May 2012

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Volume 39 Issue 4 May 2012
annual
Heroes
Ride
and car show
Benefitting Fallen
Peace Officers &
Wounded Veterans
SEE PAGE 19
22
&
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StarShield
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L o s A n g e l e s C o u n t y P r o f e s s i o n al P e ac e O f f i c e r s A s s o c i at i o n
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STRAUSSNER s SHERMAN
We have devoted ourselves and our staff
to providing the highest level of personal
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Our emphasis is primarily on
• Workers’ Compensation
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Please contact Aaron or Julie
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
188 E. Arrow Highway
San Dimas, CA 91773
(323) 261-3010 | (800) 747-PPOA
Fax (909) 480-3011
(e-mail) [email protected]
(web page) www.ppoa.com
POPA Federal Credit Union
(800) 369-7672 | www.popafcu.org
Fall from Grace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Invest in Protection, Take a Vacation, Avoid Paycheck
Deception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
First Amendment vs. Political Correctness . . . . . . . 6
Do You Rely on Others to Fight the Good Fight? . . . . 7
C/A Battle for Recognition Continues . . . . . . . . . . 8
Star & Shield is the official publication of the Los Angeles
County Professional Peace Officers Association (PPOA).
Opinions expressed by individual board members or
contributing authors in this publication do not necessarily
reflect the opinions of the entire Board.
The Board of Directors meets on the second Wednesday
of each month in the PPOA offices at 10:00 a.m.
Star & Shield subscription: $12.00
PPOA Attends Legislative Hearing on Pensions . . . . 13
Executive Editor: Brian Moriguchi
LASD Retiree Roundup 2012 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Rookies Roost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Owning Real Estate as Joint Tenants
with Your Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Schedule Changes — What You Should Know . . . . . 16
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
How Long Would You Last Without Your Income? . . . 17
Brian Moriguchi, President
Jim Cronin, Vice President
JIM BLANKENSHIP, Secretary
Rogelio Maldonado, Treasurer
California Peace Officers’ Memorial Foundation . . . . 18
DIRECTORS
Danya Hazen
Tony Romo
TAB RHODES
ART REDDY
David vidal
Gerardo Garcia
JIM SCHALLERT
2012 STANDING COMMITTEES
ASSOCIATIONS
Chairman Moriguchi
DELEGATES
Chairman CRONIN
FINANCE
Chairman MALDONADO
INSURANCE
Chairman Moriguchi
LEGISLATIVE
Chairman REDDY
MEMBERSHIP
Chairwoman Hazen
612 NEGOTIATIONS
Chairman Moriguchi
614 Negotiations
Chairman VIDAL
621 NEGOTIATIONS
Chairman BLANKENSHIP
631 NEGOTIATIONS
Chairman MACHIAN
632 Negotiations
Chairman Kades
RETIREE LIAISON
Chairman REDDY
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For Advertising call
(818) 848-6397
Follow LAPPOA
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on Facebook
PPOA Online Store:
www.poastore.com
Annual Heroes Ride and Car Show . . . . . . . . . . . 19
6th Annual Peace Officer
Memorial Golf Tournament . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
PPOA AFFILIATIONS
Southern California Alliance
of Law Enforcement (SCALE)
California Coalition of
Law Enforcement Associations (CCLEA)
International Foundation
of Employee Benefit Plans
Los Angeles County Organization of Police
and Sheriffs (LACOPS)
Public Employees Staff Organization (PESO)
Fraternal Order of Police (FOP)
National Conference of Public Employee Retirement Systems
California Peace Officer Memorial Foundation
PPOA STAFF MEMBERS
PAUL K. ROLLER, Executive Director
SANDRA BRYANT, Administrative Assistant
CLARE FRANCO, Administrative Assistant
NORMA GOMEZ, Administrative Assistant
TERESA MACHADO, Intake Representative
VIOLET PEREZ, Administrative Assistant
MARLYNE RINALDI, Sr. Labor Representative
GREG TORRES, Public Relations Coordinator
Mark Vidal, Media Assistant
MARICELA VILLEGAS, Sr. Administrative Assistant
JIM VOGTS, Legislative Representative
VENISE WALLACE, Sr. Labor Representative
may 2012 | Star&Shield
3
Fall from Grace
W
Brian Moriguchi
PPOA President
Lieutenant, LASD
[email protected]
Regardless of how
you feel about upper
management …
you should be proud
to work for the Los
Angeles County
Sheriff’s Department.
4
Star&Shield | may 2012
hen I joined the Los Angeles County
Sheriff ’s Department 27 years ago, I
had great respect for this Department.
I did my research and compared
various law enforcement agencies and concluded that
LASD was the very best out there. It was an honor as
I stood at attention during my Academy graduation
ceremony eagerly waiting to pin on my badge and go
10-8. I was beaming with pride.
The reputation of LASD has been tarnished
lately with the numerous scandals and allegations of
corruption. But this was not surprising to many as
increasing rumors spread about abuses of power within
the Department for many years. It was the gossip
around the water cooler, so to speak: coverups, pay-toplay campaign contributions, favoritism. Promotions
became more about who you know rather than what
you know. The Code of Ethics (which, by the way, is a
very good code of ethics) became a mockery to many
employees. Words on a piece of paper that lost their
meaning. It seems every day (or at least every other
day) we read articles in the newspaper or on Internet
websites condemning our Department or exposing
alleged corruption or misconduct. Is this an anomaly
or the result of years of abuse?
With the apparent fall from grace of the oncemighty Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Department,
how do I feel about the Department today? Without
hesitation, I still love this Department and I still
believe it is the best law enforcement agency in the
world! How can I say that with all the problems we
are facing today, you ask? Easy. When I joined the
Department, I based my opinion on the reputation
of the rank and file, the cops doing police work. Back
in the day, the deputies who patrolled the streets
provided the best service in the areas they patrolled.
LASD had the best detectives. It had the best SWAT
team (SEB). THAT HAS NOT CHANGED TODAY.
This Department’s greatness comes from the men
and women who pound the streets, who investigate
crime and who respond to emergencies. It comes from
supervisors who allow our deputies to do their jobs
the right way, who lead by example and who put in
extra hours to get the job done. It comes from C/As,
LETs, security officers, crime lab technicians and other
civilian employees who work hard every day and do so
in the most professional manner. I am proud of them
and proud to work alongside them to provide the best
public safety possible.
Regardless of how you feel about upper management
(and I have made no attempt to hide my feelings about
SOME managers), you should be proud to work for
the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Department. I am. I
will also say that I have a great deal of respect for many
upper managers, past and present, who have dealt with
the difficulties of staying true to their ethics under lessthan-favorable conditions. It was sad seeing so many
leave our Department frustrated with the internal
politics, but we will survive and we will continue to be
the best law enforcement agency in the world thanks to
each and every one of you.
PENSION REFORM
The fight to protect our pensions continues. We
have been meeting with state legislators and working
with the other unions to protect our hard-earned
pensions. On Friday, April 13, 2012, PPOA Executive
Director Paul Roller, PPOA Lobbyist Jim Vogts,
PPOA Public Relations Coordinator Greg Torres and
I attended the Legislative Conference Committee on
Public Employee Pensions hearing in Chino, California.
This was the fourth hearing by this committee. This
hearing focused on ’37 Act retirement systems (L.A.
County is a ’37 Act county and LACERA falls under
this description). LACERA Executive Director Gregg
Rademacher testified before the committee outlining
LACERA’s functionality and effectiveness. When
Senator Joe Simitian asked about past testimony by
a League of Cities representative asking for legislation
to “guide” cities in pension matters, Mr. Rademacher
commented that L.A. County has made many of the
reforms being talked about today through negotiations
between the County and the unions. There is no need
to legislate this matter. We agree wholeheartedly.
Preceding the committee hearing, we held a press
conference with the Californians for Retirement
Security, a coalition of organizations (including
PPOA) committed to protecting public employee
pensions. There are so many untruths being circulated
about pensions. We need to reach out to everyone
and educate them about our pensions. I encourage
all PPOA members to talk freely about their pensions
with anyone who will listen. Tell them you pay into
your pensions. Tell them 80 percent of your pension
is funded by employees and investments. Tell them
the unfunded liability amounts being touted are
fabricated and based on an unrealistic liability
if every government employee retired today. Go
to www.letstalkpensions.com to learn more about
pension facts and truths.
Also, I want to thank all the retirees who helped
PPOA raise funds for our PAC to fight against pension
continued on page 11
Invest in Protection, Take a
Vacation, Avoid Paycheck
Deception
Paul K. Roller
PPOA Executive Director
[email protected]
The Stop Special
Interest Money Now
Act is designed by our
enemies to destroy our
political power and
the power of EVERY
union in the state of
California.
