Page 26 - FOP_Magazine_ February2019

When it comes to human resources, ask questions and take names
This past month, I had the pleasure of visiting our Human Resources Division (HRD) to ob-
tain a copy of my complimentary history. Before I divulge my story, I want to take a moment and recall what I’ve written in the
past, where I detailed the poor service and bad information provided by some indi- viduals at our HRD.
For instance, in the last six months, I re- ceived calls from officers wishing to join the Na- tional Guard or Reserve who were told by an individual at HRD that they should have joined prior to becoming a CPD officer. They were also led to believe that they cannot enlist and keep their job with CPD. I quickly explained to them that the CPD Military Leave of Absences Form has a box where the officer could choose “Basic Training” as the reason for the military
leave.
I also emailed them a guide to the Uniformed Services Em-
ployment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) produced by the U.S. Department of Justice. Additionally, I emailed the officers a copy of the CPD Employee Resource (EO) 01-14 Mil- itary Leaves of Absence, which also happens to have a list of reasons for military leaves — one of which is to attend basic training. Bottom line, the Department cannot prevent an offi- cer from joining the National Guard or Reserve by federal law, under U.S. Code Chapter 43, Part III, Title 38.
Now, back to my story. I was informed by an individual that I needed to leave a To-From (paper) requesting my com- plimentary history, or I could speak to the individual’s manager, who then could order the individual to print the complimentary history. This individual had the au- dacity to tell me all this because the individual was go- ing on break in 10 minutes. So I spoke to the manager, who explained to me where I needed to go. I then asked the manager, “Why did the employee tell me to leave paper when there was another section that processes these requests? Is the employee not trained or is the employee incompetent?” Of course, I didn’t receive an answer or an explanation. Although I did go where the manager sent me and obtained what I want- ed. Oh, yeah — my complimentary history had many missing
items, but that’s an issue for another day.
Bureaucracies are the butt of jokes for a reason
To be fair, the CPD is not alone in having these types of prob- lems. Bureaucracies have long been the subject of criticism and jokes. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a bureaucracy as “a system of administration marked by officialism, red tape and proliferation.” I recently read a novel called Pancho Land by Raul Ramos y Sanchez, and he had an interesting quote: “The greatest power of bureaucracies is to make the smart act stupid and the good to act evil.”
Many of us have seen errors in judgment in the bureaucra- cies of the CPD, military organizations and Veterans Benefits Administration. I will not attempt to explain the motivation for certain individuals in CPD HRD to act in this manner; rather, I want all of our fraternal brothers and sisters to take notice. If something seems wrong, do the research and/or ask me, or call the Lodge and speak to someone from President Graham’s team, as we may have the right answer. Remember, you’re not alone. Lastly, my brothers and sisters, get the name of the per- son you spoke with so that we know who needs to be retrained.
How to obtain veteran license plates
Hey, did you know that Illinois residents who were awarded the Legion of Merit or Medal of Honor may receive a state plate signifying these awards? Additionally, these plates have no fees to purchase and no annual renewal fees. Visit the following link for more information about the requirements to obtain these plates, as well as for other veteran plates that have no additional charges to obtain:
https://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/vehicles/ license_plate_guide/military/home.html
Did you know that ex-prisoners of war, Purple Heart veter- ans or disabled veterans with Illinois plates that recognize their military service may obtain a Chicago City Vehicle Sticker for no fee? The purchaser must present a photo ID and state vehi- cle registration ID card with the XP/PR/DV license plate. These veterans may also obtain an annual residential zone parking for $25, if the purchaser resides in a residential parking zone. Visit the following link for more information:
http://www.chicityclerk.com/city-stickers-parking/about- city-stickers/antique-vehicles-no-fee-sticker-programs
Thank you for all you do, and please be careful out there.
If you have questions, concerns or comments, please send me an email at LTC_Cruz@wowway.com.
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JERRY CRUZ
26 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ FEBRUARY 2019