POLICING IN 2020 - Law Enforcement Code of Ethics - SHAPING THE FUTURE OF MICHIGAN POLICING - Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police
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MICHIGAN POLICE
CHIEFS
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MICHIGAN ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE
Law Enforcement Code of Ethics
FALL 2020
As a law enforcement officer, my
fundamental duty is to serve the
community; to safeguard lives and
property; to protect the innocent
POLICING IN 2020
against deception, the weak against
SHAPING THE FUTURE OF MICHIGAN POLICING
oppression or intimidation and the
peaceful against violence or disorder; PLUS:
and to respect theOPINION: constitutional rights
ENDING QUALIFIED IMMUNITY
IS BAD PUBLIC POLICY
of all to liberty, equality, and justice.
MMRMA & MACP:
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CONTENTS
MICHIGAN POLICE CHIEFS FALL 2020.ISSUE 3
FEATURES
10 Ending Qualified Immunity Is Bad
Public Policy
12 Financial Scams Targeting Seniors
14 MACP’s New Communication Tool
16 First Responders Children’s
Foundation Steps Up to the Plate
During COVID-19
22 20 The Truth About De-Escalation
22 Avoiding Counter-Purposeful Early
Warning Systems
26 MACP 2020 Award Recipients
32 Resilience: The Virtue that Enables
People to Move Through Hardship and
Become Better
36 National Officer Safety and Wellness
Awards
16 DEPARTMENTS
04 President’s Message
06 Director’s Message
32 08
38
Accreditation News
Member News
44 Supporting Members
46 Advertiser Index
12
PRESIDENT’SMESSAGE
These last six months have been unprecedented for law enforcement across the country. It would be
an understatement to say that law enforcement has not faced some challenges but as expected, law
enforcement leaders and their departments have taken on those challenges and turned them into op-
portunities to improve and strengthen our profession.
I am proud of the work that the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police (MACP) and its members
have done over this time. The MACP has been a valuable resource for departments across the state in
providing assistance on successfully navigating through these uncertain times. The MACP has long
been committed to strengthening law enforcement throughout Michigan. Since being involved in the
MACP, it has been obvious that it is an association of which we can be proud and one that truly cares
about creating partnerships while advancing our profession. It is safe to say that without the support
and assistance of the MACP, several agencies would not have the resources and information that is
available to them today.
Chief Ronald L. Wiles I believe it is a privilege to be part of the law enforcement community. We made a commitment to
serve that most people are not willing to make and only those with the highest integrity will be able to
uphold that commitment. However, with that privilege comes a great deal of responsibility. We have
a responsibility to our departments, we have a responsibility to our communities, and we have a re-
sponsibility to ensure our profession upholds the highest standards of professional conduct.
President Calvin Coolidge once said, “No one is compelled to choose the profession of a police offi-
cer; but having chosen it, everyone is obligated to perform its duties and live up to the high standards
of its requirements.” The Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police will be there for its members so we
can ensure our profession continues to live up to those requirements.
Over the last several months, we have seen calls for increased reporting of use-of-force incidents and
nationwide policy credentialing. The MACP has been at the forefront of these issues and has been work-
ing with its members on the National Use-of-Force Data Collection project as well as offering agencies
the opportunity for accreditation through the Michigan Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission.
If you haven’t already, I would encourage everyone to look into becoming an accredited agency. The
Michigan Law Enforcement Accreditation Program has been an important program for our profes-
sion and is a significant professional accomplishment for our agencies. Accreditation helps to ensure
that agencies are compliant with the 108 “best practice” standards which will help departments im-
prove their performance and service. The list of agencies participating in accreditation continues to
grow across the state. Accreditation is a commitment, but it isn’t something you have to do alone. The
“No one is compelled MACP, accredited agencies, and their accreditation managers are eager to help answer any questions
or share any policy suggestions that you may need.
to choose the
profession of a police As a result of efforts from the MACP, Michigan continues to be a leader in the National Use-of-Force
Data Collection project. If you are not currently reporting, please get signed up today. Over 90%
officer; but having of officers in the State of Michigan are covered in the monthly reporting program. The reporting is
quick, easy, and crucial to increase transparency, build public trust and ensure that the most accurate
chosen it, everyone is information is being collected on use of force resulting in death or serious bodily injury.
obligated to perform
None of us can tell what the future holds for law enforcement, but I can tell you that we will get
its duties and live up through it. The Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police and its Board of Directors are working hard
to the high standards to further enhance our profession and the practice of policing across Michigan. I look forward to
working with you and if I can be of any assistance do not hesitate to contact me.
of its requirements.”
– President Calvin Lastly, THANK YOU for everything that you do to support this noble profession. It is greatly appreci-
ated and please continue to pray for our law enforcement officers who day in and day out work hard
Coolidge to make a positive difference in our communities. Stay Safe!
4 FALL 2020
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DIRECTOR’SMESSAGE
For most of us in law enforcement, 2020 cannot end soon enough. The year started with the threat
of the COVID-19 pandemic in early March. On March 10th, the Governor issued her first Executive
Order which shut down the state and drastically altered our operations.
As we worked our way through the COVID-19 pandemic issues, the nation was rocked on May 10th
by the appalling video image of a Minnesota police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd as
he stated that he couldn’t breathe. Three other officers stood by and did nothing. Though the actions
of these officers were condemned by police agencies across the nation, including the MACP, the neg-
ative fallout has been widespread.
Civil unrest and protests targeting the police have taken place in numerous cities across the country
as well as some cities in Michigan. Some of these protests have turned violent, resulting in looting,
arson, property damage, injuries, and even deaths. Police officers have been shot at and wounded;
Molotov cocktails, bricks, nails, and other objects have been thrown at them; and many have endured
Robert Stevenson extensive verbal abuse.
