Page 10 - June2020 FOP Magazine

ThirdVice President’s Report
The Inspector General is watching
Members, here we go again. The Indepen- dent Monitor Team from the inspector general’s office has issued a request to preserve records from Monday, May 25, to Monday, June 8, 2020. This request is made in relation to a special re- port the monitor plans to issue regarding the department’s response to the civil unrest that transpired within those weeks.
“...[a]ll CPD members’ work-related commu- nications, including texts, emails, messages and communi- cations, including text messages through messaging services sent or received on personal devices, including phones and computers. Members should preserve, protect and refrain from disposing of or altering any responsive material con- tained on personal devices.” (From the office of the super- intendent.)
This is a blanket request being issued by the Inspector General’s office. This request is not specific to any one indi- vidual (as far as we know at this time) but instead includes
all members. This way, no one can say they were picked on or singled out.
Officers, unfortunately, we tend to be our own worst en- emy. We take pics of crime scenes; we make off-color state- ments on our mobile phones and post them to social media. Stop it. As much “fun” as it is to post things on social media, you are shooting yourself in the foot. As you can see by the above request, not only have you put yourself in the “trick bag,” but you’ve also included any other officer who may have viewed your post or message.
Please refrain from using your phone or personal computer at work. Please refrain from calling or texting your partners, family, and friends with pictures or messages from a crime scene. If you know of an officer involved in a shooting or a traffic crash with death or serious injuries, please wait until you see them in person. Cell phones are for ordering pizza and checking on the kids. Please be safe and stay healthy.
FERNANDO FLORES
10 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ JULY 2020