POLC NEWS

Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that 195 school districts, intermediate school districts, and public-school academies will receive nearly $25 million in grants to support hiring 195 School Resource Officers (SROs) for the next three years.

These Law Enforcement Officers will improve safety and security for more than 334,000 Michigan students.

“Every parent wants their kids to be safe at school,” Whitmer said. “These grants will help us hire almost 200 more School Resource Officers so we can make sure our children, teacher, and staff are safe at school. Let’s keep working together to make record investments in our students and improve their classroom experience, build up school infrastructure, hire excellent educators, and invest in their comprehensive well-being, from mental health to safety.”

A panel of representatives from education and policing awarded the grants, giving priority to schools and school districts without a current School Resource Officer. Priority was also given to more schools from communities with lower student enrollment and less total per pupil funding. Michigan State Police (MSP), Grants and Community Services Division, administers these funds which may be used to support salaries, benefits and training for SROs. A 50 percent match is required to be provided by the applicant jurisdiction.

“These grant awards will not only help to provide better safety in our school buildings by increasing the number of schools throughout the state with at least one SRO, but very importantly, by prioritizing smaller schools in more remote areas, we will reduce the time it takes for a police response in the event of an emergency,” said MSP Director Col. Joe Gasper.

For a complete list of awards, please click on the Office of School Safety link below.

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It’s the final call to honor America’s Finest by nominating an officer(s) today for outstanding police work in 2022. For consideration, get your TOP COPS nominations to us by Monday, Jan. 16; The federal COVID presumption for eligibility for the Public Safety Officer’s Benefits (PSOB) Program for public safety officers who had COVID-19 at the time of death or who are disabled due to COVID-19 is still in effect. The presumption will last through Dec. 31, 2023, or until the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, whichever occurs later; The Fiscal Year 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act that was passed by Congress at the end of last year included several NAPO priorities, from additional funding for the 9/11 World Trade Center Health Program to provisions protecting public safety retirement security. It also included a provision that ends the ability of health plans offered by nonfederal governmental entities, such as states and localities, to completely opt out of the federal mental health and addiction parity requirements. The parity requirements dictate that health plans cover mental health and substance use disorder treatments in a manner not less restrictive or more costly to enrollees than for physical health treatment; NAPO pledged our support for H.R. 27, the Prosecutors Need to Prosecute Act, which would require any district attorneys’ and prosecutors’ offices that receive federal funding through the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne JAG) program to report annually the number of cases they decline to prosecute, the number of crimes committed by repeat offenders, and the number of criminals released. The collection of this data would make prosecutorial decision making more transparent and accountable, ensuring the safety of our communities and our officers; NAPO pledged our support once again for H.R. 304, the Stop Enabling Repeat Violence and Endangering (SERVE) Our Communities Act, which incentivizes states to allow judges to consider “dangerousness” when determining whether to release a repeat offender before trial; Congressmen Garret Graves (R-LA) wasted no time in reintroducing the Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 82) and beginning the push to repeal the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). This legislation continues to be a top priority for NAPO; NAPO continues to support H.R. 233, the Qualified Immunity Act, reintroduced by Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN), which recognizes that Courts have repeatedly noted that the doctrine does not shield the inept or willfully blind but does protect law enforcement officers from attempts to impose “after-the-fact” liability for actions that no reasonable official could have known were unlawful at the time; NAPO priority legislation, the Thin Blue Line Act, was reintroduced as H.R. 130 by Congressman Vern Buchanan (R-FL). This important bill would increase penalties on those who harm or target for harm public safety officers by making the murder or attempted murder of a local police officer, firefighter, or first responder an aggravating factor in death penalty determinations in federal court; and It’s not too late to register for NAPO’s 34th Annual Police, Fire, EMS, & Municipal Employee Pension & Benefits Seminar, Jan. 29 – 31, 2023, at Caesars Palace Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

For more details on these topics and other legislative matters, please click on the Jan. 13, 2023 Washington Report below.

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Excerpted from NLEOMF’s 2022 End-of-Year Preliminary Law Enforcement Officers Fatalities Report

Law Enforcement line-of-duty fatalities in 2022 plummeted about 61 percent compared to 2021, but the number of firearms-related deaths continues to be high, according to the 2022 End-of-Year Preliminary Law Enforcement Officers Fatalities Report released by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF).

