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Labor Defense Group Webinar Training Series Starting Jan 16th!

2024 LDG Webinar Training Series

We are excited to announce and invite WACOPS Labor Defense Group members to attend the 2024 LDG Webinar Training Series. As a WACOPS LDG member organization, your leadership team is invited to these 1-hour, discussion-based Zoom webinars where experienced presenters will share crucial information regarding peace officer labor rights. As an attendee you will be able to watch, listen, and engage with our speakers as they discuss the latest in union responsibilities and provide you with the tools to best represent your members in negotiation, mediation, and arbitration. 

Register using the link below and add the webinar dates into your calendar. Reminder emails will be sent out 2-weeks and 2-days prior to each training. See you there!

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Now accepting nominations for The Mark Brinkman Distinguished Service Award

Every day brave men and women put on their uniform and confront situations that most people will never encounter. Peace Officers are both the first and last line of defense and always society’s critical point of resolution. We are extremely fortunate to have such an incredible corps of public servants willing to protect and serve. In a profession of humble protectors, WACOPS encourages you to nominate your peers for The Mark Brinkman Distinguished Service Award. This prestigious award honors and brings distinction to the officer, the profession, and their department. Recognize a current WACOPS member who has exhibited an exceptional and outstanding performance of duties! All nominations will be reviewed by the WACOPS Awards & Scholarship Committee and final selection decided by the WACOPS Executive Board. 

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WACOPS Labor Defense Group Announces the Retirement of LDG Consultant Chuck Reisenauer

 

The WACOPS Labor Defense Group (LDG) Board appreciates the years of dedicated service Chuck has provided to the WACOPS LDG and its enrolled groups. Chuck, along with a small group of other visionaries saw the need of our smaller WACOPS member organizations to access quality labor support; support that as one small group they would not have been able to access. Through his creative mind, and extensive labor negotiations experience Chuck helped WACOPS form the nonprofit subsidiary, WACOPS LDG. Since it's inception, the LDG has assisted dozens of WACOPS member organizations through collective bargaining, unfair labor practices grievances, mediation, and arbitrations. Since the start, Chuck has been the sole consultant for LDG, traversing Washington State to help our small organizations excel and ensuring better working environments for hundreds of officers across the state. Chuck will remain with WACOPS LDG through December, please join us in thanking Chuck for all that he has done for WACOPS, WACOPS LDG and officers everywhere. 

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Aflac for LEOs Open Enrollment 11/1-11/30!

WACOPS is excited to offer new AFLAC coverages for members and their family. Open enrollment period is 11/1-11/30! You’ll have the chance to enroll in the coverages that best meet your financial needs. During open enrollment the coverage is guaranteed issue, meaning no health questions or medical qualification. Health insurance pays doctors and hospitals. Aflac helps pay the bills health insurance doesn’t cover. To learn more about the Aflac coverages and rates, visit: https://www.wacops.org/aflac-for-law-enforcement. Coverage will be effective on January 1, 2024.  

The following insurance plans are available during your enrollment: 

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Upcoming Behind the Badge Foundation Events

Tactical Trauma Training - Puyallup 10/4/2023
Our respected, experienced presenters will share lifesaving content and lead critical conversations regarding Post Traumatic Stress in the first responder field.  Attendees will leave with an actionable ‘tactical toolkit’ for themselves, their peers, and their families.

LODD LE Executive Training – West Richland 10/24/2023 – 10/25/2023
One of the most traumatic events facing a law enforcement agency is the potential loss of one of their own in a Line of Duty Death. Incidents such as a LoDD are defining moments affecting families, agencies, and communities. How agency leadership plans, prepares, and responds to this interpersonal trauma has long-lasting impacts. This two-day course is designed for agency executives and those decision-makers who may be placed in a leadership position in the event of a Line of Duty Death or other critical death within an agency.

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Enter the Raffle! Register for the WACOPS Exclusive AFLAC Insurance Programs 

It's time to register for the WACOPS exclusive AFLAC insurance programs 
May 30 – June 30, 2023  

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Upcoming Behind the Badge Foundation Trainings

CISM/GRIN:

GRIN (Group and Individual) CISM gives the advantage of being able to provide both Peer Support and of all of the Group interventions (Three days of training instead of four). Each person will receive a certificate in both Group and Peer. Attendees must be present for all 3 days to receive certification.

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Law Enforcement Officer Wellness App Statewide Launch

The Washington State Legislature allocated funding to the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) to establish and coordinate an online or mobile-based application (app) for any Washington law enforcement officer; 911 operator or dispatcher; and any other current or retired employee of a Washington law enforcement agency; and their families, to anonymously access on-demand wellness techniques, suicide prevention, resilience, physical fitness, nutrition, and any other behavioral health and wellness supports. Following a formal Request for Proposal (RFP) process, WASPC has partnered with Lexipol, the leader in policy, training, and wellness support for public safety, to utilize CORDICO® as the Statewide Wellness App. The CORDICO App will be available to active and retired law enforcement, corrections, and dispatch professionals and their family/household members starting on March 7, 2023. There is not cost to users or agencies to access the Statewide Wellness App.

