Professional Services
Sterling Heights Police help local boy celebrate his love of police, provide holiday cheer to needy kids
By Jennifer Gomori, MAP Editor with excerpts from news media
Sterling Heights Police are known for helping children in their community. But it was still surprising for a local 5-year-old to receive a mini electric version of a Sterling Heights Police cruiser.
“His parents walked into the station and said he loves the police,” said Sterling Heights Police Association President Mike Kunath. Sterling Heights resident Zeke Campbell visited the station on different occasions throughout the year and has even stopped by to see officers at community events. “He would wear his little police uniform,” said Kunath, who is also MAP Executive Board Vice President.
“The guys love him,” said Sterling Heights Police Chief Dale Dwojakowski in a clickondetroit.com article. “The guys found out his birthday was coming up, so we put the call out and asked if anyone wanted to chip in for a present.”
Officers visited him for his birthday, singing Happy Birthday, and giving him some unique presents - a new police “uniform” with his name embroidered on it, a custom-made badge pendant and the mini electric police car.
“The car is an exact replica of our police cars,” said Dwojakowski in the clickondetroit.com article.
“The car actually has the same miniature decals that are on the (Sterling Heights) police cars,” Kunath said. “It has a working PA and Bluetooth on it.”
“He has said many times that he wants to be a police officer. He said it is because he wants to help people and to arrest them for breaking speed limits,” said Sara Campbell, the boy’s mother, to clickondetroit.com. “It has made our world,” she said of the officers visit and gifts. “But I know it has really completely made our son’s world."
MAP seeks support from area Unions to fight outsourcing Officers
Area Union leaders are being asked to show their support for the Security Officers of the DMC, whose jobs are being outsourced after they sought Union representation.
The Security Officers of Detroit Receiving Hospital and Officers of DMC Children's signed collective bargaining agreements between July and September 2019. Sinai-Grace Security Officers filed for Union representation in September. The Officers were notified Oct. 1, 2019 that their jobs would be outsourced to a private security provider just before the Thanksgiving holiday.
Please click here for a timeline of events and further information.
We are calling all local Union leaders to support these Officers as we fight for their right to organize, their careers and dignity. Please contact Jerald James at Michigan Association of Police at (248) 509-7158, ext. 227 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to find out how you can help.
Sterling Heights Police, Fire Fighters honored for fighting child hunger
By Jennifer Gomori, MAP Editor
Sterling Heights Police Officers and Fire Fighters were recently honored for going above and beyond the call of duty by donating $4,000 in September to help a local charity fight child hunger in their community.
Blessings in a Backpack – Utica, a program that provides weekend meals for needy children at three Sterling Heights elementary schools throughout the school year, honored Sterling Heights Police Officers Association, a MAP-represented unit, and Sterling Heights Fire Fighters at an Oct. 1 Sterling Heights City Council meeting.
The police officers and firefighters made the donation from a portion of funds they received selling t-shirts promoting Safe Streets Renewal, a millage renewal for fire, police and street improvements which will be on the Nov. 5, 2019 ballot.
Blessings in a Backpack Fundraising Chairperson Bob Maynard presented the unions with Community Service Awards during the meeting. But police and firefighters were not expecting a second award from the City Council. They were honored with Sterling Heights Nice Neighbor Awards, a program established to recognize homeowners who do what they can to improve the quality of life for their neighbors.
“The first award was from Blessings in a Backpack. It was a Community Service Award for fighting child hunger in our community,” said MAP Executive Board Vice President Mike Kunath, who is Sterling Heights Police Officers Association President. “Then, City Council surprised us and they gave us a Nice Neighbor Award. Typically, that’s for people in the community."
Blessings in a Backpack is hosting many community fundraising events including a Halloween Run Against Hunger Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019. To help join the fight against child hunger, please visit http://www.blessingsinabackpackmi.org/events/ for more information.
MAP donations helped support newly opened Michigan Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Monument
Michigan Association of Police (MAP) and Michigan Association of Police Organizations (MAPO) donations are among those that made the newly dedicated Michigan Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Monument a reality.
Over 500 people attended a dedication ceremony July 27, 2019 at the Monument, on the corner of Allegan Street and Butler Boulevard in downtown Lansing. Over the years, MAP contributed more than $2,000 in honor of fallen MAP Police Officers.
The monument consists of 10 Sentinels - 4’ X 8’ metal panels - engraved with the names of Michigan law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty dating back to the 1800s. The fallen officers’ names have colored background lights so the Memorial Monument is clearly visible day and night. To locate a fallen officer’s name at the Monument, please visit www.mleom.org and click on "Fallen Officers."
MAPO encourages $2 billion budget for road funding, but not from General Fund
Michigan Association of Police Organizations (MAPO) recently sent a letter urging Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the state legislature to come up with a budget deal generating over $2 billion to
fix Michigan roads.
The letter discourages reductions in General Fund revenue to fix roads, which reduces funding to public safety and first responders. A proposed change in the sales tax on fuel could cause an additional $200 million loss to General Fund revenue, according to MAPO.
Click here to view MAPO’s Road Budget Recommendation.
