Page 5 - May 2018 FOP Magazine

CHICAGO LODGE 7
Official Magazine
President’s Report
FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE CHICAGO LODGE #7
EXECUTIVE BOARD
KEVIN GRAHAM
President
PATRICK J. MURRAY
First Vice President
Martin Preib
Second Vice President
Jay R. Ryan
Third Vice President
Greg Bella
Recording Secretary
Michael P. Garza
Financial Secretary
John Capparelli
Treasurer
Dean C. Angelo, Sr.
Immediate Past President
Sergeants-at-Arms
William Burns James Jakstavich Michael Mette
Trustees
Harold Brown Andrew Cantore Mark Donahue William Dougherty Pat Duckhorn Sergio Escobedo Fernando Flores Joseph Gentile Danny Gorman Ken Hauser Rick King Frank Quinn Carlos Salazar Ron Shogren Mark Tamlo Daniel Trevino Michael Underwood
Field Representatives
Robert Bartlett Rich Aguilar
Lights, camera, action:
contract negotiations
underway
We finally held our first negotiations meeting with the City for the contract that expired in 2017. The main item discussed was body cameras, an issue of particular interest to the City. We have a vested interest in seeing rights and protections provided to our members with the implementation of body cam- eras. For example, we want Lodge 7 to have some control over the videos, pri- marily so that officers who have encounters with politicians or other people who would have the motive and influence to cover up a tape cannot be allowed to do so.
Although we are in negotiations and have an extensive list of items we want to cover regarding body cameras, we should remember that in negotiations we often don’t get everything we want during a specific meeting. But I do believe we have
expressed our point clearly to the City about the protections for the use of these videos. We also have had two meetings with unit reps to provide information for members about policy changes that the City wants, as well as an update on the contract and the status of
the consent decree.
Regarding the two policy changes that the City is implementing, one has to do with how
we process and use the new detective unit in investigating police shootings. The second change concerns the Department’s new unit reviewing body camera videos that are sup- posed to be used primarily for tactics.
As you know, the City did not consult us about the impact of these policy changes on our disciplinary procedures. Therefore, we are hoping to work those problems out during contract negotiations. However, we did want unit reps to know what the City was doing and how the changes were being implemented so they can give their input to the bargaining unit.
With regard to the consent decree, we are very close to having language that would allow us to continue a fair collective bargaining process, free of interference from others. It is extremely important that this process remain among the City of Chicago, the Department and Lodge 7.
The City has every right to solicit information from the public and citizens at large. The City can even bring that information to the bargaining table. That is the process that most police departments throughout the state use during contract negotiations.
In closing, because May is National Police Month, I would ask all members to remember the people we have worked with and lost while performing their duties. Our fallen brothers and sisters will never be forgotten. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers. And all the brave men and women of the Chicago Police Department will also never be forgotten. d
KEVIN GRAHAM
CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ MAY 2018 5