PPOA INSURANCE AGENCY
he PPOA Insurance Agency is no longer on
the horizon. Rather, it is officially up and
running! It is the intent of the PPOA Board
of Directors and President Brian Moriguchi to
provide PPOA members with a full-service insurance
agency. In other words, one that can provide for ANY
insurance need our members have — and the new
PPOA agency can do just that. PPOA Insurance has
life, home, auto, boat, cancer, disability and any other
insurance products that you need to take care of your
family and your possessions. It is our desire to make
PPOA Insurance an integral part of your financial
well-being, just as the POPA Credit Union is an
integral part of all your banking needs.
The new PPOA Insurance Agency has a managing
benefits coordinator at its head and eight more associate
benefits coordinators on board — all dedicated to
providing PPOA members with the best advice and
products to fulfill every insurance need that you and
your family may have. Many of these products will be
available through payroll deduction, and all of them
were handpicked by the agency for their value, their
competitiveness and the benefits they provide.
Our insurance agency’s benefits coordinators will be
available at all hours at the PPOA office in San Dimas,
at scheduled site visits throughout the County and by
appointment in your home or any other location that
you choose. In addition, our casualty insurance office
and website (www.ppoia.com) are available at all times
by phone or the web.
It is PPOA’s desire to provide true benefits
coordinators — in other words, to provide our members
with advice and counseling — in professionals who are
not there just to make a sale. Our benefits coordinators
will tell you if you have all your insurance bases
covered. That is their first job — to protect you and
your family and your possessions. If you have already
done a good job with that, they will congratulate you
and move on. If, on the other hand, you still have
unmet insurance needs, they will provide you with
options for products that will fit your budget and your
family’s requirements.
PPOA’s new agency has its own offices in the PPOA
building and its own website. You can call them at
(909) 599-8627, call the PPOA office or access them
through PPOA’s website to get in touch with a benefits
coordinator. We believe it will be a pleasurable and
beneficial experience for all PPOA members.
T
TAKE YOUR VACATION
No, I am not trying to force you to take your vacation
before the end of the year (I am not your supervisor)
or to interfere with your future retirement plans. I am
trying to help you save your life. Researchers have
consistently found that people who take their vacations
every year are healthier, happier and less likely to have
a heart attack. Since we are entering the traditional
vacation season (summer through the holidays), it
seems like a good time to remind you to take a
vacation this year.
We are lucky in L.A. County; we have negotiated
a good vacation benefit. While governments in other
countries require anywhere from 21 to 35 days of
vacation per year to be given to employees, in the
U.S. no such law exists. The average number of days
given for vacation in the United States is nine days and
over 25 percent of Americans get no vacation days at
all. So our 10 to 20 days in L.A. is a great benefit by
comparison, and at least some of it should be used
every year for the following reasons.
Research shows that people who regularly take
vacations are generally healthier than people who
don’t, that they are less likely to have heart attacks,
report lower levels of stress and depression and may
even be happier in their marriages. A 2000 report
in the Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine found that
infrequent vacationers had a 20 percent higher risk of
dying from any cause and a 50 percent higher risk of
dying from a heart attack.
Stress, of course, is a major factor in heart attacks and
also contributes to high blood pressure and numerous
other maladies, from the common cold to cancer.
The “fight or flight” reaction caused by stress creates
a buildup of the hormones cortisol and epinephrine,
speeding up the heart rate and raising blood pressure.
After the threat, these levels should all go down, but
chronic stress keeps the hormones and blood pressure
high all the time, which creates havoc in your immune
and cardiovascular systems. Vacationing is a good way
to break the stress cycle.
The phenomenon of burnout — i.e., the
psychological strain caused by continuous stress that
leads to physical, emotional and mental exhaustion
— is reduced by taking vacations as well, and burnout
seems to remain reduced weeks after taking a vacation.
The research shows that time off is medicine and that
continued on page 12
may 2012 | Star&Shield
5
First Amendment vs. Political
Correctness: Who’s Winning?
L
Jim Blankenship
PPOA Board Secretary
Law Enforcement Tech, LASD
[email protected]
Free speech,
guaranteed to all
Americans under the
First Amendment,
is on its way to
becoming moot.
6
Star&Shield | may 2012
ast month, I got into an interesting debate
with a friend over free speech. The debate
started over derogatory comments made
about Whitney Houston on February 14 by
a couple of local radio talk show hosts. The shock
jocks talked about Houston’s past drug problems, at
one point saying she was “cracked out for 20 years”
and that she was a “crack ho.” The comments did not
go unnoticed as people and special interest groups
were angered and demanded the duo be pulled from
the airwaves for their insensitive and inappropriate
comments. Eventually, the radio station suspended
the two radio personalities stating, “Management
does not condone, support or tolerate statements of
this kind.”
Now, I will tell you that over the years, these same
shock jocks have made much worse or “shocking”
statements about other people and other issues.
That’s a big part of the reason their show is so
popular. Through the years, this radio station has
tolerated such vitriolic talk. The pair often rails
against taxes and illegal immigration; they criticize
the governor and politicians, often giving out the
phone numbers of politicians to get their followers
to bombard these people with phone calls over
certain issues. And while they have their loyal
followers, they have an equal amount of enemies
and special interest groups condemning their views.
The debate started over my friend making the
comment that these shock jocks' comments are not
politically correct and have no place in our society.
I responded back by telling my friend that while she
may not agree with what was said, it was free speech
protected by the First Amendment, and that I felt
political correctness shouldn’t be used as an excuse
in this matter. Was Whitney Houston a great singer?
Yes, she was. Was she addicted to narcotics? Yes,
she was. These are facts, not rumors, but in the end
people’s feelings were hurt. Was this nothing more
than an inconvenient truth?
Under the guise of being sensitive to “feelings,”
political correctness has succeeded in effectively
censoring any uncomfortable “truths” that do not
comport with liberal thinking.
In my opinion, political correctness is nothing
more than an approved form of censorship. Based
on emotional appeals at the expense of reason,
political correctness mandates that inconvenient
truths or facts be swept under the carpet or else.
I am realizing more and more that truth and
common sense are being suspended. People are
afraid to comment on issues, fearing the backlash
of political correctness agents. A person dares not
speak out against an issue — worrying if they do,
they will be portrayed as some kind of evil or meanspirited person. It’s OK for someone to publicly
reveal one’s breasts on TV, but make a comment
on illegal immigration and you’re labeled a racist.
People are starting to think the best course of action
is inaction. This is what political correctness wants
you to believe. They want to keep everyone scared
and thinking that there is nothing that can be done
or said.
A lot of people are now afraid to express their
opinion, have a different perspective or disagree
with what’s going on for fear of being labeled as
a troublemaker.
Free speech, guaranteed to all Americans under
the First Amendment, is on its way to becoming
moot. The political media, special interest groups
and intellectual elites seem to be controlling the
terms of debate and the rules of civil society. These
groups have succeeded in censoring opposing views,
limiting debate and demonizing dissent.
I will remind you that when we are at work we
still have to abide by the Department’s policies,
and we can’t always freely and openly express our
opinions. When we’re on the clock representing the
Department, we have expectations to meet and we
can’t always express our dissatisfaction publicly.
However, when you’re off-duty, don’t be afraid to
speak your mind — our First Amendment is clear.
There is no mention of political correctness at all.
We must speak honestly, balanced with respect to
communicate the truth of our situation. This can be
done with respect for ourselves and others.
What political correctness really comes down to
is an excuse for lacking personal responsibility. The
Constitution grants the right to free speech but does
not remove the consequences of how we choose to
use it. With freedom comes responsibility.
The real correctness, ladies and gentlemen, is in our
ability to express the truth and stand up for ourselves.
Until next time, stay safe, my friends.
P.S.: If you don’t agree with my view, that’s
OK. I may not agree with you, but I respect your
opinion.
Do You Rely on Others to Fight
the Good Fight?
L
Tab Rhodes
PPOA Board Member
Sergeant, LASD
[email protected]
We can no longer
sit on the couch and
expect our unions to
do the fighting for us.
ike many LASD employees, I always relied
on my union to fight the good fight on my
behalf. I really didn’t pay a lot of attention
to what they did or why they did it. I felt
the main reason they were there was to provide
representation in case I got in trouble. After serving
on the PPOA Board for a few months, I now realize
just how important it is to get involved in the
union’s activities. Their role far exceeds that of just
employee representation in grievance processes.
They fight for our very jobs, our salaries, our
benefits, our pensions.