There were 226 line-of-duty fatalities last year as of Dec. 31, 2022, compared to 586 in 2021, the deadliest year on record in Law Enforcement history. The drastic drop is primarily related to the 83 percent decline in COVID-19-related deaths, according to the report.

Last year, 70 officers died as a result of contracting COVID-19 while on-duty compared to 405, who died from contracting the disease in the line-of-duty in 2021. Despite this significant decline in 2022, COVID-19 continued to be the leading cause of Law Enforcement Officer fatalities.

Firearms-related fatalities were the second leading cause of death in 2022, claiming the lives of 64 officers last year and also in 2021. Both years represent a 21 percent rise in firearms-related fatalities compared to the last decade, which averaged about 53 fatalities yearly from 2010-2020. Of the 64 firearms-related deaths, the top circumstances are as follows: 11 were ambushed; nine were handling domestic disturbances; eight were investigating suspicious persons or circumstances; six were attempting arrests; six were slain during traffic enforcement; five were investigating disturbances; four were killed during tactical encounters; and four were mistaken identity/training accidents.

“While overall line-of-duty deaths are trending down,” said National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund CEO Marcia Ferranto, “the continuing trend of greater-than-average firearms-related deaths continues to be a serious concern. Using and reporting on this data allows us to highlight the continuing cost of maintaining our democracy, regrettably measured in the lives of the many law enforcement professionals who sacrifice everything fulfilling their promise to serve and protect.”

Traffic-related fatalities decreased overall 3 percent with 56 deaths in 2022 compared to 58 in 2021. However, fatal automobile/ motorcycle crashes increased 29 percent over 2021’s total of 31, with 40 deaths in 2022. Officers struck outside of their patrol vehicle dropped 41 percent from 27 in 2021 to 16 in 2022.

The largest group of line-of-duty deaths continues to be from ‘other’ causes with 106 fatalities in 2022. Most of these deaths were COVID-19-related. However, other causes declined by 77 percent when compared to 464 fatalities in 2021. This category includes long-term illnesses related to the September 11th terrorist attacks, and acute medical conditions caused by extreme and/or stressful experiences while on-duty.

Texas had the largest number of U.S. officer fatalities with 33 line-of-duty deaths. New York was second with 12 officer line-of-duty deaths; California and Georgia had 11 officer deaths each; 10 Tennessee officers died in the line-of-duty; and North Carolina, Alabama, and Florida had nine officer deaths per state. In Michigan, one officer died in the line-of-duty. Other 2022 line-of-duty officer fatalities include: 11 federal officers, one military, and one tribal officer.

The statistics released in the annual report are based on preliminary data compiled by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund and may not represent a final or complete list of individual officers who will be added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in 2023.

Click on the link below to see the full 2022 End-of-Year Preliminary Law Enforcement Officers Fatalities Report.

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The POLC celebrates Law Enforcement Officers for their daily service and heroic efforts to protect our nation. We want Police Officers to know they are valued and appreciated for their integral role in keeping citizens safe and enforcing the law.

On National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, and every day, the POLC thanks you for your dedication in keeping our communities safe!

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By Jennifer Gomori, POJ Editor

Oakland Police Academy graduate BreAna Steinbauer’s achievements and positive outlook made her the standout choice for the Richard R. Weiler Scholarship Award.

“I think part of it was she exceeded every metric in the academy for physical fitness and academics,” said Oakland Police Academy Director David Ceci. “Her personality helped a lot too. You could throw some curve balls at her and her positive attitude was contagious. She had a smile most of the time.”

Photo courtesy of Oakland Police Academy
POLC Deputy Director Jim Stachowski (left) and Dearborn Police Corporal Daniel Bartok (right) present Oakland Police Academy graduate BreAna Steinbauer with the Weiler Scholarship Award at the graduation ceremony.

The Richard R. Weiler Scholarship Award is given twice yearly at the discretion of the college police academy to graduates who have not been sponsored by any police agency. To qualify for the $500 Award, cadets must pass the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) certification test and meet MCOLES employment standards to become certified Michigan Law Enforcement Officers.

Steinbauer was chosen from among the 31 non-sponsored cadets who graduated in the class of 53 recruits June 2, 2022. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, with a minor in Forensics Investigations and Policing from Wayne State University.

