LA Union Leader Says Officers Should Flee California?

The Los Angeles Times just broke a devastating story about the LAPD police union telling officers to leave the Department! I represent cops as a civil rights and personal injury attorney in Los Angeles, CA. I am also an inactive Marine. Although I do personal injury law and civil rights cases against rogue officers, I support kindred spirits, including cops working for the Los Angeles Police Department. I also volunteered under several outstanding prosecutors at the Airport Courthouse in Los Angeles and liaised between LAPD and my mentors. Sure, there are a few bad cops, but that’s how it is everywhere with humans.

But here, the only thing rotten is the politically correct LAPD and weak Los Angeles elected officials, say many officers who refuse to go public for fear of retaliation. It has gotten so bad at the “woke” LAPD that my law firm will not meet with female clients in Downtown Los Angeles, as criminals have free reign. Officers I know have complained vociferously that they have no First Amendment rights and that whites, particularly male officers, have fallen victim to the LAPD’s hidden and systemic Critical Race Theory (CRT) policies. More than one officer has complained about racist positions of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, with Ron Herera ultimately being forced to resign over audio recordings of racist comments.

The California Labor Federation has also come under fire. And recently, the Los Angeles City Council president was also forced to resign for making racist remarks. At least three council members were present when this conversation took place. City officials claim Critical Race Theory does not influence them, but many white officers disagree but can’t say anything for fear of retaliation.

Fear of Retaliation Makes Officers Remain Silent?

Like our federal government, LAPD has constantly tried to create a false consensus by silencing anyone who pushes back against totalitarian policies. The Twitter Files made clear that the jackboot of government is even used to silence people, including whistleblowers inside police agencies, even at the FBI and the IRS.

“Los Angeles police officers …could face discipline for discriminatory or harassing behavior on their personal social media accounts as part of an updated policy approved by the LAPD Board of Commissioners Tuesday, April 27. The [vague and ambiguous] newly updated policy also prohibits posts that could compromise the safety of other officers, posting non-public material or any statements claiming to be representative of the department according to the policy. Even then, two male officers (Stephen Glick and Alfred Garcia) were just awarded 13.1 million dollars for gender discrimination. “Glick and Garcia were eventually cleared of wrongdoing without appearing before a board of rights panel, but they still suffered career setbacks as a result of the incident…” (Source Law Officer.)

By the way, toxic masculinity is the new buzzword to describe strong, alpha male protectors, in case you were wondering.

The Uptick in Crime Connected to Department and Prosecutorial Policy

Criminal elements within the so-called Los Angeles “homeless community” constantly threaten ladies in the parking lots and tent community sidewalks coming to see our lawyers. For example, “If you give me five bucks, I will ensure no one messes with your car, lady.” Even if these criminals are arrested, they immediately return to the streets, harming our citizens.

Residents Fleeing LA and CA?

Many former residents complain that the state has fallen victim to so-called Soros no-bail hold prosecutors. Crime has gotten so bad in LA many people are fleeing California, with over 500,000 families moving away in the last two years alone. It makes sense that Florida is experiencing inflation, as everyone trying to obtain freedoms they once took for granted want to move there more than any other state. Good luck finding an apartment or a house right now!

LAPD Union Head Has Joined the Chorus?

I telephoned Ms. Sandoz, the VP of the LAPD union. She could not speak, so I left a voicemail with her assistant. But I can see what is happening, and so can everyone fleeing the state already. In a recent Facebook comment that has since been deleted, Jerretta Sandoz, the vice president of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, expressed her frustrations regarding ongoing salary contract negotiations.

She outlined what she perceived as the challenges faced by police officers in Los Angeles, including hostility from City Council members, a ban on displaying the “thin blue line” flag, and a lack of a satisfactory contract. Sandoz advised departing LAPD officers to seek employment in communities where their worth is understood and appreciated, and they do not have to struggle for a favorable contract.

The comment, made just weeks before the LAPD’s contract expiration on June 30, raised concerns among some within the department. They questioned why a high-ranking union official would endorse officers leaving the force when the LAPD is already experiencing a significant decrease in officer numbers. As of last week, the number of officers had dropped to 9,027, a decline of approximately 1,000 compared to 2019.

LAPD officials reported to the Board of Police Commissioners that there is a trend of officers leaving for other law enforcement agencies, with 43 departures in the last fiscal year compared to 12 in the same period in 2017-18. This trend has raised concerns and been described as “very, very discouraging” by Police Commissioner Erroll Southers.

Mayor Karen Bass has called for the replenishment of the department’s ranks and proposed a budget to increase the force size to 9,500 officers. However, the number of graduating officers from the Police Academy classes has been insufficient to reach the mayor’s hiring goal, with an average of about 30 graduating officers per class. When questioned about Sandoz’s Facebook message, a spokesperson for Mayor Bass stated that negotiations over the LAPD contract are ongoing, and the mayor’s budget reflects concerns about the number of retiring officers.

Sandoz Rolls Back Her Vitriol?

Sandoz described the social media post as “much ado about nothing” and clarified that her comments were made in response to officers who had already decided to leave the LAPD or were considering leaving for another agency. She expressed her hope that the LAPD would make improvements to retain officers and explained that the criteria she advised officers to evaluate when considering other agencies were similar to those used to determine if they would stay with the LAPD.

Chief Moore Blames Police?

Police Chief Michel Moore attributed the decrease in officer numbers, in part, to the anti-police sentiments that emerged after the killings of George Floyd and other Black Americans. He also cited a backlog of background investigations that caused potential recruits to wait months before joining the academy. The department has introduced plans to offer signing bonuses and other incentives to attract new officers.

Los Angeles City Council President Paul Krekorian expressed optimism that a new union contract could help address the LAPD’s recruitment and retention challenges. He anticipated reaching a proposed contract deal by August when the council reconvenes after the summer break.

Despite the tone of Sandoz’s social media post, a union spokesperson positively assessed the ongoing contract talks, stating that substantial progress had been made in addressing recruitment and retention issues. The LAPD union has been observing agreements made in other cities, particularly those that offer significant signing bonuses to newly hired officers.

Chief Moore’s Attack on Police Morale

Sandoz’s mention of the “thin blue line” flag likely refers to Chief Moore’s decision in January to prohibit its display in public view, despite its previous presence in station lobbies throughout the city. Supporters of the flag view it as a symbol of solidarity with fallen police officers, while critics argue that right-wing extremist groups have co-opted it.

There appears to be a divide between Chief Moore and the union, with tensions arising in recent weeks concerning officer morale and heavy workloads. Some LAPD insiders believe that Sandoz’s post may have been a form of venting and noted that urging officers to seek opportunities elsewhere is a common bargaining tactic. However, they questioned the timing and wisdom of such a statement when the department is already struggling with recruitment and retention challenges.

The reference to “City Council members who hate you” in Sandoz’s post likely pertains to Council members Eunisses Hernandez and Hugo Soto-Martinez, known for consistently voting against LAPD spending proposals. Hernandez did not respond to inquiries, and Soto-Martinez declined to comment on Sandoz’s post. What do you think about Sandoz rolling back her comments and deleting her post? Do you think she was right to originally tell cops to find work in communities where the political leadership “understands your worth.”? Put it in the comments.