Official Magazine of the Metropolitan Alliance of Police ... Newsletters/Summer/MAP RAP... · and...

Official Magazine of the Metropolitan Alliance of Police

Monumental SupportMAP members honor law enforcement by attending

National Police Week in Washington D.C.

TheRAPSheetSummer 2018

You are what you read:Escape the talons of social media

n BY JOSEPH ANDALINA PRESIDENT EMERITUS

I was reading an article recently in American Police Beat titled, “Delete Facebook and feel better today.” As you may know, I am not a fan of Facebook, Twitter, Twattle or Twinkle. Don’t do them, don’t read them, don’t care. Way too much information, and in-formation is not knowledge.

But so what? I get it. I like my privacy. “Sad to be alone,” as the great jazz musician Sonny Boy Williamson sang, is not something I shy away from. I like my privacy. Oh, I already said that. But many of you love the posting and roasting in social media. That’s fine with me, too.

The gist of the article, as you may have guessed, is how delet-ing social media from your daily grind can make your life better. This stuff can be unhealthy, mindless and interrupt your daily life. Couldn’t agree more. But you’re going to do what you do, so God bless you. Remember, however, that it’s not only mindless but many coppers have “bought time” or their jobs for mindless tweets or posts. Once it’s out there, it never goes away. Think be-fore you post, my law enforcement friends.

I also like the excerpt about while attending events with other folks, you should avoid conversations about reality shows, espe-cially cop shows. Remember, if you do anything you see those actors do on a cop show, you can kiss your career goodbye. It’s a script, folks. It ain’t real. Now surprise, surprise, you used to be able to do some of those things you see on the telly, but not any-more. I’m pretty sure that was before cell phones with cameras.

I went to a block party once in our new neighborhood where we bought a home many eons ago. It was an emerging subdivi-sion, so everyone was there for a meet and greet. As it was, I no-ticed a lady staring at me. Finally, she built up her courage and came over, introduced herself and said she heard I was a police officer. I said, “Yes, that is correct,” and introduced the blonde to our new neighbor.

She said, “I’m so glad a police officer lives down the street, I feel so safe.” (I wasn’t a cop in my new town.) I replied, “I wish a police officer would move next door to me, so I could feel safe, too.” The joke was lost on her, but you all get it, I think. So, I don’t talk shop if I can possibly help it. Sooner or later, people will figure you out and who you are. Avoid it if possible.

Another thing I enjoyed about the article was a couple of para-graphs the author wrote about “You are what you read.” I love books and have amassed a huge library since I was 16. I’ve also donated hundreds of books over the years to charities. I now try to buy one and donate one, but somehow that doesn’t always work as planned, much to the dismay of that blonde lady I men-tion now and then.

I remember in the police academy long ago in a lost time, an instructor told the class, “When you actually hit the streets, most of you will forget to read unless it’s Chapter 38 or the UVC.” May-be when you’re in the bathroom, you will pick up a magazine on guns, ammo or fishing, but that will be it. I found that to be very true for most coppers I know. These magazines were common reading material at our barn.

4 THE RAP SHEET ■ SUMMER 2018

The Lead StoryThe Lead Story

THE RAP SHEET ■ SUMMER 2018 5

When I would ask fellow coppers “What are you reading now?” I was met with glassy-eyed stares. “I just read the paper, or Al Linder in In Fisherman magazine” would be a typical response. He had a good story on crankbaits. I admit, I still don’t know what crankbait is or does. A crabby minnow, perhaps?

If I asked a question on a new space probe being launched or a topic in astronomy, I received an excited response on how Taurus and the planets were aligned for an exciting shift during a full moon. That’s astrology, nimrod, not astronomy. But that aligns well with the newspapers, doesn’t it? Quickly, check your local rag for a column on astrology. Find one yet? Now look for one on astronomy. Any luck? Who would have thought that? But that’s where we are now, both in and out of our workplace. People read what’s fast and popular. It seems to be the harbinger of social me-dia — fast, popular and, of course, anonymous.

Also, the article in question that got me thinking reported, “Great books feed us, they are bread for the head, a pleasant de-parture from the world.” Well said, well said.

