SACRAMENTO- On Friday, April 14, 2017, the results of the Resource Protection Peace Officers Association (RPPOA) election were tabulated and incumbent President Matt Yarbrough and Secretary Geno Lucich tied for the most votes received.  Yarbrough and Lucich agreed that they would continue to serve in their existing roles and Nathan Smith, the third highest vote-getter, would continue in his capacity as treasurer. No wardens were nominated nor received votes in the election and their seats remain unfilled.

The newly elected and re-elected RPPOA Board will continue to focus on staffing issues and plan to bring the reduction in peace officers, and crime rates in State parks, to the attention of legislators via budget hearings, and to the public through a media campaign.

During the last round of bargaining, the RPPOA Board was instrumental in attaining a Special Salary Adjustment for peace officer rangers and lifeguards in addition to the general salary increases received by the California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) bargaining unit. However, there remains a significant number of vacancies in these classifications and the number of qualified applicants to attend and graduate the ranger academy remains low.

“I would like to thank those who voted to re-elect the RPPOA Board and want all of our members to know we are committed to aggressively advancing the interests of our members” said Yarbrough.

“These guys who are volunteering time and energy, in addition to their demanding work schedules are to be commended” said CLSEA President Alan Barcelona. “If RPPOA had not been present at the negotiations table with CalHR and Parks, the SSA that rangers and lifeguards received would not have happened. It shows how important it is to have the people performing the work participate in the process.”