02/28/2021 – 03/01/2021: MPPOA Legislative Conference via ZOOM.

6/11/2021 – 06/14/2021: LELS Annual Meeting and MPPOA Convention

Law Enforcement Labor Services (LELS) would like to take this opportunity to welcome Jim Mortenson as their new Executive Director.   Jim comes to us with thirty-two years (32) of law enforcement experience, after retiring from the St. Cloud Police Department at the rank of Lieutenant.  Jim was an active LELS member his entire career and held union positions within various locals as he was promoted through the ranks, to include steward, negotiations team member and president.  In addition, he was a board member with the MN Police and Peace Officers Association for six (6) years.   

Jim holds a Master’s Degree in Public Safety Executive Leadership and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy.  He has worked as a Business Agent for LELS for the past eighteen (18) months prior to his promotion to Executive Director. 

Sean Gormley will retire from LELS on Friday, October 2, 2020 after five (5) years as Executive Director.

With our gratitude for his vision, positive leadership and friendship, we wish him all of the best as he moves on the next chapter of his life.

Congratulations Sean!

LELS and MPPOA had hoped that by this fall, the Governor would have been able to relax the Covid-19 restrictions for gatherings.

Unfortunately, the restrictions do not allow for groups and we will not be allowed to host our Annual Meetings.

We hope to see all of our members in June 2021.

Today, Mark Schneider joined the LELS team as the new General Counsel.

Law Enforcement Labor Services is proud to announce the 2020 Annual Scholarship Winners:

• Lancho Morke
• Kortny Villnoy
• Isabel Sanchez

Each of the winners will receive $1000 to be used toward their education and/or skills training.

Thank you to all those who applied for the scholarship and the LELS members that supported their application by nominating them for the award.

• Rescheduled from previously cancelled seminar

Live Webinar: Police Officer Wellness Training Part 1

Police Officer Wellness Training Part I

P.O.W.E.R.: Police Officer Wellness by Enhancing Resiliency

8 POST Credits Have Been Approved: Course # 10474-0003

This course is instructed by Marie Ridgeway MSW, LICSW, CCTP, RYT, Adv. ART Certified. Marie is a Trauma Treatment Specialist and Police Therapist. She and her staff provide therapy and various wellness services for over a dozen MN public safety agencies including Blaine PD where the P.O.W.E.R. model originates. Ms. Ridgeway is assisted in this training by multiple active duty Law Enforcement Officers from metro agencies and two Police Chiefs.

When: Friday May 29th via Live Webinar

Where: Webinar

Cost: $125 per attendee, discount available for groups of 5 or more:  

Registration

For Law Enforcement:

• Learn about the effects of acute stress and stress accumulation and what to expect in therapy
• Receive information about accessing occupationally competent care
• Learn about wellness program options, what other agencies are doing, and be given the tools to assist you in connecting your agency to a provider/program

For Therapists:

Until recently, there have been multiple barriers to care for law enforcement including a shortage of therapists who know how to effectively work with this population. Learn about Law Enforcement culture, the nature of Law Enforcement stress exposure, and an overall framework for basic occupational competency. Effective ways to build rapport and treat trauma will also be discussed. We will provide you with the information you need to get started or to build on your work with public safety. This course is also a good primer for social workers who want to effectively collaborate with law enforcement as co-responders or similar roles.

This training is generously sponsored by ART International

P.O.W.E.R. Training Part II will be offered as a next step and open to any therapists who are trained in Accelerated Resolution Therapy. You are encouraged to complete Basic ART Training at your earliest convenience. Basic ART training is a requirement of Part II of this training. Please visit: https://artherapyinternational.org/event/ to register for a Basic ART Training, I encourage you to consider a training with Julie Stender.

Attendance at both Part I and Part II will provide a therapist who wants to work with police with the necessary foundation to do so and an understanding of next steps.

 Please note: this course provides 8 POST credits. All attendees will receive a certificate of attendance . For therapists who need clinical hours, a post test will be provided but official CEU’s are not provided.