Friday, July 27, 2007

LOS ANGELES POLICE PROTECTIVE LEAGUE ANNOUNCES TRANSITION IN LEADERSHIP

July 26, 2007 - The Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Police Protective League today announced a transition in leadership. Bob Baker, who has been League President since 2002, will be retiring from the Los Angeles Police Department after 37 years, and will be stepping down from his post on July 31. He will be replaced as League President by Board Vice President Tim Sands, who has served as a Board member and League officer since 1997.

Detective Baker has spent his entire career with the
LAPD. With 37 years in the Department, including 23 years as a narcotics Detective, he will be retiring as a senior supervisor. He was first elected to the Board of Directors in 1999. He has since been reelected three times and has been president of the League since 2002. Baker will be joining the staff of District Attorney Steve Cooley, where he will be working as a liaison with law enforcement, including the LAPD, the Sheriff's Department and other municipal and county agencies, to expand and improve law enforcement training within Los Angeles County and statewide.

District Attorney Steve Cooley is looking forward to Baker's arrival on his team. "He will be a real asset to what this office is trying to accomplish," says the District Attorney.

Officer Sands is a 33-year department veteran who spent 18 years working on the streets in patrol, traffic, vice and narcotics, before spending five years representing officers at administrative boards of rights hearings. He has been Board Vice president for five years; previously he was Board treasurer for five years. He has also been League legal chairman since 1999.

Other continuing Board members include Sergeant Paul Weber, Board Treasurer; Officer Corina Lee, Board Secretary; Detective Jack Cota; Officer Ray Espinoza; Lieutenant Brian Johnson; Officer Scott Rate; and Officer Peter Repovich.

"Bob has been an immeasurable asset to this League. In the past five years, under his
leadership, we have made great strides in fighting off attacks on our pensions, maintaining flexible work schedules, and working to create workable solutions to the impositions of the consent decree. We have also gone through several contract negotiations and walked away with good results despite a difficult fiscal environment," says Sands.

"It is going to be hard for me to walk away from this Department and the men and women of the
LAPD, but I am thrilled to be leaving the League leadership in the capable hands of Tim and the other Board members," said Baker. "Tim is a terrific leader whose expertise in protecting officers' legal rights is a great benefit to the League. I know that under his leadership the Board will continue to achieve success in protecting officers' rights and benefits."

Editor's note: Reporters wishing to speak to District Attorney Cooley about Bob Baker and his new position as law enforcement liaison should contact District Attorney Media Relations Department. (213) 974-3525.

About the LAPPL
Formed in 1922, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents the more than 9,000 dedicated and professional sworn members of the
Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPPL serves to advance the interests of LAPD officers through legislative and legal advocacy, political action and education. The LAPPL can be found on the Web at www.LAPD.com.

1 comment:

Christine said...

I met Bob Baker in 1970 when he was directing traffic on Van Nuys Blvd and I was working at Bob's as a hostess. We kept in touch for years and lost track in the 90's. Can you please forward to him my phone number and have him call me? Christine Schinelli 619 306 6618. Thanks.