LAKE COUNTY — The county and the Lake County Correctional Officers” Association (LCCOA) have settled the lawsuit brought on by the union regarding its members” peace officer status.
“This settlement protects the public and the correctional officers who serve them as well,” Lake County Sheriff Frank Rivero and LCCOA president Mike Silva said in a joint statement Tuesday.
The agreement does not give correctional officers peace officer status under California Penal Code Section 830.1(c) but does allow LCCOA members employed as Correctional Officer I or II or Correctional Sergeant to carry firearms on duty outside the jail facility.
The LCCOA filed a petition in March in response to Rivero”s decision to recognize its members as correctional officers, not peace officers, though the union claimed the Lake County Sheriff”s Office began identifying correctional officers as peace officers in 2008.
Rivero had argued that the correctional officers did not complete the minimum peace officer training and therefore should not receive the title.
The civil trial was set to begin at the Lake County Courthouse Tuesday, but that afternoon, attorneys representing both parties informed Judge William McKinstry of the agreement.
The settlement allows correctional officers to receive a concealed weapons permit from the county after satisfying training requirements described in the penal code.
The LCCOA agreed to file a voluntary dismissal with prejudice for this civil case as well as dismiss two charges the union filed with the Public Employment Relations Board.
According to the joint statement, Rivero and Silva “reported the settlement discussions helped resolve other outstanding issues and opened a line of communication between the association and the Sheriff”s Office to address future problems.”
Another term of the agreement stated that all correctional officers” current patches will be replaced with one featuring the California bear logo in the center and the words “Lake County Sheriff” embroidered on the patch, which is the same one worn by sworn LCSO deputies.
Contact Jeremy Walsh at jwalsh@record-bee.com or call him at 263-5636, ext. 37.