Oakland Police Academy presented the 21-year-old with the Top Academic Award for receiving the best overall grade point average, 3.95 GPA, and the $500 Physical Excellence Scholarship.

A Police Cadet with Port Huron Police Department for two years, she was hired as a Port Huron Police Officer. “I was sworn in June 6, 2022, but I got the job offer in August 2021,” she said. “I was a Cadet from July 2020 up until the end of the police academy. I trained the new cadets on the weekends during the academy.”

Director Ceci was impressed Steinbauer wanted to focus her career on child crimes. “When someone has the passion for that, she really truly wants to help someone in society who doesn’t have the capacity to help themselves because they’re young,” Ceci said.

“I was originally interested in working in victim’s psychology,” Steinbauer said. “I wanted to help with women and children specific crimes. Sexual assaults, child abuse and being able to help those victims. I initially wanted to go into the psychology aspect, then realized I wanted to be a Police Officer. Right now, I want to help them during the criminal process and the investigations portion.”

Steinbauer was surprised and honored to receive the Richard R. Weiler Scholarship Award. “I haven’t received any scholarships in the past so it was really neat to be honored and have some organization contributing to my career and journey and have that support,” she said.

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On Dec. 23 Congress passed the final Fiscal Year 2023 appropriations bill just in time to avert a government shutdown. In a major win for NAPO and 9/11 responders and survivors across the country, an additional $1 billion in funding for the 9/11 World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) was included in the spending measure.  Congress passed the Fiscal 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act, which funds the federal government and all its departments, agencies, and programs through the rest of this fiscal year. In a significant victory for NAPO and our members, our priority retirement provisions were passed as part of bill: the Putting First Responders First Act, the Police and Fire Healthcare Protection Act, and the Protecting Public Safety Employees’ Timely Retirement Act; The massive Fiscal Year 2023 consolidated appropriations package includes a temporary extension of the Drug Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) temporary class-wide scheduling of all fentanyl-related substances as Schedule 1 drugs under the Controlled Substances Act – making them illegal – through Dec. 31, 2024; and NAPO’s priority grant programs are sufficiently funded in the FY 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act and the various requirements the House tried to place on those programs to force its police reform policies on state and local law enforcement were largely rejected in the final bill. NAPO pushed hard to ensure those police reform provisions were not included in the final bill.

For more details on these and other legislative matters, click on the Dec. 23, 2022 Washington Report below.

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Early this morning, Congress released the text of the Fiscal 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act, which will fund the federal government and all its departments, agencies, and programs through the rest of this fiscal year. The House and Senate will consider and are expected to pass the measure this week. In a significant victory for NAPO and our members, our priority retirement provisions were included: the Putting First Responders First Act, the Police and Fire Healthcare Protection Act, and the Protecting Public Safety Employees’ Timely Retirement Act; The massive Fiscal Year 2023 consolidated appropriations package released today includes a temporary extension of the Drug Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) temporary class-wide scheduling of all fentanyl-related substances as Schedule 1 drugs under the Controlled Substances Act – making them illegal – through Dec. 31, 2024; NAPO’s priority grant programs are sufficiently funded in the FY 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act and the various requirements the House tried to place on those programs to force its police reform policies on state and local law enforcement were largely rejected in the final bill. NAPO pushed hard to ensure those police reform provisions were not included in the final bill; and NAPO was surprised and disappointed that the FY 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act did not include much-needed additional funding for the 9/11 World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP).

For complete details, click on the Dec. 20, 2022 Washington Report below.

