In 2024, law enforcement faced many of the same obstacles that have been hampering the profession in recent years — recruitment and retention issues, rising violent crime rates, officer health, wellness and safety concerns, and criminal justice reform policies that embolden criminals while hamstringing police officers, to name a few. Despite these challenges, our LAXPD and Los Angeles Municipal Police officers and Los Angeles park ranger members, along with our public safety brethren across the country, remained steadfast in their mission to serve and protect their communities.
Through it all, LAAPOA had our members’ backs. We were at the forefront, advocating for their safety, well-being, rights and benefits on the local, state and national levels. Notably, we signed a monumental contract, which, alongside a successfully passed city charter amendment, codified precedent-setting benefits for our members, including pay and retirement coverage that will impact LAAPOA for generations.
Here, we look back on some of the key issues, accomplishments and highlights we covered in our BOLO e-newsletters, print newsletters and social media — all of which kept members, supporters, lawmakers and the media informed about the vital work LAAPOA does for its members throughout the year.
New Year, New Laws
At the start of 2024, LAAPOA compiled a list of new laws our members should be aware of, which went into effect on January 1. Some of these bills include AB 28, which adds an 11% excise tax on the purchase of firearms and ammunition; AB 791, which prohibits a person convicted of an offense punishable by life without the possibility of parole from being released on bail; and AB 452, which eliminates the time limit for the recovery of damages suffered as a result of childhood sexual assault for civil actions that arise on or after January 1.
Honoring Our Sisters in Blue
In March, LAAPOA celebrated Women’s History Month by highlighting LAAPOA Board member Ruth Delgado, a detective with the LAXPD who is one of the many women in LAAPOA and in the Department carrying the torch of those who came before them and inspiring the next generation of female officers.
In October, LAAPOA held its fourth annual Women’s Leadership and Empowerment Conference, bringing together public safety professionals from around the state to network and hear from accomplished female leaders in the fields of law enforcement, finance, and mental health and wellness. The daylong event revolved around the theme “Be the Change” and featured LAXPD Captain Karla Rodriguez as the master of ceremonies.
Voting for a Safer Tomorrow
In the wake of the March 5 primary election, LAAPOA highlighted the low voter turnout in L.A. County and statewide, and encouraged members to be politically engaged as we prepared for the pivotal general election. As November 5 approached, LAAPOA presented our official voter guide listing the candidates and measures that aligned with the interests of public safety professionals and the communities we serve. Crucially, Nathan Hochman, whom LAAPOA endorsed for Los Angeles County district attorney, defeated George Gascón and his extreme pro–criminal policies. Additionally, several LAAPOA-endorsed candidates at the local, state and federal levels won their races.
Revealing the Latest Safety Threats
In April, LAAPOA shed light on a troubling new phenomenon that emerged involving foreign intruders exploiting the United States’ lax visa and criminal justice system. In a trend dubbed “burglary tourism” by authorities, thieves from South American countries such as Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia have been involved in hundreds of break-ins throughout Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties this year.
In June, LAAPOA brought to light the surge in violence at L.A. Metro stations and aboard buses and trains, causing Mayor Karen Bass to direct an immediate surge in law enforcement personnel on Metro buses, rail cars and stations. The spike in high-profile crimes and the untold number of patrons who have been robbed, accosted and harassed this year have sparked concerns over safety, along with outrage and criticism over the lack of security and law enforcement patrolling the transit system.
Two months later, LAAPOA reported on the large-scale organized retail thefts, which often involve mobs of people rushing into stores and swiping items in plain sight, that have devastated California businesses in recent years. In response to this escalating crisis, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bipartisan package of 10 bills on August 16 that creates stricter penalties for repeat offenders and people running professional reselling schemes.
Lastly, in July, LAAPOA discussed the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Grants Pass v. Johnson, which empowers law enforcement across California and other western states to effectively dismantle or prohibit homeless encampments that have surged throughout the West Coast, causing heightened concerns over sanitation, public health and safety. The court found that fining and arresting homeless people does not violate constitutional protections against cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment. Officers can now issue civil citations, often misdemeanors, to people who have set up temporary shelters. Those citations, when ignored, may now lead to jail time.
Gone But Never Forgotten
On April 29, LAAPOA remembered the brave service and sacrifice of LAXPD Officer Tommy Edward Scott, who was killed on that day in 2005 — the first officer to die in the line of duty in the history of the Airport Police force. LAAPOA has kept his legacy alive through the Los Angeles Airport Police Athletics & Activities League (LAAPAAL) Tommy Scott Memorial Scholarship Fund, which has provided scholarships to dozens of deserving students in his memory over the years.
