October 5, 2024 – The rain showers couldn’t dampen the spirits of the many civilian employees of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) as “Civilian Appreciation Month” kicked off with a barbeque lunch at the Police Administration Building in Downtown. As smoke billowed from the grill, employees took the time to catch up with former colleagues now assigned to different divisions.
October in the LAPD is “Civilian Appreciation Month” which serves as an opportunity for the sworn police officers, from the Chief on down, to recognize and thank their civilian colleagues for the work they do throughout the year. Of the approximately 13,000 employees of the LAPD, roughly 3,000 of those are civilian employees.
Civilian employees work in a supportive capacity, assisting their sworn counterparts in various duties such as clerical work, policy making, mechanical maintenance, information technology, public relations and emergency dispatching. Job titles include Police Service Representative, Auto Mechanic, Store Keeper, Forensic Fingerprint Specialist, Police Administrator, Systems 
Analyst and Senior Clerk Typist to name a few.
The Department is tremendously grateful for all the hard work and dedication civilian employees do and show in their day-to-day duties. They are a vital part to the success of the organization.
One spot on the Opertunities list for 10/06/11? That's just great. No money for promotions of Detectives and Sergeants, but all kinds of promotions if you're an LT or above.
"ONLY LATERAL TRANSFERS MAY BE CONSIDERED FOR THE FOLLOWING POSITION.
LIEUTENANT II STAFF (COVETED)
(1) INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BUREAU — LA-RICS"
Really, this is the only opertunity for movement, with exception of the promotions of all the Captians, Commanders and Deputy Chiefs. Sir, your department is sinking QUICK! There are areas of this department that are DEEPLY in need of additional detectives, P-3's and P-2's, but for some reason, you promote all these Command Staff personel, and let your worker bee's suffer. Why is that? I see your driver was promoted, and all your friends seem to be getting all the favors/promotions and the rest of us are left with ZERO chance of furthering our careers.
Thanks Sir, nothing like taking care of your Officers.... How about a Police Officer appriciation month? All we need is some of these coveted spots to open up.... And I'm not talking about Gangs.
Posted by: Disgusted | October 12, 2024 at 06:28 AM
What band was the Chief's driver on? Just remember one importannt definition: cronyism - favoritism shown to friends and associates (as by appointing them to positions without regard for their qualifications. If this is true, then we should all voice our concerns to end this practice at once.
Posted by: Core Values | October 12, 2024 at 02:00 PM
No one at my job has been promoted. But good lord do you guys know how to cry about it. I thought you went in to this profession for something other than money? Pity party calling, your table is ready!
Posted by: Dana | October 13, 2024 at 02:04 AM
I understand your disgust dana, but what you may not know is that in order to promote one to the rank of sergeant, the lapd can not just hire one straight off the streets as you could in a corporate setting (Just an example). Time requirments are necessary such as time with the department, hence promotional lists. Last time I checked, people eventually retire so those vacancies need to be filled in order to keep operations running smoothly...ie promotions are necessary. And to top it off it is hard to swallow that the chief of police tells us to suck it up in regards to promotions, but feels the need to have (2) assistant chiefs a deputy chief at the top of bureaus etc, and then (2) commanders typically under each deputy chief. There are even (2) captains at every division for some odd reason. All the way down to the rank of LT where there are some hiding in an office doing god knows what. Bottom line promotions at least at the bottom are necessary. And that is what people are complaining about. At some point in your life, MOST people expect to further their career (whatever it may be) and attempt to make a little more than what they started out at. They have families to take care of too, maybe purchase some luxuries for them.
Posted by: concerned about the future | October 13, 2024 at 08:32 PM
Dana, Your welcome for keeping you nice and safe! And thank you for the free super-size.
Posted by: In search of a vowel | October 14, 2024 at 09:28 AM
Well put by Concerned about the future in regards to Dana. Seriously Dana, our families deal with a lot when married to an LAPD officer. My wife, whom I've been married for 18 years and even my children ages 8, 10, and 13, all know what it is to worry for me: The Dad who has missed important functions, come home the next day to finish an arrest, been suspended in my career, testified in a board of rights, been federaly sued twice, been in three shootings and I still do my job no different than the day I began my career. I don't hide behind a desk. I have two Department commendations and lots of patrol experience, ie gang experience, almost 17 years, and people like Dana say you "guys" cry. What an insult. Promotions are the best form of recognition for painsaking work that is known as the "thankless job". But it's okay with me, I hope our leaders realize what is occurring.
