Field Representative, Scott Blackwell

Email: sblackwell@milaborcouncil.org

A retired Chesterfield Township Police Detective, Scott has been a POLC member since 1989. He served on the Chesterfield Police Officers Association (CPOA) Board for 22 years, representing Detectives, Patrol Officers and Dispatchers as a Union Steward for 12 years, and President for 10 years. Scott was assigned to: Michigan State Police (MSP)/FBI Joint Computer Crimes Task Force; Macomb Area Computer Enforcement Unit M.A.C.E./Internet Crimes Against Children I.C.A.C.; MSP Multi-jurisdictional Narcotics Team; and County of Macomb Enforcement Team (C.O.M.E.T.). He graduated with a Criminal Justice honors bachelor’s degree from University of Detroit.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Field Representative, Chris Hild

Email: child@milaborcouncil.org

Chris served 26 years with the White Lake Police Department before retiring in August 2021 as a Lieutenant. He spent the last 15 years of his law enforcement career serving as Local Union Vice President or President of both Patrol and Command Officers associations. He also served on the Patrol Association’s Grievance Committee for two years. Chris was a member of the White Lake Police Special Response Team (SRT). He was a Field Training Officer, firearms instructor, and Taser instructor. He was a traffic stops and occupant control instructor at Mott Police Academy and for his department. Chris was promoted to Sergeant of the Patrol Division in 2010. He served as Local Command Union President his last seven years with White Lake PD. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 2017, overseeing the Patrol Division and the Detective Bureau. The married father of one daughter and two sons is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys hunting and fishing when he's at his cabin in Canada.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Field Representative, Chester Kulesza

Email: ckulesza@milaborcouncil.org

Chester has been a Labor Council Representative since 2004. He was a member of the Warren Police Department for 32 years and retired as a Detective. While in the Police Department, Chet was assigned to Radar and Motor Carrier Duties, Uniform Patrol and attended Michigan State Community Policing Concepts School. Chet has also served as the Warren POA President and was responsible for processing grievances through arbitration, as well as contract negotiations and through binding arbitration.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Field Representative, Jim O'Connor

Email: joconnor@milaborcouncil.org

A POLC member since 1993, Jim retired from the Chesterfield Township Police Department after 23 years of service. He was a local POLC steward with Chesterfield Police Officers Association for four years and Command Officers Association for nine years. He rose through the ranks as a Firearms Instructor, Use of Force Instructor, Evidence Technician, Detective, Road Patrol Sergeant, and Administrative Sergeant. He served four years in the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division and four years with the Michigan National Guard. After obtaining his Criminal Justice associate degree at Kirtland Community College, he began his law enforcement career as a Marine Deputy in Clare County in 1992. Jim juggled three part-time Police Officer positions in the Village of Armada, Richmond, and Chesterfield Township until he was hired as a full-time Chesterfield Township Police Officer.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Field Representative, Jason Owen

Email: jowen@milaborcouncil.org

Retired Allegan County Sheriffs’ Office Corrections Deputy, Jason was with the department for over 10 years, serving as a POLC local Chief Steward for eight years and an Alternate Steward for one year. He also worked as a State of Michigan Department of Corrections Officer for seven years and was active in Michigan Corrections Organization, (a member of MAPO). Jason graduated from Grand Valley State University with a bachelor’s degree in Adult Corrections with an emphasis on upper-level coursework in Labor and Employment Law, Contract Negotiations and Grievance Administration Mediation.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Field Representative, Jake Reitano

Email: jreitano@milaborcouncil.org

Genesee County 911 Dispatch Supervisor Jake Reitano has been a POLC member since 2015. Raised in a union household, he’s been active in unions throughout his public safety career and has served as a Local Union Steward for the past 10 years. After becoming a Genesee County 911 Dispatcher in 2015, Jake was elected Sergeant at Arms for the Local Dispatchers Union. He was promoted to Supervisor in 2017 and was elected Chief Steward of the Supervisors unit. From 2012-2015, he was a City of Flint 911 Dispatcher and served as a City of Flushing Firefighter from 2006 to 2018. He also worked as a state licensed EMT for a private ambulance service in Flint from 2006 to 2012. Jake took on his first Local Union Steward role with Security Police and Fire Professionals of America (SPFPA) while working as a contract Firefighter for General Motors Milford Proving Grounds from 2009 to 2012. The married father of two children, enjoys hunting, fishing and the outdoors as well as traveling with his wife in his free time.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Field Representative, Duane P. Smith

Email: dsmith@milaborcouncil.org

Duane is a long-term veteran and served the Romulus Police Department until his retirement in December 2004. Throughout his career, Duane served as President of the Patrol Officers Association as well as spent his last six years as President of the Command Officers Association. A welcomed member of the Labor Council staff in January 2005, Duane has an Associate Degree in Law Enforcement from Northwestern Michigan University, a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Ferris State University and is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University Police Staff and Command School.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Field Representative, Marc Smith

