Page 8 - May 2018 FOP Magazine

As a field representative of Lodge 7, you dread the phone call reporting a police officer shot or involved in a shooting. Being the First Vice President, co-chair of legal defense and a field representative keeps you very active.
I attended the last board meeting with Martin Prieb, Bob Bartlett, Mark Tamlo, FOP Attorney Tim Grace and others to wait for a decision on another police officer’s ruling. I recorded a video of Martin Preib attempting to address the police board about
their decision.
We the members of the FOP listened while speaker after speak-
er condemned this police officer’s actions. We respectfully listened in silence, giving each speaker an opportunity, without interrup- tion, his or her turn addressing the board.
When it was Preib’s chance to address the police board and the superintendent of the Chicago Police Department, the catcalls of the “Cop Killers” began in unison. The meeting had to be stopped, and the hecklers were asked to leave and be quiet. They did nei- ther. Watch the video on the FOP website and see the utter chaos that ensued. Preib commended the superintendent for ruling the shooting justified. He also admonished the police board for ruling it unjustified. Only through our attorneys were we able to deter- mine that outside investigators were brought in, and they also sid- ed with our superintendent.
At what point do honesty and integrity come into play? We will continue to fight for all of our officers, retired or active. By the way,
the head of the police board failed to be present for the hearing. There was another recent shooting that involved a retired police officer. I have to use the words “alleged,” just like the media. Three alleged offenders in an alleged car taken in a carjacking were driv- ing southbound on the Dan Ryan Expressway when “their” vehicle broke down. The State of Illinois Minutemen pushed them into
the nearby area.
At that time the three alleged gentlemen, walking in concert,
began searching for another mode of transportation. They spied an elderly man parking his vehicle and attempted by force to take his vehicle. One alleged offender was shot, another on the scene was captured and the third was taken into custody immediately after.
Afterward, the two remaining men were released without charging (R.W.O.C.). The pendulum of justice has swung the oth- er way, and it may be stuck. The bad guy who broke the law now gets the benefit of the doubt. We’re seeing far too many pictures of alleged offenders in their graduation outfits from several years earlier on the news.
Finally, it is time to work together in concert to become involved in the upcoming elections. We have to seek out and endorse can- didates who will follow the letter of the law and not the political way to seek re-election. A better job has to be done to ensure that we register to vote and elect representatives who are in sync with us.
Politicians respect people who vote, and it’s time for all of us to work together! d
First Vice President’s Report
It’s time!
PAT MURRAY
8 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ MAY 2018