Page 36 - September 2019 FOP Newsletter

64th National FOP Biennial Conference * Aug. 12-15, New Orleans
A Mayor Who Cares
New Orleans Mayor Cantrell offers support to police that Lodge 7 members hope hits close to home
■ BY MITCHELL KRUGEL
On a morning when U.S. Attorney General William Barr praised law enforcement’s unrelenting, never-ending fight against crimi- nal predators and Louisiana Congressman Steve Scalise extolled the heroics of the U.S. Capitol Police for saving his life in that horrific 2017 active-shooter attack, the Chicago Lodge 7 mem- bers attending the National FOP Conference found even more intense inspiration from another honored guest speaker. When New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell stepped up to the podium, she quickly and unexpectedly captured the attention of the Chi- cago FOP delegation.
“I applaud you, who, every single day, make the greatest sac- rifice that anyone can make,” began Cantrell, who became New Orleans’ first female, African-American mayor in May 2018. “I recognize that, I appreciate that and I am just humbled by your presence and by your commitment. It matters.”
Here was Cantrell extemporaneously expressing everything Chicago Lodge 7 members have been wanting to hear from their mayor, who carries a somewhat similar pedigree to Cantrell. But she doesn’t clown around about her unwavering support for the police, and that truly moved the women and men from the Chi- cago Police Department who were fortunate to be in New Orleans for this seminal moment.
“She was just so awesome,” exclaimed Tim Fitzpatrick, a mem- ber from 019 who attended his first national conference this year. “It was awesome to see how supportive she is of the police in her city and how dedicated she is to getting them everything they need in order to get their job done.”
To ascertain how much Cantrell’s comments meant to mem- bers, listen to Chicago FOP delegate Kathleen Gahagan. A former Lodge 7 trustee, Gahagan has attended 10 of the past 12 national conferences.
“I’m thinking (Cantrell) could mentor our Chicago mayor very well,” Gahagan stated.
Cantrell told the FOP conference that she grew up wanting to be a police officer. That influence might have come from her step- father, who was a sergeant with the LAPD.
Or it might have come from another member of the family.
“I had a grandma named Bessie who was big and tall and pas- sionate, and who felt like she was the chief of police of our neigh- borhood,” Cantrell shared in one of several comments that gen- erated thunderous applause.
The reasons she offered hope to Chicago delegates are almost eerie when painted against their current mayor. In the mayoral primary, Cantrell garnered the highest vote total to make it to a runoff.
Only she has a virtuous record of supporting police. As mayor, Cantrell founded a Gun Violence Reduction Council tasked with finding solutions to violent crime. As a member of the New Orle- ans City Council Criminal Justice Committee, Cantrell participat- ed in efforts to address understaffing at the New Orleans Police Department.
During her speech, she repeatedly expressed a sincerity for the women and men of law enforcement.
36 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ SEPTEMBER 2019
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell wowed the National FOP Conference with her speech supporting law enforcement officers.
“The biggest privilege is to be leading a city, side by side with the New Orleans Police Department, the men and women who protect and serve every single second of every single day,” she continued. “It’s partnerships that make us all great and protect and serve our communities. And I am so proud to be standing here in the city of New Orleans that has seen the lowest crime rate in 46 years, and it is, again, because of the hard-working men and women of the New Orleans Police Department.”
Even two days after her appearance, Cantrell’s presence still resonated with Chicago Lodge 7 members. During the morn- ing meeting of delegates prior to the conference agenda, several members talked about her address.
“Obviously, the mayor of New Orleans was pretty articulate and passionate in her defense of the police, which was quite refresh- ing coming from Chicago,” said John Catanzara, a unit rep from the 8th District.
Lodge 7 Sergeant-at-arms Jim Jakstavich, a detective in Area Central, echoed such remarks and took it a step further with a heads-up to the new Chicago mayor.
“(Cantrell’s) outward support for her police department, and the FOP in general, was something that I’m not used to,” Jakstav- ich explained. “From the first day (our new mayor) took office, she blasted CPD. She’s been adversarial at best, even calling our members clowns. She could take a lesson from Mayor Cantrell on how to be a leader, and how to get your police department behind you to make the city that you serve a better place.”
Lodge 7 members who want to check out Cantrell’s mes- sage can go to www.facebook.com/mayorcantrell/vid- eos/2684093658267874/. This is something that Lodge 7 dele- gates apparently want to be heard over and over again in Chicago.
“We’re hoping that we can put something out saying we’re really impressed with what the mayor said,” Fitzpatrick added. “To see this kind of love toward their police department must be something that motivates them to go out there every day.”