The Grand Rapids Press has an article today regarding Mike Bishop's new reform initiative outling some of the argument for and against Bishop's massive proposed cuts to public employees.
Punctuating this are statements from Kent County Administrator Daryl Delabbio who states in the article he sees public employees as “easy targets,” and many (legislators) don’t realize the reason behind the compensation packages they receive.
Grand Rapids City Manager Greg Sundstrom is quoted in the article as saying:
“A debate on the topic is reasonable, as long as people remember that we have very valuable public employees who deserve a fair wage.”
Mike Bishop Reaching into Your Pocket to Balance State Budget
News from the Law Enforcement Community
Written by Jeff Jones
Sunday, 24 January 2010
Republican Senator Mike Bishop has put together a "reform" proposal that would alter P.A. 312, reduce your healthcare benefits, lower your pay by 5% AND freeze it at that rate for 3 years through a constitutional ammendment that he hopes to put on the ballot next year.
Bishop has put together a bi-partisan panel of legislators to review his initiatives and bills based on them will be hitting the legislature soon.
Even though I hate to watch it happen I can see how it does:
Important Legislative Updates from DSAM
Union News
Written by administrator administrator
Tuesday, 22 December 2009
Your Deputy Sheriff's Association of Michigan has been very hard at work lately defending attacks against you from the legislature and even some Michigan Sheriffs (not our Sheriff, BTW).
Check out this article at DSAM's website which outlines how some Michigan Sheriffs (again, not our Sheriff) have been non-compliant with their statutorily required duty to recertify their Corrections Deputies, and even possibly misusing book in fee money in the process. DSAM started looking into this and somehow ran into some FOIA trouble with some of those Sheriffs. One is left to assume there were some things they didn't want us to know.
DSAM-MI.org has an article where it appears that local (Holland) House Representative Joe Haveman thinks that YOU and your evil P.A. 312 protection are creating a public safety hazard (that's not my hyperbole, supporters of the bill have actually said that). His bill would open P.A. 312 to require arbitrators to consider the municipalities ability to pay. Sounds reasonable right? Well what needs to be understood here is that arbitrators already look at the municipalities ability to pay. So it appears Joe's rather innocuous request might just be another backhanded attempt to open P.A. 312 for debate in the house where anything could happen. Something like you, me and our community losing that protection all together.
There is also another bill introduced by freshman Representative Justin Amash that calls to repeal P.A. 312 altogether. Just in case you might be wondering if all this crowing by DSAM about the attacks in P.A. 312 might just be exaggeration check out this page on the Michigan Municipal Leagues website.
Some other West Michigan legislators (including our own David Agema) have decided you pay to little for health insurance. To remedy this they have decided to propose bills that would require every public employee to pay AT LEAST 15% of their health insurance cost. The irony here is that Agema's political schtick is that he's ultra-conservative. Taking away local communities ability to bargain with their own employees and putting the solutions in the hands of the state's big-government doesn't seem very conservative to me. Again, read about it at DSAM-MI.org
Suprisingly, yes. Apparently, Steven was filming a movie near his home in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana 20 years ago when he taught some local Deputies some of those trademark hyper-flexing joint lock moves and was Deputized by the local Sheriff.
Since then he has continued, between direct to dvd films, to work as a Deputy and now A & E is filming a "Cops" style show featuring Steven and his work with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office titled Steven Seagal: Lawman.
To be honest I have a feeling that this will turn out to be the same kind of entertaining that Dog the Bounty Hunter is. Kind of like a train wreck where you can't turn the channel because you are afraid you might miss the next stupid thing he does, but who knows? I do have to admit I thought Under Seige was a great movie.
Hit the links below for the trailer to the upcoming A & E show:
The story of the Ft. Hood massacre and the response from civilian Police Sergeants Kimberly Munley and Mark Todd reads like a scenario from an active shooter class.
They are just down the street when a heavily armed, well trained suspect is actively killing people. They arive quickly, move in immediately without waiting for backup and engage the suspect. Sgt. Munley is shot three times before the two of them are able to stop the threat.
No doubt both of them are responsible for countless more lives being saved by moving in and taking out the shooter before he could kill anyone else. True heroes and both of them have chosen to finally speak about their ordeal to...err, uh...Oprah.
The link below has a the video of their interview as well as a story that is as tragic as it is interesting. An interview with a woman who had her face ripped off by a 200lb chimpanzee.
The Xbox Live team just banned about a million Xbox 360's from online play because they were "modded" to play games that have been copied.
No doubt these devices will show up on ebay and craigslist in droves driving the price of used Xbox's further down, but don't be tempted!
Not only has the warranty of these devices been voided (good look if you get the red ring of death), but you'll never be able to play online or use other Live services like Netflix streaming.
Mark your Calendar for the Children's Christmas Party!
Ottawa County Sheriff's Office News
Written by Jeff Jones
Saturday, 17 October 2009
The date has been set:
December 11th, 2009
The event usually starts around 6 p.m. and of course more details will be forthcoming as the date approaches.
If you have any comments or need more information contact Tim Wierenga.
Blackberry Users have a new OCSO Group
Ottawa County Sheriff's Office News
Written by Jeff Jones
Tuesday, 13 October 2009
Someone put on their thinking cap, thanks Melanie, after the release of Blackberry Messenger 5 and created a group for OCDSA members!
DO NOT SCAN THE BARCODE IMAGE IN THIS ARTICLE. However, jump over to the "Private Club" in the forums and scan that barcode image.