However, the fallout that may have the most impact on our profession is the cascade of legislation in-
troduced under the label of “Police Reform.” Some of this legislation may be potentially helpful, such
as Senate Bill (SB) 945, which would require minimum annual training for police officers. Or the leg-
islation that would make social workers or mental health professionals available to assist law enforce-
ment in non-criminal police responses. Other proposed legislation would expand MCOLES’s options
to revoke the licenses of bad police officers. The caveat is that these initiatives will need to be funded
and, to date, that is not happening.
Some of the legislation is unnecessary, redundant, or ludicrous. Such as SB 0968, which would ban
any use of “chokeholds.” The federal 6th Circuit Court, which includes Michigan, has already ruled
that chokeholds are considered “deadly force.” Further, this legislation bans chokeholds under ANY
circumstances, even if it is the only way the officer could save their own life, or the life of another per-
son. SB 0607 would require all police agencies to have a policy requiring officers to intervene when
they see excessive force being used, even though other state law clearly requires an officer to do so.
House Bill 5925 would ban the use of all chemical irritants as a crowd control mechanism. Which
raises the question of how exactly do they expect us to disperse rioters or unruly crowds?
The most impactful However, the most impactful and damaging legislation is the move to remove qualified or govern-
and damaging mental immunity for police officers. In Harlow v. Fitzgerald, 457 U.S. 800 (1982), the Supreme
Court recognized the need for the qualified immunity defense to protect public officials, including
legislation is the move police officers, from the often-frivolous lawsuits that result from their necessary official actions. The
to remove qualified Court observed that lawsuits directed at public officials have significant negative societal costs associ-
ated with them. For example, lawsuits are costly to defend, they divert the defendant’s attention away
or governmental from important public duties, have the potential effect of leading qualified persons to seek other em-
immunity for police ployment, and will likely dampen the will of public officials to provide their best efforts to protect
and serve the public interest in the performance of their duties. For these very reasons, we need to
officers... it is going vigorously oppose any legislation of this type.
to take the combined As we head into the lame duck legislative session, it is going to take the combined efforts of all past
efforts of all past and present MACP members to keep these bad pieces of legislation from being enacted. Contacting
and educating your Legislator will once again be key.
and present MACP
members to keep The MACP will be putting out legislative alerts and calls to action in the future. If you have not done
so, please refer to MACP’S New Communication Tool on pages 14-15 in this issue for instructions on
these bad pieces of how to sign up to receive our communications.
legislation from being The stakes have never been higher, and we are going to need everyone’s involvement and assistance
enacted. to prevail. Join us!
6 FALL 2020
MICHIGAN POLICE CHIEFS 7
ACCREDITATIONNEWS
Even with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been busy with professional develop-
ment and state law enforcement accreditation.
The accreditation program is gaining some additional momentum because of the recent develop-
ments in American policing. President Trump talked about departments obtaining what he called
credentialing. Credentialing is like our law enforcement accreditation. Credentialing bodies will be
approved by the United States Attorney General (USAG). The USAG’s office is currently working on
a national use-of-force policy that will address many of the recent concerns in policing such as choke
holds, de-escalation, deadly force, training, and other topics. The notion is that police agencies will
not be able to compete for federal Department of Justice grants without having their use-of-force
written directive “certified” or “credentialed.” If you want more information regarding what they are
considering for the content of the written directive, you can search for the NATIONAL CONSENSUS
POLICY AND DISCUSSION PAPER ON THE USE OF FORCE, published in October 2017. The na-
tional association of state law enforcement accreditation programs, ACCREDNET, is lobbying their
Neal Rossow members to become credentialing bodies throughout the country. I will continue to keep you up to
date on the progress.
There has been an exciting change in the Michigan Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission
(MLEAC). When Executive Director Matt Saxton took over the reins at the Michigan Sheriffs’
Association (MSA), he asked MACP Executive Director Bob Stevenson and I to attend a meeting of
their Board of Directors and present on state law enforcement accreditation. The presentation was
well-received, and the Board voted to become part of the MLEAC. The bylaws were rewritten and ad-
opted to add the MSA as a parent organization along with the MACP.
The composition of the Commission changed with the adoption of the new bylaws adding two ad-
ditional seats bringing the number of CEO members to eight. The original six CEO positions are ap-
pointed by the MACP, while the two new seats are appointed by the MSA. The five remaining seats
Officers will only are civilians appointed by the Commission, making the MLEAC even more autonomous than before.
The administration of the program remains under the MACP Director of Professional Development.
use reasonable We welcome Sheriff Mike Murphy, Livingston County, and Sheriff Michael Main, Isabella County, to
force to accomplish the Commission.
lawful objectives. The cancellation of the Summer Professional Development Conference prohibited the MLEAC from
Any de-escalation meeting. Those agencies will receive their award at the Fall Accreditation Conference. Rockford
Department of Public Safety will become the first department to become re-accredited and five new
training and written agencies will obtain their original accreditation, bringing the number of accredited agencies to 29.
directive should The Commission met virtually on July 7, 2020 to discuss the current climate in policing concern-
include a discussion of ing claims of police brutality. During that meeting, they adopted a bullet to be added to Use of Force
Standard (3.3.1) that deals with criteria for use of force from immediate action to de-escalation.
proportionality, using Additional language was also added in the Clarification Statement that reads:
distance and cover,
Officers will only use reasonable force to accomplish lawful objectives. Any de-escalation training and
tactical repositioning, written directive should include a discussion of proportionality, using distance and cover, tactical re-
and “slowing down” positioning, and “slowing down” situations that do not pose an immediate threat.
situations that do not The standards have been published on the website and will be in electronic format the first of the
year. Agencies are urged to adopt the new bullet, if they have not already done so.
pose an immediate
threat. We look forward to offering additional training opportunities in the post-pandemic future.
