224,808 / 65.0% Yes votes ...... 121238 / 35.0% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Background

Los Angeles firefighters and police officers are covered by the Los Angeles Fire and Police Pension System. Current benefit provisions are contained in Tier 5, the plan that is offered to newly hired firefighters and police officers

The City also has a retirement system for "civilian" employees, the Los Angeles City Employees' Retirement System (LACERS). The Harbor Department Police are currently members of this plan.

A Port Police Officer is a sworn peace officer authorized to carry a firearm. The officer enforces federal, state and city laws through a wide variety of law enforcement activities. The position requires a seven-month period of full time Academy training.

Provisions

1. Council Authorization: By ordinance, the Council could allow sworn officers of the Port Police to be included in Tier 5 membership in the Fire and Police Pension Plan. Membership would be mandatory for newly hired officers. For currently appointed officers, membership could be chosen, irrevocably, by a specified date. The implementing ordinance would have to be adopted by December 31, 2005.

2. Limitations: This section specifies some requirements for eligibility to transfer into Tier 5 (for example, sworn peace officer status). It gives the Council authority over terms of transfer of credit for prior service from LACERS to Tier 5.

3. Some financial details are to be worked out: "mutual agreement" (between LACERS and the Police Pension Plan about transfer of funds) and Labor-Management negotiations (about employee responsibility for contributions covering transferred service).

4. A Council ordinance to implement this Charter Amendment would have to pass with a 2/3 vote (10 or more votes in favor). Note: at the time of preparation of this summary, the ordinance has not yet been drafted.

Fiscal Impact

This measure would affect the Harbor Department, which would make all contributions to the cost of the plan. It is estimated that the additional cost to the Department would be 15% of the Port Police payroll annually, which would be $678,000 in the first year.

Arguments In Favor:

1. Protecting our nation's ports requires highly qualified Port Police officers. A competitive pension plan would help in recruiting the best candidates.

2. Port Police receive a level of training comparable to that of the LAPD. Their benefits should also be comparable.

No official arguments in opposition were submitted.

The City of Los Angeles Harbor Department has its own police force. The Port Police are responsible for anti-terrorism, security and other law enforcement activities on all port properties, and help with law enforcement on the water. State Law places the Port Police in the same class as police agencies such as the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). This means that Port Police officers must have virtually the same qualifications and training as LAPD officers.

Although qualifications, training and duties of the Port Police and the LAPD are largely the same, the two police forces are in different retirement systems. The Port Police are in the same retirement system as the City's civilian workforce, while the police officers in LAPD are in a separate retirement system with Los Angeles firefighters. This measure would allow Port Police officers to be brought into the same retirement plan as LAPD officers and firefighters.

This measure would authorize the City Council to place all new Port Police officers in the same retirement system as all new LAPD officers. Current Port Police officers could choose to stay in the civilian pension system or transfer to the Fire and Police Pension System. Current Port Police officers would have one year to make their choice.

All retirement system costs for the Port Police would continue to be funded from revenues generated at the Port of Los Angeles. No City General Fund money would be used to pay retirement system costs for Port Police officers.

The City Council must act by ordinance by December 31, 2005, to implement this change.

VOTING YES ON CHARTER AMENDMENT 1 will allow Los Angeles Port Police Officers to receive the same fair pension and retirement plans as Los Angeles Police Officers, helping to attract and retain the most experienced officers, who risk their lives daily to protect the port.

More than 12 million containers enter the port complex every year, supplying 42% of our nation's cargo- VOTING YES will help the Los Angeles Port Police secure the movement of goods at the port, as well as protect all cruise ship passengers (1 million annually) and the thousands of men and women that work on or near the docks daily.

The Port of Los Angeles is the economic engine for the entire Southern California region-providing more than 250,000 jobs. A staggering $114 billion in cargo, including food, cars, clothing, computers, and furniture enters or leaves the port annually. Guaranteeing the safe movement of these goods is paramount to the economic vitality of Los Angeles.

VOTING YES costs nothing to Los Angeles taxpayers or the City's general fund. All Port Police costs Including salaries and benefits are paid for completely by the Los Angeles Harbor Department, which is independent, self-sustaining and not supported by taxes.

Vote YES on Charter Amendment 1 to increase homeland security and improve safety at the Port of Los Angeles by retaining, recruiting and training top quality Port Police Officers, the first line of defense for our City.

ALEX PADILLA
Council President

JANICE HAHN
Councilwoman
City of Los Angeles

GEORGE P. CUMMINGS
Director of Homeland SecurIty
Port of Los Angeles

DANIEL J. ALEMAN
President
Los Angeles Port Police Association

RICHARD J. RIORDAN
Former Mayor
Los Angeles

NOAH MODISETT
Coordinator
Citywide Alliance of Neighborhood Councils

PAT MCOSKER
President
United Firefighters of Los Angeles City

NOEL K. CUNNINGHAM
Director, Operations and Emergency Management
Port of Los Angeles

SHAQUILLE O'NEAL
Reserve Officer
Port of Los Angeles Police

(No arguments against Measure LosAngelesCharterAmendment---1 were submitted)