Indio Police Command Unit Assn. v. City of Indio CA4/3

O'LEARY, P. J.

The City of Indio (the City) and its chief of police appeal from a judgment granting a permanent injunction in favor of the Indio Police Command Unit Association (the PCU), and two of its police officer members, prohibiting the City from implementing a planned reorganization of the City’s police department’s (the Department’s) command staff until it demonstrated full compliance with the “meet and confer in good faith” requirements of the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (MMBA) (Gov. Code, § 3500 et seq.). They also appeal from the postjudgment order granting the PCU its attorney fees under Code of Civil Procedure section 1021.5. Appellants contend the injunction was improper because the City sufficiently complied with its meet and confer obligations, and the trial court abused its discretion by awarding the PCU attorney fees. We reject their contentions, affirm the judgment and postjudgment order, and remand with directions.

FACTS AND PROCEDURE

The PCU

The PCU is the employee organization that represents the Department’s sworn command staff in the positions of sergeant, lieutenant, and captain, and it is the only organization with the right to meet and confer on…