8 FALL 2020
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OPINION
ENDING QUALIFIED IMMUNITY IS
BAD PUBLIC POLICY
BY BRANDON M.
GRYSKO, ESQ.
In the wake of the killing of George Floyd the qualified immunity doctrine protects To summarize, the
at the knee of a Minneapolis police officer, police officers from civil liability when bill provides that it
some on the political left and right have they act reasonably and in good faith. does not matter if
called for expanding the personal civ- Qualified immunity gives some peace of a police officer was
il liability of police officers by ending the mind to police officers who, along with acting in good faith. It does not matter if
protections of the “qualified immunity” their families, sacrifice much so that the the police officer reasonably believed that
doctrine. This situation is a tragedy, and rest of us can sleep well at night. his or her conduct was lawful. And it cer-
society should continue to root out and tainly does not matter that the police of-
rectify injustice wherever it may be found, When discussing qualified immunity, it ficer “could not reasonably have been
but ending qualified immunity is a very is just as important to say what it does expected to know whether his or her con-
bad idea that will have severe unintended not do. Qualified immunity DOES NOT duct was lawful.” Whether intentional or
consequences for our communities. Such protect police officers from internal in- not, this is an inartful and opportunistic
a departure from existing law would un- vestigations or departmental discipline. attack on good members of the law en-
necessarily expose workers in law enforce- It DOES NOT provide immunity from forcement community. In addition to be-
ment, public safety, and other government criminal prosecution at either the state ing poorly conceived, ending qualified
agencies to civil liability. or federal level. Officers can still be held immunity may have serious unintended
accountable for their poor decisions and consequences for our communities.
Section 1983 of Title 42 of the United rightfully so.
States Code creates a private civil reme- At the federal level, this bill has not gained
dy against a government actor for violat- Should bad officers be taken to task? much traction. But there is still a vocal fac-
ing someone’s constitutional rights. This Unequivocally, yes. But to be clear—in tion of lawmakers, social justice groups,
could include any government worker, our journey to hold bad actors account- libertarian organizations, and citizens that
but this piece will focus specifically on able and provide victims with an appro- support ending qualified immunity. These
police officers. Section 1983 is an over- priate remedy, we should not paint ALL groups are pushing for change at the state
all good law that provides citizens redress officers, the VAST MAJORITY of whom level, as well as the federal level. For ex-
against bad police officers. are GOOD COPS, with the same broad ample, in response to current events,
brush. Colorado enacted the Law Enforcement
But what happens when there is not a so- Integrity and Accountability Act.3 One
called bad actor? Officers are often called With a lay understanding of the doctrine, relevant portion of this law mirrors the
to make tough, discretionary decisions in here is what has been happening. On May federal Section 1983—it allows an in-
situations that are rapidly evolving and 31, 2020, Congressman Justin Amash (L- dividual to sue a Colorado police officer
uncertain. And constitutional law is not MI) released a letter1 imploring his col- for violations of rights guaranteed under
always clear. A split-second decision made leagues to join in support of his bill—the Colorado’s constitution; however, the law
by a police officer can be debated for over Ending Qualified Immunity Act. Amash specifically states that “qualified immunity
a decade by lawyers and judges. Well, notes that his bill would “explicitly not[e] is not a defense to liability.”4
cops do not have that kind of time when in the statute that the elements of qualified
they are out working to keep our commu- immunity outlined by the Supreme Court In addition to the legislative branches of
nities safe. are not a defense to liability.” federal and state government, the judicial
branch may, at some point, also reconsid-
Enter the doctrine of qualified immuni- This bill, H.R. 78052, was introduced on er the protections of qualified immunity.
ty. If a police officer makes a discretion- June 4, 2020 by Congresswoman Ayanna It only takes the votes of four of the nine
ary decision on the job, then the officer Pressley (D-MA) and Justin Amash (L- Supreme Court justices to decide to hear
will generally be shielded from civil liabil- MI), who were joined by 16 representa- a particular case. Recently, there were at
ity unless the officer violated clearly estab- tives from the Democratic party as origi- least seven different qualified immunity
lished constitutional rights. In lay terms, nal cosponsors. cases from various federal appeals courts
10 FALL 2020in front of the Supreme Court for its con- negative media attention, and it is hard for Immunity Act and similar rhetoric. The
sideration. But the Court did not have the a person to choose law enforcement as a George Floyd killing is a tragedy, and
votes to take on the cases—at least not long-term career. those responsible should be held account-
that time. In the future, if the Court does able to the fullest extent of our systems
take up similar cases, it could potentially Lastly, there are increased costs associat- of civil and criminal justice. However, we
restrict qualified immunity or eliminate it ed with eliminating qualified immunity, should not allow this tragedy to be used as
altogether. such as litigation expenses, which will be an excuse for bad public policy.
passed on to the taxpayers. The vast ma-
The law enforcement community should jority of civil cases are resolved without This ill-conceived bill and similar knee-
be open to a reasonable discussion of qual- a trial, but it still costs money to defend jerk measures send the wrong message.
