LANSING – State Rep. John Espinoza (D-Croswell) has been named a legislator of the year by the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police, who honored him last week at their Mid-Winter Conference in Grand Rapids.
"John has a unique understanding of law enforcement, having served in both municipal and county law enforcement agencies," said Tom Hendrickson, executive director of the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police. "And he has been an advocate of public safety funding during a time when law enforcement agencies are in dire need of additional resources."
Espinoza joined the Croswell Police Department after serving as a squad leader with the U.S. Army in Vietnam. He later became a deputy with the Sanilac County Sheriff's Department.
"One of my priorities is to make sure that Michigan is a great place to live and also a safe place to live," said Espinoza. "Our quality of life depends in large part on our kids being able to play out in our neighborhoods and our families having peace of mind in their homes. I know firsthand how hard our members of law enforcement work, and I will continue to fight to give them the tools they need to do their jobs."
Espinoza said it was especially gratifying for him to be honored at the event because Croswell Police Chief Dave Hall and Bill Gray, director of the Sanilac County Drug Task Force, in addition to two Sanilac County deputies, as well as all the men's wives, were all in attendance.
"To have professionals I have worked closely with and respect so much share that special event with me really meant a lot," Espinoza said. "We are fortunate to have law enforcement officials who are so committed to fighting crime and keeping our communities safe."