In The News

This National Police Week we honor the courage, sacrifice, and commitment of the men and women serving our community. During this time, we also hold in our hearts those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

I will always stand with those who uphold the Thin Blue Line to protect our communities. These brave men and women put on their uniforms every morning with no guarantee they will make it back home. Sadly, even traffic stops are anything but routine these days.

In recent years, we have seen an increase in drug trafficking along the I-94 corridor. Last year, state troopers on I-94 conducted a routine traffic stop that led to the seizure of four kilograms of fentanyl. At the time, this was the state record. This is one of many examples of our law enforcement officers consistently putting their lives on the line to protect us.

It is also important to remember and honor those who have fallen in the line of duty. Sadly, officers are being targeted and killed at an alarming rate. On Peace Officers Memorial Day 2024, we honored the 283 law enforcement officers throughout the country who were killed doing their jobs in the line of duty and whose stories were recovered in the past year. We also honored those who lost their lives in defense of our communities throughout history, including Berrien County Deputy Sheriff Elton C. Stover in 1965, Officer Scot A. Beyerstedt with the Mattawan Police Department in 2005, and, more recently, Ryan Joseph Proxmire with the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office in 2021.

Over the last several years, increased support for the Defund the Police movement and anti-police legislation has led to a complete lack of appreciation for the work police officers do every day. Please know, I will continue to support legislation backing our local law enforcement because of their tireless efforts to keep our community safe.

If you need assistance navigating a federal agency, please contact my office in Holland at (616) 251-6741 or in Portage at (269) 569-8595.