Fighting Discipline Imposed on Local 685 Members

By Esteban Lizardo, Esq.

Representing Local 685 members before the Civil Service Commission has been as active as ever this past year. As the second-largest peace officer bargaining unit in L.A. County, we continue to see a high volume of disciplinary actions. Yet despite the volume, Local 685 maintains the strongest record in the County for reversing or reducing discipline. While County departments sustain discipline in roughly 80% of cases, we succeed in overturning or reducing discipline in more than 60% of ours. Below are some key outcomes.

Reversed Discharges

• Camp DPO II discharge – reinstated, suspension only

• Hall GSN discharge – reinstated, suspension only

• Camp DPO II discharge – reinstated with no discipline

• Field DPO II discharge – reinstated, suspension only

Eliminated or Reduced Suspensions

• Camp DPO II, 15-day suspension – no discipline

• Camp DPO II, 10-day suspension – no discipline

• Camp DPO II, 20-day suspension – no discipline

• Camp DPO II, 30-day suspension – no discipline

• Hall GSN, 10-day suspension – no discipline

• Camp DPO II, 15-day suspension – suspension reduced

• Hall DSO, 10-day suspension – suspension reduced

• Field DPO II, 20-day suspension – suspension reduced

• Camp DPO II, 15-day suspension – suspension reduced

• Hall DSO, 18.01 suspension – suspension reduced

Defending Our Wins in Superior Court

The Department has increasingly challenged our victories in Superior Court through writ petitions. We are vigorously defending these wins and, when appropriate, filing our own challenges to protect our members’ rights.

• DPO II Camp discharge reversed – Department challenging reinstatement

• DPO II Field discharge reversed – Department challenging reinstatement

• DPO II Camp suspension reversed – Department challenging reversal

• Hall Sr. DSO – we are challenging a sustained suspension based solely on video evidence

• Hall DSO – we are challenging partial sustaining of discipline based solely on video evidence

Stopping Discipline Before It Starts

This summer, the Department issued 14 Notices of Intent to Discharge for DPO IIs based on single or minimal absences. Working closely with Chief Steward Jonathan Byrd, we immediately challenged the Department’s evidence. Through sustained effort, we secured rescission of 11 discharge intents within days – and ultimately forced rescission of all 14 of these baseless proposed discharges.

Supporting Members Affected by the Attorney General’s Indictments

We are also representing members caught up in the Attorney General’s Los Padrinos investigations. We have filed 22 Civil Service appeals of 18.01 suspensions, which will remain pending until the criminal matters conclude. In the meantime, we continue to actively monitor the cases and coordinate support for the affected members to ensure both their administrative and individual rights are protected.

Local 685 members can be confident that when discipline is unfair, unsupported, or excessive, we will challenge it relentlessly – and we will continue to win.