Ventura County DSA Latest News

California Pizza Kitchen is graciously hosting a fundraiser to support the Burckhard family. As many of you know, Deputy Allen Burckhard is dealing with the tremendous responsibility of caring for his bedridden wife, Christy, who suffers from a debilitating illness that has no cure, three young sons, and the responsibilities of a home, all while being the sole support of the family. The cost of his wife’s home care just so he can go to work is more than his take home salary. There are are actions in play to assist in the long term, but the process for any relief takes a very long time and will only reduce the costs by a fraction. At this point, we are trying to bring any relief we can to the family as her illness (Leukodystrophy) is devastating and long-term.

Because of this, we are so grateful to California Pizza Kitchen for this generous offer. They have decided to include all of their locations in this fundraiser. we need your help to get the word out and make this a huge success.

All you need to do is share this flyer on your social media and via email or text with all of your friends and family near one of the listed locations, and please ask all of your friends to share as well. If all of us share, and everyone you reach out to also shares this info, we can have a tremendous fundraising effort just by doing what we do every day - eating! As you can see, the participating locations spread far and wide, so please help us make it a huge success!

January 8, 2020, during lunch and dinner and all takeout, the proceeds will be donated to the Burckhard family. We are thinking of a salad for lunch and pizza for dinner! Thank you all for your support.

Thank you to Mike Zabarsky for all of his hard work to help a brother! Thank you to California Pizza Kitchen for their generous support.

Join us for our last Open Enrollment Meeting

Your 2020 Insurance information is now online.  If you go to the Member Login section and click on the section titled "Insurance," you will find plan summaries, rate sheets, and enrollment forms.  

In order to see the documents, you will need to have a member login account.  You may register at the website and it will be approved generally within 24 hours. If you have any questions or concerns about getting logged in, please contact Kasey at  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  If you have any questions or concerns about the insurance, please contact Barbara at  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or D'annah at  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Thank you.

VCDSA ELECTION RESULTS ARE IN VCDSA ELECTION RESULTS  2020-21 TERM PRESIDENT – Nick Odenath (421 votes) SECRETARY – Shawn Holzberger (444 votes) 3 DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE POSITIONS 1. DAN AMBARIAN (196 votes)               2. CYRUS ZADEH (147 votes)               3. MACKENZIE SPEARS (111 votes) 1st Runner-Up:  TYLER EBELL  (84 votes) 2nd Runner-Up:  JAMES McGUIRE (80 votes) 3rd Runner-Up: TYLER McMAHON ( 29 votes) 1 RETIREE DIRECTOR POSITION Leighton Armstrong (239 votes)   RETIREE MEDICAL TRUST 2020-21 TERM ACTIVE TRUSTEE - RETIREE MEDICAL TRUST Virginia Tinoco  (225 votes) RETIRED TRUSTEE - RETIREE MEDICAL TRUST Vern Markley (203 votes) Congratulations to all of the candidates. We appreciate your hard work and interest in participating in the process.

VCDSA

NOMINATIONS MEETING

 

WHEN:   WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2019, 7:00 P.M.

WHERE:  VCDSA, 981 S. Victoria Avenue, Ventura

WHY:    NOMINATION OF VCDSA OFFICERS, DIRECTORS AND TRUSTEES FOR 2-YEAR TERMS BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 2020

             

• YOU MUST BE NOMINATED AT THIS MEETING. YOU WILL BE CONTACTED BY THE SECRETARY AFTER THE MEETING TO ACCEPT NOMINATION AND MUST

• SUBMIT A CANDIDATE STATEMENT TO This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  BY SEPTEMBER 27th.

  • STATEMENTS TO BE NO MORE THAN 250 WORDS—VCDSA WILL MAIL STATEMENTS TO ALL MEMBERS.

 

 

VCDSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

PRESIDENT(Minimum of 1-year VCDSA Board experience required)

SECRETARY

 SHERIFF’S ACTIVE-DUTY DIRECTOR - three (3) positions

 RETIREE DIRECTOR - one (1) position

- - - - 

If you are not receiving the regular emails from the VCDSA (the emails with the VCDSA logo at the top) and would like to, please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to send an email with your personal email address, full name, and whether active or retired, and ask to be added to the list.  Please do not delay as we will be sending out multiple communications regarding medical insurance for the upcoming year and want to make sure we reach all of our members.  Thank you.