ified immunity, its application, and its lim-
itations in a free society. However, ending
qualified immunity altogether is—sim-
This ill-conceived bill and similar knee-jerk measures send the
ply put—a bad idea. Given the multi-fac- wrong message. Instead of punishing bad actors, it removes the
eted nature of our legal system, law en-
forcement stakeholders should keep an protection from good officers along with the bad ones. Eliminating
eye on all branches of government, as po- qualified immunity will lead to a decrease in proactive policing and
lice reforms may be proposed by legisla-
tors, courts, or even elected and appoint- negatively impact your community and police department.
ed executives.
even the most frivolous of lawsuits. Either Instead of punishing bad actors, it re-
Without qualified immunity, it is only a through insurance policy language or due moves the protection from good officers
matter of time before officers realize that to the requirements of collective bargain- along with the bad ones. Eliminating qual-
the safest thing to do is nothing. Officers ing agreements, municipalities often cover ified immunity will lead to a decrease in
will be incentivized to avoid situations the costs of defense and settlement when proactive policing and negatively impact
that could implicate constitutional rights, their police officers get sued. Plus, if quali- your community and police department.
which is pretty much any enforcement ac- fied immunity is eliminated, police unions
tivity. Communities should take reason- will likely bargain for expanded lawsuit Play an active role in crafting this nar-
able steps to encourage their officers to be coverage for their member units, even up rative and show your support for the
active, engaged, and proactive to protect to indemnifying individual officers in the good officers in this state and through-
public health, safety, welfare, property val- event of a civil suit. The already under- out the country. Although justice for vic-
ues, and more. These goals are not mutu- funded municipalities will pass these costs tims should be aggressively pursued, the
ally exclusive with a push for better and onto the taxpayers. Ending Qualified Immunity Act is a swing
more effective training. and a miss. Join the conversation and pro-
Departments should continue to pun- mote positive measures to enhance law
This comes at a time when departments in ish bad officers within their ranks. enforcement training, police-communi-
many areas are having difficulty recruiting Departments should continue to use cur- ty relations, and police accountability. But
and retaining talent. If signed into law, this rent events to update their policies, prac- do not punish good officers to get there.
bill, and others like it, would ask officers tices, and training. Police should be en-
to remain in or enter a profession where gaged with their respective communities Brandon M. Grysko is an attorney with the Metro Detroit-
they can be held personally liable for very and have productive dialogue concern- based law firm Fausone Bohn, LLP. Brandon’s law practice
difficult decisions made under unimag- ing societal issues. And, as a society, we includes representing cities and other government enti-
inable circumstances. This is a recipe for should continue to seek justice for vic- ties in labor relations, municipal prosecution, and matters
concerning police policy and risk management. In his spare
avoidance or exodus from the police pro- tims. But we should not pursue these im-
time, Brandon writes articles of interest to the law enforce-
fession. To add fuel to the fire, defined portant goals at the expense of the majori- ment community, including “Estate Planning for Police
benefit pensions—tools that incentivized ty of good officers. Officers: A Call to Action”. Prior to becoming an attorney,
police officers to remain on the job long Brandon was a proud police officer in Southeast Michigan.
term—are gradually being eliminated in That is why we need to come togeth- Brandon can be reached for questions or comments at (248)
many departments. Add in the constant er in opposition to the Ending Qualified 912-3240 or bgrysko@fb-firm.com.
1 Justin Amash [@justinamash], Twitter (May 31, 2020, 9:30 PM), https://twitter.com/justinamash/status/1267267244029083648?s=20
2 Ending Qualified Immunity Act, H.R. 7085, 116th Cong. (2020) (available at https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/7085/text)
3 Law Enforcement Integrity and Accountability Act , S.B. 20-217 (Colorado 2020) (available at https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/2020a_217_signed.pdf).
4 Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-21-131(2)(b).
MICHIGAN POLICE CHIEFS 11FEATURE
FINANCIAL SCAMS TARGETING SENIORS
BY JOE STAPEL
Every year an estimated 1 in 10 seniors
are victims of elder abuse, neglect, or fi-
nancial exploitation. Financial scams tar-
geting seniors have become so prevalent,
it is now considered to be the “Crime of
the Century.”
In February 2020, AgeWell Services,
the Muskegon County Sheriff’s Office,
the Norton Shores Police Department,
and the Muskegon County Prosecutor’s
Office joined forces to form the Muskegon
County SafeSeniors Task Force to assist se-
nior victims of fraud in Muskegon County.
Currently, Muskegon County is the only
county in the state that has a task force to
investigate elder abuse.
Since its inception, the Task Force has filed
charges against persons in over 50 cas-
es for senior financial exploitation. These
charges have resulted in over $400,000
being returned to the victims. All cases in-
volved family members, close friends or
persons working for the victims.
The Task Force consists of the following
members:
Over 60% of all reported elder financial abuse is
• Sheriff Michael Poulin, committed by family members of the victim...adult
Muskegon County
• Prosecutor D.J. Hilson, children, grandchildren, nieces, or nephews.
Muskegon County
• Chief Jon Gale,
Norton Shores Police Department over the age of 60 with an emphasis on two of the caregivers were steal-
• Team Coordinator Chris Burnaw, financial exploitation, physical abuse and ing blank checks and writing them
SafeSeniors neglect cases. The goal is for a complete to themselves, family members, and
• Executive Director Kris Collee, investigation of these cases leading to others. Over $10,000 in fraudulent
AgeWell Services prosecution, conviction, and recovery of checks were written. One of the al-
monies and/or property which can be re- leged persons was paying their per-
Detective Bruce Morningstar (Norton turned to the victim. sonal bills from the senior’s checking
Shores Police Department) and Detective account.
