Oakland County, Mich. — State Sens. Jim Runestad and Ruth Johnson announced on Friday that Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel will participate in a press conference they will host with a coalition of legislators, elected officials and law enforcement officers at 10 a.m. on Monday at the Waterford Township Hall. The conference will address issues law enforcement officers are facing amid rising crime rates and other public safety concerns.
Hackel began his law enforcement career as a dispatcher for the Macomb County Sheriff’s office in 1981. He went on to serve as Macomb County sheriff from 2001-2010 before being elected as Macomb’s county executive. He will speak on the importance of having law enforcement professionals involved in the planning and implementation of initiatives affecting the future of public safety in our communities.
Who: State Sens. Jim Runestad, R-White Lake, and Ruth Johnson, R-Holly, along with legislative colleagues, local elected officials, and law enforcement officers.
When: Monday, Feb. 14, 2022 at 10 a.m.
Where: Waterford Township Hall, 5200 Civic Center Drive, Waterford, MI 48329
Confirmed presenters include:
- Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel;
- Oakland County Sheriff Michael J. Bouchard;
- Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham;
- Mason County Sheriff Kim Cole, president of the Michigan’s Sheriff’s Association;
- Grand Blanc Township Police Chief Ronald Wiles, president of the Michigan Chiefs of Police Association;
- Sixth Circuit Court Judge Michael Warren;
- Wayne Beerbower, executive board member for the Police Officers Association of Michigan;
- Nate Johnson, president of the Michigan State Troopers Association; and
- Michigan Fraternal Order of Police Vice President John Marasco.
Presenters will highlight key issues affecting public safety, including officer discouragement and lack of desire to enter the profession by potential recruits; limited resources; lack of warrant enforcement; low or no bail for violent offenders; lack of sentencing uniformity for violent and habitual offenders statewide; parole enforcement; nonenforcement of weapons charges; revolving door of arrests and releases; and public perceptions of officers and public safety.
For more information, contact Runestad’s office at 517-373-1758.
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