Posted by: Anonymous | October 17, 2024 at 11:33 AM
OMG. Really missed functions! Sorry you get no empathy from me on that one. I am a mom, sure my decision to do so while I climb the corporate ladder but never the less. It was something I decided to do. And no my kids don't worry about me not coming home...ages 4, 8, 10, twins 13, 16 and 22, that has never been one of their worries but as a working mom/parent we have all missed dates that were important to them. I work hard for my profession and work long hours. I understand the need to promote but around every turn is someone willing to cry about promotions. I thank those of you that do this thankless job. I would never do it but gotta admit that I tried it. Sheriffs circa 1989 did it for one year before I realized that that I could not answer this one question: who is more dishonest the creep sitting next to me. Or the creep he was trying to take down. That's when I knew I had to get out. So bottom line to do your job was enough for me for one year. It isn't worth the danger, and two it sure as hell isn't worth the pay. But we all make decisions way back some where to do what we do. Do I think some of you deserve more HELL yes. But there are way too many out there that are just doing enough to get by. Right or wrong who knows, in the mean time all that money is not getting allocated correctly. Bottom line yes I think promotions should happen...to read, hear about how unfair that situation is...we all deal with unfair situations. Are the people at the top sitting around getting fat? Again yes...but so it that patrol officer sitting in the driver seat who is doing just enough to get by. So please don't confuse me for for some ungreatful citizen. I understand the job you do even if I "couldn't" do the job myself. But empathy for missed play dates or long hours should not be mistaken for your right to a promotion. Oh and by the way I have never understood why the Chief would need a driver? Or any other personal help doing his job other than a secretary but hey that's what the department decided a long time ago.
Posted by: Dana | October 19, 2024 at 03:57 AM
I hope that we have not mistaken you for that ungreatful citizen dana, because your generalization that most cops just do enough to get by............remember it is gonna be that cop who risks their life for you and protects you. Protects your personal freedoms to complain and point out problems without helping to figure out a solution. Based on your statement that everyone misses functions.....I will advise my family that everyone makes sacrifices and misses majority of holidays due to max deployment and working excess of 16-18 hours daily with court after that shift. But for those of us who do it for the right reasons, we do not need the approval of society, pat on the back, or some award.... We will continue to stand on that wall.
Posted by: concerned about the future | October 19, 2024 at 02:15 PM
Concerned,
Loved the Tom Cruise movie refrence, loved that movie. I too have done long days at times just like you have slept hunched over the desk in my office. Again, empathy but you offer no resolutions either. To sit and complain about all the promotions that the chief has made happen and all his friends that got the spot, really 99% of us would do the same thing, promote that best friend. Oh and by the way I do thank you for standing on that wall but good lord...Do I think the promotions should come...yes. So there you go...I waive the white flag. I'm done. Good luck with those promotions. In the mean time still hope you don't mind if I think I should get promoted before you. smile smile!
Posted by: Dana | October 21, 2024 at 12:14 AM
I am glad you enjoyed the movie, and agreed 100% it was a great movie. Anyways, my complaining is done......because as the saying goes you can always complain, but who is really gonna listen. Stepping off for now. Best of luck in your profession dana.
Posted by: concerned about the future | October 25, 2024 at 04:19 PM
Dana, late to the prom......again. we've offered solutions upon solutions hand over fist, all the sudden you've decided show up to the discussion via 1 thread on the LAPDblog, feebly waxing intellectual and dropping obtuse references from 20 years ago? Back then and now, you failed to escape mediocrity and stand up to the horrible "men" that treated you so poorly. So instead of stand up and be counted, you turned tail and quit. C'mon, you quit, you're a QUITTER, and now you want to come on here and throw bombs and compare our chasing criminals with guns that KILL, rape, rob and intimidate people, to your long days and night behind your desk???? Oblivion is a very well stocked place. I love all this morale relativism in the world today. Disgusting!
We're getting the mistreated and are standing up for ourselves, with out protesting I might add, and you're all spun around the axle because we are having a little healthy discourse?
Sorry, but you're a quitter, and we're not prepared to quit on the citizens like you did. But also, we're not going to just roll over to a wrong, like you did. We're going to continue to fight, for you and for ourselves. But now we have technology that has evolved, and we've embraced it. So either do your due diligence, before you opine so arrogantly and ignorantly, or kindly drive on.
This city deserves people like my fellow officers and I that are not afraid to speak up. To bad you didn't get the same advice back when you had the opportunity to do so.
Posted by: Irked | October 25, 2024 at 07:25 PM