Darric Roesler (Muskegon County The Task Force is currently investigating 2. A senior victim, confined to a wheel-
Sheriff’s Office) work full time on these over 40 additional cases. Two examples of chair or a bed due to a serious illness,
cases, along with Kathryn Norton, Senior the cases being investigated in Muskegon allowed homeless family members to
Assistant Prosecutor (Muskegon County). County are: move in to help. The family members
1. A senior victim, confined to a wheel- were using the senior’s debit card to
The SafeSeniors Task Force conducts chair, has caregivers who come in to purchase food and home goods for
criminal investigations involving victims assist them. It was discovered that the senior. It was then discovered
12 FALL 2020the family members were transfer- • Forcing or manipulating an elderly SafeSeniors, is made up of representatives
ring money to personal cash apps. person to hand over property or other from law enforcement, prosecution, Adult
It was estimated that approximately resources, Protective Services, Health West, medi-
$2,500 was spent or withdrawn with- • Denying medical services to conserve cal providers, and legal/financial resourc-
out the victim’s permission. Warrants funds and es. To learn more, go to www.safeseniors.
have been requested for the family • Convincing an incapacitated senior info/.
members. family member to sign a power of at-
torney or change his/her will. If you suspect abuse, neglect, or exploita-
Over 60% of all reported elder financial tion of a family member, friend, or neigh-
abuse is committed by family members of COVID SCAMS bor, please call statewide (855) 444-3911.
the victim...adult children, grandchildren, Additionally, between January 1st and
nieces, or nephews. Many times, a friend April 15th of this year, there were 18,235 Joe Stapel has a degree in Criminal Justice from Ferris State
or a caregiver may attempt to take advan- COVID scams reported by Americans to University. He has worked as a police officer for three dif-
tage of a person to get at their possessions. the Federal Trade Commission. These ferent agencies in Muskegon County for 20 years, both
The most common financial crime com- scams amounted to $13.44 million in full and part time. He was a Licensed Private Investigator
for the State of Michigan for nine years and for the Meijer
mitted by someone close to the victim is losses to the victims, including seniors
Corporate Loss Prevention Office in Grand Rapids for 28
the theft of money or valuables. (reported by the AARP Fraud Watch years as a Security Officer and as the company’s first
network). Safety Specialist. Additionally, Joe worked for Baker College
Additional types of fraud perpetrated on of Muskegon as the Campus Safety Director with a staff of
seniors are: The Muskegon County Vulnerable Adult 27 armed officers and 8 dispatchers and as the Ordinance
• Signing or cashing pension or social se- Multi-Disciplinary Team meets month- Enforcement Officer for Laketon Township in Muskegon
curity checks without permission, ly to review referred cases of Vulnerable County for 3-1/2 years. He can be contacted at jyalan@
• Misusing ATM or credit cards, Adult Crime. The team, coordinated by comcast.net.
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MICHIGAN POLICE CHIEFS 13FEATURE
MACP’S NEW COMMUNICATION TOOL
BY BRIEANN BANAS Directors, and Accreditation. If some of them a valuable part of the membership
these categories are not visible to a mem- base that the MACP has taken into con-
In July 2020, the Michigan Association ber, it is most likely because that individu- sideration in building the new Forums.
of Chiefs of Police (MACP) announced al’s membership type does not allow them The Retired Community is a place for
the rollout of their new communication access. These communities are reserved for those Retired and Life Members to recon-
tool, the MACP Forums. During the first the participants of that specific communi- nect, stay in touch and share insight with
half of the year, a series of emails were ty only. For example, only the members each other. Members of other communi-
sent out to MACP members notifying of the Chiefs and Directors Community ties within the Forums can read what the
them that the current method of commu- can participate or even read what is be- Retired Community members are posting
nication, the listserv, was going to be re- ing posted to the discussion board in that and discussing. By enabling this feature
placed by a new and dynamic platform. community. There are some communities, and creating the Retired Community, the
While the volunteer efforts of Eastern such as the General Forum Community or MACP is ensuring the wisdom and expe-
Michigan University’s staff in hosting the the Training and Education Community, rience of others is being shared and avail-
previous listservs are invaluable and for- where all MACP members have access to able as a resource for other law enforce-
ever appreciated, the MACP membership view information and participate in the ment professionals in the communities.
and programs offered have outgrown the discussions. This is an important feature
capabilities of the former listservs. MACP to keep in mind when deciding in which The MACP staff encourages all Retired
Executive Director Robert Stevenson did community to post information or ques- members to sign in and make sure their
extensive research by reaching out to tions. A full description of all communi- profile information is up to date. The
other associations nationwide and poll- ties can be found on the MACP website MACP Forums contains a Directory fea-
ing his peers for a platform that would under the Membership tab. The MACP ture and it is important that current mem-
best suit the growing needs of the MACP. staff will assist a member with access if ber information is reflected should other
Ultimately, it was decided that the same they contact the office. members try to reach out. The staff would
technology used by the IACP would meet like to remind Retired members to leave
the requirements of the expanding asso- This new platform contains many im- the professional address fields blank and
ciation. A pressing need to educate the portant features that did not exist within not put in their previous employer’s ad-
MACP members on various topics from the previous listservs. Members can now dress. If information is listed there, their
Accreditation to current events and a de- search prior discussions by key words or magazine will get mailed to their previous
sire to maintain contact with retired law phrases to locate past messages on recur- employer and not to the Retired member’s
enforcement led to the creation of the ring topics. The Forums site also now au- home address. If the MACP staff notices
new communication platform, the MACP tomatically saves any documents linked a department address has been added to
Forums. with discussion threads. There is a ded- a Retired member’s account, it will be re-
icated library in each community to up- moved. The MACP staff does, however,
Within the MACP Forums site there are load files that can be accessed only by encourage Retired members to list their
groups, called “communities,” which have members of that specific community. For last held rank and department name in
been custom designed to mirror the cate- example, if a policy is shared within the their profile followed by a (Ret.). Example:
gories of the previous listservs, along with Chiefs and Directors Community, only the Chief (Ret.), Southfield Police Department
new communities for various other mem- Chiefs and Directors in that Community (Ret.). The MACP staff is working hard to
ber communications. This private discus- can read, view, or save that information. ensure consistency within the member-
sion board-style website is reserved for, ship database and appreciates everyone’s
and only accessible by, individual mem- One of the shining features of the new cooperation in this effort.