If you have no idea what I am talking about, but you do have a Blackberry just shoot over to the forums and the first post will explain everything.
If you are not an OCDSA member (sorry Sergeant's and Lieutenant's) you are out of luck, but with enough interest we may create a more open OCSO list to include Reserve Officers and other out of association Law Enforcement types.
In the above picture, check out where the dirt in the air is in relation to the ball. Also note that Derek is looking down the fairway for a ball? Where is that dang ball anyway?
Get Windows 7 for $30!
News from the Law Enforcement Community
Written by administrator administrator
Wednesday, 30 September 2009
Like it or not the latest incarnation of the Windows operating system is coming, and you can save big money if you are or know a college student!
AND you should know that I beta tested this latest Windows OS, and it is very, very good. I also used Vista for a while choosing to downgrade to XP, even though I had no major problems with it, just because I couldn't justify using the extra memory that Vista required without any major features to show for it.
Windows 7, however, has some great features that make media sharing, networking and just simple getting things done easier and safer than before.
Vanderberg said the county plans to give union workers the same cuts if they’re willing to negotiate this year, and they’ll have harsher benefit decreases if they choose to wait for their contracts to run out.
Ottawa commissioner says cut elected officials’ benefits
Some commissioners could use Medicare instead of county plan
Part-time Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department road deputies, hired at $12.25 an hour, pay more for county insurance than the part-time commissioners — 9 percent of the premium plus about $250.
“We have been battling for years on this,” said Ottawa County Sheriff’s deputy Matt VanLiere, who is also president of the Ottawa County Deputy Sheriff Association, the officers’ union. “We have to bargain for everything, but commissioners are given that stuff because they are considered ‘at-will’ employees. But the they aren’t at-will employees, they’re elected officials.”
A 10-year-old girl was sexually assaulted in the bathroom at the Holland Outlet Center early Saturday evening, police say.
The Zeeland girl was at the mall with her parent, investigators said.
She went to use a public restroom in the east section of the mall when a man grabbed her, dragged her into the men's restroom and sexually assaulted her, investigators told 24 Hour News 8.
Shortly after the assault, a sibling of the victim found out what happened, but the suspect was already gone.
Witnesses say he was last seen heading northwest toward James Street.
The girl was taken to the hospital for evaluation.
The suspect is described as a male between the ages of 20 and 25, with dark skin, possibly of Hispanic descent with short brown hair. He about 5-foot-5 and has a medium build. He was wearing a light blue T-shirt with a logo on the front, faded baggy blue jeans and a large wristwatch.
If you have any information, you are asked to call the Ottawa County Sheriff's Department or Silent Observer.
Click the "Read More" link for video from WoodTV and surveillance video of the suspect.
Shocked commissioners speak out in support of worker who talked to media
Commissioner calls incident with 27-year employee ‘crazy'
By PEG MCNICHOLThe Holland Sentinel Ottawa County Clerk Dan Krueger said the choice Marod was given by her bosses was “a consistent direction that the administration takes when people don’t agree with them.”
"Hagen said the county is also looking at changing employee health benefits, costing $12,000 to $17,000 each. Part-time county commissioners also get full health coverage. Next year, the county will ask in negotiations that employees increase their share of medical costs"
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Remember if you are investing some money diversity is key. Also don't forget the county does a 10% match up to $2000 with the county's differed conpensation plan. This is a guaranteed 10% return on you investment and then you can decide how risky you want to be with your money from there. Any questions about this please let me know.
Stay tuned to this section, and I will update you about PA 312, and Binding Arbitration for Corrections as more info becomes available.
Micah is serving on the Legislative Committee and chairing the Membership Committee.
Matt is serving on the Financial Committee, the Membership Committee and the Scholorship Committee.
A and J Enterprise in Coopersville has designed a strobe light that
mounts outside your home and engages automatically when you call 911
from inside. The light is available at 911lightmi.com
Punctuating this are statements from Kent County Administrator Daryl Delabbio who states in the article he sees public employees as “easy targets,” and many (legislators) don’t realize the reason behind the compensation packages they receive.
Republican Senator Mike Bishop has put together a "reform" proposal that would alter P.A. 312, reduce your healthcare benefits, lower your pay by 5% AND freeze it at that rate for 3 years through a constitutional ammendment that he hopes to put on the ballot next year.
A tad bit late, but Scott LaRue has been nice enough to put together a color coded calendar showing the days the different squads work.
Your Deputy Sheriff's Association of Michigan has been very hard at work lately defending attacks against you from the legislature and even some Michigan Sheriffs (not our Sheriff, BTW).
Suprisingly, yes. Apparently, Steven was filming a movie near his home in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana 20 years ago when he taught some local Deputies some of those trademark hyper-flexing joint lock moves and was Deputized by the local Sheriff.
The story of the Ft. Hood massacre and the response from civilian Police Sergeants Kimberly Munley and Mark Todd reads like a scenario from an active shooter class.
The Xbox Live team just banned about a million Xbox 360's from online play because they were "modded" to play games that have been copied.
The date has been set:
Someone put on their thinking cap, thanks Melanie, after the release of Blackberry Messenger 5 and created a group for OCDSA members!
Micah was nice enough to take and post the pictures from the 2009 Steenwyk Golf Outing. 
Like it or not the latest incarnation of the Windows operating system is coming, and you can save big money if you are or know a college student!
The FBI recently issued their official crime statistics for 2008. The stats show an overall decrease in crime across the country, 
