Page 12 - June2020 FOP Magazine

Financial Secretary’s Report
A salute to CPD officers and a word about the importance of being a unit rep
Hello, Lodge 7 members. The election is finally over, and the newly elected board members have taken office. I’d like to thank past field reps Mike Garza and Rich Aguilar for their assistance during the transition and future assistance during my term.
I would like to send a second acknowledgment out to the hard-working officers of the CPD. As I write this article, this once-great city of Chicago is experiencing the worst riots that I have personally witnessed as a lifelong resident.
And during all of this, Chicago Police Officers have made me proud. You were outnumbered, ill-prepared, ill-equipped and had no leadership from the Department or our elected officials. Nevertheless, you faithfully protected our city and its residents.
The hostility shown toward the CPD by the so-called peaceful protesters was equally met with gratitude and generosity by what I call the “silent majority.” These are the good citizens of this city. They are the residents who offered a kind word, a simple “thank you,” a bottle of overtaxed water and the use of a clean restroom.
Many of us live in neighborhoods with large numbers of police officers, firefighters and city workers. I’d like to personally thank those friends and neighbors, many of whom were on furlough, for securing our neighborhoods while the rest of the Department
was called to action.
Moving on to union business, Lodge 7 unit representative elec-
tion notifications were sent out to districts and units on May 16 with a June 1 filing deadline. Members interested in being consid- ered for unit reps were instructed to email or write (I received one “old school” paper To/From in the mail) to me. These To/From request are being compiled, and if more than one member is in- terested in a rep position, an election will be held. Once the unit rep elections have been finalized, hopefully by mid-June, watch rep elections will follow and will be handled by the respective unit reps of those districts or units.
I cannot begin to stress the importance of these positions. The rep position is the conduit for information to members in the districts and units, and they are also tasked with assisting their members with the grievance process and standing by or ap- pearing with a member who requests a SPAR hearing. As a unit or watch rep, your attendance at Lodge 7 meetings is required. Your duty to bring back the information that you obtained to your members is vital. Please get involved!
I appreciate the opportunity to serve both active and retired members during this elected term. Please know that my door is always open, emails will be answered and phone calls will be re- turned.
Thank you, and stay safe.
JIM JAKSTAVICH
12 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ JUNE 2020