{{Short description|Labor union for the Los Angeles Police Department}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2021}} {{Infobox union | name = Los Angeles Police Protective League | full_name = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | image = | founded = {{Start date|1923|df=y}} | predecessor = Police and Fire Protective League | successor = | dissolved = | merged_into = | num_members = 9,900 | publication = ''Thin Blue Line'' | location = Los Angeles, California | affiliations = {{unbulleted list |National Association of Police Organizations |California Coalition of Law Enforcement Associations |Southern California Alliance of Law Enforcement |United Coalition of Public Safety }} | key_people = {{ubl |Craig Lally, President |Jerretta Sandoz, Vice President }} | headquarters = 1308 West Eighth St.<br/>Los Angeles, California 90017 | website = {{URL|www.lapd.com}} | footnotes = }}
The '''Los Angeles Police Protective League''' ('''LAPPL''') is the police union representing Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers up to the rank of lieutenant.<ref>{{cite book|title=Willful Injustice: A Post-O.J. Look at Rodney King, American Justice, and Trial by Race|first=Robert|last=Deitz|year=1996|page=176|publisher=Regnery Publishing|isbn=978-0-89-526457-2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S7A679WR6boC&pg=PA176}}</ref> LAPPL has a membership of 9,900 sworn officers.<ref name=":0" />
The LAPPL serves to protect the interests of LAPD officers through lobbying, legislative and legal advocacy, political action and education. LAPPL has long supported more traditional law-and-order policies.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-02-24|title=Police unions, justice reformers battle for dollars in bitter L.A. County D.A. race|url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-02-24/political-donations-jackie-lacey-george-gascon-los-angeles-district-attorney|access-date=2020-06-01|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US}}</ref> As of 2020, LAPPL is currently led by Craig Lally, President, and Jerretta Sandoz, Vice President.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|title=Board of Directors|url=https://www.lapd.com/about/board-of-directors|website=LAPPL - Los Angeles Police Protective League|language=en|access-date=2020-06-01}}</ref>
== History ==
The predecessor to LAPPL, Police and Fire Protective League, was formed in 1923, to protect the combined pension system for the Los Angeles Police and Fire Departments.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Protecting Those Who Protect Others|url=https://www.lapd.com/about|date=2017-02-17|website=LAPPL - Los Angeles Police Protective League|language=en|access-date=2020-06-01}}</ref> In 1973, the Police and Fire Protective League was separated into two unions, the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, and LAPPL.<ref name=":0" />
In 2009, the LAPPL launched a free daily electronic news clipping service that summarizes the law enforcement and relevant government news of the day. LAPPL also publishes an official blog featuring information and commentary from LAPPL leadership, as well as ''Thin Blue Line'', a monthly e-magazine.
That same year, LAPPL partnered with Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs (ALADS), the LASD union, to form a political action committee (PAC) called the California Law and Order Independent Expenditure Committee.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Law enforcement unions forming PAC|url=https://www.dailynews.com/20090915/law-enforcement-unions-forming-pac|date=2009-09-15|website=Daily News|language=en-US|access-date=2020-06-02}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Union alliance may boost political clout|url=https://www.dailynews.com/government-and-politics/20100103/union-alliance-may-boost-political-clout|date=2010-01-03|website=Daily News|language=en-US|access-date=2020-06-02}}</ref>
== Leadership == As of 2020, LAPPL is led by Craig Lally, President, and Jerretta Sandoz, Vice President.<ref name=":3" /> Craig Lally was named as a "problem officer" in the Christopher Commission, an independent panel that proposed reforms in the wake of the 1991 police beating of Rodney King.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|title=From 'problem officer' to president, new police union leader takes over|url=https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-lapd-union-20141231-story.html|date=2014-12-31|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|access-date=2020-06-02}}</ref> The officers were flagged by the commission to illustrate the problem of excessive force in the LAPD.<ref name=":4" />
== Controversies ==
=== Disciplinary process === In May 2017, the LAPD union backed Measure C, which provides police officers accused of wrongdoing with the flexibility to seek resolution through an all-civilian discipline board, in addition to a traditional board comprising two command officers and one civilian examiner.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Measure C: 5 thorny questions ahead for LAPD discipline|url=https://www.scpr.org/news/2017/05/18/71955/measure-c-5-thorny-questions-ahead-for-lapd-discip/|last=Radio|first=Southern California Public|date=2017-05-18|website=Southern California Public Radio|access-date=2020-06-02}}</ref> The measure, despite opposition from the American Civil Liberties Union for its purported weakening of LAPD's disciplinary system, was passed by Los Angeles city voters.