Rep. Darrin Camilleri has stood with our first responders
By Former GI Police Chief Joseph Porcarelli
In our current political climate, accusations of candidates wanting to “defund the police” are becoming more and more commonplace. It’s easy to feel the frustration. As law enforcement officers, we dedicate our careers to serving our communities, and no one wants to see our resources diminished.
Citizens who want to cast their vote for a candidate who supports first responders deserve to know the facts so they can make an informed decision with their ballot. I retired as Police Chief of the Grosse Ile Police Department after over 30 years of service, and I can say that the accusation that State Representative Darrin Camilleri wants to defund the police is absolutely false.
In 2017, legislation was introduced in Lansing that would have stripped healthcare benefits from police and fire retirees. After dedicating our careers to protecting our communities, thousands of hardworking first responders would have lost the benefits and healthcare earned after years on the job. Darrin was one of the legislators who spoke out against this proposal from the beginning. He rallied with us, organized against the legislation, and helped us defeat it. Hardworking men and women across our state were able to keep the benefits we’d earned, but not without a fight. In that fight, Darrin was unrelenting and on our side.
For decades, funding local law enforcement has been a low priority for municipalities across our state and country. Wages are becoming stagnant, pensions are less and less common, and healthcare costs are rising. Law enforcement officers don’t get into this line of work for the pay. We do it because we feel a calling to give back to our community. Because protecting our neighbors and keeping our communities safe is what we feel we’re born to do. What we want, like everyone in Michigan, is to be able to make a decent living, provide for our family, and retire with dignity after a lifetime of hard work. Darrin has fought to make that a reality for first responders across our district and our state. As a result, he has earned our respect, support, and endorsements.
After decades of service, I can say this: what we want from our elected officials is the same thing you want from us — transparency, results, and promises kept. Darrin Camilleri promised to stand up for law enforcement, working families, and our communities. He has kept that promise.
Joseph Porcarelli is a former law enforcement officer, who retired as the Police Chief of Grosse Ile after 30 years of service.