Email: msmith@milaborcouncil.org

Marc retired as a City of Jackson Police Officer in Dec. 2021 after more than 26 years of service and joined the Labor Council staff in April 2022. Serving as the Jackson Police Officers Local Union President for his last four years in the department and, the prior eight years he was the Local Union Steward, he has participated in contract negotiations, grievances, and arbitration. Marc began his career as a Reserve Deputy with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office in 1993. In 1995, he was hired as a City of Jackson Police Cadet and was sworn in as a Jackson Police Officer in December 1996. A hostage negotiator for 22 years with the Negotiator Response Team (NRT), Marc represented his department as a Jackson Police Honor Guard member for 15 years and Field Training Officer for 10 years. He also worked as a Special Response Team Operator for a year. Marc graduated from Mid-Michigan Police Academy and obtained a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Baker College and a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from Spring Arbor University.

Deputy Director & Field Representative, Jim Stachowski

Email: jstachowski@milaborcouncil.org

Jim retired as a Lieutenant after serving 25 years with the Clinton Township Police. As a POLC Command Officer for 12 years, he was Clinton’s Lieutenants and Sergeants Association Union Vice President for five years and President for the last five years of his police career. He was secretary of the local patrolmen’s union board. Jim served on Clinton Township’s Police & Fire Pension Board and Retiree Healthcare Board for 12 years, spending the last seven years as Chairman of both boards. He was Use of Force Coordinator, a SWAT Team member for 17 years, Assistant SWAT Team Leader and Clinton’s SWAT Team Commander. He was part of a Special Investigations Unit for nine years, working as an undercover patrolman, a County of Macomb Enforcement Team (C.O.M.E.T.) member, a Sergeant with Clinton Township Drug Unit, and a Lieutenant in charge of their Narcotics Bureau for five years. Jim attended F.B.I. National Academy Session #252 and received his bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Madonna University.

Field Representative, John Stidham

Email: jstidham@milaborcouncil.org

A veteran of Allegan County Sheriffs since 1987, John joined the Labor Council staff in 2010. Prior to the sheriff’s department, John attended Kalamazoo Valley Community College and has 31 years’ experience with law enforcement agencies. While in the Sheriff’s Department, he served as a Range Officer, Firearms Instructor, Accident Reconstruction Specialist, Hostage Negotiator, Sniper Team Leader, S.W.A.T. Team Leader and was also assigned to the Detective Bureau. From 1992 until his retirement, John also served as a local union leader, first as it’s Sergeant at Arms and then the last 14 years as Chief Steward.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Field Representative, David Thomas

Email: dthomas@milaborcouncil.org

David is a 35-year veteran police officer, who retired as a Detective Sergeant after serving 30 years with the Belding Police Department. He was a local POLC Union Steward for 28 years with Belding, where he also worked as a Property Room Operator and Evidence Technician. He was the Belding Police representative at the Ionia/Montcalm Counties Child Advocacy Center (CAC) and served on the Criminal Justice Advisory Committee at Heartlands Institute of Technology in Ionia County. He graduated with an associate degree in Criminal Justice from Grand Rapids Junior College, completed the Criminal Justice Pre-Service Academy, and has held a State of Michigan Paramedic License since 1989. David also spent 24 years working as a sworn Court Officer in Ionia and Montcalm counties.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Field Representative, Christopher Watts

Email: cwatts@milaborcouncil.org

A career-long member of the POLC, Christopher retired from Mt. Morris Township after serving 20 years, the last six as Union Steward and President. He was a Flushing Township Patrol Officer and served as a part-time New Lothrop Village Patrol Officer for 11 years while working for Mt. Morris PD. He served in the U.S. Air Force, honorably discharged as a Staff Sergeant. After retiring, he was Chief Business Development Officer for STAT EMS, where a large part of his job was negotiating contracts. He received several citations for apprehensions as a Mt. Morris K9 Officer; multiple letters of commendation; and meritorious service awards. He is a founding member of the Mid-Michigan Police Canine Association; he was named Mt. Morris Township Officer of the Year; and received a Community Advocacy Award for initiating public safety programs. He also worked as a MCOLES training officer, school resource officer, firearms instructor and armorer, and field training officer.

Research Analyst, Nancy Ciccone

Email: nciccone@milaborcouncil.org

Nancy has been with the Police Officers Labor Council for numerous years. Her primary responsibilities include the research and preparation of comparable data for contract negotiations and Act 312 arbitrations. She also served as an expert witness in all of the Compulsory Binding Arbitration (Act 312) hearings. Nancy has a BA – Industrial Relations from Western Michigan University, and a MA – Industrial & Labor Relations from Wayne State University.