Page 12 - FOP August 2021

Financial Secretary’s Report
No police or spouse of a police officer need apply
Hello again, officers active and retired. As I compose my article for the August magazine, the brain trusts of our city council are at it again, passing more police oversight with a 36–13 vote in favor. This time they are creating a two-tiered Civilian Based Police Oversight Committee com- prised of a seven-member board, appointed by the mayor and city council, and 22 police district councils, each with elected representatives.
Apparently you can be a convicted felon and run for and be elected to a police district council, but if you are a former police officer or spouse of a police offi- cer, you are prohibited from even running. This exclusionary measure should be challenged. The same activists and alder- persons who constantly point out alleged biases by the police who serve their communities have set forth rules to exclude police officers and their family members. This must be pro-
gressive thinking?
The power this committee will hold will allow the sev-
en-member commission to take a vote of no confidence on the Chicago police superintendent, the chief administrator of COPA (Civilian Office of Police Accountability) and any Po- lice Board member. The support of at least five of the seven
members is needed to pass for the vote of no confidence. This no-confidence vote by this commission would force the city council’s Committee on Public Safety to vote within 14 days and move to a full city council vote at their next meeting. If they come to a two-thirds majority in a no-confidence vote, then the head of COPA will be removed. No-confidence votes for either the superintendent or police board member would require the mayor to respond in writing, explaining her deci- sion and response.
The fact that we, as police officers who honorably serve this city, and our spouses, who are forced to live here through res- idency, have no voice cannot go unchallenged. We are taxpay- ers, stakeholders and community members. This plantation mentality that we can work the land but get no say in any pol- icy must change. If you are a police officer residing in the 35th Ward, your alderman is cheering on yet another layer of police oversight, even touting that “The people have won!” Really, Al- derman? Are the winners those who were shot or murdered?
The murders and shootings are out of control, and this al- derman claims victory. If you take anything from this article, please register and vote. And seeing that these aldermen and activists are now silencing our families’ voices, ensure that they register and vote. Our lives and livelihoods depend on it.
JIM JAKSTAVICH
12 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ AUGUST 2021