It also informs us that the author, Brian McVey, says that cops going to court have plenty of down time and should read. The author would cringe seeing officers staring at the hallway walls like zombies waiting for hearings to begin. He brought books to court exclaiming, “I am getting paid to read this book.”

That, my friends, brought up mellow memories. I too would do that every time a court appearance was mandated. I have read many an Isaac Asimov science fiction novel, a King tome, some historical nonfiction on the Civil War or the Medieval world while waiting for court to begin.

What a great way to spend your time while waiting for the

judge, an arrogant prosecutor or demanding defense attorneys. Passing the time on a bench went by quicker with a book in my hand.

I recall I was once reading “Sea of Slaughter” by the incredi-ble Farley Mowat when a fellow detective with me on a murder trial asked me how I could read while waiting to testify as he ner-vously shifted through his reports. My answer was simple. “Well, I was there at the scene. I wrote the report and read it over many times. I know it. Nothing has changed, and no attorney is going to be able to change the facts, no matter how stupid his bungling questions might seem to me. It was time for me to relax and read something I wanted to read. It put me in a better frame of mind to testify, too. And if the defense attorney saw you relaxed and reading, it made him nervous.

I doubt if my fellow detective ever got it, and I’m sure they looked at me as a little weird and unorthodox. But that was OK. I was never bothered by opinions. I’m confident and content in my Sicilian olive skin.

And that is why I have been able to ignore the online madness of liberal or racial media, its bullying craziness and anonymous worthless tirades. I don’t have to show off my children, my new Edge or any other object of my desire on some online site. I just try to read good stuff and try to learn something.

So pick up a good book or an In Fisherman magazine and read what Al Linder might say. “Whoa, dat’s a nice fish, Ron…lookit da siza dat pig.”

The late, great Carl Sagan once said, “Books break the shackles of time.”

I guess you can share that on Facebook, too. d

The Lead StoryThe Lead Story


COVER STORY

CONTENTS

The Lead Story: Do you read me?

Mail to the chiefs

Par excellence

Summer 2018MAP RAP SHEET Main Number:

312-515-7523

Advertising: 201-410-1721

Editorial: 201-370-4082

Distribution: 201-880-7288

MAP Main Number: 630-759-4925

MITCHELL KRUGEL Publisher/Editor

[email protected]

DAN RAPPOPORT Sales Director

[email protected]

GINA CROTCHFELT Art Director

[email protected]

AMBER RAMUNDO Staff Writer

[email protected]

JOE ANDALINA Contributing Editor

CAROL ANDALINA MAP Editor

[email protected]

KIMBERLY FLYNN AMY CIAURO STELLABOTTE

Copy Editors

DEANNA HUNTER Director of Operations

[email protected]

VOLUME 1, NO. 2

The MAP RAP SHEET is a quarterly publication dedicated to law enforcement and criminal justice professionals in the state of Illinois. ©2018 KRURAPP COMMUNICATIONS, INC. Reproduction of any part of this magazine without ex-press written permission is prohibited. Reader comments and editorial submissions are welcome, but neither the Publisher (Krurapp Communications, Inc.) nor the Metro-politan Alliance of Police assume any responsibility for the return of unsolicited material. The Publisher manages and controls all advertisement relationships and ultimately re-tains the right to accept or reject any advertisement. The acceptance of advertisements by Metropolitan Alliance of Police does not constitute an endorsement of the product or services advertised. The Publisher and the Metropolitan Alliance of Police, nor any of their officers and/or employ-ees, make any warranty, express or implied, including the warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any infor-mation, apparatus, product, or process included in any written or submitted content or in any advertisement. The views and opinions of any advertiser or third-party article contributor do not necessarily state or reflect those of either the Publisher (Krurapp Communications, Inc.) or the Metropolitan Alliance of Police, and are not used for advertising or product endorsement purposes. The MAP RAP SHEET, its Publishers and/or the Metropolitan Alliance of Police assume no financial responsibility for errors in advertisements.

