FOP Members Left Holding Hefty Bill For Golf Shoes...

Last summer, the FOP Lodge 7 under President Dean Angelo hosted the annual golf outing. This one, though, was different than all previous golf outings.

What made this outing different was that the Lodge didn’t break even financially, as it had in prior years. In fact, there was a sizable deficit. In the end, the members were left holding the golf bag, so to speak.   

The evidence of this financial fiasco was covered in the September 2016 newsletter:

"…participants started the nearly 10-hour extravaganza by lacing up new golf shoes courtesy of the Lodge… This was the first time each player was gifted a brand new pair of Nike golf shoes, a retail value of up to $100.…"

The glossy newsletter article boasted that the FOP members paid for the shoes. The article goes on to say that there were more than 500 participants. Five hundred multiplied by 100 equals $50,000.00.

But don’t worry. Our dues didn’t buy $50,000.00 worth of shoes. At the January, 2017, general membership meeting, an FOP board member was asked if the Lodge went over budget on the outing. The board member acknowledged that the Lodge had gone over budget by more than $25,000.00. More than $25,000.00 is less than $50,000.00.

So, it seems, not all the gift golf shoes were over budget. It’s not that bad. Is it?

But here is the most important question: What did the members get out of it? Rather than pass out brand new golf shoes, couldn’t the money spent in buying golf shoes have been better spent, like helping officers who have been stripped? Wouldn’t that money be better spent in the legal fund, the fund that will likely be tapped to the bone in the coming years? 

Equally important, what say did the members have in this gift buying? Would they have approved this policy ahead of time if they knew they would be holding the golf bag to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars?

To some FOP members, the gift giving might reek of vote buying.

 Angelo’s expensive golf outing will not break the FOP’s bank, not at all. But it might just be one more example of an administration that is woefully out of touch with the members of its own Lodge.

Inspector General Confirms IPRA Misconduct First Revealed By Blue Voice

In a story that was first covered by a candidate on the FOP’s Blue Voice slate, a new report states that the city agency overseeing complaints of police misconduct has itself engaged in wrongdoing in a high-profile case against Chicago Police Commander Glenn Evans.   

The city’s Inspector General (IG) cites evidence that an investigator at the Independent Police Review Authority (IPRA) wrongfully released information of an investigation against Chicago Police Commander Glenn Evans.

The Sun Times:

The report states that an IG investigation had “established” that a former IPRA investigator “emailed, without authorization, a confidential IPRA memorandum regarding an investigation of a high-ranking Chicago Police Department employee to an individual who did not work for the city and had no connection to the confidential investigation.”

The same investigator also “improperly emailed a confidential lab report regarding DNA testing” tied to that same investigation “from the employee’s official IPRA email account to a personal, unsecured email account…”

The report does not identify the police official under investigation. But City Hall sources identified the target of the investigation as Lt. Glenn Evans.

 

Chicago Police Commander Glenn Evans

Candidate for the second Vice President, Martin Preib, first broke the story that allegations against Chicago Police Commander Glenn Evans in 2014 may be the product of a suspicious relationship between investigators at IPRA and the media.

Evans’ attorneys argued that IPRA had released confidential information against him in an attempt to malign Evans, a highly respected police commander. His legal team also argued that WBEZ reporter Chip Mitchell mischaracterized the significance of the DNA report. Evans’ team argued that the tests results were not indicative of his guilt, as WBEZ suggested in several high-profile articles. The judge in his criminal trial agreed that the DNA evidence did not prove anything criminal against Evans.

Evans was acquitted on all charges and has since filed a federal lawsuit against IPRA.

The story was first covered in Martin Preib’s Crooked City blog article, Anatomy of a Media Frame-up.

Many questions remain: Is this the sole case of misconduct at IPRA, or is there a pattern? If IPRA was engaged in such suspicious conduct against a commander, what kind of investigations is IPRA running against lesser ranks like patrolmen or detective?

