The Official Publication of the Wisconsin Professional Police Association Wisconsin Police Journal October 2019 • Vol. 87, No. 4 Duty Death Bill Finally Becomes Law! HOW IT HAPPENED A hard-fought victory born of persistence and sacrifice p. 5 WHAT IT DOES A summary of the new law and its impact on you p. 6 WHY IT MATTERS The powerful story of one police widow, in her words p. 7Wisconsin Police Journal - 2 Wisconsin Professional Police Association October 2019 • Vol. 87, No. 4 OFFICERS President – Todd Hoover, Racine Vice President – Nichelle Nelson, Waukesha Treasurer – Mike Chinander, Eau Claire Secretary – Brian Barbour, Oneida County Sergeant at Arms – Steven Bartels, Waukesha DIRECTORS James Brigham – Dane County Don Burrows – Polk County Sgts. Jeffrey Darst – Superior Danielle Engen – Onalaska Dan Frei – Madison Dale Gerbig, II – La Crosse Justin Greuel – Eau Claire Nicholas Groth – Racine Mark Hollister – Chippewa County Ted Knoeck – Marathon County Dennis LeCaptain – Janesville Travis Levandowski – Portage County Kurt Pierce – Dane County Sups. Terry Pockat – Onedia County Tom Poss – Appleton Kelly Powers – Madison Robert Richardson – Dane County Andrew Rosenow – La Crosse Trevor Rud – Pepin County Nick Stachula – West Allis Travis Tuttle – Fond du Lac EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR James L. Palmer, II GENERAL OPERATIONS OFFICE 660 John Nolen Dr., Suite 300, Madison WI 53713 (608) 273-3840; (608) 273-3904 Fax Web Site: www.wppa.com Editor and Design: Julie Neeley Printing: Thysse Printing; Oregon, WI 53575 CORRESPONDENCE Address all magazine editorial correspondence to: WPPA, 660 John Nolen Dr., Suite 300, Madison WI 53713 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Wisconsin Police Journal 660 John Nolen Dr., Suite 300, Madison, WI 53713 ABOUT THE WISCONSIN POLICE JOURNAL The WISCONSIN POLICE JOURNAL (ISSN 1086-5187) Vol. 87, No. 4, is owned and published by the Wisconsin Professional Police Association, 660 John Nolen Dr., Suite 300, Madison, WI 53713. The WISCONSIN POLICE JOURNAL is published quarterly (January, April, July and October) and is circulated to dues-paying members of the Wisconsin Professional Police Association. Members’ subscriptions are included in dues. For retirees and non-members, the subscription price is $12 per year. Subscriptions will be accepted only from bona fide law enforcement officers and students enrolled in law enforcement. COPYRIGHT & POSTAGE Periodical Postage Paid at Madison, Wisconsin, and additional mailing offices. Material contained herein shall not be reproduced in any form without express advanced written permission. Manuscripts and photos will not be returned unless accompanied by an addressed, stamped envelope. Copyright© 2019 Wisconsin Professional Police Association Purposes And Aims Of The Wisconsin Police Journal The Official Publication of the Wisconsin Professional Police Association The Wisconsin Police Journal is the voice of thousands of WPPA members throughout Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Police Journal is dedicated to the following principles: • To disseminate important news and information affecting the WPPA membership. • To publicize the purposes, programs and public service projects of the WPPA. • To inform government officials and state legislators of the problems and concerns of the membership. • To inform the citizens of Wisconsin of the duties of the law enforcement officer and to encourage public acceptance of, and compliance with, the laws of the state. • To reflect the proper and deserved image of law enforcement officers in order to help them perform their responsibilities to provide security for all persons and protect the rights of the individual regardless of race, creed or religion. • To defend and promote the integrity of law enforcement officers who, at great personal sacrifice, are devoting their lives and careers to the noble profession of law enforcement. Wisconsin Police Journal - 2 Table of Contents Message From the President p. 3 Hitting the Street Without Your Ballistic Vest? Extended Legal Protection Plan p. 4 Executive Director's Report p. 5 Police Survivors' Health Insurance Law p. 6 The Duty Death Bill: Why it Matters p. 7 We Remember p. 8 Wisconsin Police Journal Subscription Form p. 8 From the Desk of Attorney General Josh Kaul p. 9 Special Olympics pp. 10-11 Retired Members p. 12 WRS News - How Will Market Performance Affect Core Annuity Adjustments p. 12 2019 Pistol Shoot p. 13 WPPA's 88th Annual Convention p. 14 Critical Incident Update p. 14 WPPA Scholarship p. 15 WPPA Service Awards Nominations pp. 16-17 WPPA Merchandise pp. 18-19 Statement of Ownership p. 19MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT As you will see, a significant portion of this issue of the WPJ is dedicated to the celebrated enactment of a new law to protect our families and recognize the vital role they play within our profession. This legislation has long been a WPPA priority, and this achievement is an outstanding triumph for our organization and the law enforcement community as a whole. As Wisconsin’s largest