bers who are in good standing with the Forums site is the ability to expand and
MACP. The new Forums site interfac- continue customizing to best suit our Along with the expanding membership
es with the MACP membership database members’ needs. As an example, we have base, the MACP’s state accreditation pro-
and automatically grants members access created a community specifically for our gram continues to grow in Michigan.
to the communities for which they qualify. highly valued Retired and Life Members. More and more departments are joining
As with the old listserv, members will see Their experiences within the law enforce- with over 70 departments currently in
familiar categories such as General Forum, ment profession and their willingness to various stages of the accreditation process.
Training and Education, Chiefs and share those insights with others make The MACP also kept this in mind when
14 FALL 2020choosing a new listserv platform as it en-
abled them to expand the uses of the ac-
creditation listserv. The MACP Forums’
Accreditation Community is monitored
and headed by the Accreditation Director
Neal Rossow. With the new Accreditation
Community, all MACP members now
have access and non-member department
Accreditation Managers can join with lim-
ited access. This community gives those
interested and involved in accreditation a
place to interact with each other and re-
ceive valuable information being shared
within this community.
The MACP staff is constantly looking to
develop ways to engage members and Once a member determines their login ID Guide. This complete booklet offers guid-
continue to keep them connected. Along and password, the following steps are re- ance to using the features and provides
with the new Retired Community, the quired to access the MACP Forums: full explanations along with screenshots
MACP Forums contains the ability to cre- • Using any internet browser, except and step-by-step instructions. The How-
ate other communities, which was not an Internet Explorer (system is not com- to Guide can be found under the mem-
option with the previous listserv. If the patible), go to the MACP’s website, bership tab of the MACP main website at
membership decides there is a need for www.michiganpolicechiefs.org. michiganpolicechiefs.org. The MACP staff
additional communities, such as region- • At the very top of the page, above the is also available to help provide guidance
al chiefs’ groups, they can be added. As picture of the Mackinac Bridge, select in navigating the site and features.
an example, if the Northern Chiefs de- “Sign In.”
cide they need a better way to reach out • Using the predetermined login ID and Due to the design similarities between the
to their members, the MACP now has the password will provide access to the main MACP site and the Forums site, it
ability to build and customize access to member’s personal account and profile. is a good practice to look at the web ad-
a tailor-made Community for them. The Here they can manage account activities dress bar at the very top of the screen. If a
only restrictions for participation in the such as updating their member profile, member is on the MACP Forums, the web
Forums are that (1) the members of each finding membership invoices, pay dues, address will contain “macp.connected-
Community be an MACP member, (2) etc. community.org.” Otherwise, they are most
dues are current, and (3) they log in be- • After confirming all information is cor- likely still somewhere within the MACP
fore accessing the Forums site. When a re- rect and dues are current, select the main site of “michiganpolicechiefs.org.”
quest for a new Community is received, “Forums” tab on the Navigation bar,
the MACP will evaluate and determine the under the photo of the Detroit skyline. With all the capabilities of the new MACP
need before implementing. • If a member has never visited the MACP Forums, and the ability to expand on what
Forums, they will have to agree to the is currently there, the MACP is encourag-
If a member is not accustomed to logging Terms and Conditions before access ing all members to familiarize themselves
into their MACP membership account, will be granted. with it by personally logging in and navi-
which is a critical step, it needs to be added • Once the member has agreed to the gating the Forums site. It is an invaluable
into their routine before any other actions Terms and Conditions, the “Welcome” tool that will continue to be utilized more
occur. This will ensure any appropriate message will then display, and all the and more within the membership base.
discounts apply and “member-only” doc- MACP Forums content will be available. While all the features and menus may be
uments and permissions are engaged. All a little daunting at first, the MACP staff is
members will need to know their login ID There are many features under various standing by to assist as much as possible.
and account password. The MACP staff can menus contained within the Forums site. Sign in and start participating today!
assist members with their current ID, but One of the key options is making sure to
do not have the ability to view current pass- set up email preferences to ensure notifi- Brieann Banas is the Members & Communications Specialist
words. However, they are able to help with cations are sent each time a member posts for the MACP. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Digital Media
resetting a password. The actual member information or replies in the discussion Technology with a minor in Marketing and was the imple-
must call our office as this information will boards. This and other customizations mentation manager for the MACP Forums site. She can be
not be given to any other staff or admins. are found in the MACP Forums How-to contacted at bbanas@michiganpolicechiefs.org.
MICHIGAN POLICE CHIEFS 15FEATURE
FIRST RESPONDERS CHILDREN’S FOUNDATION
STEPS UP TO THE PLATE DURING COVID-19
BY BOB STANBERRY all 50 states and the non-profit has special N95 masks for hospitals.
ties to Michigan in the ranks of their core • Is preparing to distribute a significant
First responders are on the front lines of leadership. amount of hand sanitizer to first re-
the COVID-19 pandemic in every com- sponders and tens of thousands of toys
munity across the country and the First To date, in response to the COVID-19 to children of first responders.