President Dean Angelo and his administration, though confronted by Preib at general membership meetings about the signs of wrongdoing at IPRA, made little, if any, effort to ferret out such evidence, even though officers are being stripped at a record pace, often at the recommendation of IPRA.

Angelo’s refusal to take up this evidence of misconduct is one reason why Preib decided to run with presidential candidate Kevin Graham, and why they decided to name their slate the Blue Voice, as they have argued that the Angelo administration has not spoken up for members.

Second Vice President candidate Martin Preib confronts WBEZ reporter Chip Mitchell.

WHAT WE BRING TO THE NEGOTIATIONS TABLE

It’s hard to believe, but the current contract that we are working under will expire in less than six months on June 30, 2017.  Soon, a demand will be made to terminate that agreement with a request to begin negotiations on a successor agreement.  We need the best negotiators to represent us.

For years, many officers believed that the Officers working at the FOP negotiated your contract without the aid of labor attorneys.  This is not true.  While, we need to have a capable labor firm at our side that knows labor law and our contract, there is also a need to have Police Officers with experience in the negotiations process at the table due to the unique aspects of our job.

The last round of contract negotiations resulted in the loss of many benefits in the areas of active and retiree healthcare, tuition reimbursement, the ability to take time off, and retroactivity for overtime worked.  This seems to indicate that Dean Angelo’s negotiating team either had a lack of knowledge, a lack of inexperience, or an unwillingness to fight for us. Most likely, it was a combination of the three.

For the first time ever, we will be forced to decide whether to seek treatment at a premium care facility where we will now pay 25% of the bill or a regular care facility where we will continue to pay 10% of the bill.  Where do you think there are better doctors and services?  What did we get in return for this change?

For the first time ever, we will now have to foot the bill for co-pays, $20 to $35, every time we see a doctor.  Even worse, these co-pays will not even go towards meeting our annual deductible.  What did we get in return for this change?

Free healthcare for those retirees who retire at 55 will end before the end of this contract.  What did we get in return for this change?

Tuition reimbursement was diminished.  What did we get in return for this change?

Time due has now been restricted to 15% of available manpower in some units due to a Memorandum of Understanding that was attached to this contract.  Who agreed to this?

Retroactivity for overtime, specifically FLSA overtime, was illegally excluded from part of this contract.  Why would the FOP or its attorneys agree to this?

The Blue Voice team was assembled to give you the best representation possible.  The Blue Voice has four candidates that have the contract negotiations experience, knowledge, and success that will ensure that we will not be taken advantage of again. The paragraphs below will demonstrate what our team will bring to the negotiations table.

Kevin W. Graham is our candidate for President.  Kevin was the State FOP First Vice-President for four years.  Kevin has assisted FOP lodges throughout the state with contract inquiries and problems covering numerous topics.  Kevin has been involved in prior contract negotiations as the Chairman of the Lodge #7 Work Schedule Committee. Kevin is primarily responsible for the implementation of the 4 - 2 work schedule that the majority of us are currently working.  Kevin worked diligently for almost a decade to accomplish this task.  He has been the 023^rd/019^th District Unit Rep for many years and has challenged management more than they would care to admit due to his knowledge of our contract.

Rich Aguilar is our candidate for First Vice-President.  Rich worked at FOP as a Field Representative and Financial Secretary for six years.  Rich was involved in contract negotiations for the three contracts prior to the current contract.  Rich worked side-by-side with Kevin Graham to obtain your current 4-2 work schedule.  Rich was a part of the negotiating team that obtained free healthcare for members who retire at age 55 and the ability to attain top pay at 29 years instead of 32 years.  Prior to leaving the Lodge in 2014, Rich was able to secure a new disciplinary process that is now included in your current contract. This process gives our members an added right to have their cases heard by an arbitrator prior to serving any suspension time.

