ITS THAT IMPORTANT

Food for thought.

Union News

Via CPSA.PB&PA web site

Contract 2007-2011 Update: 22 October 2008

The last contract negotiation session with the City was on 11 September 08.
At that time the City rejected our latest proposal, which addressed bid positions and
economic issues. The City stood on their previous position citing the current economic
dilemma. The City has proposed the below captioned changes to our contract.

5 year contract
No increase in Watch Bids within District Law Enforcement (currently 5 per
watch)
Changes to section 8.4 of the current contract.
Maintain sustained C.R. numbers for the entire career of the officer.
Inclusion of on-duty random alcohol testing
Mandatory alcohol and drug testing for any off-duty incident involving the
discharge of a firearm.
Audio recording of all statements given by officers to I.P.R.A. and I.A.D.

We continue to meet with our attorneys and advisors in an effort to develop a
proposal that will result in a document that will address the City's concerns, while at the
same time protecting the interests of our members. In addition, we feel that the current
economic proposals by the City are short of being acceptable to our membership.

John Pallohusky
President
Chicago Police Sergeants Association

ELECTION RESULTS

Congrats go out to Retirement Board winners

P.O. Mike Shields

Sgt. Mike Lazarro

Lt. James Maloney

ELECTIONS

A sergeant member will be selected this Thursday, October 23 for the Police Retirement Board. Ballots should have already been returned. Any ballot received after 9:00 am on the 23rd will not be accepted.

Good Luck to candidates Lazzaro and Voight.

We also received ballots for the 2008 elections for the 2009-2011 term CPSA, PB&PA.
The candidates for president are the incumbent, John Pallohusky and challenger Gerry Majerczyk.

Five candidates are vying for the four positions for Director-At-Large.
Debra DeYoung
Nancy Higgins
Michael Lazzaro
Michael Burke
Thomas Motzny

Ballots must be received by 8 November.

PROTEST AGAINST BETTER ARMED POLICE

A couple of media outlets have covered the "outcry" by a small group of teenages over the departments plan to train and qualify officers to carry the M4 Carbine.
ABC7 uses an AP source on its web site.

Young people opposed to arming Chicago police officers with military assault rifles rallied at Chicago Police headquarters.

A group called the 'Live in Peace Campaign' says they delivered to Weis 5,000 signatures opposing the idea

The Chi-Town Daily News contributes this gem.

A group of about 40 protestors from the Southwest Youth Collaborative chanted slogans like “Stop the war on the poor, no more M4s” outside of Chicago Police headquarters before the meeting, holding up signs as they paced in a large circle.

So that's what this is all about, "a war on the poor". Give me an f-ing break! You blame us for not preventing the innocent from being victims. You second guess us when we come across an armed offender who intends to do us harm and we stop him. Now you want to hamstring our abilities to defend ourselves and the citizens of this city against an ever increasing violent criminal element that is motivated by the drug trade. Why aren't you protesting the GDs, Stones, 4 Corner Hustlers, CVLs, SGDs, Dragons and Kings?

And here comes the best of all.

David Stout, 19, who lives in Lincoln Park, came to the meeting with a group of friends all concerned about police having M4s in their arsenal.
“It would generate such an atmosphere of fear that safety would be unattainable in the city,” Stout says.

Would you be afraid up in Lincoln Park David? You keep fighting for that "social justice" David. Why don't you and your friends take a walk along Chicago Ave between Pulaski and Cicero or on Roosevelt between Kedzie and Pulaski or Ashland from 51st to 87th. I'm sure you and your do-good friends would feel right at home. Actually, you would probably welcome the sight of a policemen or at least wished you had your own M4.

RETIREE HANDGUN NEWS

From the update web page at FOP Lodge 7

Retired police officers were given the right to carry concealed weapons by virtue of Federal legislation commonly referred to as H.R. 218. The City of Chicago initially denied this right to retired officers who wanted to purchase new weapons or to those officers who moved into the City as their weapons could not be registered in the City.

On Wednesday, October 8th, the City Council did the right thing and enacted an ordinance that ensures that retired officers have the ability to enjoy the rights given to them by H.R. 218. Please view the newly enacted ordinance MCC 8-20-050.

With or without this ordinance retirees had every right to be in possession of a handgun as granted by Public Law 108-277 (Law Enforcement Safety Act of 2004).

MIKE IS FINALLY FREE

The Iowa AG took a pass on appealing the Appellate Courts ruling finding in favor of Mike Mette. Read More.

WELCOME HOME MIKE

Chicago cop's acquittal in Iowa fight is long overdue, but appreciated
John Kass
11:42 AM CDT, October 1, 2008

Great news from baseball-loving Iowa:

Chicago Police Officer Michael Mette, wrongly convicted and railroaded into five years in prison for the crime of self defense, will be getting out of prison soon.

The Iowa Court of Appeals, in its ruling posted early Wednesday, reversed Mette's conviction and ordered sentencing Judge Monica Ackley to acquit him.

The appeals panel said the court had no business discounting the self-defense argument. Mike threw just one punch in self defense after he'd been repeatedly attacked by an angry drunk with a blood-alcohol content of 0.27 percent.

Continued

Police Officer Nathaniel Taylor, Jr., Star #7322

2 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Blake-Lamb Funeral Home, 4727 W. 103rd St. in Oak Lawn.

St. Jude at 7 p.m.

The funeral will be 10 a.m. Friday at St. Bede the Venerable Roman Catholic Church, 8300 S. Kostner.

Rest In Peace Friend.