Page 11 - May 2017 Newsletter

First Vice President’s Report
This is where I’m at
Always know where you are at.
That’s a key lesson I’ve always tried to im- part to young officers in my 28 years as a po- liceman.
I learned this maxim from some of the old timers in Englewood who first taught me. Now, I repeat this statement to myself as I move from the wagon and squad car into an office as a newly elected First Vice-President
of the FOP.
It’s a little bewildering at first, like not fully knowing
where you are when you are a rookie. It’s quite a different environment from working the seventh, ninth, and first districts, then mass transit as a tactical officer, that com- prised much of my career.
I’m from Bridgeport, an ancient political center of the city, and I have always loved politics. And yes, I like cold beer as well. You got a problem with that?
But seriously, being part of the FOP has become more comfortable each day. As the election took shape, I found I liked campaigning. I ran with some guys who knew the issues and I learned a lot from them, but I also had the op- portunity to talk to the younger officers, many of whose fathers I had previously worked with. I let them know we would be fighting for them at the Lodge. I enjoyed listen- ing to their concerns and trying to help them out.
I ran on the slate headed by Jim McGuire from the 18th District. He seemed like a guy who wanted to make a dif- ference.
Jim didn’t win; Kevin Graham did. I was disappointed that my candidate didn’t win, but in the end I’m content, because I think Graham is working hard on behalf of the members, and I think we have a good group of guys work- ing up in the office.
Maybe one reason I feel comfortable is that I developed my own convictions and knowledge throughout my years, convictions about the Police Department and where it should be heading. I will stick to these convictions and let them guide me as vice president and field rep.
As a field rep, I will be handling legal defense cases, working with officers who have to defend themselves. I’m looking forward to learning the ins and outs of this duty, making sure that officers are properly defended in an in- creasingly dangerous and politically hostile city.
I’ll also focus on other issues, including the way the city handles — or mishandles— promotions. Right now, it is not a fair system, and I want to work so that every officer has the opportunity to be promoted based on merit, not on connections or patronage.
I am also in charge of putting together the committees, which is a complicated and time-consuming but also ex- tremely important process. We need to get the best peo- ple for the best results.
I bring some unique experiences as a police officer to the table. For several years I worked the City Hall detail, including City Council meetings. Talk about an education in politics and running an organization. I watched first- hand how the city works, how each group tries to influ- ence City Police. I got to know a lot of the people on the council quite well, and they imparted great wisdom upon me, garnered from decades of working in City politics.
I got to meet some inspiring people in this position as well. One I’ll always remember was my encounter with Jim Brady, the press secretary under Ronald Reagan who was shot in the head during the assassination attempt. Brady’s courage and endurance impressed me a great deal. He had a great sense of humor and was utterly un- pretentious. He stopped and chatted with me a great deal.
In my mind, Jim Brady is a true hero. I’ll never forget that encounter.
One of my favorite experiences as a cop was the early years working Englewood. The officers worked together. There was real solidarity, and they got the job done. I want to bring back that solidarity as the First Vice-President. We have a group of people here who share that convic- tion. I’m looking forward to the challenge ahead.
So, yeah, you could say I know where I’m at.d
CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ MAY 2017 11
PAT MURRAY