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ANGELO CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5
Changes continue for the working police
Final opportunity to interview with DOJ
As much as things played out in our favor in Springfield, we continue to struggle for fairness and a level playing field on the home front. Each of our attempts to enlighten the Chicago Police Department, the Inspector General, City Council, as well as local and national media outlets on the illegal actions that occur every time IPRA takes over a police-involved death investigation has fallen on one deaf ear after another. The lan- guage of SB 1304 (signed August 2015; became law on January 2016) is as clear as can be. At least one of the two leads respon- sible to investigate any police-involved death “MUST be a Cer- tified Lead Homicide Investigator.”
For the third and final time, the Lodge is facilitating oppor- tunities for all to participate in what we believe to be the final stage of the year-long DOJ Investigation into the patterns and practices of the Chicago Police Department. While each of the previous informational sessions were well-attended, the feed- back from those who participated was positive to say the least. Officers stated that they were finally able to address where their careers fell short of expectations, as well as where the Department fell short on its commitment. Issues such as low manpower, less-than-top-quality equipment, outdated tech- nology and minimal options for advancement seem to be fre- quent topics of; this is exactly what the DOJ needs to hear. This final session will be held at the Lodge on Dec. 20 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This is our last opportunity to ensure that voices of experienced working Chicago Police Officers are considered in this investigation; not just the voices that know absolutely nothing about what a working officer experiences.
Election closure
Is there any doubt what “MUST be a Certified Lead Homi- cide Investigator” means? Is there some hidden language that appears when these seven words are held up to a lamp? Are they actually code for, “assign whoever you want to investigate police-related deaths?” If the latter is true, then we have no problem with IPRA taking over these incidents, but if the latter wasn’t the intention of the legislation, then IPRA is violating state law. How do educated people – some who have graduated law school, others who are tasked with passing laws and still others responsible for enforcing laws – miss this?
After suffering through the never-ending election marathon of 2016, what a relief that at long last it is finally behind us. Or is it? Either way, we won’t be forced to view the barrage of cut- throat commercials, one after another during each and every commercial break. This cycle of election propaganda was care- fully designed to demonize and slander the opposing candi- dates at new levels of viciousness. As one camp called out the rival as a liar, a thief, a money grubber and a life-long profiteer, the competing camp responded by calling out the rival as a
We will continue to take time to address this issue at what- ever level comes next. We are meeting again with the Depart- ment of Justice and will have this IPRA fiasco on our front burner. If Lodge 7 doesn’t address this with the DOJ, it is appar- ent to us that no one else will.
Speaking of the DOJ...
6 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ DECEMBER 2016