Los Angeles Police Retired Officers
Serving the Motion Picture & Television Production Industry
By and for Retired Los Angeles Police Officers working in the Motion Picture/Television production industry.
NEWS
July 1, 2006: The Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) published its letter to the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers advising them of the new salary rates for Los Angeles Police Officers. The attached salary table shows hourly salary rates, and effectively sets the rates for off-duty and retired officers at $45.80 effective July 1, 2006. It is a 3-year contract, so the rates are set for the next three years. It goes to $47.41 on July 1, 2007, and to $49.18 on July 1, 2008. You may view the document by clicking on this link.
June 11, 2006: A meeting was held at the Sportsman's Lodge in Studio City. In attendance were:
active and retired officers who work movie jobs,
coordinators,
representatives of the Teamster's from Local 399, the National organization, and a teamster police officer from Florida,
Attorney Alan Harris of Harris and Ruble
Three options for the future were examined:
Joining the Teamsters
Forming our own organization
Doing nothing and hoping the status quo continues
Everyone present seemed in agreement that the third option was not a good idea. There was not a consensus on either of the first two. Some officers present argued that the time to join the Teamsters was now, before we lose what we have. After it is taken away, the fight is over and it is too late. Others felt that our own organization was a better idea as we would retain total control over our priorities. This was a "first meeting" and the turnout was impressive, but too many officers who work movie jobs were not there. All agreed that more work needs to be done before we decide how to proceed
In the end, the prevailing thought was to wait and see if the studios pay the rate in the League letter which should come out in July 2006 with the new rates. Most believed they will. The off-duty active and the retired officers wanted to postpone further organizational actions until this is determined.
The coordinators present agreed that they need to take more responsibility as a group in a leadership role. They will meet among themselves to further discuss issues that need their attention, such as objectionable appearance and behavior on the part of a few of the officers they employ. They will also examine how they might organize more effectively to represent their interests and those of the retired officers under the current system should future City actions threaten to change the current system.
The Teamster representatives expressed a willingness to organize the retired officers if about 70% of them want to become Teamster members. The Teamsters would represent the retired officers, but retired officers would have to become involved in any fight we might have to undertake to preserve our right to work. The Teamsters emphasized that the only promise they could make was that they will support us in any fight we may need to undertake to preserve our right to work. As members, they would bring the full influence of the Teamster's union into play if necessary. But they emphasized that the preferred path is negotiation. Because the retired officers have pensions and health benefits, they would not be seeking to burden the producers with the costs of those benefits for the retired officers. The costs to the studios would be the same as they would without the union. So they would not anticipate much resistance from the studios. The role of the union would be to formalize the system as it exists now and to support the retired officers in negotiations with the City if and when the City might try to change the current system. And in this area, the Teamsters would use the good working relationships they have with the studios to lobby together to encourage the legislators to preserve the status quo. Everyone agreed that the current system is the most cost effective and efficient in providing police services to the industry. But they film in other cities where conditions are not as friendly, so there are no guarantees. We need to develop relationships that we can call on when threats to the current system arise.
Those present also discussed forming our own organization. The purpose of the organization would be to represent our interests in continuing to be allowed to work these jobs. It would meet with representatives from the City to present our position and to hear their concerns. It would address their concerns (such as the "substandard appearance and behavior" of some retired officers). No details were discussed. Hal DeJong suggested that the coordinators collect $5 per job from the officers they send out and put that money into a fund to retain Alan Harris and for other expenses we might incur. Eric Nichols was not in favor of the coordinators having to manage such an effort. Alan Harris said that he is supportive of the officers and will continue to be involved with us as we proceed. Time was very short as we reached this stage of discussions, so few details were presented or discussed. The plan is to wait to see what the studios do in response to the League letter regarding new rates, let the coordinators meet, and then schedule another general meeting for all affected officers in July or August.
June 8, 2006: Hal DeJong met Commander Kenneth Garner, Commanding Officer of Personnel Group, for lunch. Commander Garner told Hal that to his knowledge, the Department does not have an agenda to phase retired officers out of working movie jobs. Hal asked why the policies were so strict regarding work permit renewals. They agreed that the Department has the ability to sanction retired officers by suspending or revoking their work permit, but that it has seldom been used because the retired officers have seldom created problems warranting such sanctions. Commander Garner told Hal that if there are officers who had their renewals denied, they should resubmit their renewal requests. If they are denied again, they should write him a letter explaining their experience working movie jobs, why their permit renewal lapsed, and ask him to reinstate their work permit. He expressed a willingness to reinstate those officers who had been denied simply because they had not maintained continuous renewals. He did qualify that there are some issues to be resolved with officers who may have retired on medical pensions.
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A VALID WORK PERMIT, SUBMIT A RENEWAL REQUEST. IF IT IS DENIED, WRITE A LETTER OF APPEAL TO COMMANDER KENNETH GARNER.
On another note, Hal asked if Commander Garner would consider motorcycle endorsements for officers who might take a class outside of LAPD motor school. Commander Garner agreed to consider it and asked Hal to identify some potential providers. The Department would meet with them to develop a curriculum for such a school and those that received completion certificates would be eligible for motorcycle endorsements. This would be a way for LAPD officers who had not been to motor school to get into the off-duty and retired movie job work force. Note that this is in the concept stage and may or may not work out as the Department's concerns are fully explored. But the fact that Commander Garner is willing to explore the matter speaks volumes to his fairness. Please contact Hal with suggestions and nominations for schools and/or instructors, or to express your opinion on this issue. Please also post your opinions regarding this on the discussions page of this website.
June 8, 2006: Hal DeJong met briefly with Richard Tefank, Executive Director of the Police Commission. It was clear from that meeting that the Police Commission has no pending agenda to change the current system under which retired officers work. Mr. Tefank spoke of and is well aware of the Los Angeles Municipal Code ordinances which empower the retired officers to wear the LAPD uniform and perform traffic control duties for the movie industry. He told Hal that to change the uniform would require changes to those ordinances, and the Department and Police Commission were not initiating any attempt to do that. He further explained that the May 10 City Council motion which passed does not affect retired or active LAPD officers who work movie jobs under the work permit issued by the LAPD. It would only affect off-duty active officers hired under the Contract Services Section. To put this another way, there could be three categories of officers working the same film location:
Retired officers with a work permit from Personnel on the studio payroll,
Active officers (off-duty) with a work permit from Personnel on the studio payroll, and
Active officers (off duty) sent by the Contract Services Section on City payroll
Mr. Tefank further explained that to bring the contract services proposal to its current state has taken over a year and a half, and it will take about that much longer to bring the concept to reality. The Police Commission is not currently considering plans to undertake changes to the retired officers working movie jobs. There was some consideration given to whether to include the retired officers as security officers as changes to the regulation of security officers in the City are in the works. But the LAMC ordinances set the retired officers up in a special category and they are not likely to be lumped into those changes, which will establish a standardized uniform for security officers working under Commission Investigation Division permits.
May 10, 2006: A perceived threat to future employment for retired officers in the movie industry was averted at City Council today when representatives from the City told concerned council members that retired officers were not included in the provisions of a report being adopted by City Council motion on 02-1720. For more information, read the LA Times article at LAPD to Contract for Private Security or from our archive.
May 10, 2006: Retired officers, concerned over the future of their employment, consulted with representatives of the Teamsters Union regarding possible representation to protect their right to work. Ongoing discussions will lead to an open meeting on June 11, 2006. All retired officers working movie jobs should attend.