Letter from POAM President, James Tignanelli
The nation will recognize January 9, 2026, as Law Enforcement Appreciation Day.
I am hopeful someone will take a moment to appreciate you on that day. In fact, I hope you hear it often, regardless of what the calendar states. Maybe, and think about this, we should tell each other! This job had gotten much less personal, less fraternal, and less social in the past few years. When the occupation we revere falls onto the wrong side of the media, the ability to recruit and retain the best of the best becomes quite difficult. 
As I have said numerous times to both our state and federal legislators, when recruitment suffers, we lose an entire generation of good candidates. Why? Because our best recruiters have always been senior officers. Maybe a parent or grandparent, maybe a brother or sister, maybe a neighbor or coach. When those “recruiters” start answering that young person with “Don’t do it”, etc., it impacts a young person throughout their adolescent years in a way that keeps them from filling out that application. You’re told you’ll have no health care from 50 through 65 or that your pension has no guarantees and must rely on an unknown date of mortality.
I’m pleased to say that I am beginning to see that argument wither. Our leaders are beginning to see just how important our law enforcement personnel are. No bond releases and millions of unknown persons crossing our borders illegally are beginning to be resisted as a “norm” we must accept. Assaults on police officers, which had doubled in the past five years, are getting legislative attention. Running from and resisting lawful arrests are becoming a focus of civilized people.
POAM will always be at the forefront in Lansing and Washington, DC. We fight constantly for those issues that not only make you safer but also protect your future. POAM’s 50th anniversary has long since passed. This year we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the most significant document in political history, the Declaration of Independence.
Land of the Free, Because of the Brave——YOU!
Thank you!
JT
New First Responder Medicare Buy-In Bill
Representative Greg Landsman (D-OH) and Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) reintroduced the Expanding Health Care Options for First Responders Act (H.R. 6147 / S. 3221). This legislation would allow public safety officers aged 50 to 64 who are retired or separated from service due to a disability to buy into Medicare.
Law enforcement officers often retire earlier than those in other occupations due to the physical demands and unique hazards associated with the job, and many are required to retire upon reaching a certain age. Across the country, retiring officers are losing their employer-provided health insurance. As they are years away from becoming Medicare-eligible, they are forced to spend their retirement savings on health insurance premiums.
This legislation is crucial because it would provide law enforcement retirees aged 50 to 64 with another option to purchase affordable health insurance coverage. It would ensure they continue to have access to reasonable, comprehensive health insurance in retirement until they reach age 65, regardless of whether their state pension plan provides insurance coverage.
Supporters believe that the Expanding Health Care Options for First Responders Act would help preserve the retirement security and health of those public servants who selflessly serve and protect our communities, making the preservation of first responders’ retirement security a top priority.
There has been some concern that employers whose pension plans provide health care coverage to retirees may try to force retirees into Medicare early rather than continue to provide health coverage. While there is nothing in this bill that would incentivize local governments to drop retiree health coverage and require their early retirees to avail themselves of this option, we should continue to monitor this concern.