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Election results: Charter Amendment C gives disciplinary flexibility to LAPD officers|url=https://www.dailynews.com/government-and-politics/20170517/election-results-charter-amendment-c-gives-disciplinary-flexibility-to-lapd-officers|date=2017-05-17|website=Daily News|language=en-US|access-date=2020-06-02}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=ACLU critiques planned LAPD discipline changes|url=https://www.dailynews.com/aclu-critiques-planned-lapd-discipline-changes|date=2018-11-30|website=Daily News|language=en-US|access-date=2020-06-02}}</ref> The Los Angeles Times editorial board also endorsed a "no" vote for the measure, characterizing the measure as a "union ploy to go soft on police misconduct."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Endorsement: Measure C pretends to be about police reform. Instead, it's a noxious sleight of hand. Vote no|url=https://www.latimes.com/opinion/endorsements/la-ed-charter-amendment-c-police-discipline-20170424-story.html|date=2017-04-24|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|access-date=2020-06-02}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Editorial: Don't be fooled — Measure C is a union ploy to go soft on police misconduct|url=https://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-no-on-c-20170510-story.html|date=2017-05-10|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|access-date=2020-06-02}}</ref>
=== Employee misconduct === In 2018, LAPPL defended the actions of Kevin Ferguson, an LAPD officer who had fired his gun at teenagers in Anaheim while he was off-duty.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Police Commission says off-duty officer violated LAPD rules when he fired gun during clash with Anaheim teens|url=https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-lapd-anaheim-20180206-story.html|date=2018-02-06|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|access-date=2020-06-01}}</ref> The Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners found that Ferguson actions violated LAPD policy, and Ferguson subsequently resigned.<ref name=":1" />
=== Influence in local elections === Between 2010 and 2020, LAPPL has directly contributed over $100,000 to Los Angeles City Council candidates, while its independent expenditure committees, which are not subject to donation limits, have spent millions of dollars.<ref name=":5">{{Cite news|last=Reyes|first=Emily Alpert|date=2020-06-10|title=L.A. police union spent big in local elections. Some politicians now shun the money|work=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-06-10/lapd-union-political-donations}}</ref> During the 2013 Los Angeles mayoral election, LAPPL-sponsored committees spent over $1.5 million backing Eric Garcetti's mayoral opponent.<ref name=":5" />
In the lead-up to the March 2020 Los Angeles County District Attorney election, LAPPL contributed over {{US$|1,000,000|2020}} to two separate political action committees in order to defeat George Gascón, a reform-minded candidate running for the office of Los Angeles County District Attorney.<ref>{{Cite web|title=LA Police Union Contributes $1 Million To Anti-George Gascón PAC|url=https://theappeal.org/george-gascon-los-angeles-police-union/|website=The Appeal|language=en|access-date=2020-06-01}}</ref> During the election, law enforcement unions, including LAPPL, had instead contributed over 75% of the $2.2 million raised by incumbent District Attorney Jackie Lacey.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Police unions, justice reformers battle for dollars in bitter L.A. County D.A. race|url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-02-24/political-donations-jackie-lacey-george-gascon-los-angeles-district-attorney|date=2020-02-24|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|access-date=2020-06-01}}</ref> Lacey ultimately lost the race, despite broad financial support from law enforcement unions.<ref>{{Cite web|title=How Jackie Lacey Managed to Dominate the DA's Race Despite Strong Opposition|url=https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/jackie-lacey-primary-results/|last=Stuart|first=Gwynedd|date=2020-03-09|website=Los Angeles Magazine|language=en-US|access-date=2020-06-01}}</ref>
As of June 2020, 11 of the 15 incumbent City Council members have received LAPPL donations.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Stuart|first=Gwynedd|date=2020-06-11|title=L.A. Councilmembers Are Being Blasted for LAPD Hypocrisy|url=https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/city-council-lapd/|access-date=2020-06-16|website=Los Angeles Magazine|language=en-US}}</ref> Opponents have argued that such campaign donations distorted elected officials' decision-making, and has prompted incumbent council members like David Ryu to return these campaign contributions back to LAPPL.<ref name=":5" />