VCDSA Board of Directors

Did you know you can make a difference while you shop Amazon Prime Day deals on July 15 & 16?

Simply shop at smile.amazon.com/ch/77-0217063 and AmazonSmile donates to the VCDSA Charitable Trust. 

     In the past 15 years, the VCDSA Charitable Trust has donated over $800,00 to worthwhile charities and non-profits countywide.  The Trust’s activities enhance and promote the image and reputation of the Deputy Sheriffs and D.A. Investigators who are our members, and of law enforcement generally.  Charitable giving and community involvement by VCDSA provides the balance of positive to the substantial negative rhetoric about police that is prevalent today and serves to help humanize the badge.  Through AmazonSmile you can assist with this at zero cost to you.  We encourage you to save this link to your favorites.

Thank you!!!

Buy Tickets Here

To all VCDSA Members Active and Retired who are insured by Anthem:

As of July 1, 2019, there will be a change in the provider for your prescriptions if you are enrolled in the Anthem plan. If you have created a login with the VCDSA website, you can go to the Member’s Only section, log in, and go to the "Insurance" section to find the document titled “Prescription Change July 2019” to get the information you need. Please do this immediately so that if you have an ongoing prescription, you do not have any issues filling that prescription beginning July 1. Remember, your member card is available through the Anthem app on your phone or online if you have not received yours yet. If you have any questions, you may contact Barbara Dwyer at 805-639-9218.

If you have not created an account at venturacountydsa.com, doing so today will give you access to valuable information and updates.  

 

The Ventura County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association board meeting regularly scheduled for May 15, 2019 is being rescheduled to May 22, 2019 at 4:30 p.m.  

Thank you for your understanding.

AB 392 is the bill in Sacramento that will change the use of force standard for police officers from reasonable to necessary.  It will change the face of police work immediately and contains provisions that are squarely opposite of the standard set forth by the United States Supreme Court.  On Tuesday, the California Assembly Public Safety Committee passed AB 392 right through to the next step toward becoming law, which was fully expected based on the political makeup of that committee currently. In the link below you will find a video of that hearing. At about 55:20 in, you will hear from a Sacramento deputy describing a shooting where she was shot and her partner was killed.   She is emotional and pours her heart out telling the story of decisions that police officers make every day.  What we want you to know about this is what is the reality of what is going on up in Sacramento, which is rife with bullying and unprofessional attempts at intimidating anyone who does not agree with certain positions.  During the deputy’s testimony, you will hear in the background the large ACLU contingent in the audience cheering her story of the death of her partner and disrupting her speech. 

We at the VCDSA want to make sure that all of our members are kept informed of what is really going on in Sacramento because you will not likely see it on the news.  We want to make sure you see and know the reality because we will be asking for your assistance to mobilize and do everything in our power (without resorting to bullying, untruths or violence) to stop this legislation from becoming law. We cannot wait for the bill to be close to being voted into law; we must get the word out now!

Please watch the video linked below and you will hear from us again in the coming days with more information on how you can help.  Also, please follow Protect CA, PORAC, and our VCDSA social media pages for more information.  We need to band together and prevent the travesty of this legislation.  The majority of people support our peace officers, but the small segment of society who appear to despise law enforcement are doing everything in their power to make their voice heard.  We have to show them our strength and that is in our numbers.  Please send us an email and let us know you support these efforts.  We want to hear from you. 

Click here to See Video

Re: URGENT! ACLU Use of Force Bill Headed to Committee Hearings

We need you to take action now!  Click here to send an email to stop the ACLU’s use of force bill, AB 392. The ACLU lobbyists want to make it easier to criminally prosecute public safety officers who are forced to make split-second decisions during dangerous encounters. This bill will be heard in the State Assembly’s Public Safety Committee on April 9. 

We need you to click the link and send a message to key members of the Public Safety Committee, as well as your personal assemblymemberand State senator. Click here to send an email.  It will take you one minute.  All the hard work is done for you.