App users are encouraged to visit https://www.waspc.org/law-enforcement-wellness-app for additional information on accessing the CORDICO App. App users are invited to attend a launch webinar. Launch webinars will include a demonstration of the CORDICO App, information on the MHP vetting process, and overview of user anonymity. Launch webinars will be recorded and available for on-demand viewing anytime. CORDICO login credentials will be provided by each agency, or users can contact the WASPC Officer Wellness Team starting March 7, 2023.

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Call for Qualified Applicants WACOPS Labor Defense Group (LDG) Western WA Consultant

The WACOPS Labor Defense Group (LDG) is seeking resumes and letters of interest from qualified applicants motivated to help small law enforcement labor groups with contract negotiations and discipline issues. The position being filled is for a consultant. Please read through the job description below and direct any questions to Teresa Taylor, WACOPS Executive Director.

The selected person will not be an employee of WACOPS LDG. The chosen consultant will be a contractor and will be compensated commensurate to the terms of a signed contract. All compensation will be reported to the IRS through an annual 1099. The initial term of the contract will be 12 months with an automatic rollover.

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Donate to Clark County Deputy Kennison Injured in Incident

Please join us in praying for Deputy Kennison. The WACOPS Benevolent Fund will be contributing to his recovery fund.

From the Clark County Sheriff's Office:
Drew Kennison, a 14-year veteran of the Clark County Sheriff's Office, was the deputy injured in an incident on 2/22/23. A photo of Deputy Kennison and a photo of his patrol vehicle are attached.
Deputy Kennison remains in the hospital in serious but stable condition with the support of family and friends by his side.CCSO appreciates all the thoughts, prayers, and support that has been shown by the community for Deputy Kennison.
Update 2/22/2023 at 16:00 hours
Our deputy is now out of surgery and being transferred to a hospital in Portland.
He had significant injuries, especially to his lower extremities. He is listed as critical but stable condition.
Here is what we know as far as the crash is concerned. It appears that the upper portion of a large tree broke off, possibly because of the heavy snowfall, and fell onto his patrol vehicle as he was travelling on Washougal River Road.
The portion of the tree that fell was significant in size. It appears to have struck the vehicle where the windshield meets the hood. The vehicle then came to rest just off the roadway against another tree. Several other law enforcement officers were travelling with him when the incident occurred. They were able to quickly provide first aid. A local public works truck was in the area and helped remove the tree which was across the vehicle prior to the arrival of fire and emergency medical personnel.
Update 2/23/22
Yesterday, after being transported to Peace Health, he was in the operating room for about 3 hours. He was stabilized and transported to Emanuel Hospital in Portland for additional surgery and treatment.
After several hours at Emanuel, the surgeons determined his leg could not be saved, and his left leg was amputated just above the knee. We want to thank the medical teams at Peace Health and Legacy Emanuel for their exceptional efforts. Drew will require further surgeries in the coming days and weeks. He is recovering right now and is in good spirits.
Drew has been a CCSO Deputy for 14 years. In addition to his time on Patrol, Drew has served on special assignments with the US Marshalls Fugitive Task Force, our Tactical Detective Unit, and is currently on the Southwest Washington Regional SWAT team. Drew is a kind and compassionate person who loves serving his community.
The Clark County Sheriff’s Office will continue to support Drew and his family during this time and the many months of recovery to come.
Thank you to the citizens of Clark County who have sent their thoughts and prayers. Some are asking what more they can do for Drew and his family. The link below can be used to provide additional support to the Kennison family. Link provided directly from the Clark Co. Deputy Sheriff Guild.

2023 Youth Scholarship Program Accepting Applications March 1st

Do you or a fellow officer have a high school senior or undergrad college student? Beginning March 1st, the WACOPS Scholarship Committee is accepting scholarship applications.

The WACOPS Scholarship Program was created to provide scholarship funds for children of current WACOPS members who are in good academic standing. To be eligible, students must be the child of or under the care of a current WACOPS member, between the ages of 17-21, and submit their high school graduation date or proof of GED. NEW in the 2023 Operating Budget! 5 more scholarships added. There will be up to 15 - $1,000 scholarship awards granted to student applicants. The scholarship award may be used at any accredited college, university, or vocational/technical school upon proof of enrollment. Past scholarship recipients are not eligible to apply. 

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PSEII Grant Program for LE Supportive Organizations

Public Safety Employees Insurance Inc. (PSEII) invites organizations providing support and/or other services focused on law enforcement personnel or their families to apply for the new PSEII Grant Program. We hope you take this opportunity to share the PSEII Grant Program with any LE supporting organization that you believe could benefit from additional funding. Applicants may be awarded up to $500 and funds are limited. The 2023 application process is open now and will remain open until December 31, 2023, or when funds are fully dispersed. 

See eligibility requirements

NEW Product to protect you and your loved ones! AFLAC for Law Enforcement

Many of you have AFLAC currently.  Please take a few minutes to compare the plan you have to the one Public Safety Employees Insurance, Inc is offering.  Our subsidiary, Public Safety Employee’s Insurance, Inc through its broker Liberty Benefits Group has created a group-based AFLAC plan just for law enforcement and their families.

