Unit A leadership meets with legislators to highlight public safety and enforcement challenges and concerns
“In response to a request from our Unit-A affiliate leadership, CSLEA, along with our legislative and political consultants, worked to set up two days of back-to-back-to-back meetings with members of the legislature to press the importance of the law enforcement, public safety, and consumer protection work that our CSLEA members do to keep Californian’s safe. The job vacancy rates in these areas cannot be allowed to continue if we want a safe and healthy California. The information we brought to legislators’ attention was valuable and educational. If you don’t shine a light on a problem, little is done to get it fixed, so that was our goal.”
CSLEA President Alan Barcelona
SACRAMENTO – On February 9-10, 2026, California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) President Alan Barcelona, joined by eight Unit-A affiliate presidents and a vice president, met with 17 California legislators and/or their office leadership to address State staffing deficiencies and pay disparities that are impacting California public safety and CSLEA members working in sworn and non-sworn positions.
“Our CSLEA members, in their professional compacities, combat everything from human trafficking, illegal cannabis, drug cartels, gangs, unlawful possession of weapons by prohibited people, harmful products being sold illegally in smoke shops, underage drinking, identity theft, fraud and elder abuse,” said CSLEA President Alan Barcelona. “Experiencing the enormous vacancy rates that we have right now in vital public safety positions is not conducive to a safe California or a healthy, productive workforce. California is simply not prioritizing public safety, or those who stand on the front lines of public safety – between citizens and harm’s way.”
Legislators who met with CSLEA included:
- Assemblymember Chris Rogers – Committee: Assembly Sub 4
- Assemblymember Christopher Ward – Committee: Assembly Sub 5
- Assemblymember Tom Lackey – Committee: Assembly Sub 4
- Senator Melissa Hurtado – Committee Senate Sub 4
- Assemblymember Matt Haney – Committee: Assembly Sub 5
- Senator Christopher Cabaldon – Committee Senate Sub 4
- Assemblymember Liz Ortega – Committee: Assembly Sub 5
- Assemblymember Greg Wallis – Committee: Assembly Sub 5
- Assemblymember Damon Connolly – Committee: Assembly Sub 4
- Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva – Committee: Assembly Sub 5
- Assemblymember Lori Wilson – Committee: Assembly Sub 4
- Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas – Committee: Senate Sub 4
- Assemblymember Juan Alanis – Committee: Assembly Sub 4
- Senator Eloise Gómez Reyes – Committee: Senate Sub 2
- Senator Steven Choi – Committee: Senate Sub 2
- Senator Roger Niello – Committee: Senate Sub 4
- Assemblymember Steven Bennett – Committee: Assembly Sub 4
- Assemblymember Nick Schultz – Committee: Assembly Sub 6
- Senator Catherine Blakespear – Committee: Senate Sub 2
CSLEA representatives included:
- Alan Barcelona, CSLEA President
- Ricardo Sanchez, CSLEA CFO, CALEE President
- Kenneth Ehrman, CSLEA Unit-A Vice President, AMVIC President
- Ben Greenhagen, CSLEA Director, ASA-DOJ President
- Bryan Pender, CSLEA Director, CABA President
- George Tiongson, CSLEA Director, CACI President
- Joel Lambert, CSLEA Director, CAFDI President
- Trevor Pell, CSLEA Director, ACWO President
- Matt Yarbrough, CSLEA Director, SPPOAC President
- Luis Jimenez, CSLEA Director, HPAC President
- Daniel Schmidt, CAFI Vice President
- Shane LaVigne, CSLEA Legislative Advocate – LaVigne Strategies
Topics pressed upon included:
- High vacancy rates
- Competitive pay
- Recruitment and retention
- Vacant positions
- Stalled pay increase
- Challenges in the field
- Public and officer safety concerns
“The CSLEA President, CFO, and Unit A presidents spent two productive days meeting individually with 17 legislators’ offices to provide insight into the staffing deficiencies and pay disparities we are experiencing. We provided data on current vacancy rates for each agency and the negative effects on public safety,” said Kenneth Ehrman, CSLEA Unit-A Vice President and AMVIC President.
“We had a great two days of grassroots campaigning to bring awareness to all the public safety sectors outside of CHP and CDCR to let legislators know the dire consequences of the lack of professional staff to do these jobs to protect our citizens and environment from fraud, crimes against the state, and more,” said George Tiongson, CSLEA Director and CACI President. “Without raises and resources to keep public safety professionals, we won’t be able to protect Californians.”
“It is important to meet with legislators to educate them on all the aspects of the work we all do. Highlighting the complex investigations we all do and how the vacancy rate is hurting all of us,” said Daniel Schmidt, CAFI Vice President.
“Thank you to the legislators who were willing to allow us to voice our concerns regarding the many issues our state law enforcement officers face on a daily basis regarding public health,” said Joel Lambert, CAFDI President.
“Alan Barcelona and the affiliate presidents are determined to provide the best for our members. We hope that in speaking with the legislators, we were able to convey the message of importance that state law enforcement provides to the citizens of California,” said Ben Greenhagen, ASA-DOJ President.
“We simply can’t sit by and watch departments sweep vacant positions. This is an uphill battle, but one we must continue to press forward with as legislators and the governor consider the budget, and as the May budget revise approaches,” said Barcelona. “We care about public safety, we are in the trenches fighting criminals and their efforts to harm Californians, and it wouldn’t be right to sit quietly as public safety is at risk of losing valuable people, resources and tools. I thank each of our CSLEA directors who spent two full days on this matter, our CSLEA legislative and political consultants, and the legislators who took time out of their day to consults with us.”