With the downturn in the economy, we (public
employees) have become the target of many groups
and politicians as the scapegoats for all the financial
problems facing our country. Unions are reviled
as more and more non-union employees find
themselves laid off and without a job. Pensions
become an easy target as the stock market depletes
the savings of private sector retirees, forcing them
back to work.
GET INVOLVED! The unions cannot fight this
on their own. If you haven’t done so already, please
consider payroll deducting any amount of your
paycheck to the PPOA Political Action Committee
(PAC), which is used to give us a voice in politics.
Just call PPOA and they will walk you through the
process. Give up one Starbucks coffee each week
and let PPOA put that money to good use. It is in
your self-interest.
Your PPOA Board members are briefed every
Board meeting by President Brian Moriguchi and
Executive Director Paul Roller about legislation
affecting our pensions. The most critical right now
is the ballot initiative that has qualified for the
November ballot known as Stop Special Interest
Money Now. At first glance, it appears to be a
reasonable initiative — stop the payroll deductions
for political contributions by unions AND
corporations. Only one problem: CORPORATIONS
DON’T PAYROLL DEDUCT FOR POLITICAL
CONTRIBUTIONS! Only unions payroll deduct
political contributions. This is a thinly masked
initiative intended to destroy unions and take away
our pensions and collective bargaining rights.
Don’t be fooled by this initiative. Probably more
importantly, tell all your friends and family to
vote against this initiative. As I said before, GET
INVOLVED!
We can no longer sit on the couch and expect our
unions to do the fighting for us. Of course, they will
fight for us, but this is a fight that we all must get
involved in. Together, we can defeat this attack, but
we must be united. If we don’t unite, we will fail and
we will have nobody to blame but ourselves. You can
get involved in different ways:
• Make a payroll deduction to the PPOA PAC.
• Tell all your friends and family to vote
against any pension reform bills.
• Tell your friends and family to vote against
the Stop Special Interest Money Now ballot
initiative.
• Give PPOA your personal e-mail address so
they can send you important notices AND
then forward those notices to everyone you
know.
So what is my message for this article? You got it.
GET INVOLVED!
Attention PPOA Members
We need your personal (non-LASD) e-mail address! If you have not received an
e-mail blast from PPOA in the last six months (we've sent a handful), that means: 1. Your e-mail address is not on file with PPOA, or,
2. We have only your LASD-provided e-mail address (which is regularly blocked from
receiving PPOA e-mail blasts).
Either way, we need your personal (non-LASD) e-mail address so that we can disseminate
important news to you as quickly as possible. Please e-mail your address to [email protected]
and reference “e-mail updates” in the subject line.
may 2012 | Star&Shield
7
C/A Battle for Recognition
Continues
I
Danya Hazen
PPOA Board Member
Custody Assistant, LASD
[email protected]
The battle is not
over, and we are still
working on getting
the recognition we
deserve.
8
Star&Shield | may 2012
hope you all read the article that PPOA President
Brian Moriguchi wrote last month. It showed
that the battle is not over, and we are still
working on getting the recognition we deserve.
It is hard to believe that our own members would try
to sabotage our efforts, but I guess that’s life.
On March 30, we had a class of 20 custody
assistants graduate from the Academy and as of
now, another class has been scheduled for April.
The Orange County Sheriff ’s Department is in a
court battle regarding correctional services assistants
(CSAs) in the jails. Sheriff Sandra Hutchens testified
in court as to the value of allowing this new group to
work in custody and the cost-saving factors as well.
Judge Franz E. Miller declined to eliminate the CSA
classification but ordered the County to negotiate
with the Association of Orange County Deputy
Sheriffs. The issue is hiring civilians to work in the
jails formerly staffed by sworn personnel. To date,
they have 140 CSAs working in the jails. I am stating
a new classification, but the reality is they have been
preparing for this position since 2008. It is clear that
other police agencies recognize the value of civilian
jailers. So should LASD!
If you haven’t already looked into buying time for
your retirement, please check into it. This is a huge
benefit. I hear a lot of people say it is expensive.
The younger you are, the cheaper it is, and once it
is taken away, we won’t get it back. It is one to five
years that you can add on to your retirement.
Everything is up for grabs at this point.
Remember, money is very important to everyone.
The Board of Supervisors holds the pot of gold.
The sheriff can ask for the world, but the Board
of Supervisors has to approve it and then give up
the money.
One of PPOA’s ‘Original’ Members
Pens True Crime Story
Retired member Harold White stopped by
the PPOA office last month with a book
clutched under his arm. Nothing special
about that, right? Retirees do like to read,
after all. But this wasn’t just any book — it
was HIS book. Whitey’s Career Case is White’s
personal account of his investigation into
one of L.A.’s most notorious serial killers. But
there’s more to the story of Harold White. In
fact, he holds a special status among PPOA
retirees. White was one of the original
PPOA members when this association was
established more than 60 years ago! He
joined the Sheriff’s Department in 1946 and
became a member of PPOA as soon as it
was formed in 1951. He eventually retired
as a Captain in 1976. He is now 91 years
old and still healthy and charismatic. Plus,
he has two published books under his belt
(including his autobiography, titled Whitey)
and that makes him pretty cool in our
book. Whitey’s Career Case is available on
Retired Capt. Harold White paid a visit to Amazon.com in paperback and for Kindles.
PPOA last month and brought a copy of You should buy a copy or two.
his book with him. Whitey’s Career Case is
available online.
Rookies Roost
By Robert Lindsey (LASD ret.)
A
s the new year reaches the second quarter and I count only 240
days until Christmas, I close my eyes and wonder how time can
cheat me like this.
I missed the Laughlin Roundup because pneumonia
rounded me down to a horizontal state; however, as with every obstacle,
there is a silver lining and it gave me time to realize how important our
health is to us. I was just blessed with a second grandchild, which makes
me wonder why they put “grand” in front of “dad” and not “happy,” or
“gonna-be-broke,” or “I’ll-never-see-my-wife-again” or “can-you-hold-thebaby-while-I-have-a-nervous-breakdown?” dad. However, what a blessing
to be called granddad, and we are certainly proud to be able to watch my
daughter begin to deal with parenthood. Many of us retirees bask in the
reality that the grandkids — God love them — get to go home when we get
tired. Now that I am upright again, I plan to take advantage of every day to
its fullest, and I hope you are doing the same.
I am amazed at the number of friends and just special people I met in
my 33 years of service. What amazes me more are all of the amazing people
I didn’t meet that have blessed our Department with many years of service
themselves. Please continue to send me information regarding what’s
happening in your life, and I will certainly make every effort to share it.
Sergeant Donald Harand, enjoying retirement since 1987, found
another meaning of the word “retire.” For the 15 years following retirement,
he worked FAA Security and ultimately managed the Asian Pacific office.
As if that wasn’t enough, he then transferred to TSA in 2002 as deputy
director of McCarren International Airport. Donald continues to do
aviation security consulting in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. In
Donald’s own words, the best job he ever had was “wearing the badge of a
deputy sheriff.” Well said, Donald.
Often, we talk about leaving a legacy. I am not sure if I left a legacy, but I
likely got halfway there by leaving my leg. More so, many of us can be proud
we didn’t grab a leg. In the case of Homicide Sergeant Charles Leffler, this
is a man who completed the mission and did leave a legacy. When you have
a career that shines and you shine with it, others pay attention and want to
emulate exactly that. You set the stage for others’ futures and their future
successes. Charles, if nobody else has told you, I will: Thanks for making
us better, stronger and more vibrant. It is no mistake but rather destiny that
you have three sons in law enforcement and a grandson who started the
Academy last year and who is now likely well on his way. You have police
presence from your family in Whittier and LASD, and you don’t stop there.
Thank your granddaughter for serving LASD as a crime analyst, as they
make such a difference to all of us in patrol.
Lieutenant Gary Helton of the district attorney’s office is a man of few
words. But he and Lieutenant Larry Landreth both wrote to us to state
that they like to travel. Well, happy trails, gentlemen. And Larry, I hope
when you say you enjoy fishing, it’s not diving for balls in the golf course
pond like I do.
Lieutenant Charles “Buck” Custer retired in 1983 and now leads an
absolutely amazing life. You need to write us and tell us more about how
we can witness the Civil War re-enactments in or near Orlando, Florida. I
was just there and had I known, I could have not only said hi but enjoyed
watching history unfold before my very eyes in a way that would serve me
to remember how fortunate we are to be Americans. Your title of ordnance
sergeant with Co. E, 2nd Florida Volunteer Infantry, Confederate States
Army is a mouthful and simply makes me wonder the types of ordnance
you must deal with. You have traveled 49 of the 50 states and I have to
say your not mentioning the one you missed is leaving me with sleepless
nights. I would have guessed Alaska, but since you have traversed Dalton
Highway, I presume I lose. Congrats on the success of your four sons and
daughter.
