SSO legal battle concludes, fight continues

Dear OCEA SSO member,

As you likely know by now, late last week the California Supreme Court denied our request for review in our litigation against the County. That ends what has been an eight-year effort in Court to restore peace officer status to Sheriff’s Special Officers. We strongly believe we advanced every legitimate argument and took every feasible action available, but at the end of the day we could not overcome the vast discretion and authority the Sheriff enjoys under the law.

On multiple occasions during the litigation, and particularly recently, we have reached out to the Sheriff in an effort to clarify SSO job duties and related issues. We were consistently rebuffed, with the Department using the existence of the litigation as an excuse. We are hopeful that now that the litigation is completed, the Department will be more eager to engage in substantive discussions. Be assured that OCEA will continue to fight to ensure that your rights are protected and that you and your families receive the very best possible wages and benefits.

In Solidarity,

Charles Barfield
OCEA General Manager

Publication Date: March 18, 2020