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My Year at the POA

January 3, 2014
Brian Stansbury

By Brian Stansbury
POA Treasurer

Since November 2012, I have served as Treasurer of the POA.  I was surprised at what I learned.  There are things that all of us should know.

The POA is truly a sophisticated operation.  There is a legal defense team, attorneys, consultants, political action committees, lobbyists, accountants, multi-million dollar budgets, and financial investments.

The financial strength of the POA is astounding.  There are over $10 million of real estate assets and several million of liquid assets.  These assets allow us to sponsor ballot measures, support common sense politicians, and pay legal fees in support of members.  It is our financial strength that amplifies our voice.  Our continued success will greatly depend on how well we manage these assets.    

Relationships matter.  It takes years to build and skill to maintain relationships.   But, without these relationships some things just couldn’t get done.

City politics are more complicated than we think.  There are a lot of moving parts and each decision the POA makes directly impacts the membership.  More recent examples include our contract extension (2013) and pension reform (Proposition C – 2011).  Fortunately, the POA knows how to navigate city politics.

This is why experience matters.  We need experienced leaders that know where we came from and where we are going.  I witnessed this first hand.  

The POA takes up new fights on a weekly basis.  Not every fight or victory is publicized.  More times than not, it’s the quiet victories that serve all of us best.  Trust me, the POA is stronger than ever.

The POA is active in Sacramento, working behind the scenes for our members. The police officer bill of rights exists because of the POA – it was our association that lobbied and got this passed into law years ago.  We remain involved on a variety of issues, including the effort to defeat Chuck Reed’s proposition that will strip us of our pension benefits.

I pay the Legal Defense Fund bills each and every month.  I have arranged for lawyers to respond in the middle of the night and I have participated in multiple Legal Defense Fund meetings.  When granting coverage, the POA always errs on the side of caution.  The process that I have seen is fair and impartial.

PORAC.  After participating in the Legal Defense Fund process and having reviewed the POA’s finances in depth, I wouldn’t consider joining PORAC – not even as a topic of conversation.  Period. 

Having a united team at the POA is critically important.  However, healthy debate does occur and is an important part of the process.  In the end, we must come together to get the job done. 

I went to Harvard last year for a conference with the 50 largest police unions in the country.  The POA is revered for what it has accomplished in terms of pay, benefits, and working conditions.   

Despite our success, everyone at the POA is always striving to improve upon what has already been accomplished.  Our continued success will hinge upon the decisions the POA makes.

Just 18 months ago, I never thought that I would have been Treasurer.  I have decided to temporarily step away and focus on the Retirement Board.  My decision was a tough one, but it was a decision made easy because the POA is on solid footing.