law enforcement group, the WPPA lobbies state lawmakers on a wide variety of issues that directly impact us as officers, our families and the critically-important jobs that we provide to our state. As the WPPA’s membership continues to grow, so does its legislative influence. On that note, I’m pleased to welcome our newest rank-and-file members from Loyal, Augusta and Waupaca County, along with the supervisory officers in Eau Claire County. As demonstrated with the enactment the duty death bill, our lobbying efforts are just one of the many ways in which we work to fulfill our mission of advocacy for you. Recent events in my own community further illustrate the extraordinary representation that is uniquely available to us as members of the WPPA. Prior to his election, Racine’s mayor was widely regarded as a champion for public services and the dedicated employees that provide them. He campaigned on that reputation, and even highlighted his past work as a union organizer and member of the state legislature. In that latter role, he was a staunch opponent of the statutory changes that limited collective bargaining, including our ability as law enforcement officers, to negotiate the terms of our health insurance. Sadly, he has largely proven that his prior rhetorical support for collective bargaining and for the dangerous jobs that we do in the police department bears almost no similarity to his actions and words since being elected mayor. Within a two-week period in September, the mayor launched an effort to impose significant and costly changes to our health insurance and issued a public statement that inappropriately reinforced the incorrect notion that a police shooting involving a neighboring department was the product of race. Frustrated and discouraged, my members in the Racine Police Association sprung into action. We issued public statements condemning these actions, helped organize a rally of city employees to make their voices heard and showed up to common council meetings to stand up for our city, our jobs and our profession. Our local membership deserves a lot of credit for taking such an active role in these efforts, but I also want to recognize the WPPA for being with us all along the way. Those of us in Racine still have a significant fight ahead of us, but the WPPA’s assistance in crafting talking points for common council members, drafting press releases and newspaper editorials, and rebutting the mayor's statements, was invaluable. Throughout the U.S. , you’ve probably seen how rare it is for police unions to have much of a presence in any of the news coverage involving police controversies. Few unions advocate on this level. Even worse, independent local police groups that use law firms to represent their interests don’t do it at all. The WPPA, on the other hand, frequently stands up for its members in the media and uses it as another platform from which to fight on our behalf. And that’s true for both large and small WPPA locals alike. In closing, while I greatly appreciate the opportunity to highlight our organizational successes, it’s my solemn responsibility to recognize the recent passing of three individuals that played important roles in the WPPA’s development and success. While there isn’t enough room in this column – or this issue – to adequately summarize their contributions to the WPPA, you will find brief obituaries for Steve Werner, Bob West and Morris Andrews on page 8 of this issue. In different ways, they each helped make the WPPA what it is today and what it hopes to be as it continues to grow and strengthen the many services that it provides. The entire WPPA organization owes these gentlemen a significant debt of gratitude for the lessons they shared and the guidance they provided. They helped broaden and embolden the scope and effectiveness of the WPPA’s services, and in doing so, helped ensure the organization’s ability to help you when you need it most. We’ve got your six. Todd Hoover Comments and letters can be sent to: hoover1803@sbcglobal.net Wisconsin Police Journal - 3Hitting the Street Without Your Ballistic Vest? Throughout recorded history, humans have used various types of materials as body armor to protect themselves from injury in combat and other dangerous situations. In 1976, scientists came to the conclusion that Kevlar was bullet-resistant, wearable and light enough for police officers to wear full-time. Since that time, bulletproof vests have improved significantly, and most patrol officers depend on them as a basic safety precaution. Indeed, according to the International Association of Chiefs of Police, bulletproof vests have saved over 3,100 officers' lives since 1987. The WPPA Extended Legal Protection Plan (ELPP) is similar to that bulletproof vest: a simple way to shield yourself from a situation that could devastate you and your family at any time. Since we launched the ELPP in January of last year, almost 1,400 WPPA members have spent just 10 minutes and $72 to enroll in order to protect themselves and their loved ones from what could be significant financial loss. In our first two years