Port Huron council adopts "Joshua Cohen" security-training ordinance; city to press for state law

The Port Huron City Council on second reading adopted an ordinance establishing local training standards for certain private security personnel, the measure the council identified as the Joshua Cohen Ordinance.

The ordinance amends Chapter 12 (Businesses) of the Port Huron Code to add training requirements for some security staff; the council moved and supported the ordinance on motions by Mayor Pro Tem Tim Archibald and Council Member Moserak and approved it in a roll-call vote. Council members voted in favor; Mayor Anita Ashford voted in support as well. The ordinance, as adopted, will take effect Saturday, the council was told at the meeting.

City officials said they will also work with state lawmakers to convert the local rules into state legislation. City staff and elected officials described outreach to both party delegations in Lansing and said the city will supply bill text and coordinate with legislators and committees to pursue broader adoption at the state level. Council and staff said the city may notify local establishments and the Michigan Liquor Control Commission about the local standard while the state process moves forward.

Supporters at the meeting described the ordinance as a response to a high-profile local incident and as an accountability measure for security staff whose work affects public safety. Several public speakers, including residents who addressed the council during the public-comment period, expressly supported the ordinance and its move toward statewide adoption.

The council did not attach an implementation timeline beyond the ordinance's effective date, and city staff said state adoption would require separate action by the Michigan Legislature. The council directed staff to continue coordinating with state representatives and to notify licensed establishments of the local standard.