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Congressional Champion Award 2018

The winner of IACLEA’s 2018 Congressional Champion Award is US Representative Mike Capuano (D-MA), who earned the honor for his efforts to achieve equity in federal line-of-duty benefits for officers at public and private higher education institutions.

IACLEA President David Bousquet led a delegation to present Capuano the award to kick-off IACLEA’s Capitol Hill Day. "The old adage implies that politicians can’t find a friend in Washington,” said Bousquet, chief of police at Becker College in Worcester, Massachusetts, as he presented the award. “Well, I don’t know about that. But I do know that IACLEA has found a friend in you, Rep. Capuano.”

The IACLEA Board of Directors voted unanimously to select Capuano as the 2018 recipient, primarily for his leadership as lead sponsor of the Sean Collier Act. During the multi-agency response to the Boston marathon bombing, MIT Officer Sean Collier was assassinated. Because MIT is a private institution, Officer Collier’s family was not eligible for the federal line-of-duty death benefits that survivors of officers from public schools receive.

“While I appreciate the recognition, I am truly grateful for IACLEA’s efforts increasing awareness of the Sean Collier Act," stated Congressman Capuano. "The legislation would make campus police officers eligible for assistance under the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits program and was filed in memory of Officer Sean Collier who was murdered by the Boston Marathon bombers."

IACLEA Board Member Jim Pollard, director of public safety and chief of police at Babson College, Babson Park, Massachusetts, and Executive Director Sue Riseling participated in the award presentation.

The Sean Collier Act currently had 16 co-sponsors on March 7, 2018, Capitol Hill Day.

 

 



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