of experience, WPPA attorneys have taken on several cases. They haven't been the types of circumstances that attract headlines, but involve issues that officers encounter every day in every area of our state: • An officer suffering from the effects of numerous duty-related concussions; • An officer diagnosed with PTSD as a result of being threatened and stalked after a shooting; and • An officer that developed a hearing loss caused by 30 years of exposure to the loud noises that are common to the law enforcement profession. As is common practice, all of these cases were initially rejected by the employer's worker's comp administrator, and ordinarily the officers would have had to make the tough choice between hiring an attorney or trying to navigate all the complicated medical and legal paperwork alone. But each of these officers had made the wise choice to spend $72 to enroll in the ELPP. Each one has the huge advantage of being guided and represented by WPPA attorneys at no additional charge. No matter how complicated their case, none of these folks will pay any more than $72 annually. They each have a legal equivalent of a ballistic vest. But...every few weeks we get a call from someone hoping against hope that they had enrolled in the ELPP because now something has happened to remind them that they had recognized what a great benefit it was, but had put if off for a later day and now couldn't remember whether they had ever gotten to it. Here are a few examples of those that forgot to don their legal bulletproof vest: • An officer exposed, on the job, to a lethal substance, resulting in a significant long-term medical condition; • An officer assaulted during an arrest that suffered an injury requiring surgery; and • An officer that stepped out of his squad, slipped on the ice and cracked his head. Each of these cases will likely cost the officer thousands of dollars. Each is at risk of using most or all of his available leave and losing out on overtime, as well as facing the decision whether to hire an attorney or try to deal with the insurance company alone. Each of them wishes that they had someone in their corner, protecting their interest without charging an arm and a leg. Each of them wishes they had grabbed their legal bulletproof vest before hitting the street. On the flip side, we have also seen circumstances in which a member believed he had a valid claim but, after review, it was determined that he did not. In these cases, participation in the ELPP saved the officers from hiring a lawyer and spending a lot of their own time and money in fruitless pursuit. Worker's comp and duty disability claims are very frequent and very complicated. Most claims are rejected out-of-hand, as the insurance companies work in the interest of the employers. At the WPPA, we work exclusively for our members and, for $72 per year, we will extend our services to protect you in a wide range of situations stemming from your capacity as a law enforcement officer. Extended Legal Protection Plan Highlights: 1. Under this optional plan, the WPPA will cover all of the costs in connection to the following types of legal matters that are not currently covered by your WPPA membership: Criminal defense in actions stemming from conduct performed in the capacity of a law enforcement officer; Civil defense (e.g., civil rights claims) in actions stemming from conduct performed in the capacity of a law enforcement officer for which an officer’s employer does not provide representation; Worker’s compensation cases; and Duty disability cases. 2. This plan is only available to full-service members in good standing and members from retainer local associations that do not have binding arbitration. 3. Each member must enroll in the extended plan on an individual basis by completing the plan contract available at wppa.com and submitting the annual plan fee. Local associations may pay for their members out of their treasuries, but the WPPA must receive a signed extended plan contract and the annual plan fee for each individual member in order for them to be enrolled. 4. The annual fee for this extended legal plan is $72. 5. The plan even covers outside (non-WPPA) attorneys that have been vetted and approved by the WPPA. For more information about this important extended service option, or to enroll and begin receiving the added protection that it provides, visit our website: www.wppa.com. ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Wisconsin Police Journal - 4A Hard-Fought Victory! As we are all too-frequently reminded, service in the law enforcement profession entails the inherent risk that some officers will make the ultimate sacrifice in their efforts to keep our communities safe. For many years, it was not uncommon for the surviving spouse of an officer killed in the line of duty to receive a cold form letter from the state – only days after suffering the catastrophic loss of their loved one – notifying them that they had lost their health insurance as well. As epitomized in the personal account shared on page 7 of this issue, an officer’s family would suddenly find themselves scrambling to secure coverage, further adding to the stress, pain and uncertainty that accompanies such a sudden death. The WPPA has long recognized that an officer’s service to his or her community is not a solitary endeavor, but one that is made possible by the extraordinary support of families that share a dedication to our common security. For that reason, we made the issue of health insurance one of our organization’s top legislative priorities in 2010, embarking upon what turned out to be a lengthy and arduous path to changing Wisconsin law. Since that time, we have asked every candidate for their support of this issue, we have used it to grade lawmakers on our cumulative legislative report card, and we have raised the issue in countless media reports anytime the opportunity to do so has presented itself. 2011 marked the first time legislation was introduced to ensure that the survivors of an officer killed in the line of duty keep their health insurance by requiring the political subdivision that employed the officer to pay the survivors’ health insurance premiums. Twenty-four lawmakers signed onto the bill as co-sponsors, but it only won the approval of a State Assembly committee before the end of the 2011-12 legislative session. The bill passed the State Senate unanimously during the 2013-14 legislative session, but failed to receive a vote in the Assembly, where the bill stalled again during the 2015-16 session. Despite the fact that the number of co-sponsors to the bill grew to an impressive 67 as a result of our persistent efforts to build legislative support for the measure, the 2017-18 session of the legislature again ended without seeing this bill reach the governor’s desk. The legislation was again introduced earlier this year, reaching an incredible 102 co-sponsors. For as long as I have worked in and around the Wisconsin legislature, I can’t recall another bill that has garnered that degree of widespread support. It says a great deal about the high esteem that our elected officials have for you and your service. Hopefully, it also reflects the diligence with which we have pursued this issue year after year, meeting with lawmakers and candidates, raising the issue in the media, and using social media and our website to disseminate information to the public and encourage people to contact their legislators. We also worked hard to collaborate with other law enforcement groups, and our working relationship with the Wisconsin Chiefs of Police Association, in particular, played a pivotal role in the bill’s ultimate success. A joint hearing of committees from the State Assembly and Senate was held on September 17 to consider testimony regarding this legislation. In addition to the law enforcement community’s outspoken support, the hearing featured the testimony of numerous survivors whose loved ones died as a result their service. The survivors shared their heartache and experiences and urged lawmakers to swiftly pass the bill. Their poignant words had an impact on everyone who heard them, and it was difficult to find a dry eye anywhere in the committee hearing room that day. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT James L. Palmer, II Comments & letters can be sent to: palmer@wppa.com or on Twitter @ JimPalmerWI Wisconsin Police Journal - 5 →In relatively short order, both committees unanimously approved the bill, where it also won the unanimous approval of both the State Senate and Assembly in early October. In a private bill-signing ceremony with survivors and law enforcement representatives, Gov. Tony Evers signed the bill into law on October 16. The road to the bill's enactment was long and frustrating. Our efforts required significant time, energy, patience and tenacity, all in the name of protecting our law enforcement families. Unfortunately, it took the line of duty death of one more officer to drive the message home. After Racine Police Officer John Hetland was killed on June 17, it finally became clear to our lawmakers that the people of Wisconsin support our officers and recognize the reality of the sacrifice that every law enforcement family must bear. It seems that helping get this bill passed was John’s final act as a member of the law enforcement profession. Thank you to each of you that responded to any of our calls to action, and contacted your legislators on this enormously important issue. Thank you also to the officers that appeared at press conferences in support of the bill and the survivors of officers killed in the line of duty. Changing state statutes requires a multi-faceted approach and the involvement of our members and the public is critical to any such effort. In our frequent discussions and meetings with lawmakers, it was clear that this had a huge impact on our success. They responded favorably to the frequent contact they received from constituents who were knowledgeable and passionate in their support for this legislation. All WPPA members can claim a stake in this triumphant outcome. Though the road to accomplishing this objective was long and demanding, the outcome was worth it. Law