What police officers should be reading for the benefit of their careers and their lives cannot be found on social media. Try picking up a book ..................................................................... Page 4

In his Chief’s Follies, Joe Andalina tells about a chief who gets it and several others who don’t ..............................................................................................................Page 11

The 23rd annual MAP Golf & Dinner Outing brought out members and sponsors who enjoyed a day of basking in the sunshine and all the union offers that makes it so successful ......................................................................................................Page 18

Also in this issue

Shining at Police Week

Fine Tunes

You never forget your first

MAP members added to the glow and glory of Na-tional Police Week in Washington D.C., including:

The great accompaniment for National Police Week comes from the music of the pipes and drums bands that play at all the events that honor and remember fallen officers. The headline performance is always “The Midnight Piper” played at the National Law En-forcement Officers Memorial as the clock strikes 12. Bolingbrook Chapter #4 member Tom Gallas had the honor of being The Midnight Piper as part of playing with the Pipes & Drums of the Emerald Society Chica-go Police Department, which served as the host band for National Police Week 2018 .................... Page 14

Michel Harmon, a member of the Tinley Park chapter, made his first visit to National Police Week this year and relates why every officer should attend at least once ............................................................ Page 16

Official Magazine of the Metropolitan Alliance of Police

Monumental SupportMAP members honor law enforcement by attending

National Police Week in Washington D.C.

TheRAPSheetSummer 2018

Chaplain’s Corner ......................................Page 7Legislative News .......................................Page 8Life is Beautiful .......................................Page 12Bits ‘N’ Pieces ...........................................Page 24Member News ........................................Page 26

Contract Corner .....................................Page 28

MAP Collective Bargaining Chapters .............................Page 29

Legal Commentary ...............................Page 30

Mental Health and Wellness ..............Page 31

CHAPLAIN’S CORNER

Unprecedented times, unprecedented faith


When a police officer is killed, it’s not an agency that loses an officer, it’s an entire nation.

— Chris Cosgriff, Founder, Officer Down Memorial Page

I have been in church ministry for more than 39 years. I have been in-side of many ministries within the church and outside in the community including police chaplaincy and as hospital chaplain. So I have a bit of experience in many areas, but recently I attended a workshop on active shooter, also known as violent critical incident. Wow! Yes, we have come

into a new age when we as a church need to look at possible incidents at church. It has been around us for ages but with the workplace and school incidents, it is now on our doorstep. In the past, we’ve prepared for a Sunday when maybe the air or the heat would be an issue or a fire alarm would require evacuations. Now we need to prepare for a violent critical incident and do so without frightening our congregations. We will move forward and consult our parishioners in law enforcement to set us on the best path forward with their guidance.

Violence seems to be everyday news and so, too, are many of you who have con-fronted and ended violent crimes. It used to be you would worry about the traffic stop or the domestic incident calls. Now you need to add schools and workplaces to your list of dangerous assignments. One thing I have noticed; those of you with body cams are proving to be a good protection for the false attempts to impugn your work. To date this year, 65 officers have been killed in the line of duty. Looking back on last year, the pace will be more deadly if this trend continues.

We thank you for your service to us all — in corrections, dispatch and in policing. We all pray for your safe return to your family.

Summer is here and includes time off to relax and enjoy your families. We hope you find time for your faith expression. Be good to each other and be safe.

Peace!Chaplain Tom RossContact Tom at [email protected]. d

THOMAS ROSS

Metropolitan Alliance of Police

Board of Directors Keith R. George

President

Richard Tracy Vice President

Raymond Violetto Treasurer

John P. Ward Secretary

John Holiday Director

Mark Wolenberg Director

Michael Martin Director

Chief Counsel Joseph Mazzone

Co-Counsel Richard Reimer

Steven Calcaterra

Additional Counsel Ronald Cicinelli Chris Potthoff

Keith A. Karlson Jerry Marzullo

Raymond Garza Gary Deutschle

John Gaw Mark McQueary Karen Zajicek

MAP Chaplain Deacon Thomas Ross

215 Remington Blvd. Suite C Bolingbrook, IL 60440

630/759-4925 fax: 630/759-1902

e-mail: [email protected] www.mapunion.org

As we head to the printing of this issue, we don’t have an opinion from SCOTUS on the AFSCME/Janus case. It’s due sometime in June, so we won’t have a result as of press time. If the court rules for the union, we will maintain our ability to bar-gain collectively for all union membership in the USA. If Janus prevails, it will open the door to right-to-work and individual municipal laws and ordinances to hinder union membership and dismantle current contracts. It will be all bad.

