiliation with the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), the world's largest organization of law enforcement officers, with more than 368,000 members in more than 2,100 lodges nationwide. All active PPOA members are part of California FOP Lodge 1.

Important news regarding FOP membership for retired PPOA members: When a sworn PPOA member retires and wishes to reactivate his/her FOP member benefits, the following step must be taken: To reactivate your membership as a retired peace officer, you will need to pay FOP annual dues of $40 for 2024. To do so, please send an email to the FOP Lodge 1 Secretary at wmwestermann@sbcglobal.net

Please make it a point to check out Washington Watch — a weekly news update provided by the National FOP. We encourage PPOA members to stay up to date on the legislative news and activity impacting public safety personnel nationwide.

Click here to read this week's Washington Watch.