LETTER FROM POAM President Jim TIGNANELLI
To Our Dedicated POAM Members and Other Law Enforcement Officers:
I know I risk dating myself by saying this but I do recall having to stop at pay telephones throughout the day to retrieve messages from our front desk at POAM. When we switched to pagers and then bag phones (we shared one in the office!), I couldn’t believe how much easier it was to maintain a connection to our members. Things we take for granted now were only someone’s imagination 25 years ago!
Just like the person-to-person communications, we progressed from the rather popular print copy of the Law Enforcement Journal a few years back. The LEJ went to about 20,000 addresses at one point, and I can only guess how many others read it when they found it in roll call, the kitchen or, of course, the restroom! While it only went out 3-4 times per year, it served a great purpose by allowing us to give legislative updates, information regarding grievances, Garrity/Weingarten, and more.
Then…came www.POAM.net! The website that started out slowly ultimately became one of the most visited law enforcement websites in the country. Our friends at Trademark did more than what we asked. They supported what we do and our members. As that evolved, they made the site more and more useful.
Now, we’ve achieved that next mode of communication, the “APP!” I’m very enthused to announce the POAM app is now available to all interested parties. It can be downloaded through the POAM website, the iTunes App Store, and the Google Play Store. Yes, that “bag phone” that I mentioned we were so impressed with has now turned into a powerful computer. Even old guys like me have 30 or more apps on their phone! It’s time for all of you to get the POAM app on your phone. It is a fast and easy interactive way to keep up to date on all that goes on in your field.
Additionally, you will be able to direct-dial or direct-email the POAM staff with a simple push of a button (I know, “icon”). It also provides direct-dial for our 24/7 service “Members Lifeline” if you need a quick and private connection regarding stressors on and off the job. Like the website, the app provides all training resources, job postings, and current announcements. You can even submit events to display on POAM’s calendar, and I hope you will take advantage of this, you can sign up for “push notification alerts” that we can tailor for all to retrieve or focus on a particular area or group, when necessary. Check it out today! Go to your App Store or Play Store and type in “Police Officers Association of Michigan” on the search line!
Regards,
– Jim Tignanelli
Recommended Read: POAM Shares Law Enforcement News With Launch Of Mobile App
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