Representative Angie Craig Honors Second District Public Safety Heroes
Craig recognized local law enforcement officers and members of fire and emergency response departments for their dedicated service to our communities
LAKEVILLE, MN – Today, U.S. Representative Craig hosted a ceremony honoring members of local law enforcement and emergency response services for their work to keep the Second District safe. At the ceremony, she presented awards to South St. Paul Police Chief Brian Wicke, West St. Paul Police Chief Brian Sturgeon, Dakota County Sheriff Tim Leslie, Lakeville Police Chief Brad Paulson and other members of the Second District public safety workforce in honor of their dedicated service.
“Every day, in the Second District – our law enforcement officers, firefighters and EMTs put their lives on the line to keep our families, schools and neighborhoods safe. And they do it all without expecting anything in return,” said Representative Craig. “So today, we took a moment to thank them for their tireless dedication and make sure they receive the recognition and honor they most certainly deserve – because the Second District would not be the same without them.
In Congress, Representative Craig has made it a priority to increase support for police officers and their families and to ensure that local police departments have the funding they need to do their jobs safely and effectively. Earlier this month, she secured thousands in federal funding for the West St. Paul and South St. Paul Police Departments to hire additional police officers and increase their community policing efforts.
This September, Representative Craig’s bipartisanInvest to Protect Act passed the House to provide a new $60 million grant program for small and mid-sized police departments to invest in training, personnel support and mental health resources. Additionally, in August, Representative Craig's bipartisan Public Safety Officer Support Act, legislation that she helped introduce and pass after hearing the story of South St. Paul Police Sergeant Cory Slifko, was signed into law. This bill will ensure that officers can access disability benefits for post-traumatic stress disorder – and that families of officers who lost their lives to trauma-linked suicide can apply for the death benefits that they deserve.
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