If you would like to speak to Brenda Cummings, VCDSA’s experienced retirement counselor, she has open appointments for her next scheduled office date on March 13, 2019.  Please call VCDSA at 805-639-9218 to schedule your appointment.

Good afternoon,

We are pleased to announce the National Latino Peace Officers Association of Ventura County(NLPOAVC) 2019 Scholarship application is now available for students in Ventura County.  We encourage students to apply early!

Attached you will find the application or you can also find it on our website  http://www.nlpoaventuracounty.com/scholarship/

Scholarship recipients will receive their award at our Scholarship Dinner April 11, 2019 at the Spanish Hills Country Club in Camarillo. 

Application Deadline:  Applications must be postmarked no later than March 15, 2019

For more information go to VenturaEcoX.com

The VCDSA Scholarship Application process is now open.

• Open to dependent children of active members of VCDSA in good standing, or of retired members of VCDSA in good standing with ten (10) consecutive years of active membership immediately prior to retirement, or of medically retired members of VCDSA in good standing with five (5) consecutive years of active membership immediately prior to retirement, or of survivors of active or retired members in good standing as described above.

 

The deadline to have the completed application in the VCDSA office is March 29, 2019, at 4:00 p.m.

 

Click Here for Application

The VCDSA Board meeting for January 16, 2019, has been canceled.  The Board will convene at the regularly scheduled meeting on February 6, 2019, at 8:30 a.m. Please contact the VCDSA office if you have any questions.

President’s Message

By Investigator Scott Peterson

It is with a heavy heart and a sense of optimism that I bring this year-end message to you.  The events of the past months have taken their toll on all of us.  We mourn the loss of our friend, colleague, mentor, and hero, Sergeant Ron Helus. 

Sergeant Ron Helus

The night of November 7, 2018, will be forever engrained in our minds.  A night of sheer terror for most, punctuated by the heroic act of a man who understood the danger he was facing yet still made the ultimate decision to enter a chaotic scene and face the evil that lurked.  Ron was a hero every day, but his last unselfish act of duty, honor, and courage will always be remembered by the community he served as a “heroic deed.”  For those of us who knew the man, who worked alongside him, who knew his friendship, commitment and the love he had for his family, we will always remember Ron as a man who lived a heroic life each and every day.  Every second of life brings us moments we will cherish, anguish about, and learn from.  Each second provides us an opportunity to bring forth the best in ourselves and impart a lasting, positive impact on those around us.  Ron truly understood that and endeavored to be a great person, a loving husband, father, family man, and a man who put his heart and soul into a profession he so loved (and the second family he cherished so much).  To Karen, Jordan, Ron’s family and friends, I want you to know what an honor it was for those of us who served alongside Ron.  We will never forget the goodness of the man and the leadership he provided.  To my friends, colleagues, and members of Ron’s second family, let us never forget his sacrifice and continue to serve as I believe Ron would want us to, with duty, honor, and courage.  Above all, let us create cherished moments like Ron did, for all of us. 

The open enrollment meeting at VCDSA scheduled for tonight (November 8 )has been postponed. We will provide the new date as soon as we can. Thank you for your understanding. The VCDSA staff is available to answer questions about insurance in the meantime.

To all active and retired members:

This is your reminder that there is a benefits fair on Saturday, November 3, 2018 from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.  In order to get information to the members in the most efficient manner, we have implemented the following briefing schedule for Saturday’s fair.  These briefings will be conducted by the Alliant staff and provide an overview of the plans followed by a Q & A.  Board members will also be on hand to answer questions regarding the new plans.  The briefings are being conducted to provide info to the members more efficiently, but the vendors will also be on hand to answer all questions individually.  There will be a variety of resources, activities for the kids, door prizes and another gun and air pods raffled off.  We hope you will join us!! 

VCDSA Medical Plan Briefings – Actives and Non-Medicare Retirees

10:00: HMO

10:45: PPO/HDHP

There has been some confusion regarding the HMO plans and at our request, Alliant has provided the following information that some may find useful.