enforcement officers and their families will continue to face enumerable risks, dangers and uncertainty related to their service, but as a result of the WPPA’s advocacy, the matter of maintaining health insurance coverage is no longer among them. Every single officer that comprises our statewide membership contributed to the platform that we used to wage this fight, and the result is something in which each WPPA member can take some amount of pride. For more information about this new law or to learn more about any of our other legislative priorities, please don’t hesitate to contact me or anyone on the WPPA staff. Until then stay safe, stay informed and stay in touch. Wisconsin Police Journal - 6 Police Survivors' Health Insurance Law 2019 WISCONSIN ACT 19 The new law provides that, if a city, village or town pays health insurance premiums for its law enforcement officers, that entity must continue to pay the premiums for the surviving spouse and dependent children of an officer who dies in the line of duty. Premium payments on behalf of a surviving spouse terminate when a spouse remarries or reaches age 65. Premium payments on behalf of a dependent child terminate when the child reaches age 26. A “law enforcement officer” covered by the provision includes an officer in a local police department, a county jailer, a Marquette University police officer, a state patrol officer, a state Capitol police officer, a University of Wisconsin System police officer, an officer in the Division of Criminal Investigation in the Department of Justice, a state conservation warden, a sheriff, an undersheriff, a deputy sheriff, a chief of police, a special agent in Department of Revenue and a state fair park police officer. The premium payments made by cities, villages, towns and counties under the new law will be reimbursed from the county and municipal aid program. Specifically, the reimbursement reduces the total shared revenue payment by an amount that is shared among all political subdivisions, proportionately, in relation to each subdivision’s share of the total shared revenue payment. The reimbursement is not available to a state or university entity that provides continued health insurance. The law further requires employers to maintain confidentiality for personally-identifiable information of a surviving spouse or dependent children for whom the premium payments are made. The new law also establishes a definition for what it means to die in the line of duty, which was previously undefined in the statutes. A covered death in the line of duty is one that occurs as a direct and proximate result of a personal injury or a single exposure to a hazardous material or condition, while engaged in an action that is required or authorized, and for which compensation is provided or would have been provided if the officer had been on duty. The new law applies to any covered line-of-duty death occurring on or after January 1, 2019. Above: the Assembly vote on October 10, 2019. The green light next to the name indicates a yes vote.Wisconsin Police Journal - 7 The Duty Death Bill: Why It Matters On Tuesday, September 17, a joint hearing was held at the State Capitol in Madison by the Assembly Committee on Insurance and the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety to hear testimony on bipartisan legislation to ensure that the survivors of officers killed in the line of duty keep their health insurance. The hearing featured the testimony of numerous survivors whose loved ones made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their communities. This included Kara Weiland, who tragically lost her husband, Everest Metro Police Detective Jason Weiland, when he was shot and killed by a gunman that also took the lives of three other individuals on March 22, 2017. Kara Weiland's testimony to the committee, like that of all the other survivors that traveled to Madison that day, provides a powerful and poignant account of her experience following her husband's death, and highlights why this legislation is so important. For that reason, her testimony is provided below in its entirety. Testimony of Kara Weiland in Support of Assembly Bill 300 and Companion Bill – Senate Bill 266 Thank you Chairman Wanggaard, Chairman Petersen and committee members of Assembly Committee on Insurance and the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety. My name is Kara Weiland. On March 22, 2017, my husband, my daughters’ father, my partner for life, Jason Weiland was taken from our family. My husband Jason was a detailed person; it showed in the many cases he investigated to all the information he provided in his line of duty death packet. We had many discussions at night on the “what ifs” and what he wanted if he died. On March 22, 2017, it was no longer a “what if” and the pages of his packet held no surprises. Every page of the packet was filled out and helped my spinning mind navigate the next few days to the next few months of getting his estate in order. But it could not prepare me for the roller coaster ride that lied ahead of us. March 22 started off as a typical