Sergeant John Kocis, following 32 years of exemplary service, is in the
final stages of writing his memoirs, titled My Life as a Lawman, scheduled
to be published in 2012. I am sure it will provide a real, live look down
memory lane. John, I can see how you can really get in the frame of mind
to reminisce and record and share while you sit in that beautiful home near
Lake Arrowhead. Keep us posted and we will look for it on bookshelves
everywhere and Amazon.com.
Former Marshal and Lieutenant John Davis: Thank you for writing
and sharing. I mentioned my two grandkids, both of whom are definitely
special, but you are an overachiever. Five grandchildren and three greatgrandchildren make me look like a real rookie. The game is on. I’m sending
all my kids for that in vitro stuff because I have some serious catching up to
do. Europe, Canada, Mexico and much of the USA are now your stomping
ground. I would imagine with your “in the days” East Los Angeles Station
experience, these other places are a virtual playground. Enjoy, John.
Until next time, God bless and remember what is valued most in life as
the world seems to be changing rapidly. Stay active, stay involved, stay in
touch and stay safe.
2012 Professional Peace Officers
Charitable Foundation Events
PPOA’s Charitable Foundation plans
to host a handful of exciting events
this year, and we would be honored
to have you join us as a volunteer,
entrant or simply a supporter. All
funds raised will benefit those
truly in need, including families of
fallen officers. Announcements for
the events below will be published
in future issues of Star & Shield.
Please let us know if you would like
to help the Foundation plan any
of these worthy causes by calling
(323) 261-3010.
• Poker Tournament
• Motorcycle Ride & Car Show
• Cigar Night
• Casino Turnaround Trip
The Professional Peace Officers Charitable Foundation is
a 501(c)(3) charity organization. Tax ID #95-4752410.
may 2012 | Star&Shield
9
Retiree Events
Former L.A. Deputy Sheriffs in Texas Annual Luncheon
May 19, 2012
Shriefer Residence, Katy, Texas
Info: Dan Castillo, [email protected]
Retired Marshals Lunch
June 6, 2012
Hoff's Hut, Buena Park
McArthur Reunion
June 17-22, 2012
Inter-Mountain Fairgrounds, McArthur
Open to all retirees, all classifications, all L.A. County departments.
Stay in an RV, a tent or a local motel.
Golf, horseshoes, cards, potluck, fishing and lie swapping.
Retired Marshals Lunch
July 11, 2012
Johhny Reb's, Bellflower
Lynwood Station Reunion
Possibly in September or October 2012
Maggie's Pub, Santa Fe Springs
If you are interested, please e-mail Al Garcia at
[email protected].
9th Annual PPOA Retiree Luncheon
October 3, 2012
Sheraton Fairplex, Pomona
Further details TBA
Lakewood ROMEOs Luncheons
Second Monday of each month
Los Angeles Retired Deputy Sheriffs (LARDS)
Second Monday of each month
Bella Italia Restaurant, San Gabriel (across from Northwoods Inn)
11:30 a.m./$10.00
Wuzz Fuzz/Victor Valley
Second Tuesday of each month
Hometown Buffet, Victorville
7:30 a.m.
Retired D.A. Investigators Lunch
First Wednesday of each month
Frantone’s, 10808 Alondra Boulevard, Cerritos
11:00 a.m.
Info:Wes English, (714) 962-5862
Inland Empire Old Guys
First Wednesday of each month
B.C. Café, Rancho Cucamonga
11:30 a.m.
Info:Dock Parnell, (909) 981-6217
L.A. County Retired Deputies
First Wednesday of each month
Carrows, Hesperia
11:00 a.m.
10
Star&Shield | may 2012
Desert Heat Lunch
Second Wednesday of each month
Elks Club, Lake Havasu
The Motherlode Loafers
Second Wednesday of each month
Location varies among Grass Valley restaurants
Info: [email protected]
Retired Deputies in Las Vegas
Third Wednesday of each month
Blue Ox Tavern on Sahara
12:00 p.m.
Info:Tony Silas, (702) 251-8088
Compton Alumni Association
Third Wednesday of each month
Crystal Hotel & Casino
12:00 p.m.
North County SEB Retirees Breakfast
Third Wednesday of each month
IHOP, Santa Clarita
Santa Clarita Area Retired Sheriff’s
Personnel Quarterly Luncheon
Second Thursday in February, May, August and November
Tournament Players Club restaurant, Valencia
11:30 a.m.
Info:[email protected]
Firestone Station Retirees Lunch
(Others welcome, too)
Fourth Thursday of each month
11:00 a.m.
Maggie’s Pub, Santa Fe Springs
Info:[email protected] or
Jack at [email protected]
Whom to Call at PPOA...
Discount Tickets, Address
Updates, Non-Job-Related
Legal Consultation:
Call Violet Perez
Disability, Insurance
Benefits:
Call Norma Gomez
Membership, Dues
Deductions:
Call Clare Franco
Job-Related Labor
Representation:
Call Teresa Machado
Free Notary Services:
Call Maricela Villegas
Star & Shield, PPOA.com,
Social Media:
Call Greg Torres
Board and Foundation
Inquiries, Political Action:
Call Sandi Bryant
(323) 261-3010
Moriguchi
continued from page 4
reform. It was a great pleasure talking with so many retirees at the Retiree
Roundup in Laughlin. These retirees understand the importance of defending
our pensions and keeping LACERA healthy so it can take care of all of us in
our retirement years.
PPOA INSURANCE AGENCY — GRAND OPENING
It has been a great honor serving as your PPOA president for the past three
years. When I was elected, I vowed to make PPOA more customer service
oriented. Part of that mission was the creation of the PPOA Insurance Agency
to provide a full spectrum of insurance for our members. Our vision was to
conduct research on the best insurance available, create a one-stop shop for
all our members’ insurance needs and ensure that the members’ needs were
the top priority, not agents’ commissions. It has taken several years, but it was
important that we did things right before rolling it out. I am proud to announce
that the PPOA Insurance Agency is fully operational as of May 1, 2012! Look
for a PPOA Insurance Agency representative at your unit of assignment in
the near future or call them at (909) 599-8627. In addition, we will continue
to send out benefits coordinators to assist members (and non-members) with
wills and trusts, mortgages and other financial matters. Our goal is to provide
services that help you with personal as well as professional matters.
PPOA SCHOLARSHIPS
With the rising cost of education, your PPOA Board of Directors has
authorized a new benefit for our members and their children — scholastic
scholarships! This year, we will be awarding up to $12,500 in scholarships to
help offset the rising cost of higher education. Applications will be available
on the PPOA website in May 2012. There are basically two categories for
scholarships: First, academic scholarships will be awarded to up to 10 children
of active or retired members who are seeking, or already attending, college.
Second, a scholarship award is also available to any active member who is
furthering their education for career enhancement. Sheriff Baca has always
put an emphasis on education with the creation of the LASD University, but
the cost can sometimes be prohibitive during these tough economic times. It
is with great pride that PPOA provides scholarships to help our members and
their families deal with the rising cost of education. In time, it is my hope to
expand this scholarship program to provide even more financial assistance to
our members.
You will find more information about the PPOA Insurance Agency and the
PPOA scholarships elsewhere in this issue of Star & Shield.
PPOA Scholarships Available
to Members and Dependents
The PPOA Board of Directors is proud
to announce the establishment of an
annual scholarship program for our
membership and their dependents.
This program includes one (1) $2,500
scholarship and nine (9) $1,000
scholarships for dependents of PPOA
members, as well as one (1) $1,000 scholarship for active
PPOA members seeking to further their college education.
Applications and criteria are available at www.ppoa.com.
Scholarship submission deadline is June 1, 2012.
In Honor of the Men and Women Who Serve and Protect our Cities
Maher Al-Bouz, D.D.S.
Grand Opening of the Center for Snoring and CPAP Intolerance;
Wednesday, May 16th 5:00 – 8:00pm in the San Dimas office.
Refreshments and Dinner included. Live Demonstration. Free
Screening for Snoring & Sleep Apnea for PPOA Members!
• Biodentistry
• Comprehensive Dental & Emergency Care
• Lumineer & Traditional Veneers
• Invisalign
• Bonding & Tooth-Colored Fillings
• All dental specialists under one roof
639 E. Foothill Blvd., Suite A
San Dimas, CA 91773
22062 Ventura Blvd.
Woodland Hills, CA 91364
(909) 599-2029
(818) 676-1485
www.clddentistry.com
Delta, Anthem Blue Cross and Most Insurance Plans Accepted.
