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monitoring. The reasoning for this includes the con- stitutional protection of the rights of the accused ad- vocating for the rights to liberty, but doesn’t the Con- stitution also speak to the right of life and liberty for the victims and their families? Before I take questions, the question I have is this: Who will join with CPD in protecting the rights of the victims and the families? In case you don’t know, the brave and courageous women and men of the Chicago Police Department are dedi- cated and committed to this City and they won’t stop risking their lives to protect it.
Several things struck me as odd. Initially, it seems that the superintendent is not in favor of having all these criminals back on the streets on electronic monitoring devices. The Lodge would agree. Next, the superintendent seems to care about crime victims and their families. The Lodge agrees as well. Most important, the superintendent acknowledged the risks that police officers face each and every day: “Men and women are dedicated and committed to this City and they won’t stop risking their lives to protect it.” Clearly, this continues to be one of the Lodge’s messages. Superinten- dent Brown’s words, however, ring hollow to most police officers who have been impacted by canceled days off with very little notice.
When asked by a Fox 32 reporter if he could foresee can- celing days off in the summer and how police officers bal- ance their lives, Superintendent Brown replied, “We, we are and we’re very careful. You know, officer wellness is one of our key pillars of our strategic plan.” Clearly, the message
has been lost in translation. If officer wellness were truly a key pillar, the City would have responded to the RDO class grievance by sitting down with the Lodge to address this fundamental issue, instead of hiding behind the inherent delay in obtaining an arbitration decision while continu- ing to disrupt and overwork a physically and emotionally drained workforce.
Moreover, the Department, after receiving the grievance, doubled down and canceled RDOs over the Father’s Day weekend. The Lodge would not be surprised if the same cancellations occur over the Independence Day weekend. Despite all those canceled days off, crime continued to surge in the City. Shootings and murders did not slow down, despite “saturation” teams. And police officers continue to endure the uncertainty of when the next RDO will be can- celed.
It should come as no surprise that the summer holidays fall at the same time each year. What is preventing the City from scheduling accordingly, in accordance with its con- tractual obligations? One has to wonder the following: How serious is officer wellness to the City? Other than the Lodge, who else will join in protecting the rights of the brave and courageous men and women of the Chicago Police Depart- ment, who continue to serve and protect while risking their lives without a day off to rest, decompress and rejuvenate? It does not seem to be the City. As the old saying goes, “Talk is cheap.”
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