Page 12 - January 2016

KEVIN KILMER
Danny Diaz danny.diaz@bairdwarner.com http://dannydiaz.bairdwarner.com
Mayor’s address to City Council
Request For Discipline form
FINANCIAL SECRETARY’S REPORT
It has come to my attention that Management and Labor Affairs (MLAS) has been receiving an extraordinary amount of Request For Discipline documents in which the officer did not select a choice between acceptance of penalty, or elect to file a grievance. Please note that an accused mem- ber has 10 working days to choose one of the options.
to the Chicago City Council on Dec. 9. Like most of you, I was sick- ened with the implications that our membership is somehow to blame for all the evils of society. I was especially appalled when the Mayor stated:
In the event that the accused does not make a selection within 10 working days, the penalty will be deemed accepted. In the past, the Lodge was sometimes able to reason with the Department to allow an officer to grieve a punish- ment, even when there was no selection on the document. How- ever, it has been communicated from the new regime at MLAS that the Department will strictly adhere to the 10-day rule and deem all punishments accepted if the Request for Discipline form is filed
“Before African American mothers, fathers, and grandparents feel it is necessary to train their sons and daughters to behave with extreme caution when they are pulled over by police and have both hands visible on the wheel, what does that say? We have a trust problem.”
without a selection.
According to the FBI, in 2011, 11 police officers lost their lives because of incidents involved in traffic stops. That’s 11 families that have to deal with the fact that their father or mother will not be coming home for the simple fact that they were doing their jobs. Initiating a traffic stop is one of the most dangerous acts a police officer faces. When an individual shows his or her hands and doesn’t make any sudden movements, it isn’t racist. It allows the police officer and the citizen involved in the stop to interact without the fear of it escalating into violence.
If you are given this form, please take your time and fill it out properly, ensuring you make the desired selection and sign it. If you are unsure, show it to your Watch or Unit Rep or call the Lodge to make certain all your ducks are in a row. Don’t let an honest mis- take handcuff the Lodge from representing you.
When I was elected to the FOP, I was assigned to the 16th District. Whenever a traffic stop was initiated, I was always appre- ciative when the occupants showed their hands and didn’t make sudden movements. This thought process wasn’t because they were African Americans (most traffic stops in the 16th District are not) but because I wanted to go home to my family. But no worries, Mr. Mayor, I don’t anticipate too many traffic stops being initiated by our officers in the near future thanks to your, and the City Council’s, lack of support.
I had the dubious task of attending Mayor Emmanuel’s address
No Mr. Mayor, it’s not a trust problem. It’s a little thing called offi- cer safety.
12 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ JANUARY 2016
Chicago Teachers Union
While I was at that address, I was able to peruse the crowd. As a frequent attendee of City Council meetings, I have gotten to know the main individuals who frequently attend. Most of these people are members of the press, aids, lobbyists and other insiders.
But this speech was different. The crowd was made up of a lot of new faces who consistently made their displeasure of the Chicago Police Department known throughout the meeting. The truly sad thing was that a number of them were members of the Chicago Teachers’ Union. As we all know by now, the individual who struck a police officer is a paid protester for CTU as well as the “staring man.” What else do they have in common? How about the fact they both work for Kim Foxx for Cook County State’s Attorney?
So when all the dust settles on this war on Chicago Police, the people that are on the front lines of this protest are doing it for nothing more than political gain to ensure CTU gets its chosen candidates elected to office. Still not convinced? Well, we had an officer come into the FOP Office to let us know that his daughter was subjected to a police brutality class at her Chicago Public High School. After we made several inquires, this is a mandated class pushed heavily by the Chicago Teachers’ Union. The Lodge is attempting to allow any individual to opt out of this seminar, espe- cially the sons and daughters of Chicago Police Officers. As soon as we have some movement on this issue, we will put it out to the membership. d