With tomorrow being Thanksgiving, most people will have a chance to reflect on what they’re grateful for and spend time with family. But for those in law enforcement, the day tends to look a little different. While travelers fill the LAX terminals and families gather in our communities, our police officers and park rangers will be out there as always, guarding against the unexpected and maintaining safety. They may mostly go unnoticed and unappreciated, but the hard work of our members doesn’t need to draw attention to itself.

This week also gives us a good moment to look back at 2025 thus far, which has been full of progress, setbacks and everything in between. One of the biggest highlights of the year came early, when H.R. 82, the Social Security Fairness Act, was finally signed into law, ending decades of unfairness tied to WEP and GPO. After more than 40 years of work by labor groups, including PORAC, which LAAPOA is a part of, millions of public servants will see restored benefits they earned.

In July, Congresswoman Maxine Waters secured nearly $1 million in federal funding to modernize LAXPD’s vehicles and equipment — a long-overdue step toward ensuring this Department is properly equipped for the seventh-busiest airport in the world. But as crucial as it was to secure the $963,000 in federal funding, LAX still has a long way to go if it hopes to be ready for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Olympics.

Leadership at LAWA/LAX continued to falter, and LAAPOA’s vote of no confidence in Chief Cecil Rhambo reflected concerns that have built up for years. With LAX facing constant security demands, major construction projects and global attention, leadership can’t be inconsistent or half-present.

This year also marked 20 years since the death of Officer Tommy Scott, who heroically protected our community from a man who had commandeered his patrol car near the airport and was intent on crashing it into an airplane on the LAX runway. LAAPOA has continued to honor his legacy through the Los Angeles Airport Police Athletics & Activities League (LAAPAAL) Tommy Scott Memorial Scholarship Fund, which has supported dozens of students in his name. Giving Tuesday is on December 1 this year, and we encourage you to donate to LAAPAAL, which helps our community through athletics, education and charity events.

You can also contribute to PORAC Fund a Hero campaigns to assist peace officers and their families impacted by catastrophic events. There are several peace officers around the state who are going through a difficult time right now, and a small donation could go a long way toward making the holidays brighter for them.

“This year gave us meaningful progress, from the long-overdue passage of H.R. 82 to securing federal funding that finally begins to modernize our equipment,” LAAPOA President Marshall McClain says. “At the same time, we’ve had to confront continued leadership issues under Chief Rhambo that have placed extra strain on our officers. “Despite everything this year threw our way, our members continued to show up with professionalism and heart. As Thanksgiving arrives, I hope each of you gets time to rest, reconnect and enjoy the people who mean the most.”