Page 14 - FOP August 2021

Communications Report
Can the mayoral race in NYC foreshadow Chicago’s upcoming elections?
The City of New York just recently tallied votes in its mayoral primary, giving Brooklyn Borough Presi- dent Eric Adams the win in the Democratic contest. Adams “won the Democratic primary for mayor of New York City after appealing to the political center and promising to strike the right balance between fighting crime and ending racial injustice in po- licing” (Karen Matthews, Associated Press, June 6, 2021).
While no candidate is perfect, seeing a former police officer, who railed against the “defund the police” crowd, win the Democratic primary in New York City is good news for law enforcement. It clearly shows that the peo- ple in major city centers like New York have rejected those half- witted cries to “defund the police,” again demonstrating the fact that people are sick and tired of crime and are beginning to real-
ize once again the importance of law enforcement.
Adams beat out a number of candidates who ran on anti-police/pro-criminal platforms, again highlighting where the majority of residents actually stand on the importance of law enforcement. Poll after poll showed that crime was the No. 1 issue in the race for mayor of New York — something that clear- ly will be the same here in Chicago. Adams’s win is good news
indeed.
The race for mayor of Chicago will begin to take center stage in the next year. Where individual candidates stand in relation to law enforcement will clearly be front and center as well. That race for Chicago’s mayor is set for February 2023. But statewide elections for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, comptroller and treasurer, as well as every member of the Illinois legislature, are right around the corner. The March 2022 primary has been moved to June 2022. Seeing where candidates stand in relation to the “defund the police” movement couldn’t be more important.
Lodge 7 and our Political Action Committee (PAC) are hard at work speaking with elected officials and recording those indi- viduals’ views on law enforcement, their voting record and any possible support of that “defund the police” movement.
If the race for mayor of New York can tell us anything, I believe it can tell us that the people of major city centers, like Chicago, are ready for candidates who not only support law enforcement but truly understand our profession. Adams, again, is a clear ex- ample. I believe we have a real chance in electing candidates who truly support the police, voting out anti-police legislators and getting rid of individuals who support the “defund the po- lice” movement.
Stay involved by finding out who represents you in Spring- field and in City Hall. These races are right around the corner.
MICHAEL CARROLL
14 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ AUGUST 2021