ACCIDENT:  Cash benefits paid to help with out-of-pocket expenses associated with treatment of a covered accident (on duty or off). 

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Podcast: On Being a Police Officer Ep. 33 Spokane Officer Stacy Roark and Clinician Jenny Mandin

Ep. 33 I continue my conversation with Spokane PD Officer Stacy Roark. In Ep. 32, we started with an overview of Officer Roark’s 30-year career in law enforcement. We also talked about his current role on the Behavioral Health Unit and as a negotiator. Joining us is Jenny Mandin, a mental health professional with Frontier Behavioral Health. Officer Roark and Jenny are co-deployed to respond to persons in crisis. We discuss how this pairing works, the calls they respond to and the role each of them plays in assessing each person’s needs. Their goal is to connect people with services and keep those who do not need to be in jail or in the hospital out of both. I also discuss with Jenny what she’s learned about law enforcement, the challenges officers face and why it is important for the safety and protection of everyone involved that she respond with law enforcement to these calls.

I have talked about the co-responder model in the podcast, but in these two interviews, it is the first time I have covered the co-deployed approach. And it is the first opportunity I’ve had to speak with a mental health professional to get insight on training and approach.

Podcast: On Being a Police Officer Episode 32: Officer Stacy Roark with Spokane PD's Behavioral Health Unit's co-deployed model

Ep. 32 Joining me is Officer Stacy Roark who has been in law enforcement for 30 years. He is currently with the Spokane Police Dept. in the Behavioral Health Unit which uses a co-deployed model for responding to persons in mental crisis. Officer Roark rides with a mental health professional (MHP), Jenny Mandin from Frontier Behavioral Health. We talk about the calls they respond to and how they get people the help they need with the goal of keeping them out of jail or the hospital.

I’ve previously discussed the co-responder model on the podcast in which officers call for a clinician to come to the scene, but this is the first time I’ve discussed the co-deployed approach in which the officer and clinician ride together. I have made it a point to cover these response models to show the lengths to which law enforcement goes to help persons in mental crisis.

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LE Family Network Conference Sept 30-Oct 2

Behind the Badge Foundation is proud to present the 2022 Law Enforcement Family Network Conference in scenic Kennewick, WA.

Friday, September 30 through Sunday, October 2, 2022
Three Rivers Convention Center
Kennewick, WA

Finding the right words to have the tough conversations can be daunting. Join Behind the Badge Foundation and a panel of experts for a weekend of hands-on learning with practical solutions on how to navigate the challenging discussions law enforcement families face.
-Talking with the children in your life
-Navigating difficult conversations as a law enforcement officer and family
-The aftermath of a critical or traumatic incident
-Getting started on estate planning
and more...

Crime in Washington 2021 Annual Report

The Crime In Washington 2021 annual report was compiled from data submitted to the Washington State Uniform Crime Reporting Program of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs by Washington State law enforcement agencies.

This is the forty-second (42nd) annual publication of the Washington Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program report of criminal offenses, arrests, law enforcement officers killed or assaulted, and full-time law enforcement employees. Funding for the Washington State UCR Program is provided through contract with the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC) and administration of the program is the responsibility of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) Criminal Justice Information Support (CJIS) Department. The Washington State UCR Program is unique in that it is sponsored, administered, and supported by an organization of contributing agency administrators rather than a bureau or department of state government.

CIW 2021 Annual Report
Amendments to CIW 2021 Annual Report as of 7/21/2022

Attorney General Publishes Model Use of Force Policy

Find the AG's Use of Force Model Police HERE

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Podcast: On Being a Police Officer Ep. 30 Ft. Teresa Taylor

Ep. 30 Teresa Taylor, executive director of WACOPS, the Washington Council of Police and Sheriffs, shares an update on the wide-ranging police reform legislation that went into law in Washington State in July 2021. Now almost a year later, we look at the impact of the legislation on law enforcement and the community, the revisions that have been made and why, and what still needs to be changed. We also look at some concerning new developments including legislation that would make deadly use of force justified only if the threat is “immediate” as opposed to “imminent,” a potentially dangerous distinction. And we talk about the concept of “compliant handcuffing.”
Our conversation is relevant not only to police departments in WA State, but also to law enforcement agencies around the country. It reflects the impact of the national negative narrative on policing and how it plays out in our communities, and how it impacts individual departments and officers. If you live in Washington, you’ll be pleased to know how much Teresa and WACOPS do for officers and for the community.
Teresa, like me, is a civilian. We share the goal of supporting law enforcement and helping people understand what it really means to be a police officer.

CISM/GRIN Class - Olympia, WA


Presented by the Behind the Badge Foundation

GRIN (GRroup and INdividual) CISM gives the advantage of being able to provide both Peer Support and of all of the Group interventions (Three days of training instead of four). Each person will receive a certificate in both Group and Peer. Attendees must be present for all 3 days to receive certification. 


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