The Arizona Police Association (APA), which includes the MPA, passed a bill in July of this year that gives police officers and other “first responders” immunity from photo enforcement tickets while in the course of Officer’s official duties.

The bill passed after it was demonstrated Arizona police management was incapable of reasonably ascertaining violations of the law and Officers exceeding the speed limit in furtherance of their daily duties. Border Patrol, DPS and Maricopa County Sheriff’s were being pummelled with discipline for unwarranted photo radar tickets for actions taken to complete their official duties. It is not a crime to do your job. Many agencies where serving double jeopordy on officers, as they were getting tickets and discipline.

Since June, 2008, Mesa Officers have received 314 photo radar or red light notices. The majority of which were while executing official duties. Thanks to APA’s new law, officers cannot be citied nor can other measures be taken against them. The MPA is working with the department on solutions for dealing with the proper disposition of these photo notices.

The law also recognizes the public’s expectation that when they need us there the most, we will be there to save lives. Tragically, many Officers are killed in collisions every year, answering those calls.

When responding to calls, regardless of the new protections APA has afforded you, ABOVE ALL, WE WANT YOU TO BE SAFE. We urge our Mesa Officers to drive carefully, use your training, use good judgement, drive reasonably, make sure you check your tires and equipment at the start of your shift, and be please be careful out there.

The MPA will continue to protect and serve those who protect and serve.

Dear Members,

In response to the concerns raised by NAPO and other public employee organizations, the IRS has decided to push back the enactment date of the normal retirement age regulations from January 1, 2011 to January 1, 2013.  Please see THE IRS DOCUMENT (CLICK HERE) for the IRS Notice 2009-86 announcing the extension for governmental plans. 

NAPO continues to work with the Treasury Department and the IRS to exclude governmental plans entirely from the regulations.  We see this extension as a sign that the IRS has realized it made a mistake in including governmental plans in the normal retirement age rules and that it is willing to work with state and local governmental stakeholder groups to resolve the issue.  

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at (703) 549-0755 or amournighan@napo.org. 

Thank you,

Andy

Andrea Mournighan

Director of Governmental Affairs

National Association of Police Organizations

317 S. Patrick Street

Alexandria, VA 22314

(703) 549-0775

(571) 309-2923 (cell)

(703) 684-0515 (fax)

MPA participated in a conference call with Taser International today regarding recent news about their updated Training Bulletin.  The bulletin clarifies where officers should deploy their Taser and for the best results one should not aim at the chest or head.  Taser trainers have already been implementing this into their training courses, and all officers know for the best results we aim at the back.  In addition, this clarifying bulletin helps departments, such as Mesa, avoid additional risk of lawsuits.  There were also claims media outlets made that this bulletin admits Tasers can cause cardiac arrest if a Taser is deployed to a chest.  This is completely false and inaccurate, according to Taser.  MPA does not know of any cardiac arrest Taser death in the state of Arizona.

We help pursue the best equipment for officers and their safety.  MPA believes that this bulletin should not change the way officers should operate their Taser, and feel that if an officer has to Taser someone in the chest then we will back them 110%.  Officer safety comes first when having to execute a Taser.  We remind the public, officers and media that there are risks with any less lethal equipment (pepper spray, baton, even your patrol car!), but these equipment are used in times of need and keep officers alive.

Taser has offered free training to Mesa officers if there is an expressed need.  They will also be holding another teleconference Monday morning at 8am.  With a phone number and password, you will be able to listen to information about Tasers and ask questions at the end.  Please contact a board member if you would like to participate.

The key point is:  We have issued a new TASER Preferred Targeting Guide that will apply for the new XREP impact munition as well as ECDs such as the TASER^® X26™, M26™ and X3™. 

 Note, we have lowered the recommended point of aim from center of mass to lower-center of mass for front shots.  The blue highlighted area in the adjacent target man represents the preferred target area.  There are three reasons:

1.     Simplify targeting for all TASER^® systems — which now includes the new 12-gauge shotgun deployed TASER^® eXtended Range Electronic Projectile (XREP™) up to 100 feet — to one easy to remember map, avoiding chest shots when possible and the risk of a head/eye shot in a dynamic situation, as is standard for impact munitions

2.     When possible, avoiding chest shots with ECDs avoids the controversy about whether ECDs do or do not affect the human heart.

3.     Close-spread ECD discharges to the front of the body are more effective when at least one probe is in the major muscles of the pelvic triangle or thigh region.

Back shots remain the preferred area when practical (note this has been a preferred target since our training began for law enforcement).

Preferred Target Areas in Blue

Phoenix police officer and Staff Sgt. Thomas Rabjohn was killed while serving in Afghanistan.

Donations will be accepted during a fundraiser and cookout for the Rabjohn family. Earlier this month, he died while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Rabjohn, a member of the Arizona National Guard, was also a Phoenix police officer. He is survived by a wife and three daughters.

The fundraiser will take place at the office of the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association. Burgers and hotdogs will be served on October 20th at 11 a.m., 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. at 1102 W. Adams St. in Phoenix.  The Officer Assistance Fund will also be donating to this family in their time of need.

DUI Arrests Down in Mesa

MPA’s position from the beginning was for the department NOT to decentralize motors.  We also opposed the mandatory booking policy for DUIs who have ties to the community, have identification, and have been removed as a threat to the motoring public.

The most recent numbers show that arrests are down 20% in the last three years, and logically we can attribute that in part to their decentralization and the booking policy.  MPA continues to stress the need to have a centralized motor unit and work with administration on how to be the most effective with our resources.

CLICK HERE TO READ CH. 15′S COVERAGE

CLICK HERE TO READ KTAR’S COVERAGE

Public Safety Tax

Though Mesa’s police budget is in shambles, MPA brought to the public’s attention the recent DUI arrest numbers, lack of detectives and resources to continue efforts to educate the public on the importance of public safety and the need for adaquate resources for keeping the public safe (salaries, bodies, overtime and updated equipment).  The men and women of MPD work hard and keep our streets safe; however it is disheartening to find crime rate statistics change due to budget cuts.  MPA will continue to expose these budget shortfalls, as we plan to pursue a dedicated public safety tax.  Voters in the last election showed us that public safety is important to Mesa citizens, and a public safety tax would help return adequate resources and hire more people.  PAC funds are especially crucial for a request like this to the public, and members of the APA will be especially helpful as they will be able to contribute to this venture.  

State Budget News-Update

The MPA was made aware there will be a special session called soon to address a projected 1 billion dollar state budget deficit. It is projected to be 3 billion by Jan. 2010. Several legislators have made comments privately that state shared revenue would have to be cut. Therefore, the MPA met with the City Manager and Mayor regarding budget shortfalls projected for the State of Arizona, which may effect state shared revenues allocated to the city of Mesa.

The City Manager stated Mesa reserve funding could sustain Mesa through a temporary adjustment, but a permanent loss would require other solutions. He was confident they were monitoring a variety of possible scenarios, where shared revenues would not be impacted. MPA offered the city any help we could give.

The MPA is also monitoring the situation with the state budget with the assistance of the Arizona Police Association, which meets daily with legislators and others involved with the state budget process. We will keep membership updated as the situation unfolds.

The Chief Selection Process

The City Manager informed the MPA there were over 50 applications for Police Chief received by Mesa. The process is underway.  An approximate time-line is four finalist by the end of November and a final selection by mid December.  The MPA was assured we would have input at the appropriate time after the field had been narrowed.

The MPA will ensure the front line Officers will have a voice in this very important selection process.  The results of the survey will be released to the general membership at the appropriate time.  If you have completed the survey please do so to have your voice heard.