HMO Networks:

     In most areas of California the Classic HMO will have more doctors than the Select HMO.  The network has a lot to do with how the doctors get paid.  Without getting too complicated, a doctor doing the same amount of work gets paid more under the Anthem Classic contract than they would under the Select contract.  Many doctors participate in both the Select and Classic networks, but some doctors choose to only participate with the Classic network due to the difference in payment. 

     In LA and SB counties, some of the more/most expensive HMO doctors only participate in the Classic plan, but there is little or no difference between the networks in Ventura County.  In reality most people will only need to see one or two doctors, so the only thing that really should matter which specific plan your one or two doctor(s) contract with.  If your doctors happen to be in both networks, the Select HMO makes a lot of financial sense.  This is why we encourage everyone to visit the VCDSA/Anthem website (https://enrollment.anthem.com/VCDSA) to check their doctor's status. 



The 2019 Anthem Enrollment form can be found on the website under Member Documents>Insurance.  You can print this form and bring it with you to one of the enrollment events or to meet with Barbara.  This form has been crossed-out and highlighted to make completion easier.

 

An error was discovered in the 2019 rate sheet posted here under Member Documents>Insurance.  The corrected rate sheet is now published for your information.  The correction pertains to the Select HMO plan.  In the rate sheet published previously, there was an indication that the deductible applied to items it did not apply to.  That has been corrected.  The deductible applies primarily to hospitalizations and services connected with hospitalization, not to regular doctor visits.  This does NOT apply to the retiree rate sheet.  

 

To Our Members:

      Since the email went out announcing the change in medical benefits, there have been questions and comments that we would like to address. The Board and staff of VCDSA understand a transition this significant is disruptive and frustrating. Many of you have important questions regarding how you can continue the best care for your families. Although we are unable to adequately and personally speak to each and every one of you, we are sending out this FAQ to address some of the issues   However, we encourage all of you to attend one of the benefits fairs as they will be the best sources of information regarding the plans. Additionally, there will be Board members at each of the events so you will be able to discuss with them the process that went in to this decision.

Sincerely,

The VCDSA Board

 

Please join us at the upcoming Benefits Fairs.  Click this link to see the Active Rate Sheet: Active Rate Sheet or this link to see the Retiree Rate Sheet: Retiree Rate Sheet

 

 

 

 

WHEN:     FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018, 4:00 P.M.

WHERE:  VCDSA, 981 S. Victoria Avenue, Ventura

WHY:        NOMINATION OF VCDSA OFFICERS, DIRECTORS AND TRUSTEES FOR 2-YEAR TERMS BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 2019

One of the benefits VCDSA provides for our members are the services of the very knowledgable Brenda Cummings.  Brenda is a retirement specialist who can answer all of your questions about retirement, whether you started last week or 30 years ago.  There is no question too big or small so please do not think your questions are insignificant.  We want our members to be educated and fully aware of what lies ahead for them.

Brenda is in the office limited hours but you can always call the VCDSA office to make an appoinment.  She will be in the office this Wednesday, August 15, and has appointments available.  If you are interested in speaking with her, please call (805 639-9218 and ask for an appointment with Brenda.

 

 

One of our deputies is in a position that hopefully none of us every have to be.  He can use any financial support you can muster right now.  If you cannot donate, could you please share the link so we can spread it far and wide.  

Thank you so much for your support!  You can click the link below.

GoFundMe page for Burckhard family

Effective immediately, the VCDSA is transitioning to Alliant Insurance Services as the broker with respect to our employee benefit insurance programs.  The former broker, JHC Benefits should be continuing to handle the members' patient advocacy through the end of April.  For further information, please see the letter under "Insurance" in the member's only section of this website.  Here you will find all of the information you need regarding this transition.  Thank you.

On June 8, members of our department, academy recruits, department staff and our friends from Probation carried the torch in the Special Olympics Torch Run along PCH. Extra kudos to Deputy Mario Molina who ran in full uniform. VCDSA members are proud to participate in this event every year!

Our hearts are heavy and our thoughts and prayers are with Officer Boyer, his family, and our brothers and sisters at Whittier PD.

"May he rest in peace."