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I am going to keep harping on the fact that she needs to be a woman of her word and do what she said she was going to do. If you really support the women and men of this Depart- ment like you say you do, then this is the best chance to show it and get that money part done.
To hell with the squeaky wheels. That’s a discussion for an- other time. We are absolutely being besieged in this city as a police department. One way you can show your support and appreciation is to give people fair compensation!
I realize she wants to throw all the debt into an open pot and then go begging the feds for help. If the debt for the fire department is $90 million, ours is at least three times that amount. It’s a huge number she wants federal help with.
Here’s something I would have brought up to the president if the chance had come or if it does: a first-responder grant to help offset those costs.
But that still doesn’t relieve the city of its obligation to the women and men of this Department. No officers have fired their weapons in defense even though several incidents have warranted it. They say we need to do better, but we are doing better. And they still are not entertaining the idea of compen- sating us fairly.
Because they are deathly afraid of that defunding chant from 2,000 or 3,000 people who are running this whole show. It’s absolutely ridiculous that in a city of 3 million people, a goofy organization like CPAC, that is teacher-backed with 50,000 signatures calling for a new oversight ordinance, can cause so many people to lose sight of what’s going on. The
50,000 do not speak for 3 million. It’s a crazy way to look at the world.
So it’s not only about putting pressure on mayor. We have to put pressure on the aldermen, because they are the ones who have put the mayor’s feet to the fire, and get this done because our women and men deserve a raise now more than ever.
We have taken matters to court and already appeared in front of a federal judge to discuss the long work hours. We included sleep deprivation studies in our case that are very clear about how the working environment is very similar to being intoxicated due to the extended hours. You’re not al- lowed to work with a drink in your system. You should not be allowed to work 16 hours with no sleep. And as soon as something happens, you know they will jump down officers’ throats.
We need our leaders to lead by example. How can they ask people to do the right things when they don’t do the right things themselves? But the mayor and the aldermen are do- ing exactly that.
We’re screaming for help, but no help is coming. We are wit- nessing exempt rank members standing there like deer in the headlights.
Our members realize what they have to do. They are stand- ing alongside each other in this endeavor, making the blue line stronger than ever. This is their line of duty, and we know they are unlike any other heroes.
The White House knows it. When will City Hall wise up and do the same?
6 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ SEPTEMBER 2020