Police Groups Take Offense at Boland’s Name Calling

Several law enforcement groups have demanded an apology from state Senate candidate Paula Boland for a campaign mailer that they say characterizes them as “phony” and “radical government unions.”

Groups representing police in Burbank, Pasadena, South Pasadena and San Marino alleged Friday that they were the targets of the brochure telling voters in the 21st Senate District: “Beware of candidates masquerading behind phony law enforcement endorsements.” Each of those groups has endorsed Boland’s opponent, Adam Schiff.

Boland, a Republican assemblywoman from Granada Hills, had ordered the mailer toned down, her consultant acknowledged Friday, but the correction was not relayed to the printer. The spokesman said Boland did not intend to demean any local police departments, but offered no apology. Boland declined comment.

But the implications of the mailer were felt beyond the Schiff camp. One group that had endorsed Boland, the California Assn. of Highway Patrolmen, was so concerned about the brochure that it apologized to Schiff.

The controversy had Boland and her campaign squarely on the defensive, as polls showed her opponent moving ahead of her.

One side of the brochure lists Boland’s law enforcement endorsements from nine groups. On the other side, the text under Schiff’s picture reads in part: “Schiff is backed by radical government unions who want to authorize police strikes and put our neighborhoods at risk.”

The brochure reprints a letter from Police Lt. Don Meredith, whose department was not identified, stating that Schiff’s endorsers are “not groups concerned with public safety.”

Democrat Schiff’s statewide law enforcement support has come from the California Police Chiefs Assn., the California Organization of Police and Sheriffs and the Peace Officers Research Assn. of California.

Boland has the support of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the Assn. of Deputy Sheriffs of Los Angeles County, the Glendale Police Officers Assn., the California Council of Police and Sheriffs and the California Correctional Peace Officers Assn., among others.

Boland’s consultant, Dave Gilliard, while conceding the corrected copy did not reflect the change Boland sought, nonetheless defended the brochure as accurate, especially with regard to the Peace Officers Research Assn., which he said regularly endorses liberals over public safety candidates.

Gilliard said he wasn’t referring to the smaller police groups in the flier and noted that no organization was mentioned by name.

“The groups that endorsed Schiff don’t like what we say about them,” Gilliard said. “Big deal.”

Ron Snider, president of the California Assn. of Highway Patrolmen, disavowed the mailer and said the group would never have allowed the use of its name and insignia had it known about the contents of the mailer.

The groups endorsing Schiff are particularly irked by the attack because Boland had sought their endorsements in this election and had been endorsed by them in the past.

In the March primary, the Peace Officers Research Assn. of California endorsed both Schiff and Boland. Less than a month later, Boland wrote to the group saying that she “would be honored if I could receive similar support in the general election,” according to a copy of the letter provided by PORAC.

As for the ad itself, “it’s an insult to the guys who lay their lives on the line every day in her area,” said Steven Craig, president of PORAC, an umbrella group that represents 42,000 law enforcement officers in 600 associations. “The officers in her district are not phony.”

Burbank Police Sgt. Janice Lowers said the association she heads has never been attacked for endorsing another candidate. To call the Burbank Police Assn. a “radical union” demonstrates Boland’s unfamiliarity with the district, Lowers said.

“One of the reasons we didn’t support her is we didn’t feel she had knowledge or concern for our area,” Lowers said.

South Pasadena Police Officers Assn. President Sgt. Mike Neff said the city’s officers passed up pay raises for two years to help the city with its financial problems.

“It would never cross our mind to go out on ‘blue flu’ or a strike,” Neff said. “I was disappointed in the personal attacks.”

Glendale Police Chief James Anthony, who has not endorsed either candidate, dismissed the mailer as offensive.

“To say the [California Police Chiefs Assn.] does not care for public safety is ridiculous,” said Anthony, past president of the statewide group.

No group has retracted its endorsement of Boland as a result of the mailer.

Schiff denounced his opponent for attacking the very groups she sought support from.

“For her to turn around and call them phony is total hypocrisy,” he said.