*Special pricing for all services not covered under insurance.
Financing Available
• Root Canal Therapy
• Dentures & Partials
• Crowns & Bridges
• Orthodontics
• Pediatric Dentistry
• Dental Implants
• Snoring &TMJ Treatment
FREE
ZOOM!
Teeth Whitening for
Law Enforcement
personnel and
their families.
(two per household)
may 2012 | Star&Shield
11
Roller
continued from page 5
an annual vacation can help cut the risk of disease, stress and burnout. So
save some of that vacation for a rainy day or to help pay for your retirement,
but also be sure to take some of it every year. Your health and well-being may
depend on it.
STOP SPECIAL INTEREST MONEY NOW ACT
On the horizon on the November ballot is an initiative that could
destroy everything that PPOA has worked for over the past 60 years. The
Stop Special Interest Money Now (SSIMN) Act is designed by our enemies
to destroy our political power and the power of EVERY union in the state
of California. I know we have discussed this issue before in these pages and
we will again. It is just too important to all our members not to discuss it
again and again until the November election.
Also known as “paycheck deception” or “corporate deception,” the
SSIMN Act purports to take union and corporate money out of statewide
politics by stopping payroll deductions that are used for political purposes.
Sounds fair, right? NO, because corporations do not make political
contributions from payroll deductions, only unions do. The initiative
would stop PPOA’s ability to fight off any future initiative that would take
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away your rights, salary or benefits as a public employee. It would also take
away any money that PPOA and other unions could use to try to overturn
this act in the future, but does NOT stop political contributions from
corporations or businesses.
In other words, ALL California public safety unions and indeed all
California unions, both public and private, view Stop Special Interest
Money Now as Armageddon or the end of our political influence in
California. Some of you may say, “Good — I don’t agree with the political
stands my association takes,” but that is extremely shortsighted! PPOA’s
political influence has led directly to the election of numerous officials
over the years; the Peace Officers Bill of Rights; collective bargaining in
California; 4850 time and workers’ compensation presumptions for cancer,
blood-borne pathogens and airborne pathogens; the LACERA pension
plans; retiree health care; and many other laws that directly benefit our
members (too numerous to mention). It is not an exaggeration to say that
if the SSIMN Act passes, our enemies will take away our political money in
2013 through this act, and in 2014 they will take away our pensions!
If all this happens to sound familiar, it is. The same thing was tried
in 2005 as Prop. 75 and in 1998 as Prop. 226. We collectively beat those
two propositions, but a great winning percentage is not good enough
because we only have to lose on this issue once to be out of California
politics. We all know about the uproar over public employee pensions.
Right now, over 10 percent of our fellow Californians are out of a job
and many more have lost salary or benefits. These folks are angry with
the salary and benefits of public employees. We are going to have to
work harder this year than in 1998 and 2005 to defeat this initiative. I
am asking for your help to do so.
PPOA has always been a leader among peace officer associations
when it comes to California politics, and those efforts have paid off
handsomely in salary and benefits. Don’t let our enemies silence our
voice. Vote no on Stop Special Interest Money Now in November.
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12
Star&Shield | may 2012
Legislation
PPOA Attends Legislative Hearing on Pensions O
n April 13, 2012, the California State Legislature’s Conference
Committee on Public Employee Pensions held its fourth
committee hearing at Chaffey College in Chino, California.
The topic of this hearing was “Pension Reform and ’37 Act
Retirement Systems — Exploring Issues Unique to Those Systems.” The
hearing was co-chaired by Senator Gloria Negrete McLeod (D-Chino)
and Assembly Member Warren Furutani (D-Gardena). Other state
legislators on the committee include Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo
Alto), Senator Mimi Walters (R-Laguna Nigel), Assembly Member
Jim Silva (R-Huntington Beach) and Assembly Member Michael Allen
(D-Santa Rosa).
Testimony covered an overview of the ’37 Act Retirement System,
compensation issues including pension spiking and the Ventura
decision and creative plan designs. LACERA Executive Director Gregg
Rademacher testified before the committee regarding L.A. County’s
General Plan E.
There were many labor groups represented as well as individual
schoolteachers, law enforcement and other public employees, many of
whom asked the committee not to decimate public employee pension
systems. At times, the meeting was contentious among the legislators as
political posturing reared its ugly head. Senator Mimi Walters expressed
her dismay and accused other
committee members of working
on side deals with the unions.
Several of the other committee
members fired back stating that
no backdoor deals have been
struck and that the committee
will jointly present a nonpartisan
pension solution as a group.
Preceding
the
hearing,
Californians for Retirement
Security held a press conference
regarding pension facts and
truths in an effort to counter
the many lies and distortions
about public employee pensions
being spread through the media.
“I am not part of the $100,000
club,” stated a retired school
administrator. PPOA President
Brian Moriguchi led the press conference stating, “We don’t ask for
much, just a reasonable salary to allow us to raise our families and a
reasonable pension for our years of faithful service.” In response to the
governor’s 12-point proposal and the Legislative Conference Committee
hearing, Moriguchi added, “The governor and the state Legislature, as
well as the public at large, need to know that there are many pension
funds that work well and have been providing retirement security for
many, many decades. If they learn the truth about pensions and leave
politics at the door, I am certain they will conclude what we all know:
Pensions are good and provide reasonable retirement security.”
PPOA is committed to protecting our pensions, but we need the
help of our members. Every member should register to vote so they
will be able to cast their vote in upcoming elections. Every member
should write to their California assembly members and senators, asking
them to preserve pensions and allow local governments and employee
representatives to negotiate what works best for their jurisdictions. No
two jurisdictions are the same and legislating pensions will unfairly
restrict local governments and their employees from reaching a
mutually agreeable pension solution. To find your California legislative
representatives, go to www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html.
j
may 2012 | Star&Shield
13
Wealth
Owning Real Estate as Joint Tenants with
Your Children
By Graham Hawley, Certified Estate Planner (United Estate Planning, Inc.)
A
s homeowners and parents, we should all be aware of the
problems that may arise when we try to avoid probate by sharing
homeownership with our children as joint tenants. Under joint
tenancy, your children’s share of your property becomes vulnerable
to your children’s creditors and any financial obligations they undertake,
including any legal settlements against them. This puts your home at risk of
being lost due to a lawsuit against your adult children that has nothing to do
with you. If your children are unable to meet their debt load and keep up with
their monthly bills, collection agencies and creditors have every right to file a
lien against the home that they have part ownership in. Also, in the event your
adult child files for divorce, his or her ex-spouse can possibly end up owning
one half of whatever your child’s share was in your home.
Another very common situation that can arise is when children impose
unreasonable conditions upon their parents regarding the home and force
parents to move out or even consider selling the property. I remember two
elderly clients who some time ago had added their only daughter to the title of
their home under joint tenancy and then recently asked her to sign a grant deed
to remove herself from the property, allowing them to regain full ownership of
the home they worked all of their lives to pay off. To their shock, the daughter
and new husband absolutely refused to give up their interest in the property
unless they were paid half the market value of the home. Proper planning and
a living trust would have avoided these problems while still avoiding probate.
The concept of “survivor takes all” can further complicate joint tenancy
issues and leave all parties vulnerable to loss. Take the example of two
couples who purchased their dream vacation home together; the title is
held under joint tenancy. Normally, both parties would prefer that their
surviving children inherit their share of the vacation home upon their
demise, but under joint tenancy guidelines, the surviving couple would
immediately take 100 percent ownership of the vacation home and the
deceased couple’s children would have no legal rights to any financial
interest in the property. If each couple who had purchased the vacation
home had a living trust in place, the deed would be written to automatically
transfer the title of each family’s one-half undivided interests in the
property to their living trust, thus protecting the children’s inheritance.
Two parties purchasing a vacation home or any property under joint
tenancy is simply a poorly planned idea that can cause much heartache
down the road.
When a vacation home is purchased either as tenants in common or under
a living trust, the owners can easily distribute their interest in said property to
their surviving offspring or whomever they wish upon their demise. With a
living trust, your interest in any property is owned by your trust, putting you
in complete control as the trustee.
Correct and informed planning allows you and your family to maintain
complete control of your assets.
PPOA.com Headlines
The following is a partial list of breaking news links posted at www.PPOA.com last month. Visit the PPOA website to
stay up to date on the news affecting Los Angeles County’s current and retired peace officers.
