Tag Archives: LAFD

Watch LAPD Surveillance Video of Arson suspect. ATF, LASD, LAFD turn up heat in investigation.

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LAPD has Posted this surveillance video of a possible arson suspect, officially a ” Person of Interest “.

Detectives have a person of interest who was captured on surveillance video from multiple locations where arson fires have occurred.  He is described as a male with light complexion wearing dark clothing and a pony tail hair style.  Detectives are asking anyone with information on this individual to contact the task force at Robbery Homicide Division at 213-486-6890.  Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477)

Reward up to $60,000.00 for information leading to the arrest and conviction has been offered.

 

NR12002SF

Pat McOsker lacks backing of rank & file LAFD personelle, Labor in CD15 Race

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Pat McOsker With Bob Schoonover

Here are some quick facts:

  • Julie Butcher the sneaky renegade union op that was moved from Cities to County for SEIU 721 and attempted to hold a vote on a contract in a union she doesn’t even represent and has cost LA City Workers more money out of their paychecks then every recession combined in history supports McOsker.
  • Liz Greenwood gave an inappropriate ethically challenged  two minute speech about the candidate before the members voted dropping every board and title she has ever held in carrying the company line backing Pat no other candidate had the same opportunity and it didn’t persuade many.
  • LAFD Board Would not even back their own president Pat McOsker, instead choosing to wait.
  • LAFD has not seen the drastic cuts and demise of the Department under any other union leader in it’s history as it has under Pat McOsker.

Below is a letter we were made aware of that was sent to Bob Schoonover, President of SEIU 721.

Hopefully this all gets settled quickly as McOsker bragged how he had raised the most money and continues to spin his “my board likes me just not enough” line.

____________________________________

August 2, 2011

Bob Schoonover, President
SEIU Local 721

Dear President Schoonover:

United Firefighters of Los Angeles City (UFLAC) Local 112 President Pat McOsker is scheduled to appear at SEIU 721’s L.A. City Council District 15 Town Hall Meeting on Wednesday, August 3, 2011. We urge you in the strongest of terms to avoid any endorsement of Candidate McOsker, as he is campaigning with considerable indifference to the members of UFLAC and does not have our endorsement or support.

In November 2010 President McOsker won a 3-way race for his UFLAC post with less than 36% of the membership’s vote – by no means a majority or close to a mandate. Seven months later a majority of the UFLAC Executive Board and an outspoken majority of our membership have clearly communicated their wishes to Brother McOsker: Feel free to run for public office but not while you’re the sitting president of our Union. We deserve better!

Brother McOsker has refused to step down, refused to take a leave of absence, and has shown total disdain – sometimes in graphic and vulgar terms – for his Executive Board and membership by sticking to his political agenda despite our vocal disapproval. It has come to the point that Brother McOsker, by virtue of his own actions, may find obtaining an endorsement from his own union impossible now even if he were to surprisingly step down, regardless of the way his campaign staff frames it in the media.

On July 27 the UFLAC Membership voted with 95% agreement for a non-endorsement in the CD-15. Mr. McOsker has tried to spin this in the media as, “a small faction within our Union (launching) an effort to sabotage” his campaign.

SEIU 721 has a long history and knows the pains of internal union struggles. Your union has stood strong and battled through those times to become even stronger. As an allied organization – one that represents members of the fire department labor family – we ask you to honor the wishes of our majority and not reward Candidate McOsker with your endorsement and campaign financing.

Unions sometimes disagree on political endorsements; it happens, is not done lightly, and typically has more to do with personal relationships than labor alliances. Unfortunately, any money given to McOsker may as well be tossed in the furnace. We urge you to go “open” for the CD-15 Primary and then endorse a highly qualified candidate in the General Election who is a friend of Labor and demonstrates true leadership and solidarity.

Respectfully,

Dissatisfied Members of United Firefighters Local 112

____________________________

 

LA Fire & Police exempt from retirement health care freeze

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Just as was expected police and fire have had retirement health care subsidy talk all but ended.

LA City Council was dishonest in selling this to members and now the only ones who can laugh about it are the one who voted NO!

SEIU 721 continues to sell a bad deal to members due to the fear of decertification forcing to keep members locked in unable to leave.

Below read from the UFLAC website on the issue.
Council suspends action on proposed freezing of sworn retiree medical subsidies

Bulletin 21 – 10

URGENT  -  Time-critical information

On April 12, 2011, the City Council considered a report from the Personnel Committee recommending that the City Attorney be instructed to prepare an ordinance for their consideration and vote to permanently freeze the retiree medical subsidies for LACERS and LAFPPS (Fire and Police) retirees at the current levels for all system members retiring on or after July 1, 2011.

After hearing comments from UFLAC President, Pat McOsker and LAPPL President, Paul Weber and after considerable debate, the Council voted to hold the matter over for another week pending an executive session briefing from the CAO relative to the status of current MOU negotiations for all of the affected bargaining units.

Yesterday, the matter came up again as scheduled.  As the result of considerable lobbying on the part of UFLAC and the LAPPL, a substitute motion was introduced and passed which, effectively, carved Fire and Police out of the forthcoming ordinance.  The Council moved forward on the freezing of the “civilian” subsidies.  The substitute motion further directs the CAO to report back to the Executive Employee Relations Committee within 14 days on all of the potential impacts and implications of a similar freezing of sworn retiree subsidies.

Although this matter is not yet resolved (and an easy resolution is not anticipated), there is no specific action or City recommendation regarding the freezing of our retiree medical subsidies pending at this time.

Due to yesterday’s Council action, it would be premature for us to advise members to consider altering their anticipated retirement dates in order to avoid becoming subject to a potential freezing of their post-retirement medical subsidies.  However, that could change.

UFLAC will keep the Membership fully informed and advised of the status of this matter immediately upon any development.  Thank you.

San Fernando Valley Cuts LAFD Hazardous Materials team courtesy of Councilman Greig Smith and Mitch Englander

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Los Angeles Fire Department faced another budget setback as they have been forced to remove the Only Hazardous Materials Response crew from service to the San Fernando valley.

With major factories, junkyards, airports and transportation corridors in the San Fernando Valley Grieg Smith and his Chief of Staff Mitch Englander have failed to provide the funding needed to keep Fire Stations open, and have resulted in the Only Hazardous Materials Response Team to be removed from service.

San Fernando Valley is roughly 260 square miles and home to nearly two million people, It is larger then Philadelphia, it has two Airports, Burbank Airport which borders the City of Los Angeles and Van Nuys Airport. Major oil distribution pipe lines &  several major Rail lines running through it, and it has the 405,  5, and 101 Freeways which are some of the busiest in the world and the San Andreas fault also runs right through the San Fernando valley.

Removing crews trained to handle these specific fire emergencies put’s the community at risk as well as our first responders, you can’t expect to throw together people at a moments notice and hope for the best when dealing with the threats we face today.

Mitch Englander  is the Chief of Staff and has failed to say a critical word about his partner Councilman Greig Smith instead he has supported the budget and finance decisions he has made, and he want’s to represent the very same council district he has helped put in harms way, from closing fire stations and removing hazardous materials response crews.

When will politicians and wanna be politicians learn, you can’t take from the public and then peddle for their votes?

We will not forget how you voted to risk our brave fireman’s lives and our very own in order to fund gang prevention programs or keep the lights on at the park at midnight. We all make choices and CD 12 has made some bad ones.

Take note of our politicians failures and remember them at the ballot box.