Page 59 - March 2022

The View from the Staff
me, they were always someone you would go to if you needed help. Are there bad police officers? Yes, and they should not be allowed to remain police officers. But for whatever reason, po- lice are now held to a standard the everyday criminals are not held to, and that sickens me. I’m not sure why anyone would want to be a police officer in this climate. Not only can you lose your livelihood, you risk losing your home and spending time in jail. I don’t believe that it’s as bad in smaller police depart- ments as it is here in Chicago. I feel that’s because of poor lead- ership that doesn’t support the police. My hope is that this can be righted again soon.
Maria Flores
Administrative Assistant
How long have you been on the job at Lodge 7?
One and a half years.
What do you like most about working at the FOP?
The thing I like most about working at FOP is that I get to re- connect with officers that I have known my whole life, whether it was someone I have met through my father or from personal experiences such as previous jobs or school, and being able to help them in any way, shape or form.
What have you learned about Chicago Police Officers?
I have learned that police officers in Chicago deal with a lot of hardships/sacrifices, whether it comes to four-hour extensions, days off canceled, etc. While dealing with these hardships/ sacrifices, officers are able to adjust and make it work even if
they are notified at the very last minute. This is something that is very hard for an average citizen to do, so I can only imagine it when it comes to police officers, especially when they have children, when they want some time to relax after working a certain amount of days in a row or when their lives are switched upside-down because their start times have changed. No mat- ter what is thrown at the police officers in the City of Chicago, they keep moving forward to make this City a better place. How has your view of Chicago Police Officers changed since you started working at the FOP?
My perception of police officers when I first started at the Lodge was that everyone had the same job or purpose. This was, Do the job you’re assigned to, and once you’re done, you’re done. Obviously, that isn’t the case; many go above and beyond for the citizens of Chicago to make sure they are safe and out of a ter- rible situation. Some go running into fires when they are first at the scene, some will risk their own lives trying to save someone from taking their own and some will do whatever they have to to protect their fellow brothers and sisters when shit hits the fan. After working at the FOP, I have learned that every single police officer has an experience, a story, a life that a lot of people do not know about and do not appreciate. I just want to say that everything every police officer does is appreciated, and the FOP will always do its best to show these officers they are appreciat- ed, and we will always be here when they are in need.
CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ MARCH 2022 59