Kristi Sandoval
September, 2010
So, your partner got a POST bonus check and you didn’t, and you’re wondering, “Hey, what about me?” That’s been a common question lately, so I think it’s time to remind everyone about POST certificates, the money attached to them and how you get them!
First of all, the POST bonuses, which have traditionally been paid with the uniform checks in July, were separate checks this year. Per MOU Section 5.7, if you were a sworn member of the Department on June 30, 1996 (and have had no separation of service), and you have an intermediate, advanced, supervisory or management POST certificate, you are entitled to a bonus, paid in July of each year. You can earn $10 per month for an intermediate or $15 per month for an advanced certificate (that’s $120 or $180 for 12 months). Then, if you move up to supervisory, you can add another $10 per month, and with management, another $10 on top of that. So, best-case scenario, if you have the advanced, supervisory and management certificates for the entire 12 months prior to the July payment, you get a check for $420 (pre-taxed) in July.
What if you are among the majority and came on after 1996, and aren’t entitled to the bonus? Well, there is still money to be had by having your intermediate and advanced POST certificates. If you have the intermediate certificate, you are entitled to a 1% pension-based salary increase. If you have your advanced certificate, you are entitled to a 2% pension-based salary increase. Combined, that is a 3% pension-based raise just for applying for and receiving the POST certificates you may already be eligible for!
The certificates are based on years of law enforcement experience and college credits/training points. If you don’t have a college degree or college credits, you can have your Academy training converted to between 10 and 22 college units through the College of the Canyons (COC) at no cost. Plus, there is an entire list of other Department trainings that entitle you to additional college credits, or, if you are prior military, you could receive college units for your military training. The POST Unit can help you decide which route is best for you.
The point of all of this is this: While the financial times are still rough, there may be money to be had — but only you can get what’s yours. If you are qualified for POST certificates above the basic, you are also entitled to a raise — but it’s up to you to get it! Keep in mind, FOD credits you for the POST certificate based on the date of issuance from the state, so the sooner you get the certificates, the sooner the money starts coming in!
Like I mentioned, the good people of the POST Unit will help you: College of the Canyons Liaison, Senior Management Analyst Roy Ortiz; POST Unit OIC, Senior Personnel Analyst Bruce Bernal; or POST Certificate Coordinator, Management Analyst Michelle Weiler are all there to answer questions and help you get the paperwork filled out. Call them at (213) 485-3149. Roy and Bruce also spoke at our August delegates’ meeting, so ask your delegate for a copy of the packet, or visit the “Members Only” section at LAPD.com.
Support Your LAPD Family and Get MADD!
Whether you’re a parent who worries incessantly about your teenage kids or you’ve had a friend, partner or loved one who was injured or killed by a drunk driver, drinking and driving should be a concern for all of us. If you don’t have a personal story, then you need to read the story of Kathi and Jennifer Robi — wife and daughter of Detective II Paul Robi (Bomb Squad) and mother and sister to Officer Christopher Carnahan (77th) — all of whose lives were turned upside down in 2007 when a 46-year-old female driver with a .27 blood alcohol level smashed into the truck Kathi was driving, broadsided Jennifer’s door, knocked the truck over the curb and slammed it into an oak tree. Their injuries were severe, and recovery is an ongoing battle, but taking that devastating experience and making it meaningful has become their mission.
Their efforts since that day in 2007 are immeasurable, but Kathi, who had to retire because of her injuries, is now making a difference as the Operations Council chair for MADD-Los Angeles. Jennifer, a 15-year-old sophomore at La Salle High School, does presentations to teenagers all over the country about the dangers and consequences of drinking and driving. They have both become powerful voices in their efforts to educate people and champion laws that hold drunk drivers accountable.
You can support your LAPD family — Paul, Kathi, Christopher and Jennifer — by supporting the Walk Like MADD event on Saturday, September 25, 8:30 a.m., at the Queen Mary Events Park in Long Beach. Help spread awareness and save lives by joining the LAPD team to “Stop the MADDNESS” in the fight against impaired driving. All LAPD personnel and their families are invited to support this very worthy cause. The event will feature a 5K walk/run, free food, refreshments, kids’ activities and music after the walk. To join, go to www.walklikemadd.org, click on the event in Los Angeles and then click on “Sign Up” and “Join an Existing Team.” Under the law enforcement teams, select “LAPD.” For additional information, see the flyer on page 26, or you can contact the Robi family at madd4kath@aol.com or (626) 695-2237.
Call me or email me anytime at kristisandoval@lappl.org if you have any questions or concerns.
