Page 11 - FOP JUNE Newsletter

Came in like a wrecking ball
Since my office is the one at Lodge 7 that faces east, I have had a bird’s eye view of the demolition of the Plumbing Industry Center for the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers’ Local Union 130 next door. For the past week I have witnessed a wrecking ball swing up and down against the building, destroying what once was a great structure that housed some of the most hardworking Union brothers I have had the
pleasure to meet.
This demolition project reminds me of the Chi-
cago Police Department in its present incarnation. What was once a proud organization is now a shell R
jection from the Chicago Police Department, you would think it would be easy to produce such a document. I also wonder, since the Mayor’s Task Force announced that Chicago police officers are inherently racist, what is the racial makeup of that list. I also wonder how many Chi- cago police officers are on that list, since – time and time again – we are the ones blamed by the administrators of the Strategic Subject List for all that is wrong with the city.
KEVIN
KEVIN
KILMER
KILMER
My question is this: What is the difference between an officer stopping a person or vehicle based on his or her investigative knowledge or a comput- er program listing possible offenders on a da- y tabase? Maybe if police officers used millennial buzzwords like algorithms instead of investigatory stops, the war on the police by community activists would cease since there does not seem to be a peep out of them regarding this highly controversial program initi- ated by the Mayor’s Office and the command staff. By the way, this list seems to be working wonderfully since the amount of shootings continues to skyrocket in this once great city and the amount of investigatory stop reports
continues to plummet.
By the time this article goes to print, there will be noth-
ing left of Plumbers Hall except rubble and dirt. A new building will rise from the ashes, with all the latest tech- nology and updates. At first glance, it will seem like a re- markable improvement, but will never be as good as the original. Much like the Chicago Police Department, the changes and updates made initially will seem like a great upgrade but, eventually, most people will long for the good old days when the police could be the police. Refresher course
Per the Memorandum of Understanding for Work Day Schedules in the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the starting times for the 4-2 schedule is 7 a.m., 3:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. What this means is that since starting times can be adjusted by the Department plus or minus two hours from your designated start time, it is plus or minus two hours from 7 a.m., 3:30 p.m. or 10 p.m., not the start time of the car to which you are assigned. For example, if you are assigned to 1611, which is a 5:30 a.m. start, and have to work 1643, which is an 8 a.m. start, you are not eligible for the over two hour adjustment pay as your designated start time is 7 a.m. not 5:30 a.m. If you need more clarity, please look in your FOP Contract Book under the Memo- randum of Understanding for Work Day Schedules or call the Lodge. I wish everyone a safe and happy Memorial Day.d
has faced and were acts of fearless police officers. Al- though, not every officer in the city could be recognized that day, I am confidant you are deserving of it. Enjoy your summer and be safe.
of its self. When I became a member of the Chi-
cago Police Department 17 years ago, it was filled
with leaders who helped us learn from our mistakes. People like Mike Atkins and Russ Mueller helped show me what it took to be a good police officer and an even better person. They led by example and everyone who worked for them responded in a positive manner.
Unfortunately, those leaders are gone, replaced with supervisors who only are looking out for themselves, the “numbers” and the powers that be. If my work wasn’t up to snuff, my old bosses took me aside, like a man, and demonstrated to me alternate ways to be more efficient. Nowadays, I would be threatened with having my start time switched, not working with my usual partner or be- ing issued a reprimand or a suspension. To make matters worse, our new superintendent issues apologies to the families of people who’ve shot at the police, and meets with “Father” Pfleger about the problems with the De- partment.
Since I was unaware priests from the Chicago Archdio- cese were such experts in criminology, I asked my parish priest which semester he took criminal justice in the sem- inary. He just hit me with his class ring and made me go to Confession.
I noticed the aforementioned Superintendent Johnson and the Mayor’s Office also have come up with a program based on a criminal justice theory that is derived from a computer algorithm that assigns scores based on arrests, shooting, affiliations with gang members and other vari- ables. According to the article I read, “The authorities hope that knowing who is most likely to be involved in violence can bring them a step closer to curtailing it. They are warning those highest on the list that they are under intense scrutiny.”
Wow, that sounds like some cutting edge stuff.
I wonder if I can get a copy of that list. Since the public is able to look at all my old CR numbers without any ob-
CASIANO CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10
day, but rather because it was their duty and for the bet- terment of the city. These heroic acts were performed during the most challenging times that our profession
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CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ JUNE 2016 11