day but shortly after lunch, my life was no longer typical. I turned on the 911 radio to listen to what was unfolding in our community and within a minute or two I heard Captain Schulz radio that an officer was down, no badge number or name was given. But I knew that it was Jason, the few minutes felt like hours as I waited to get some confirmation about my feeling. I was finally taken to the mobile command center where Wausau Police Chief Ben Bliven gave me a ride to the hospital where I was met by Marathon County Sheriff Scott Parks. Sheriff Parks escorted me inside to meet with the doctors where I was told that there was nothing they could do. The doctors tried to reassure me that Jason died instantly and did not feel a thing. Our daughters, Ella, age 12, and Anna, age 10, were still in school which were on lockdown due to the active shooter situation. Sheriff Parks went to get them and bring them to me at the hospital. Sitting in that small waiting room I had to tell my girls that their dad was dead. I can still hear my youngest daughter saying, “No Mom no, it’s not true, tell me it’s not true.” I could go on for hours telling you all the little details of that day that are stuck in my head. But to give you details about the last two and a half years is a very different story. It is all still a blur and my memory is very foggy. Being a cop family, the girls and I were used to Jason missing holidays, special occasions and events at school because he had to work but he always made it up to them. But now he isn’t going to be late or find a way to celebrate a different day because he is never coming home. Now faced with this new reality I had to figure out how to move my family forward. I ended up taking about 3 months off work and tried going back to working 40 hours a week, so that I could keep my insurance. I was losing my mind, trying to process my own grief, trying to take care of two young girls, help them process their grief all the while trying to keep our lives as normal as possible. By the end of 2017 I knew that I couldn’t work 40 hours a week, it wasn’t healthy for me and I was being pulled in too many directions. This was especially not good for the girls, they only had one parent and they needed me to be there for them. But I was terrified of cutting my hours because I didn’t want to lose my insurance. By the beginning of 2018, I had decided to cut my hours and pay a higher premium. I had so much on my plate I was just going through the motions and I was there physically for my kids but mentally I was done. Today I am currently working but not enough hours to have insurance through my employer. Finding insurance and going through all the paperwork that is required to maintain insurance is not easy. Luckily my kids are healthy, but I want to have decent insurance in case something happens and not have the added stress of figuring out how I will afford it. I don’t want to see another spouse or family go through what I have gone through especially when we as a state can make the tragic loss a little less stressful by being Continued on page 9 Wisconsin Police Journal - 8 We Remember Morris Andrews, age 83, passed away on October 10, following complications due to a stroke and cancer. As the longtime executive director of the statewide labor union representing public school teachers from 1972 to 1992, Morris played a pivotal role in the enactment of Wisconsin’s mediation- arbitration law following the 1974 teachers strike in Hortonville. Following his retirement, he became a trusted WPPA advisor. Morris's influence can still be seen in WPPA's legislative and union management policies. Robert “Bob” E. West, age 77, passed away on October 1, at his home in Madison. As a young teacher in Mauston, Bob discovered what would become his life-long passion when he was elected president of his local and bargained his first contract. His advocacy led to a job with the statewide teachers union, where he began in 1971 defending teachers facing discipline throughout the state. After 14 years as regional executive director, Bob served as the Director of Organizing and the Director of Collective Bargaining. After his retirement in 2000, Bob brought his talents to the WPPA, where he continued to advocate for our members until the day he passed. His expertise and passion will be sorely missed. Steven C. Werner, age 74, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on September 4. Steve worked in law enforcement for 50 years and retired as a detective from the Waukesha Police Department. Steve served the WPPA first as a member of our board of directors, and later as an important member of its staff. In this latter capacity, Steve helped establish the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Accreditation Group and he represented the interests of the WPPA’s retired members on the board of the Wisconsin Coalition of Annuitants. WPPA requires persons who are not active, dues-paying members to pay an annual subscription fee of $12 to receive the Wisconsin Police Journal. The subscription covers the January, April, July and October issues. Please