=== 2020 LAPD budget === Amid the ongoing COVID-19 recession and a projected budget deficit that the city of Los Angeles faces, LAPPL argued for a continued need for the city government to adopt a FY 2020–2021 budget that allocates $1.857 billion to LAPD, the single largest line item in the city's proposed budget.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mayor Garcetti's Budget, Which Includes a Bump in LAPD Funding, Could Be Adopted Today|url=https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/peoples-budget-la-city-budget-lapd/|last=Martin|first=Brittany|date=2020-06-01|website=Los Angeles Magazine|language=en-US|access-date=2020-06-01}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=LA City Open Budget|url=http://openbudget.lacity.org/#!/year/2021/operating/0/department_name|website=openbudget.lacity.org|language=en|access-date=2020-06-01}}</ref> The prior year, in 2019, LAPPL had negotiated a 4.8% pay raise for LAPD officers effective July 1, 2020, in addition to an "education bonus" payout of $41 million (equivalent to ${{Inflation|US|41|2019|r=2}} million in {{Inflation/year|US}}) to LAPD officers with college degrees, effective April 2020.<ref name=":6">{{Cite news|last=Zahniser|first=David|date=2020-05-26|title=Despite a budget crisis, L.A. officials give new bonuses to officers with college degrees|work=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-05-26/lapd-bonuses-los-angeles-city-coronavirus-budget-crisis}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-05-26|title=Despite budget crisis, Los Angeles to give $41 million in bonuses to LAPD officers with college degrees|url=https://ktla.com/news/local-news/despite-budget-crisis-l-a-officials-to-give-41-million-in-bonuses-to-officers-with-college-degrees/|access-date=2020-06-01|website=KTLA|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-05-26|title=Despite a budget crisis, L.A. officials give new bonuses to officers with college degrees|url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-05-26/lapd-bonuses-los-angeles-city-coronavirus-budget-crisis|access-date=2020-06-01|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US}}</ref> The total impact of these negotiated pay raises was expected to add $123 million to the city's budget, contributing to the forecasted reversal of the city's projected revenue surplus into deficits "between $200 and $400 million in each of the next four years."<ref>{{Cite web|last=Denkmann|first=Libby|title=George Floyd's Death Is One Of Many Reasons Activists Are Pushing For A 'People's Budget' In LA|url=https://laist.com/2020/05/28/los-angeles-city-budget-protest.php|access-date=2020-06-16|website=LAist}}</ref><ref name=":7"/>
In the wake of the George Floyd protests, the size of LAPD's planned budget has received significant widespread scrutiny and public outcry.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Smith|first=Dakoka|last2=Zahniser|last3=David|date=2020-06-09|title=Callers to City Hall demand big cuts from the LAPD|url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-06-08/lapd-budget-hearings-city-council-committee-hearing|access-date=2020-06-16|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":6" /> On June 5, 2020, Garcetti publicly announced his intention to reduce LAPD's budget by up to $150 million, a reversal from his prior budget, which had proposed an increase of 7% to LAPD's budget, including the aforementioned package of negotiated raises and bonuses for LAPD officers.<ref name="Rainey">{{Cite news|last=Rainey|first=James|date=2020-06-05|title=Growing the LAPD was gospel at City Hall. George Floyd changed that|work=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-06-05/eric-garcetti-lapd-budget-cuts-10000-officers-protests}}</ref> The following day, LAPPL officials denounced Garcetti's plans to cut LAPD spending and characterized him as "unstable," with the LAPPL vice president Jerretta Sandoz characterizing Garcetti's announcement as "one of the most craven, disingenuous political sleights of hands we have seen in some time."<ref name=":7">{{Cite news|last=Smith|first=Dakota|date=2020-06-05|title=LAPD union decries Garcetti’s ‘killers’ comment. He says he wasn’t talking about police|work=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-06-05/la-police-union-angry-garcetti-killers-comment}}</ref><ref name="Rainey"/> LAPPL officials also announced they had no intention of renegotiating the pay raises.<ref name=":7" />
==Affiliations== LAPPL is affiliated with the National Association of Police Organizations (APO), the California Coalition of Law Enforcement Associations (CCLEA), Southern California Alliance of Law Enforcement (SCALE), and United Coalition of Public Safety (UCOPS).<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=Affiliations|url=https://www.lapd.com/about/affiliations|date=2017-02-28|website=LAPPL - Los Angeles Police Protective League|language=en|access-date=2020-06-01}}</ref> It is also informally affiliated with BIG 11, representing the 11 largest sworn law enforcement associations in California, and with BIG 50, comprising the 50 largest law enforcement associations in the United States.<ref name=":2" />
==Finances== LAPPL is a 501(c) organization. In 2019, the union had {{US$|11}}{{nbsp}}million in revenues, and {{US$|16}}{{nbsp}} million in assets.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) - Cause IQ profile|url=https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/los-angeles-police-protective-league,950949173/|website=Cause IQ|language=en|access-date=2020-06-01}}</ref> LAPPL also runs a political action committee dubbed the Los Angeles Police Protective League Issues PAC.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/Campaign/Committees/Detail.aspx?id=1336580&session=2019|website=cal-access.sos.ca.gov|access-date=2020-06-01|title=Campaign Finance: LOS ANGELES POLICE PROTECTIVE LEAGUE ISSUES PAC}}</ref>
== Footnotes == {{reflist}}
== See also ==
* Los Angeles Police Department * Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs
== External links == * {{Official website|http://lapd.com/|Los Angeles Police Protective League official website}}
{{LAPD}} {{Los Angeles}} {{Police departments of California}}
Category:Los Angeles Police Department Category:Police unions in the United States Category:Law enforcement in California Category:1923 establishments in California Category:Organizations based in Los Angeles