Editor’s note: LAPRF is a 501(c)(3) charity and cannot endorse the legislative or political activities discussed in this article.
Greetings, fellow reserve officers. I hope this article finds you all in good health and spirits!
Below is an update on what the California Reserve Peace Officers Association (CRPOA) has been up to over the last year. I also want to encourage those of you who are not members to please consider joining and attending this year’s Annual Reserve Peace Officers Conference (ARPOC).
This year, the ARPOC starts on August 7 at 1500, and ends Saturday at noon on August 10; the location is the Burbank Marriott. The conference fee for active LAPD reserve officers may be reimbursed up to the early-bird discount by the Los Angeles Police Reserve Foundation upon request. We thank the Foundation for its continued support.
First, let me provide you with an overview of what the CRPOA has been up to over the last 12 months. As the only statewide association that protects and lobbies on behalf of reserve peace officers, the CRPOA is all that stands between you and our state legislators who don’t always have your interests in mind.
To that end, we hired a new lobbyist (Ryan Sherman) last year, and he is doing an outstanding job as he speaks on our behalf. Ryan interacts with our state legislators regularly. Prior to hiring Ryan, our lobbying effort was hit and miss at best. Now, our state legislators know who we are. Ryan has educated many state legislators on the background and training we go through to become and maintain our reserve officer status. More often than not, when Ryan provides elected officials with what it takes to become a reserve peace officer, they are amazed. I’ve also been reaching out to our local members of the California State Assembly and Senate, and often hear, “I had no idea what it takes to be a reserve in California.”
Ryan has been a much-needed voice within our State Capitol. Now, as legislation is crafted, he does all he can to ensure that “full-time-paid” language isn’t used, which, as we know, de facto has excluded reserves. We are now well-represented.
We also have a new General Counsel; we retained the services of Stone & Busailah, the same firm as the LAPD chief officers use. They, too, have done tremendous work ensuring our legal rights are preserved.
In addition, we have a new marketing firm that is creating a social media presence; something we have never had. We believe by reaching out with modern-day tools, we can increase our membership in the CRPOA — this is critical, as our membership numbers have been declining or static and not increasing over the last many years. We are in building mode for the first time in decades!
We have also aligned with the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP). The FOP has a local chapter, which they call “lodges,” and as of August, the CRPOA will be the first reserve lodge in the country. Starting last December, your CRPOA membership includes membership in the FOP. The FOP provides you with the opportunity to purchase unlimited on-duty criminal, civil and administrative liability insurance for $322 per year — including SB 2 protection.
We are also now aligned with the California Peace Officers Association (CPOA). This new association between reserves and full-time officer associations provides us with an even stronger voice in the State Legislature.
Turning toward our ARPOC this year, we have some cutting-edge classes, all of which are POST-certified, and as such, count toward your annual 24 hours of Continuing Professional Training.
The opening session will be led by our own Jim McDonnell. As most of us know, Jim is not only a former LAPD assistant chief, but he went on to be the chief of police at Long Beach P.D. He then became known as LASO Sheriff Jim McDonnell. Jim now heads a Department at USC and remains one of the most eloquent and intelligent thinkers in the law enforcement profession. Don’t miss Jim’s opening remarks on August 7 at 1300 hours. In addition to Jim, we have several other of L.A.’s finest teaching courses this year. You will also want to hear from one of our outstanding former LAPD officers, John Turner, Esq., who will be teaching a course in leadership. Retired assistant chief, now a fellow reserve, Dr. Sandy Jo MacArthur, will teach a leading-edge course on mental health. Head Deputy District Attorney John Colello, a fellow LAPD reserve officer, will also be teaching a course, and many more. For more information, visit crpoa.org/arpoc-conference.
Hopefully, you can see that your investment of $125 a year is quite a bargain when you understand all that CRPOA does to support you in a variety of ways, from lobbying efforts in the State Capitol to protecting your legal needs, and to providing you with leading-edge courses that go well beyond your mandated requirement. The CRPOA is endeavoring to ensure we are the safest, best protected, best trained and most up-to-date members of the law enforcement community!
If anyone ever needs to discuss an issue or would like to know more about the CRPOA, please don’t hesitate to fire off an email to me at fazio@crpoa.org or R0771@lapd.online.