Martin P. Preib is our candidate for Second Vice-President.  Prior to becoming a Chicago Police Officer, Marty was part of a team that negotiated several contracts for hotel workers.  Those negotiations were sometimes extremely bitter and the battles equaled or surpassed those of the FOP vs City negotiations. Since becoming a Chicago Police Officer, Marty has familiarized himself with our contract and will be able to bring his prior expertise to the negotiations table for your benefit.

Robert J. Bartlett is our candidate for Third Vice-President.  Bob has been the SWAT Unit Rep for five years.  Bob is knowledgeable when it comes to our contract and has represented his members well.  Bob is also aware of Illinois Labor Law and filed an FLSA lawsuit on behalf of the members of his unit.  When the current FOP administration illegally surrendered retroactivity for FLSA overtime during the past contract negotiations, Bob realized that something wasn’t right.  Bob filed an FLSA lawsuit on behalf of all FOP members.  That lawsuit has been resolved and the affected members will now receive 65% more retroactive money than if they would have been paid properly by the City.

These four members, along with competent legal counsel, would form a formidable adversary against the City in the upcoming contract negotiations. We cannot afford to leave these negotiations in the hands of the amateurs that have failed to represent you in the most recent contract negotiations.

A TRUE PARTNER

One of the most difficult tasks that confronts police officers at least once in their careers has absolutely nothing to do with fighting crime and/or evil.  It has nothing to do with any policy or procedure.  There is no hard and fast rule how to accomplish it.

The task I am referring to is finding a partner.  Think about that word for a moment.  What exactly does it mean to you?  To some, it might mean two personalities that mesh.  To others, it might mean two officers who have the same policing style. But to most, it likely means finding another person who you can trust implicitly with everything up to and including your life.  Your partner is probably the most important person in your working life.

We all work for the City of Chicago which is run by Rahm Emanuel. How many of you would ever consider him as your partner?  Stop laughing.  The question was rhetorical and only posed to demonstrate the ridiculousness of the scenario.  Yet, your FOP president, Dean Angelo, is considered a partner by Rahm.  In fact, he even considers him more than just a partner.  Rahm calls him a "true partner" in a Suntimes article dated 11/05/14.

Now, Dean is going to say that this statement is taken out of context, but keep reading and you decide.

When you look at the facts you can clearly see why Rahm would consider Dean a "true partner".  After all, Dean has saved Rahm at least a quarter of a billion dollars (yes, you read that right, a quarter of a billion) in pension contributions that were supposed to made in 2016 alone to properly fund our pension. As a matter of fact, Dean allowed Rahm to put off these payments for another fifteen years. A "TRUE PARTNER" indeed.

Dean agreed to give back free healthcare for anyone who retires at 55 after June 2017.  I know, for a fact, that this proposal was not on the contract negotiations table prior to Dean taking office as president of our Lodge.  Another sign of a "TRUE PARTNER".

Dean agreed to multi-tiered healthcare coverage where it will cost you more money to seek premium healthcare from the best doctors and hospitals.  Dean agreed to co-pays for all doctor visits and even higher co-pays for specialist visits.  Dean will try to tell you that all the other unions got stuck with this and therefore, so did we, but in a prior contract arbitration the arbitrator made it crystal clear that the FOP had the right to negotiate its own healthcare regardless of what the other unions got stuck with.  This will save the City hundreds of millions of dollars by taking hard earned money out of our pockets.  Sounds like a "TRUE PARTNER" to me.

When the City decided to scrap IPRA and form a new investigative agency called COPA did Dean fight the issue?  No. He said at a General Membership Meeting that we would just have to wait to see what the City came up with.  Why would he sit idly by and let the City dictate what it was going to do?  Maybe, it is because he is Rahm's "TRUE PARTNER".
I guess I must be naive, but I thought that when someone was elected to serve as the president of the FOP he would automatically become MY TRUE PARTNER.  I guess I was wrong because, when it comes to the union, I have been riding '99 for the past three years.