The month of May has been a sacred time for law enforcement since 1962, when President John F. Kennedy established May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which May 15 falls as National Police Week. Each year, along with Scott, LAAPOA remembers the others within our own ranks whom we lost too soon, including Captain Albert E. Torres (EOW: October 12, 2019), the first Los Angeles Park Ranger killed in the line of duty. LAAPOA also honors the memory of the more than 1,600 officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice since California became a state, whose names are engraved on the Peace Officers’ Memorial monument in Sacramento. During the candlelight vigil on May 5 and the enrollment ceremony on May 6, California recognized four officers killed in the line of duty in 2023, three more who died in 2021 and one from the distant past.
This year also marked the 23rd anniversary of the devastating September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. LAAPOA joined with the rest of our nation in reflecting on those tragic events that shook the world, and especially our law enforcement and aviation communities. We also mourned the thousands of lives lost as a result and honor the courage of our first responder brethren, who answered the call to action, many of whom made the ultimate sacrifice while working to rescue others.
Advocating for School Police
In May, LAAPOA advocated for a stronger, more immediate police presence in schools to protect children and ensure a safe learning environment. Just three years ago, the Los Angeles school board voted unanimously to cut 133 school police positions. Now we are feeling the effects, with a rise in violence, drug use and public safety concerns escalating throughout public and private schools. According to data from the LAUSD board, since officers were removed from schools, fighting and physical aggression have nearly doubled from 2,270 incidents to 4,569.
Putting Officers’ Mental Health First
LAAPOA took significant steps to acknowledge and support the mental health of our members during Mental Health Awareness Month in May and National PTSD Awareness Month in June. In law enforcement, studies have shown that officers are more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty and are at a higher risk for suicide than any other profession. Now more than ever, officers need support from their departments and peers and require access to law enforcement wellness programs and competent mental health professionals so that they can manage and cope with the daily stressors of the job in safe and healthy ways.
Over the years, LAAPOA has strived to serve as a helpful mental health and wellness resource for our members, not only creating a safe space for members to talk with others about their issues but also raising awareness on PTSD, traumatic stress, officer suicide and more through our periodic educational BOLO e-newsletter articles. We have also worked with our statewide partner PORAC to support legislation and programs that actively try to address mental health in the profession, such as the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act and Public Safety Officer Support Act.
Investing in LAX Security
LAAPOA was very pleased when Congresswoman Maxine Waters announced her community project funding requests for inclusion in fiscal year 2025 appropriations legislation, prioritizing the LAX Police Department’s request for $963,000 in federal funding to upgrade its vehicle fleet and equipment. It’s been challenging in the past for LAXPD to have timely maintenance and replacement of its police vehicle fleet. These crucial funds will be used to support purchasing vehicles and upgrading equipment that have been in various states of disrepair.
The commitment to investing in LAXPD came at a crucial time, as this summer’s travel season was the busiest ever — eight of the 10 busiest days in TSA history have come in 2024. In July, LAAPOA pointed out those sky-high statistics are a signal for travelers to take precautions to stay safe and a reminder that protecting our nation’s airports and their surrounding communities is crucial. Nowhere is that truer than at LAX, which remains one of the country’s busiest aviation hubs and is preparing for major international events on the horizon with the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games.
Keeping Members Apprised of Crucial Labor Issues
Throughout 2024, LAAPOA updated members on important law enforcement labor issues through expert legal analysis from our general counsel, Mastagni Holstedt, APC. The following issues highlighted included SB 2’s concealed carry ban; the temporary restraining order issued to the Department of Justice from requiring officers to disclose their gender identity and from enforcing that disclosure subsection of the new regulation; an update on the California Supreme Court ruling that people can’t be detained just for trying to avoid law enforcement; and the crucial progress being made in Congress on the Social Security Fairness Act of 2023 (H.R. 82).
“As 2024 comes to an end, we turn our attention to the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics, which are both on the horizon,” LAAPOA President Marshall McClain says. “LAAPOA leadership is preparing for the world’s gaze, attention and the corresponding challenges. On a day-to-day basis, the ongoing expansion and modernization of the airport, the changing nature of threats to aircraft and our infrastructure, and the wholesale metamorphism of our city parks will require dexterity. We are up for it.”
LAAPOA wishes you and your loved ones a happy holiday season and a safe, joyful and prosperous new year!