EAA has discovered that LAPD illegally utilized its “TEAMS II” software to track its civilian employees, including those represented by EAA. “TEAMS II” was developed by LAPD as part of the Consent Decree entered into by the City of Los Angeles and the United States Department of Justice on June 15, 2001.

EAA’s legal counsel sent a letter to the Police Commission, the Police Chief, and the CAO on February 5, 2008 demanding that LAPD “cease and desist from applying any portion of the Consent Decree to represented non-sworn employees” or “the Union will have no choice but to take appropriate legal action”. Despite the fact that EAA was not notified of the intent to utilize this software for its represented employees as required in the Consent Decree, EAA offered to meet and confer on application of any portion thereof.

Ben Pezzillo, EAA’s labor representative, sent a letter dated January 16, 2008 to LAPD regarding the improper use of TEAMS II in a particular situation. He then held a meeting with LAPD on January 31, 2008 to discuss the problem. Both SEIU and AFSCME were invited to this meeting and thus learned of the illegal use which also affects their members employed by LAPD. At the meeting, LAPD admitted they began using “TEAMS II” for all employees in June of 2006 and stated that they would stop using it for civilian employees immediately.

LAPD should have known of the need to meet and confer as the Consent Decree states in paragraph 8 that “Nothing in this Agreement is intended to: (a) alter the existing collective bargaining agreements between the City and LAPD employee bargaining units; or (b) impair the collective bargain rights of employees in those units under state and local law. The parties acknowledge that . . . this Agreement may require compliance with the meet and confer process or consulting process.”

The purpose of “TEAMS II” is to track performance of sworn LAPD officers to avoid additional incidents such as those leading to the Consent Decree. Information including but not limited to training, assignments, claims, complaints, disciplinary actions, and commendations are tracked, but there is no right for the employee to respond to any item included in his or her file.

Any EAA-represented LAPD employee who believes that the use of “TEAMS II” adversely affected promotional opportunities, transfer opportunities, or other personnel actions should contact their labor representative to discuss their individual situation and the available remedies.