621Strong

PPOA MEMBER IN NEED OF SUPPORT Public Response Dispatcher II Eric Patton, assigned to Communications and Fleet Management Bureau, has been off on an extended leave due to a serious medical condition. He has exhausted all of his time. In order to ensure his medical benefits continue, he is requesting leave donations. If you are a represented employee and in a position to donate time, he would be extremely grateful. Employees must have an excess of 160 hours to donate sick time, however, you can also donate vacation time. Donating sick time will not affect your ability to be compensated for sick buy back. Anyone wishing to donate time should complete an "authorization to donate leave-represented employee" form and submit it to the unit timekeeper. If you have questions, please contact OAIII Wendy Cole at (323) 881-8005.

FUNDRAISER FOR FAMILY OF RECENTLY-PASSED CUSTODY ASSISTANT SCV Station is hosting a lunch fundraiser to benefit the family of Custody Assistant Richard Bowles, who passed on Jan. 11, 2021. GRAB-N-GO LUNCH FUNDRAISER... Honoring C.A. Ricky Bowles All proceeds benefit the Bowles family Wednesday, February 3, 2021 1100 hours & 1400 hours Santa Clarita Valley Station $10 taco plate including rice, beans & a drink. In order to accommodate Days and PMs, food will be ready to be served at 1100 hrs and 1400 hrs. We will continue to serve meals until we have sold out. An opportunity drawing for a $500 Turner's Outdoorsman gift card will be held same day at 1600 hrs. Tickets are $10 each. Winner need not be present to win. For more information, please contact: Sgt. Deschino [email protected] C.A. Everts [email protected] L.E.T. Ramirez [email protected]

Please join us in extending a hearty congratulations to Supervising Public Response Dispatcher Denise Motoyasu upon her well-earned retirement! We're also thankful to Communications and Fleet for sharing the photo and the following message: "Communications and Fleet wish to congratulate SPRD Denise Motoyasu on her retirement! Denise has been with us 31 years and is now free to travel with her husband and family. Hence, the Yeti cooler. As a PRD, Denise trained many dispatchers. She was also, the "go-to" Senior Trainer and probably released most of the current PRDs off training and into the wild. She spent the last few years of her career as the Supervisor for the Training/Scheduling section where her passion for training was on display full force. Enjoy your retirement, Denise!"

From the archives: Visiting jailers at Walnut Station in 2010... #FlashbackFriday

PPOA MEMBER IN NEED OF SUPPORT Law Enforcement Technician Arthur Jones, assigned to Population Management Bureau, has been off work for an extended period of time due to health-related reasons. He has exhausted all of his time and is in desperate need of time donations. If you are a represented employee and in a position to donate time, he would be extremely grateful. Employees must have an excess of 160 hours to donate sick time, however, you can also donate vacation time. Donating sick time will not affect your ability to be compensated for sick buy back. Anyone wishing to donate time should complete an "authorization to donate leave-represented employee" form and submit it to the unit timekeeper.

For me, it’s personal," said L.E.T. Julie Garcia. "My coworkers are like family.

Measure J is bad news all the way around. Help protect PPOA members & fellow essential workers by sharing this message and encouraging LA County residents to vote "NO WAY" on Measure J.

Congratulations to Deputy Robert Jimenez, who graduated with #LASD Academy class 452 last night! Deputy Jimenez is a former Sheriff's Security Officer (he was honor recruit in SSO class 53) and his extremely proud father is Security Officer/PPOA Delegate Henry Jimenez. Thank you, Deputy Jimenez, for your dedication!

PPOA MEMBER NEEDS ASSISTANCE Security Officer Flor Schroepfer, also known as Flor Hannible, assigned to Court Services East, has been off work due to a medical condition. In an effort to ensure her medical benefits continue, she is requesting leave donations from qualifying employees. Officer Schroepfer's husband is a retired deputy and explained that his wife is about to lose her insurance which covers their granddaughter, of whom they have custody. If Officer Schroepfer doe...s not maintain 16 hours of time on the books, she will lose her Kaiser insurance. If you are a represented employee interested in donating vacation or sick time, please complete an "authorization to donate leave represented employee" form and submit it to your unit timekeeper. If you have any questions about donation time to Security Officer Schroepfer, please contact Ida Yip at (213) 229-1921.

RETIREMENT OF PPOA BOARD MEMBER/SECURITY OFFICER JODY CLOUNCH Last week, PPOA Board Member/Security Officer Jody Clounch retired after 20 years of dedicated service to the Sheriff's Department and announced her resignation from the PPOA Board of Directors. Jody has been one of PPOA's most dedicated board members since being elected in 2013. As a graduate of SSO Class #1, Jody's unwavering commitment to her fellow PPOA members over the years has been invaluable. Thank you, Jody, for your leadership and best of luck in your retirement!

Shout out to hundreds of dedicated Sheriff's Security Officers and Sheriff's Security Assistants who help keep L.A. County safe! We appreciate your commitment!

LASD dispatchers are the best in the business. Thank you all for your dedication!

Important information for Thursday September 17th

SUSPECT WHO BRUTALLY ATTACKED CUSTODY ASSISTANT SENTENCED TO 16 YEARS A male suspect who brutally attacked a station jailer at Lakewood Sheriff's Station two years ago was sentenced this week to 16 years in state prison for the cowardly assault. On August 10, 2018, James Keoni Kalaaukahi, 29, was being booked at the Lakewood Station jail when he sucker-punched a female custody assistant in the face during fingerprinting, grabbed her taser and dragged her by her hair into a lo...cked cell. Despite being bloodied with two black eyes, a concussion, broken nose, cervical spine injury and torn wrist ligament, our heroic C.A. managed to activate a panic button. Responding sworn personnel tried to neutralize Kalaaukahi with pepper spray but were ultimately forced to use their firearms in order to save the life of the custody assistant. Both the C.A. and Kalaaukahi were transported to the hospital for treatment. PPOA Executive Board Member/Custody Assistant Tony Coleman and Executive Director Wayne Quint Jr. were at the hospital with the C.A. and her family that evening to extend support. "She is the embodiment of the C.A. position: strong, professional and courageous," said Coleman. The 18-year LASD veteran continues to deal with the effects of that traumatic assault. Her broken nose has been surgically repaired and her spinal surgery is scheduled for next month. There is no doubt that her will to survive enabled her to stay in the fight until her backup arrived. The fact that our Custody Assistant has been able to return to work in a new assignment is testament to her perseverance and determination. Both of those attributes are evident in this excerpt from the Victim Impact Statement she courageously read in court: "I will get better and yes my life has been altered but I am still here. I thank God for my work family my heroes who came to my aide. I thank God for the prayers and support of those I know and those I met along the way. It hasn’t been an easy journey and two years into it I still have much recovery ahead... You beat me, held me captive, tried to kill me and attempted to strip all of my dignity away, but you didn’t win. With every ounce of my being, I crawled to my help line that day and I will continue to seek help for my journey ahead. As for today, whether I crawl, walk, or run, I will get there."

Congrats on the promotion!

Congratulations to Custody Assistant Regina Chavez for receiving a Distinguished Service Award from the department this week for her outstanding work with the LASD Pre-Employment/Intake/Operations Team.

Important Update for Custody Assistants from PPOA Board Member Tony Coleman