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LA Police Union Elects 1st African-American Director

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) —The union representing Los Angeles police officers has elected its first-ever African-American board member.

KNX 1070's Margaret Carrero reports LAPD Chief Charlie Beck announced the historic milestone at a police commissioners' meeting Tuesday.

LA Police Union Elects 1st African-American Director

Members of the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) elected Sgt. Jeretta Sandoz, a 20-year LAPD veteran, to fill a vacant position on the nine-member board, according to reports.

The election of Sandoz brings the number of women on the board to three. More than a thousand of LAPPL's 9,900 members are black.

Sgt. Jeretta Sandoz
Sgt. Jeretta Sandoz is a 20-year LAPD veteran who has previously served as a mediator for the department. (Photo courtesy Facebook/VOTE Jerretta Sandoz for 2013 League Director)

Sandoz had previously served as a mediator for the LAPD and a voluntary mediator for the City Attorney's Office, as well as an LAPPL delegate, according to her campaign.

For Sandoz, her election is an opportunity to bring transparency and a sense of cooperation to the board.

"Ultimately, it's about the membership, it's about the Department; it's not about us," said Sandoz. "It's about protecting the membership, it's about protecting their benefits, their rights."

On her Facebook page, Sandoz thanked her supporters by posting the following message: "We did it!!!!! I am grateful to God that I have the opportunity to serve this membership. Thank you all for your vote of confidence. Thank you for your support from the very beginning.

"I will work each day for you to protect you and fight for what is right. I am truly grateful."

Sandoz is expected to serve on the board until at least December 2014, according to reports.

Her election comes as the LAPPL's Board of Directors is set to begin negotiating with the city over the union's employment contract, which expires next June.

(©2013 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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