POAM’s Fall 2011 edition of Law Enforcement Journal was released in November. The edition features several articles about important issues pertaining to POAM and our members.
The main topics in this edition of the Journal include federal funding for local law enforcement agencies and a call for POAM members to be more proactive.
The cover story, “Federal Money Put to Good Use by Monroe County and the Ohio Northern Border Initiative NBI,” centers around POAM’s decade-long lobbying effort for more homeland security monies to be allocated to local law enforcement agencies. The argument behind our position is that “no one possesses more intelligence on the specific issues surrounding border patrols and potential troublemakers than local police and sheriff department personnel.” Monroe County didn’t miss a beat when it received more in federal grants and chose to upgrade its water vessels by purchasing a 31′ SAFE boat. The boat is “built like a tank but it performs like a sports car.” This is one example of how counties are utilizing newly-gained federal funds to better their department’s capabilities to protect their citizens.
In the featured article, “Members Need to be More Proactive on Legislation,” LEJ Editor Ed Jacques makes a call to action for all POAM members regarding several pieces of important legislation that are going through the Michigan Senate and House of Representatives. Jacques writes, “Politicians fear reprisal from local citizens, business people, and public employees in their district. Make contact with your legislators on these issues today!” Among the issues covered in the story, one that is particularly important is House Bill 4059. This bill disallows any labor-related business be conducted by local union officials or administrators while they are on duty. This bill even prohibits any guidance given to someone after a critical incident or the discussion of who gets a shift pick. It is important for POAM members to be more active in lobbying their legislators to ensure their rights are protected.
Please take the time to read the Fall 2011 edition of the LEJ to stay up-to-date on issues like House Bill 5002 and how the Calhoun County DSA is getting more involved with its members. If you have any questions about how you can get more involved, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
