WELCOME FROM PRESIDENT LAWRENCE
As your President , I hope you enjoy this edition of the California Police Chiefs Association ( CPCA ) magazine . We dedicated this edition on officer wellness and resiliency as one of our important initiatives this year is to reduce public safety professional suicides . The information contained in the articles featured in this issue will benefit all of our agencies .
In addition to our initiatives , we experienced a challenging legislative year at the State Capitol . As we closed the 2019 Legislative season in October , we finished the year with our state debating about 3,000 different bills at the State Capitol . Our lobbyist Johnathan Feldman , and our Law and Legislative Committee led by Chief Corey Sianez , closely analyzed and took positions of either oppose , support or to remain neutral on more than 300 bills related to public safety . We actively participated in the lobbying and debate process with many of these bills , and while it may seem many bills negatively affected the safety of our communities or created challenges for our profession , we actually had a majority of victories .
We owe thanks for these victories to the dedication and hard work of our lobbyist Johnathon Feldman , staff , our Legal Advisor Jim Touchstone , our Law and Legislative Committee , and to the many chiefs who diligently made calls or personal visits to their legislators . I want to thank each of you who personally engaged with your local Assembly member or State Senator , or who wrote Resolutions from your City , to help us protect California . Your efforts absolutely make a huge impact and your dedication to our profession is better as a result .
None of the bills we faced this year was more significant than the historic battle over the Use-Of-Force issues , AB 392 and SB 230 . Together , these two bills likely represent the biggest legislative challenge we have faced in California over the past three decades , if not longer , and we achieved two major victories through tenacious hard work and intense focus that ultimately secured amendments agreeable to our association .
Our coalition with the Peace Officers Research Association of California ( PORAC ), the California Association of Highway Patrolmen ( CAHP ) and others , was firm in our position to protect our communities and ensure our officers could perform their difficult duties in as safe a manner possible . As one of the main stakeholders in the arguments on AB392 , and as the architects of SB230 , our association deserves to be very proud of our accomplishments ; we can stand tall knowing we safeguarded
against bad policy that represented an upheaval to the safety to our profession , and we designed policy that protects California ’ s communities and peace officers .
Our association also deserves to be proud of legacies championed by your Executive Committee . As 1st VP Eric Nunez prepares for his ascension to president in April of 2020 , he will be designing a new model for strategic planning and implementation to drive our association into the future . Our 2nd VP Rob Handy and Executive Director Leslie McGill , continue CPCA ’ s success with the Executive Leadership Institute at Drucker , which is entering its fourth year and has proven to be wildly successful for the advancement of executive leaders in our profession . Meanwhile , our 3rd VP Jennifer Tejeda has been advancing CPCA ’ s initiative to reduce suicides of public safety professionals through her leadership on our “ Human Behind the Badge ” workgroup to implement officer wellness and resiliency . Her efforts are sparking discussions throughout our State and nation on the critical need to remove the stigma of police professionals getting the emotional assistance they need to manage emotional trauma .
Our Director-At-Large Adam McGill , our 16 Region Representatives , along with our other At-Large Directors , continue their commitment to ensure CPCA represents each and every one of the 332 California police chiefs in our membership . Our association enjoys a high degree of respect at the State Capitol , and we have many great efforts happening that are advancing our profession in amazing ways . In short , your association is on the move , and I could not be more proud to be your president !
Sincerely ,
Ronald Lawrence
Ronald Lawrence California Police Chiefs Association President
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