renew your subscription by mailing the attached form and your check for $12. To renew your subscription online, visit the wppa.com online store. To ensure delivery of all four 2020 issues, renew before December 16, 2019. Mail to: WPPA 660 John Nolen Dr., Suite 300 Madison, WI 53713 Name: Address: City: State:Zip Code: Email: : Enclosed is my check for $12.00, please renew my subscription. Or you can renew at wppa. com in the online store. WPJ Subscription Renewal Wisconsin Police Journal - October 2018 • Vol. 86, No. 4 The Official Publication of the Wisconsin Professional Police Association Critical Incident Update p. 5 The Price We PayThe Mental Health Cost of Policing p. 6 The WPPA's 2018 Legislative Report Card p. 8Death Benefit Increased to $5,000 - Update Your Beneficiary! When was the last time you updated your WPPA Authorization Form? Have you married? Divorced? Do you wish to change your beneficiary? Update your information at wppa.com or e-mail Sarah Cowen at scowen@wppa.com. The Duty Death Bill continued: there, providing insurance to the family and helping them move forward. Every first responder in this state should know that their family will be taken care of if something would happen to them. We owe this to them since they go to work every day to ensure that the people they serve will be taken care of. I’m still trying to figure out “our new normal” but I know as long as I raise my girls to be healthy, responsible and independent individuals that I am on the right path. I am moved by the amount of support for Assembly Bill 300 and Senate Bill 266. The leadership from both political parties, the 95 sponsors of the bill, including many of you on these two committees, the authors of the bill and the law enforcement groups have demonstrated that Wisconsin not only “Backs the Badge” – but Wisconsin also supports the families of those who give the ultimate sacrifice. Thank you. The legislation was approved by both committees, the State Senate and the State Assembly in September. Governor Evers signed the bill into law on October 16, 2019. See page 5 for more information. Supporting Survivors of Sexual Assault Sexual assault is a serious violent crime. The investigation and prosecution of sexual assault cases must be a priority, and justice should never be delayed because of unnecessary delays in testing sexual assault kits. Through the Wisconsin Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (WiSAKI) project, and with the assistance of law enforcement, nurses, prosecutors and advocates for survivors, over 4,000 previously untested sexual assault kits have been tested. The WiSAKI project has made clear that Wisconsin does not—but should—have clear guidelines for those who are responsible for sending sexual assault kits to the crime labs. Proposed Legislation Regarding Sexual Assault Kits In April, with the support of the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault, the Wisconsin Chapter of the International Association of Forensic Nurses, and others, a bipartisan group of legislators and I announced proposed legislation that is designed to prevent Wisconsin from ever having another backlog of untested sexual assault kits. That legislation, which has been introduced as Assembly Bill 214 and Senate Bill 200, has the support of more than 50 members of the state legislature. Under the proposed legislation, when a health care professional collects sexual assault evidence, a survivor will have the choice of whether to report to law enforcement. If a survivor chooses not to report to law enforcement, the health care professional must, within 72 hours, send the sexual assault kit to the state crime labs for storage. The kit will then be stored for 10 years or until the survivor decides to report to law enforcement. If a survivor chooses to report to law enforcement, the proposed legislation would require the health care professional to notify law enforcement within 24 hours after collecting the sexual assault kit. The law enforcement agency would then have 72 hours to obtain the kit from the health care professional, and 14 days after that to send the kit to the state crime laboratories. The proposed legislation would also require the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) to collect information regarding sexual assault kits collected in Wisconsin and thereby facilitate future analysis and evidence-based policymaking. Notifying Survivors About Sexual Assault Kit Testing Results When survivors are notified about the results from the testing of sexual assault kits, a victim-centric approach should be taken. Sexual assault response teams can help ensure that notification to survivors of testing results and other important parts of sexual assault cases are conducted in a manner that empowers survivors, is trauma-informed, and protects survivors’ safety and privacy. If your jurisdiction is interested in creating a sexual assault response team, please contact DOJ’s Office of Crime Victim Services at (608) 264-9497 or ocvs@doj.state.wi.us. From the Desk of Attorney General Josh Kaul Wisconsin Police Journal - 9Next >