April 26: L.A. County: Seeking Answers in World of Unsolved Homicides
April 26: LASD Reports Uptick in Burglaries Near Diamond Bar Gym
April 26: Sheriff’s Department Reports TV, Web Outages Linked to Cable
Thefts in Cerritos
April 26: LASD Special Victims Unit Investigating Nude Photo of School
Employee Posted on Facebook
April 25: California’s Justice Revolution and L.A. County’s Next DA
April 25: 80 Pot Bales Recovered; Suspected Mexican Smugglers Held After
Malibu Deputies Alert Homeland Security
April 25: DA Candidates Discuss the Death Penalty
April 25: LASD Rescuers Retrieve Retriever at Switzer Falls
14
April 25: Sheriff’s Department Investigating Car Stolen with Toddler Inside;
Girl Found OK
April 24: Sheriff’s Department Seeks Help in Finding Hit and Run Driver Who
Killed Pedestrian
April 24: LASD Investigators Hunt for Motive After Army Vet Killed
April 24: Long Beach Police & Sheriff’s Department to Sort Out Costs for
Tunnel to Courthouse
April 24: Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station Volunteers Get Their Day on Stage
April 24: California Moves to Revamp Prison System as Inmate Numbers Shift
April 24: DUI Suspect Crashes into LASD Patrol Car as Deputies Leap to Safety
April 25: Shooting Suspect Apprehended by Century Deputies
April 24: Deputies Pull Man Off Bridge Following Suicide Attempt in
Pico Rivera
April 25: LASD Bomb Squad Responds to Incident at Santa Clarita City Hall
April 24: District Attorney Candidates Vie for Votes
April 25: L.A. County DA Investigators Search Home of County Assessor
April 24: L.A. County PPOA Endorses Lachman for Assembly
Star&Shield | may 2012
LASD
Retiree
Roundup
2012
Did you know that Laughlin is one of the top five destinations
in the country for RV enthusiasts? And, as far as we know, it is
also home to America’s largest law enforcement reunion — the
LASD Retiree Roundup. More than 800 people converged on the
Riverside Resort & Casino last month and PPOA was on hand to
visit with friends, listen to war stories and take a few photos. We are
grateful to Moon Mullen and all of the volunteers who coordinate
this event year after year, making each one more memorable than
the last. The photos on this page are just a few of the pics snapped
at the recent Roundup. Many more will be printed in PPOA’s
annual Retiree Report this summer. Meanwhile, all event photos
are available on PPOA’s Facebook page.
may 2012 | Star&Shield
15
Schedule Changes — What You Should Know
By Teresa Machado, PPOA Intake Representative
T
he Department has made many changes in the last year when
it comes to schedules. It’s been tough on a lot of members. It’s
even tougher when the union is not notified and schedules are
implemented without any input from PPOA.
Employees set up their life around the schedule they are on and then
suddenly, there’s a new captain, a new lieutenant, the scheduling person
has moved on and out of the unit/facility and the new person in charge
feels the current schedule is not providing enough coverage or could be
modified for a better working environment.
Schedule changes are also caused by various factors: injuries,
illnesses, pregnancy and employees who miss a lot of work. Some or all
of these factors may be creating a coverage problem. Management can
explore the possibility of changes to facility/unit schedules. They do
have the right to do this.
HOWEVER, there is a protocol to follow. Management cannot
simply decide that schedules do not work for them and change them.
They are REQUIRED to notify the union. When a station/unit/
facility decides that a change of schedules for a group of represented
employees is necessary, they should contact the Employee Relations
Unit. Employee Relations will then contact the union, who will decide
whether or not it is necessary to meet. The union will ensure there is
a legitimate need for the schedule change, and if there isn’t a reason,
we’ll fight for your current schedule, as long as that is desired by the
majority of the members affected. If the schedule change is essential,
the union can make sure that certain rules are followed. One such rule/
past practice in the Sheriff ’s Department is that a bid based on unit
seniority always follows a schedule change. Also, we often are able to
negotiate more time before the new schedule is implemented. This gives
employees the opportunity to settle their affairs before having to start
the new schedule.
If you are notified of an upcoming schedule change and are not
sure that PPOA has been notified, please make sure to contact us
at (800) 747-PPOA. Also, contact us with your issues, concerns and
suggestions in regard to a proposed schedule change. We will make sure
those concerns are addressed and your suggestions are heard.
In conclusion, let me clarify that this article is about group schedule
changes. There is an entirely different process should you become
displaced of your individual schedule. If your schedule has been
changed and you are unsure if your rights have been violated, please call
PPOA and we can discuss the grievance process.
Attorney General Awards
Congratulations to four PPOA members who were recently honored by California Attorney General Kamala Harris. The four honorees
were among a group of SoCal law enforcement recognized with awards of valor, commendation or appreciation.
Top row, left to right: Capt. Scott Edson received
the Attorney General’s Award of Commendation
for tremendous contributions to law enforcement,
especially in the field of technology.
Sgt. Steven Wheatcroft received the Attorney
General’s Award of Retirement Commendation for
32 years of dedicated service.
Bottom row, left to right: The Plastics Industrial
Task Force (Sgt. Nabeel Mitry and Deputies
Shelley Jones, Arthur Vargas, Jose Vasquez and
Mark Macias) received the Attorney General’s
Award of Commendation for recovering $4 million
in stolen plastic goods from local businesses.
Law Enforcement Technician Christine
Mackenzie received the Attorney General’s Award
of Commendation for managing the Family Abuse
Intervention Resource Program to bridge the gap
between law enforcement and victims of domestic
violence.
16
Star&Shield | may 2012
How Long Would You Last Without Your
Income?
By Eddie Holmes, PPOA Insurance Agency Manager
W
hat is your most important asset? You might say your
house or some family heirloom, but for most of us, it is
our ability to earn an income.
Without the ability to earn an income, you can’t have
a house, a car or anything of substance. For many, the loss of a job due
to a disability is financially catastrophic. Did you know that one of the
major reasons for home foreclosures is because one of the wage earners
became disabled? Don’t let this happen to you.
As a PPOA member, you have the opportunity to insure up to 40
percent of your income. This is payable if your doctor says you are
unable to work at your job.
Many PPOA members are women of child-bearing age. The income
protection plan we are offering will pay you an income if you are unable
to work due to a pregnancy.
Now you have a decision to make: Do you want to have a plan that
will provide income if you are injured off of the job? Or do you want
to try to save enough money in a savings account to take care of this?
We usually hear people say that they have a lot of sick time and
vacation time available. If you have a prolonged disability, you may need
to use your hours to pay for your health insurance. You will still need to
have additional money to pay for your other bills. Our program could
help you stretch your vacation and sick time over a longer period of time
because you won’t have to use as many hours while you are disabled.
If you are injured on the job, you will most likely be covered by
workers’ compensation. If you are injured while recreating or working
around the house, state disability may not provide you with the
necessary income and workers’ compensation won’t pay at all. Our
income protection plan will pay in addition to income from state
disability.
We will be going out to various County facilities throughout the
year and will be discussing the benefits of the many programs offered
through the Professional Peace Officers Insurance Agency. We will also
discuss the various features of the many programs we are offering in
this column.
If you have a family member or a friend who isn’t a County employee
but may be interested in these types of plans, we can provide them with
a plan that will fit their needs.
Feel free to call us at (909) 599-8627, or come out to meet us when
we make our site visits if you are interested in reviewing the programs
that are now available to you.
may 2012 | Star&Shield
17
California Peace Officers’ Memorial Foundation
Lottery Teams Up with Peace Officers’ Memorial
Foundation on Scratchers Ticket
he California Lottery and CPOMF have joined forces to create
a Scratchers ticket that pays tribute to peace officers and assists
the families of their fallen colleagues. Tickets went on sale April
27, 2012.
“We are pleased to team up with the foundation to support the families left
behind by peace officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our state,”
said Lottery Director Joan Borucki. “Customers can help support the work of
the foundation by buying the ticket.”
Part of the proceeds from the Scratchers ticket, up to $300,000, will go to
supporting the foundation. That
payment is a licensing fee that will
not interfere with the amount of
money that the Lottery pays out
to education.
The partnership is a winwin situation, according to the
CPOMF Board of Directors.
Not only does it support two
great causes, but it also reminds
Californians of the commitment
peace officers make day in and
day out.
The ticket costs $2 and
appears at more than 20,000 retail
locations statewide.
More than 95 cents of every
Lottery dollar is returned to
the community in the form
of contributions to education,
prizes and retail commissions.
T
The California Lottery contributes at least 34 cents of every dollar that
players spend on Lottery products to public education and returns
more than 50 percent of sales to players in the form of prizes.
Since its inception in 1985, the Lottery has contributed nearly $21
billion to California schools out of total sales of more than $56
billion. Retailers benefit too, earning $3.6 billion in compensation
since 1985.