A LITTLE PENSION REALITY

Probably the most important benefit for police officers is the pension.

For the decades of difficult, dangerous work of law enforcement, police expect that their pension will be waiting for them.

And there is perhaps no issue more filled with misinformation than the funding and politics surrounding this key benefit.

First, members should understand a crucial piece of legislation that passed during the Angelo administration.

Though a little complicated, it’s essential that members be aware of it.

On 30 Nov 2016, a bill passed that moved a clause called the "born before date" to 1 Jan 1966. This means that there were no increased retroactivity benefits for FOP members from 2010 to 2017.  Because of this, officers who retired after attaining age 55 from 2010 until now have each lost as much as $11,000.00 in pension benefits that they will never makeup.

That’s right, $11,000.

And it’s not just the lost money. This bill sets a precedent: The Angelo administration the first in the history of the FOP that failed to garner retroactivity.

Why should FOP members see such a crucial benefit diminish? Why should we open such a door in negotiations? We do not need FOP leadership that negotiates away our benefits, especially a benefit as important as our pension.

Why did Angelo do it? No one knows for certain. But some point to the possibility that he did it in exchange for a cut of a future Casino proceeds.

Anyone seen any casinos in Chicago? Anyone seen any under construction?

FOP - GOIN' SOUTH?

FOP members in Chicago are facing fraudulent accusations all over the city. IPRA, COPA, prosecutors, and IAD are attacking them for the most frivolous reasons. They are being stripped. Their insurance just went up. Their union sold out their pension security in the last contract. And law firms throughout the city are looking for ways to profit from making allegations against them.

In response to the dire situation facing these FOP members, what is the current FOP administration under Dean Angelo doing to battle for its members?

They’re planning a trip to Florida, that’s what.

That’s right. Angelo and his guys are heading to Florida around January 12.

Florida? What could be there? Is it the beaches? Disney World? Riding with the dolphins?

Nope.

What lies in Florida are Angelo’s slim hopes of reelection.

Earlier this week, Angelo’s board of directors approved a new policy that will allow retirees to re-join the union, even if they haven’t been members or paid dues in decades.

Isn’t that fantastic? All these retirees have to do is pay one year’s dues and they’re back in.

But wait a minute, a member might ask, a member who has been paying all their dues for all those years. Shouldn’t these members pay up for the interim?

Forget about it.

Lodge 7 set retiree dues at $40 for each year. The State Lodge gets $25 of that and the National Lodge gets $10.50. So, our Lodge only gets $4.50 per member for the entire year.

In any case, one wonders what possible purpose could signing up all these lapsed members serve to help the current members of the FOP?

What is so important that Angelo should fly down to Florida and hold a meeting with retired members at their condominium compound down south?

Well, a cynical FOP member might say it was nothing more than a plot to secure more voters from the ranks of the retirees in the upcoming election.

Cynical, indeed.

One might think that Angelo—facing an election with little or nothing to show members during his tenure as FOP president—hatched this transparent plot as a means to get more retirees on the voting rolls. After all, Angelo clearly believes his support is far stronger among that demographic than the working members.

Some members might think that such a policy violates the constitution, that the constitution says members must be in good standing. But don’t bet on Angelo’s lapdog board to ask any meaningful questions or put such a crucial new policy under any microscope.

Hell, they might even get invited on the trip to the Sunshine State. See some old friends. Take a swim. Enjoy fresh seafood.

So while Angelo and his guys are shaking hands down in Florida and making pitchers of margaritas, trying to salvage some votes from the wreckage of their failed administration, FOP members will be working in the arctic cold, wondering how they will pay for their increased insurance costs, when the next crazy CR number is coming down, what the status of the lawsuit against them is, and whether the Department of Justice is taking aim at them.

But they shouldn’t worry. All phone calls to the FOP will be forwarded to Angelo and his guys down south. Their questions can still be fielded, even above the din of the margarita mixer.