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Don’t let your TOP COPS nominations get lost in the holiday shuffle. Please take the time to nominate examples of outstanding police work for this prestigious award by the Jan. 11, 2023 deadline; NAPO successfully lobbied against the inclusion of any amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal 2023 that would have restricted state and local law enforcement’s access to surplus military equipment through the Department of Defense and other federal grant programs; In a victory for NAPO, the House passed the Law Enforcement De-Escalation Training Act (S. 4003), Dec. 14, by a vote of 264-162. The bill passed the Senate by unanimous consent Aug. 1, and is now on its way to the President to be signed into law; In another victory for NAPO, Congress passed the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Reauthorization Act, S. 3846, Dec. 14, sending it to the President’s desk to be signed into law; In a win for NAPO, the House passed S. 4834, the Providing Resources, Officers, and Technology to Eradicate Cyber Threats to (PROTECT) Our Children Act, Dec. 6, by a vote of 421-1. The Senate passed this bill by unanimous consent on Nov. 15, and the bill is now with the President to be signed into law; On Dec. 14, the House passed the Help Find the Missing Act, or Billy’s Law, S. 5230, by a vote of 422 – 4. With the bill having passed the Senate by unanimous consent on Dec. 8, it is now on its way to the President’s desk to be signed into law; This week, Congress passed a continuing resolution to keep the federal government open until Dec. 23, to give top appropriators time to flesh out their deal on a Fiscal 2023 omnibus appropriations package; Please join us at NAPO’s 34th Annual Police, Fire, EMS, & Municipal Employee Pension & Benefits Seminar, Jan. 29 – 31, 2023 at Caesars Palace Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

For more details on these and other legislative issues, please click on the Dec. 16, 2022 Washington Report below.

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On Dec. 14, Congress passed three bills that NAPO has long endorsed and made a year-end priority to get across the finish line. The Law Enforcement De-Escalation Training Act (S. 4003), the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Reauthorization Act (S. 3846), and the Help Find the Missing Act (S. 5230) are now on their way to the President’s desk to be signed into law.

The Law Enforcement De-Escalation Training Act, builds off of the existing Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne-JAG) structure to provide a dedicated stream of funding to local and State law enforcement agencies to train their officers—as well as mental health professionals working with those officers—in de-escalation tactics, alternatives to use of force, safely responding to mental or behavioral health crises, successfully participating on a crisis intervention team, and making referrals to community-based mental and behavioral health services and support and other social programs.

The Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Reauthorization Act makes important improvements to the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP).

The Help Find the Missing Act closes loopholes in America’s missing persons systems.

For more details on these bills, please click on the Dec. 15, 2022 Washington Report below.

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By Jennifer Gomori, POJ Editor

City of Caro DPW Employees were having trouble getting their questions answered by their former Union representation, so they began looking for someone who could. They found the GELC and voted to join the Union in May 2022.

The nine-member group had been represented by American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

“We were not getting any representation at all from the other union,” said Evean Gunsell, City of Caro DPW Local Union Chief Steward. “We tried to contact them. They wouldn’t return our phone calls. We had one guy (in our unit) who kept asking for the City Charter and it took her four months to get us that.”

Their experience with GELC Labor Rep. Christopher Watts has been exactly the opposite. In fact, Gunsell said one of the things that has impressed City of Caro DPW Employees most about the GELC, is how quickly they receive a response from their new Labor Representative. Watts either immediately answers, or if he is busy with another labor unit, he responds that he received the message and will contact Gunsell as soon as he’s available.

“If I text Chris or call him, within minutes I hear back,” he said. “That’s just awesome compared to the other union we had.”

The GELC bargained a three-year contract, effective July 1, 2022, for the group with a total of 17 percent in raises during the contract.

“They got huge raises,” Watts said. “They got just over 9 percent for year one and just over 4 percent for years two and three.”

“Everybody was pretty happy with what we got,” Gunsell said. “We were underpaid compared to other surrounding cities.”

Employees are now rewarded for every water and sewer license they receive with a boost in pay of $.25 cents per hour for each license.

“If you get any water and sewer licenses you make more money,” Gunsell said. “It was standard before this contract but before they only paid for two licenses and now we get paid for every license we get.”

That can add up quickly with eight water licenses available and four sewer licenses, he said.

City of Caro DPW Employees received three Personal Days to use at their discretion and two additional paid Holidays. Employees receive an additional $1 per hour when they are on-call. Those who choose to opt out of health care coverage receive up to $3,600 per year.

“Everything we got was a gain,” Watts said. “They had 12 Sick Days, but whenever they used a Personal Day, the Employer took it out of their Sick Bank. They gained three Personal Days to be used for their personal business.”

“It was definitely one of the best contracts we’ve ever gotten,” Gunsell said. “Our Rep. is amazing. He’s very knowledgeable. He definitely knows what he’s doing. It only took a couple days for negotiations, that’s it!”

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