Responders Children’s Foundation pro- pandemic, the First Responders Children’s • Paid for 87 funerals of first responders
vides support for first responders and Foundation has: who died from COVID-19.
their families who are enduring financial • Funded 12,946 hotel room nights and • Created a supply chain to meet the
hardship due to the coronavirus outbreak. meal stipends so first responders do PPE needs of first responder agencies
“We really rely on our first responders. not have to go home and infect their within 24 to 48 hours.
We all call 911, and they go out every day families and/or can self-quarantine. • Will continue to support first respond-
and risk their lives for us. We want to be • Awarded $7.9 million in grants to ers for the duration of the COVID-19
there for their families and their children,” 8,442 first responders in all 50 states pandemic.
says Jillian Crane, President of the First who have experienced financial hard- • Continues a 19-year mission funding
Responders Children’s Foundation. ship due to COVID-19. millions of dollars in college scholar-
• Distributed 650,000 FDA-certified, ships benefiting hundreds of worthy
Based in New York City, the First surgical grade masks to first respond- children of first responder parents who
Responders Children’s Foundation serves er agencies through the Mask Project have been killed or injured in the line
a national contingent of first responders in without disrupting the supply chain of of duty.
16 FALL 2020In these challenging times, while first re- THE FOUNDATION’S HISTORY 800 children who were suddenly father-
sponders remain on the front lines of the Since September 11, 2001, when more less or motherless going into the holiday
pandemic and public interaction and than 800 children lost a parent, First season. My feeling was: What could be
the prevalence of COVID-19 increas- Responders Children’s Foundation has more terrible for a child than to lose their
es, the Foundation’s work to provide this provided millions of dollars in scholar- parent at a young age? I myself lost my fa-
much-needed care remains crucial.
The first 5,000 masks were presented to the MACP
Since March 2020 in Michigan alone, the
First Responders Children’s Foundation on April 15, 2020. Since that time, more life-saving
has worked with Bob Stevenson, the
Executive Director of the Michigan
personal protection equipment has been delivered
Association of Chiefs of Police (MACP), to first responders all over Michigan...
who has sent a total of 15,000 surgical
masks and 1,000 surgical face shields to ships to hundreds of children to help ther when I was 15 on Christmas morn-
police agencies, both large and small, and cushion the financial hardship these chil- ing. An indelible mark was made on my
hospitals throughout the state. An addi- dren face. life and I wanted to see if I could bring
tional 374 grants have been awarded to joy to children who experienced the same
Michigan first responders experiencing fi- According to Alfred R. Kahn, Founder thing. That has extended to this time, 20
nancial hardship. This includes 145 grants and Chairman of the First Responders years later.”
to police officers at agencies all over the Children’s Foundation, “I started this
state, from large urban areas like Detroit foundation 20 years ago in the aftermath Approximately 225 first responders are
to small rural towns. of 9/11 when I realized there would be killed in the line of duty each year and
Public Safety’s Technical Solutions
visit our site at www.clemis.org
MICHIGAN POLICE CHIEFS 17FEATURE
each fatality leaves behind an average of ing with suppliers around the world to se-
2.3 children. This year’s 517 children will cure what I knew would be a critical tool
need help with their college tuition and that every first responder had to have right
another 500+ children are put into the away—masks.”
same situation every year. Fortunately, the
First Responders Children’s Foundation The Foundation has worked with agen-
has been striving to meet this heartbreak- cies to create one of the most responsive
ing need for the past 19 years. and impactful PPE distribution operations
anywhere. They ship by conventional car-
“I believe there is no more important mis- riers such as UPS and FedEx, but also uses
sion than helping the children of our na- some carriers one might not expect, like
tion’s first responders and educating all CSX railroad trains. The Foundation even
children through the programs offered by deploys masks by first responders them-
these heroic organizations,” says Kahn. selves. The Virginia Highway Patrol dis-
“This is a long-term commitment, a prom- tributed the Foundation’s masks across
ise to the people who defend and protect the state of Virginia, and State Police facil-
us, and a major investment in the future of equipment has been delivered to first re- ities in several states have received pallets
this nation. It is our responsibility as a so- sponders all over Michigan, including of masks so first responders can pick up
ciety to ensure that these children achieve the Detroit Police Department, Hastings their allocations from a central location.
their full potential as active citizens and Police Department, Michigan State Police,
thriving members of the community. Newaygo Police Department, Northville Recipients of the Foundation’s lifesaving
We’re grateful for your support in putting Police Department, Plymouth Police care packages frequently include a “Thank
the children of our first responders first.” Department, Walker Police Department, You First Responders” lawn sign and a
Spectrum Hospitals, Wayne County Jail commemorative patch from the First
There continues to be a clear need to help and Wayne County Sheriff’s Department. Responders Children’s Foundation honor-
and support the families of first respond- ing the service of first responders during
ers across the country with crucial assis- To date, the First Responders Children’s the COVID-19 Emergency Response.
tance when disaster strikes. Foundation has sent out more than
650,000 masks plus endless amounts of “It is an honor and a privilege to support
THE MASK PROJECT other PPE, all for free. As a former Chief those that I served with in Michigan as a
The First Responders Children’s Foundation of Police in Michigan, Bob Stanberry devel- Chief of Police,” says Stanberry. “After be-
Mask Project is providing hospital grade oped the Mask Project for the Foundation, ing in law enforcement for 17 years, this
masks to first responders across the country where he currently serves as the Director gives me a way to give back to the first
in record delivery times thanks to MaskClub of Strategic Relationships, while balancing responder community nationally through
by Trevco and a national network of first a full-time job as a Senior Law Enforcement this extraordinary foundation.”
