President’s Message

By David Mahoney

Comments and letters can be sent to President Mahoney at WPPA,
340 Coyier Lane, Madison, WI 53713, or e-mail mahoney@wppa.com.

            As this issue of the Wisconsin Police Journal reaches each of our members, we find ourselves approximately one month from our Annual Convention. I hope everyone has made their reservations as the rooms are filling quickly. As you recall from discussions during last year’s Convention, the dates have been changed to correspond to the weekend in hopes of attracting more participation by families.

            The 2005 Convention is scheduled for May 14-16 at the Kalahari Family Resort in Wisconsin Dells. Again our committee has put together an outstanding agenda of workshops and speakers offering guidance in “Financial Planning,” “Worker’s Compensation and Duty Disability,” as well as local representative training on various topics, including “Creating and Administering Your Own Local,” “Political Action,” and “Association Responsibilities in Post-Critical Incidents.”

            During the Awards Banquet on Sunday evening, our Madison and Dane County locals will again be providing child care so that our members can share in recognizing those men and women of law enforcement who have been chosen by the Awards Committee for special recognition for their service during 2004.

            In addition to being a prelude to the Annual Convention, this edition of the Wisconsin Police Journal will arrive as we are preparing to enter an important week of recognition throughout the country. National Police Week takes place May 15-21, 2005, with the “Annual Candlelight Vigil” in Washington, D.C. taking place at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial on May 13, and Wisconsin’s own Memorial Ceremony at the State Capital on May 20.

            Every 53 hours in America, a law enforcement officer gives his or her life to protect America’s citizens. During 2004, 154 of our brother and sister law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty and their names will join more than 16,500 others whose names appear on the National Memorial as a reminder to each citizen and visitor to the Memorial of the ultimate sacrifice law enforcement officers and their families can make for America’s freedoms. I would encourage you to read an article by NLEOMF Chairman Craig Floyd, found on page 51 of the April issue of the Wisconsin Police Journal, outlining a disturbing trend in law enforcement deaths.

            The WPPA Board of Directors and Legislative Committee, in concert with our Legislative Lobbyist Jim Palmer and Consultant Morris Andrews, continue to promote WPPA’s 2005 shared revenue platform. It is receiving statewide recognition from lawmakers and newspaper editorial boards from Madison to Wausau and Hudson to Sheboygan. In a recent opinion piece by the “Wausau Daily Herald,” the WPPA was applauded for “its intricate blueprint” and non-partisan plan “to look out for the officers [and non-sworn public employees] it represents and ensure their financial security.” If your job depends on “shared revenue” and you are concerned about your individual and collective financial security, I encourage you to e-mail Jim at palmer@wppa.com and ask him how you can help – and tell him and Morris thanks, too.

            In closing, let’s hope for an early spring and the embrace of warmer weather with the approach of summer. I look forward to seeing all our members and your families at the Annual Convention. For our Michigan members, send me an e-mail with a “heads-up” on when it’s safe to take the snow tires off the Harley and “head north.”

            Until we meet again, take care of those who take care of you. Be Safe!