CPOMF is a nonprofit, charitable foundation whose mission is to
recognize and honor California’s peace offers who gave their lives “In the
Line of Duty” serving the citizens of this great state and provide support to
the families left behind.
2011 In the Line of Duty
Officer Thomas Adams
CHP — Garberville EOW: February 15, 2011
Officer Daniel R. Ackerman
Buena Park Police Dept. EOW: July 30, 2011
Officer Jermaine A. Gibson
Cathedral City Police Dept. EOW: March 18, 2011
Officer Jeremy Henwood
San Diego Police Dept. EOW: August 7, 2011
Officer Andrew Garton
Hawthorne Police Dept. EOW: May 26, 2011
Officer James Capoot
Vallejo Police Dept. EOW: November 17, 2011
Officer Ryan Stringer
Alhambra Police Dept. EOW: July 10, 2011
Officer Anthony A. Giniewicz
Signal Hill Police Dept. EOW: December 7, 2011
California Peace Officers’ Memorial Ceremony
May 6-7, 2012
10th Street and Capitol Mall, Sacramento, California
18
Star&Shield | may 2012
6th Annual
Peace Officer Memorial
Golf Tournament
Hosted by L.A. County PPOA and the Professional
Peace Officers Charitable Foundation
June 4, 2012
Tournament Players Club
(TPC)
26550 Heritage View Lane
Valencia, CA 91381
www.tpcvalencia.com
9:00 a.m. Registration
10:30 a.m. Shotgun Start
4:00 p.m. Dinner Banquet, Awards, Raffle, Auction
Statistics tell us that somewhere in the United States, a peace
officer is killed in the line of duty every 53 hours. And no state
has laid to rest more officers than our very own — California.
That’s a distinction none of us want, but it’s the reality peace
officers face every day.
The Professional Peace Officers Charitable Foundation (PPOCF)
was established in 1999 to provide assistance to members of the
law enforcement community in need, most notably the families
of peace officers killed in the line of duty.
The proceeds from this Peace Officer Memorial Golf Tournament
support law enforcement personnel and their families in times
of crisis. Financial assistance from PPOCF also helps surviving
family members attend annual memorial ceremonies in
Los Angeles County, Sacramento and Washington, D.C.
Registration deadline: May 28, 2012
Name ________________________________________
Company _ ____________________________________
Address _ _____________________________________
Phone ________________________________________
E-mail ________________________________________
Shirt size (circle one):
S
XL
Additional players
Name _ ___________________________Shirt Size ____
Name _ ___________________________Shirt Size ____
Name _ ___________________________Shirt Size ____
SPONSORSHIPS
___ Tournament $20,000 (12 golfers)*
___ Gold $10,000 (8 golfers)*
___ Silver $5,000 (4 golfers)*
___ Bronze $1,000 (2 golfers)*
___ Golf shirt $5,000 (4 golfers)*
___ Memorial T-shirt $5,000 (4 golfers)*
___ Dinner banquet $5,000 (4 golfers)*
___ Pin flag $2,500 (2 golfers)*
___ Golf cart $2,500 (2 golfers)*
The cost to support this cause as a golfer is $250. If you would
like to participate as a sponsor, auction/raffle item donor or
event volunteer, please call the PPOA office at (800) 747-PPOA.
All donations are tax deductible to the extent of the law under
501(c)(3) tax ID #95-4752410. Please make checks payable to
“PPOCF” and mail them to:
___ Tee $250
Star&Shield | may
May 2012
L
___ Foursome $900
___ Beverage $1,500 (2 golfers)*
Tournament brochure is available at
www.ppoa.com.
M
___ Individual golfer $250
The Professional Peace Officers Charitable Foundation is grateful
for the support from our tournament sponsors and participants.
Your generosity goes a long way in honoring the sacrifices made
by peace officers and their loved ones left behind.
PPOA Memorial Golf Tournament
188 E. Arrow Highway
San Dimas, CA 91773
20
Registration
___ Food $1,000
___ Contest $1,000
*This sponsorship may add additional golfers for
$200 each.
___ I cannot participate, but I would like to support such
a worthy event. Enclosed is my tax deductible donation in
the amount of $ ___________.
Total enclosed (payable to “PPOCF”): $ __________.
Please call PPOA with any questions:
(800) 747-PPOA
may 2012 | Star&Shield
May
21
Here Are 500 Reasons
Why It Pays to Read
StarShield
&
Win Your Share of
$500 CASH!
Five $100 prizes
Members who find the hidden symbol in Star & Shield
and register through our website (www.ppoa.com)
by the end of this month will be entered
into a drawing for one of five $100 prizes.
The hidden symbol is:
j
Cash is great, but our giveaways aren’t
the only reasons to read Star & Shield.
Each issue gives you the latest information on
• Contract negotiations
• Benefit changes
• Retirement considerations
• Hot topics on the job
• Association news
• Upcoming events
This giveaway is open to PPOA members only. You must be 18 or older to win.
22
Star&Shield | may 2012
Mystery Photo
The first PPOA member
to identify the two
women in this photo
will receive a free PPOA
prize pack. Call the
PPOA office at (323) 2613010 and ask for Greg.
By the way, did you
know that PPOA’s
Facebook followers get
first crack at identifying the mystery photo each month?
Check it out for yourself at Facebook.com/LAPPOA.
10-22 by Claude Anderson (LASD ret. 1978)
Retired PPOA member Claude Anderson has been drawing cartoons for
Star & Shield since 1972. Claude says he was asked to keep drawing cartoons
until he came up with a funny one — it has now been 40 years and he's
still drawing! Claude has now published three books of cartoons based on
his training days at Firestone Station, and they can be purchased online at
www.claudejanderson.com or by calling (888) 854-2341. Thank you for your
dedication, Claude!
Connect with PPOA on Facebook
Get daily posts from PPOA regarding discount offers,
event announcements, public safety alerts, pension attack
updates, contest giveaways and more.
www.facebook.com/LAPPOA
may 2012 | Star&Shield
23
Calendar of Events
May 12-13:
L.A. Sheriff's Athletic Association
Soccer Tournament
Mt. SAC, Walnut
Info: [email protected]
June 2:
Stars and Stripes BBQ
& Salsa Showdown
Jack Bones Equestrian Center, Castaic
Info: [email protected]
May 15:
National Peace Officer Memorial
Ceremony
Washington, D.C.
June 4:
PPOA 6th Annual Peace Officer
Memorial Golf Tournament TPC,
Valencia (see page 20)
May 15:
Professional Staff Day (County Services
Bureau)
Rancho Los Amigos, Downey
10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Info: (213) 613-3887
June 9:
L.A. Sheriff's Athletic Association
Shotgun Tournament
Triple B Clays, S. El Monte
Info: www.lasaa.org
May 18-20:
L.A. Sheriff's Athletic Association
Memorial Run
Starts at LASD HQ and travels to each
sheriff's station.
Info: www.lasaa.org
May 23:
L.A. County Peace Officers Memorial
Ceremony
STARS Center, Whittier
June 16:
L.A. Sheriff Cycling
Honor Ride
Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station
Info: www.ride2recovery.com
June 16-24:
U.S. Police & Fire Championships
San Diego, CA
Info: www.uspfc.org
June 27:
PPOA Delegates Dinner
& Meeting
The Castaway Restaurant, Burbank
June 29:
PPOA 12th Annual
Fishing Trip
Long Beach
Info: (323) 261-3010
July 14:
LASAA Cycling Time Trials
Santa Fe Dam Recreational Center,
Irwindale
7 a.m.
Info: Manuel Munoz,
(323) 260-8559 or
[email protected]
July 22:
Annual Heroes Ride &
Car Show
Ride starts at Hollywood Bowl and ends
at CBS Studios (Studio City).
Benefits fallen officers and
wounded vets.
Hosted by PPOA.