responders. Advisor for CISCO Systems and raising two
boys. Stanberry oversees a warehouse in As the holidays draw near, the First
Trevor George, CEO of the Michigan-based Saugatuck, Michigan and a small team (in- Responders Children’s Foundation is pre-
company called MaskClub, has pledged cluding his sons) who deploy PPE across paring to help spread joy to children of
that for each mask purchased, MaskClub the country. The Foundation’s mission is first responders across America. Recent
will donate one FDA-approved surgi- to get PPE into the hands of first respond- donations of toys from Mattel, including
cal mask to first responders in partner- er agencies who need it—whether those more than 35,000 Barbies, craft and ac-
ship with the First Responders Children’s agencies have 50,000 members or five. tivity books from American Girl and toys
Foundation. Bulk shipments are delivered from Jakks Pacific, will enable the First
to state police facilities, and then first re- “Bob Stanberry is the MVP of PPE. He is Responders Children’s Foundation to
sponder agencies in the state use that lo- able to fulfill seemingly impossible PPE brighten the holidays of children of first
cation as a distribution point so that fire, requests by delivering critical supplies to responders.
police, EMT, and other first responder first responder agencies within 24 hours,”
agencies in the area can collect the equip- states Scott Perrin, the Foundation’s If any agency has a need for masks or toys to disperse
ment they so desperately need. Executive Director. “As soon as the pan- throughout their community, please contact the First
demic began, I immediately saw the crit- Responders Children’s Foundation at www.1stRCF.org.
The first 5,000 masks were presented to ical need that first responders had for You can also keep up with all their latest events by following
the MACP on April 15, 2020. Since that PPE. Even before most of the country was them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @1stRCF. Bob
time, more life-saving personal protection wearing protective gear, I was negotiat- Stanberry can be contacted at bob@1strcf.org.
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registered trademarks of their respective companies. © 2020 LexisNexis Risk Solutions.FEATURE
THE TRUTH ABOUT DE-ESCALATION
BY JOHN BOSTAIN tactic. De-escalation cannot be measured ple will not de-escalate themselves, re-
solely on whether an officer did or did not gardless of how much we communicate
When was the last time you heard the term use force. There are times when the ap- with them and provide them options.
“de-escalation”? Probably this morning, plication of reasonable force is the only Anyone who claims that their de-escala-
right? The term de-escalation has become way to “de-escalate” a situation. Consider tion strategies work in ALL circumstanc-
a part of the national conversation on po- the example of an active shooter. Officers es are being dishonest. Truth be told
licing. Whether it is a politician, a celeb- enter an active shooter situation where a they are probably more concerned about
rity, the media, or your even your neigh- gunman is actively taking innocent lives. making money off the latest “buzzword”
bor, everyone seems to be talking about The only way to “de-escalate” that situa- than they are in providing effective tools
it. Unfortunately, for those outside of law tion might be to eliminate the continued that increase both officer and public
enforcement, most people do not have a threat. safety. After all, isn’t that what we really
realistic understanding of what de-escala- want to achieve?
tion is. Worse yet, some law enforcement TRUTH #2
agencies are contributing to the misinfor- When uninformed people talk about Now that we have clarified what de-es-
mation by not adequately educating their de-escalation, they often ask “why didn’t calation is not, we can have an honest
communities about what it is, or perhaps the officer de-escalate” that individual? conversation about what it is. There
There is no magical “de-escalation pixie dust” that can be
sprinkled on individuals in crisis to calm them down.
more importantly, what it isn’t. Many be- The simple answer is because people can- are literally hundreds of definitions
lieve that all individuals can be “de-esca- not be “de-escalated.” It is not a verb; it is for de-escalation, but the International
lated,” and many believe that if individu- not something you can DO to someone. Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)
als are not “de-escalated,” the police officer What we CAN do in many circumstances uses the following definition from the
somehow must have failed. Unfortunately, is create enough discretionary time that al- National Consensus Policy as: “Taking
many people are simply wrong. low people to calm themselves down and action or communicating verbally or
aid them in accessing the services they non-verbally during a potential force en-
There are three fundamental truths about need. The most important part of these counter, in an attempt to stabilize the sit-
de-escalation that should guide any types of encounters is to determine “what uation and reduce the immediacy of the
discussion on the topic. Unfortunately, do they need” and use tools, tactics, and threat, so that more time, options, and
these “truths” are not readily accepted by timing to help get the needed resources. resources can be called upon to resolve
those who have never had to personally De-escalation is not something that can be the situation without the use of force or
deal with violent people in crisis. Their forced upon an unwilling subject in cri- with a reduction in the force necessary.”1
worldview simply does not align with sis. There is no magical “de-escalation pix- This is a great definition because of a
reality. Nevertheless, these truths need ie dust” that can be sprinkled on individu- few key phrases such as “attempt to sta-
to be shared with and acknowledged by als in crisis to calm them down. bilize the situation.” Notice it states “at-
community leaders, elected officials, and tempt” indicating an acknowledgment
the media. Without acknowledgment of TRUTH #3 that it won’t always be possible. Another
these truths, no serious dialogue can be De-escalation cannot be guaranteed, be- key phrase is “reduce the immediacy of
effectively achieved. cause as stated above, it is a choice. All the threat, so that more time, options,
officers can do is utilize de-escalation and resources can be called upon.” This
TRUTH #1 strategies to help individuals choose the phrase acknowledges that time is the
De-escalation is a desired outcome; it is best possible outcome by choosing to most important factor in de-escalation
a result. It is not a specific technique or de-escalate. The reality is that some peo- situations.
20 FALL 2020You can also read