Info: www.heroesride.org
(see page 19)
LASD Promotions
Congratulations to the following PPOA members on their recent promotions to Captain:
BENEDICT, JOHN
Altadena Station
KUYKENDALL, KEVIN
Medical Services
BOLIN, DARRELL
Lomita Station
MIRANDA, CRYSTAL
Transportation Bureau
BORNMAN, MICHAEL
Education-Based Incarceration Bureau
PORLIER, CLAY
Pitchess East
DRAKE, PAUL
Data Systems Bureau
RIVERO, EDWARDO
Carson Station
GUILBAULT, ROBERT
Reserve Forces Bureau
24
Star&Shield | may 2012
Letters to PPOA
may 2012 | Star&Shield
25
Discounted Ticket Prices for PPOA Members
Venue
Adult
Adventure City (Anaheim)
Child
9.75
9.75
Boomers in Upland
14.00
14.00
Disneyland (One-day)
76.00
71.00
Disney One-Day Hopper
96.00
91.00
Knott’s Berry Farm
32.00
22.50
Long Beach Aquarium
18.00
10.50
L.A. Zoo
14.00
10.50
Legoland (Two-day)
57.00
57.00
Legoland (Three parks, two-day)
67.00
67.00
Magic Mountain
33.00
33.00
Medieval Times
42.50
30.75
Pirates Dinner Adventure
37.00
28.00
Scandia
14.00
14.00
San Diego Wild Animal Park
36.50
27.50
San Diego Zoo
36.50
27.50
Sea World
49.00
49.00
The Huntington Library
12.00
12.00
Universal Studios (Buy a day, get 2 extra days; credit card only)
69.00
69.00
Universal Front of the Line (credit card only)
129.00
129.00
Annual Passes
DisneySelect
191.00
DisneySelect So. Cal
258.00
DisneySelect Deluxe
362.00
DisneySelect Premium
476.00
Sea World 2012 Fun Card
61.00
61.00
Universal Premium Star (credit card only)
134.00
134.00
Universal w/Blackouts (credit card only)
77.00
77.00
Universal w/o Blackouts (credit card only)
94.00
94.00
Movie Theater
Restricted
Unrestricted
AMC Theatres
6.25
7.75
Cinemark
n/a
7.75
Harkins Theater
6.25
7.75
Krikorian
7.75
n/a
Pacific
6.25
n/a
Regal/Edwards/UA
6.75
7.75
All ticket sales are final. Prices and details on the PPOA website are subject to change. Always call first to confirm prices and availability.
Limited to six (6) tickets per member, per venue. Please call the PPOA office at (323) 261-3010 for more information.
26
Star&Shield | may 2012
PPOA Classifieds
MAUI CONDO RENTAL
Spectacular oceanfront, pool, sandy beach, view
of Molokai/Lanai, 1 bedroom, 1 bath, sleeps 4, full
kitchen, W&D. Pictures available. Call (626) 964.2578
or email [email protected]. (1011)
Notary Service at CRDF
PPOA Delegate Mary Pardo (Custody Assistant)
offers free notary service to PPOA members &
a discount for all other LA County employees.
This applies to service offered at CRDF. Info:
(562) 756-5924 / [email protected] (0811)
1946 Ford
Coupe, 327 chevrolet, 3 speed column, power disk
brakes, lincoln rear - end, great paint and tires.
$22,000. Please call Ed (949) 496-6432. (0811)
2004 harley davidson
Road King, Police Edition, Dark Blue, extras, only
3,297 miles, as new. $11,900, Bob at 805 553-0124 or
E-Mail [email protected] (0811)
Wanted: Live-in Care
Mature, female retired deputy needed for live-in
position. Responsibilities include: meals, medications,
errands (with my vehicle) & light housekeeping.
Room, board & stipend provided. Call Art at (562)
943-7972 (0911)
tires & rims / 200 miles old
4 X 235-55-18” Yokohama tires on premium Kia rims
(5X114). Also fits Honda, Toyota, Nissan. $800 or
best/Jim @ 562.321.4122 (0512)
hawaii time share
Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villa, 2 bedroom
lock off unit for eight on the tropical Paradise
island of Kauai. Asking $7,000. Call Frances at
(805) 499-4394 (0512)
2006 Travel Trailer
35ft. Forrest River, excellent condition. Sell for balance
owed. Contact Rudy at (661) 478-8188. (1111)
TWO GUNS FOR SALE
Selling a Beretta 92FM stainless steel as well as a S&W
K frame stainless 38. Asking price for the Beretta
is $400 and the Smith is $350. Both guns in great
condition. Contact Stephen: (909) 618-6921 or (909)
597-8866. (0112)
2009 YAMAHA MAJESTY
400 cc scooter. Dark Gray. Gets nearly 60 miles per
gallon. Retail value is $4,295. Asking $3,800. Call
(951) 218-9394. (0112)
timeshare for sale
Worldmark Trendwest, 8000 credits per year.
16000 credits on account. Asking $4,500. Will pay
$299 transfer fee. Payments up to date. More info
at: worldmarktheclub.com. Call Lorraine at (503)
867-9968. (0811)
Deluxe Lake Powell Houseboat
Shared Ownership (Summer - even years). Summerset
2002, 74’X16.5’, Four Staterooms, Two full baths,
$6000. Call Theresa or Steve @714-282-8446 (1111)
PORTABLE SATELLITE ANTENNA
Winegard automatic portable satellite antenna
works great. Changed RVs and new one has builtin antenna. $400 (half price). Call Bill at (707) 3286258. (0112)
Maui Condo Rental
Completely remodeled, 2 bedroom, 2 bath, sleeps
6. Kaanapali. Pool, spa. Full kitchen. W&D. 40%
discount for LASD & family. Email: lasd2maui@
yahoo.com (661) 600-5600 (0212)
1981 Bayliner Mutiny 17.5ft
Boat
Lots of new parts (~$1500 put into it last June).
$2650 obo. Call or text Ryan at (909)816-6659. Free
case of Coronas provided with purchase. (0412)
Seeking VINTAGE RC CARS
1970’S, 80’S, 90’S.
I buy and collect vintage RC cars in any condition.
Let me know what you have. Joey cell 714 745-4963.
(0412)
sedona timeshare
Available for use now. Pay transfer/recording fees
of $350. View gorgeous location online at "Los
Abrigados Resort & Spa, Sedona." Call Pat/Barbara
at (760) 777-6510 (0412)
PUREBRED LAB PUPPIES
Purebred chocolate & black lab puppies. Available
Mar. 12th. Vet checked, de-wormed, and 1st shots.
Call or text for pics. $300 (310) 809-0364. (0412)
Double Burial Plot - For Sale Forest Lawn Glendale
Located in “Court of Remembrance.” Small, secluded
area. Quiet, serene, beautiful mountain view. Near
Liberace, Bette Davis, Ronnie Dio. Asking $10,000.
Call (661)618-8456. (0412)
Cemetery Lots
Rose Hills Whittier, Garden of Affection. 2 sites,
$3,000 each and seller pays transfer fees. (626) 9616859. (0412)
Anniversary Edition Harleys
His: Road King, 6K miles, all extras. $16K. Hers:
Soft Tail, 5K miles, all extras. $12K. Matching silver/
black signature models. Spare parts & manuals.
Both for $25K. Call (360) 642-2491 (0512)
HECKLER & KOCH USP 45
COMPACT
Ambidextrous safety, blue steel, night sights, used,
in excellent condition. 3 magazines, 6 concealment
holsters. $699. [email protected] (0512)
PPOA classified ads are free and
available only to PPOA members (one
per month, 25 words max). Private party
only, no business ads allowed. Send your
ad to: Star & Shield Editor, 188 E. Arrow
Highway, San Dimas, CA 91773 or
e-mail to [email protected].
New submissions are added on first
come-first served basis, each issue.
Please send within first week of each
month to ensure timely inclusion.
Sellers are encouraged to list price of
each item listed. No work numbers
may be used in ads. Submissions must
be in writing, not over the phone.
Ads run for 3 months. PPOA is not
responsible for any claims made in a
classified ad.
may 2012 | Star&Shield
27
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
P.O.P.A., Inc.
188 E. Arrow Highway
San Dimas, CA 91773
PAID
Tucson, az
Permit #271
Change Service Requested
LEWIS, MARENSTEIN, WICKE, SHERWIN & LEE, LLP
OVER 36 YEARS OF SERVICE TO SAFETY PERSONNEL AND THEIR FAMILIES
Our firm of 15 attorneys and over 50 support staff are dedicated to professional, personal service.
WORKERS
COMPENSATION
State Bar Certified Specialist
We have successfully represented
over 35,000 safety members. Our
representation continues long
after your case is concluded since
your right to lifetime medical care
may always be challenged.
DISABILITY
RETIREMENT FOR
SAFETY MEMBERS
PERSONAL INJURY
We have a pension department of
3 attorneys who specialize in this
area and have successfully
obtained disability pensions for
thousands of safety personnel
under PERS, County 1937
Retirement Act and other county
and city systems.
Our personal injury department
has successfully litigated or tried
over 5000 claims for automobile
injuries, products liability, medical
malpractice and other negligence
areas.
(818) 703-6000
20750 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 400
Woodland Hills, CA 91364
www.lmwslaw.com
Serving Ventura, Los Angeles and Orange Counties
Making a false or fraudulent workers’ compensation claim is a felony subject to up to five years in prison or a
fine up to $50,000.00 or double the value of the fraud, whichever is greater, or both imprisonment and fine.