More about this effort in our fall issue.

Finally, some good newsThe Toilet Man of Illinois, J.B. Pritzker, who had his facilities

removed from his unoccupied, residential mansion to avoid paying taxes, has been touting a “progressive tax.” Yes, Flo will be coming over to collect it, too. Actually, every Democrat in the March primaries was on board with this fiasco. And it would screw everyone. It’s getting legs among this party and I imagine some Republicans will see this as an easy tax fix, also. Howev-er, it needed an Illinois Constitutional amendment approved by the general assembly to be placed on a special referendum ballot and then put up for a vote by all taxpayers.

Pritzker wanted us to trust him on this, and the details on who and what gets taxed would be unveiled by Vanna White on a future “Wheel of Fortune” show.

And this is where the good news comes in.In steps the Republican party to save the day. House Minority

Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) earlier announced that 50 of his compadres are opposed to a tiered tax structure. It will not be posted as a referendum this time around. So we have a reprieve from this abomination.

Anyway, the bill’s sponsor for the Flo tax, Rob Martwick, a Democrat from Chicago, (where else?) said something needs to be done to fix the pension crisis (that they caused), “or else!”

I’ll take the “or else” for now.

More on progressive taxMore brainless ideas to steal your money by Democrats: Ev-

ery single candidate wants a progressive tax. They will never take their hands out of your pockets. Republicans killed this tax proposal as stated above – you know, the same party that wants to kill collective bargaining, change your pension and kill your retirement. Rauner, who made $91 million last year, could fund the program for a long time. The year before that, he made $188 million. Poor guy.

J.B. Pritzker reports $15 million in income. His tech hub busi-ness, according to Forbes, however, is $3.4 billion. (That’s bil-lions, homie.) How ever do they live on that? I guarantee they will find a way to reduce their tax levy, while patting you down for your pennies.

Fatten ’em for the slaughterAs the lawmaking session winds down for the long summer

vacation, and lawmakers prepare for the mid-term elections, not so much is happening. However, a Senate panel has tenta-tively okayed a plan for folks in Illinois to feed deer outside of hunting season. Lawmakers say that supplemental feeding will be a net positive for the deer population. But no corn — that is not good for them.

The politicians say that you will have a healthy deer herd (ready for hunters to kill them). I think killing them kinda, sorta makes them unhealthy, but what do I know?

Retirement incomeHold on – it’s not an issue this year, but that Illinois think tank

Civic Federation says Illinois has lost billions of dollars by not taxing retirement income. It estimates that retirees would pay about $4 billion if the state taxed them (you) on a progressive scale.

So beware all you Republican slaves – not that Democrats are any better.

And the Illinois Economic Policy Institute also wants to have politicians raise your gas tax another 50 to 85 cents per gallon. And it wants to increase vehicle sticker fees to about $300, too. Florida could be my permanent destination in the future if law-makers don’t ease up. How about you? Where would you go?

I’ll leave this section with this goodie from Mark Twain: “It’s not what we don’t know that gets us in trouble. It’s what we know for sure that just ain’t so.”

Chiefs and pensionsSpringfield is proposing a bill that would allow law enforce-

ment officers to opt-out of vesting for a second pension if hired as a police chief. Springfield sees it as flexibility to address a small part of pension funding and save taxpayers money while maintaining wonderful, great and superior leadership in a giv-en municipality. HB 5490 will allow a retired officer hired as a police chief the ability to voluntarily waive the right to partici-pate in another pension plan so he doesn’t have two plans.

Collective Anticipation


LEGISLATIVE NEWSBy: Joseph Andalina

Democratic gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker.


Two thoughts: First, really – you have to make a law so a chief can voluntarily waive a second pension? Second, chiefs may be a lot of things, but they ain’t stupid! Generally…

Legislators and LGBTThe Illinois Senate, with Senator Heather Steans (D), passed

an amended SB 3249 to teach LGBT history into history lessons in public schools. The bill was amended to gain support from the many opponents of the bill. I do not know the specifics of either version but it’s supposed to “weave” LGBT history into a school curriculum. They want factual history and to help stu-dents who feel isolated. Is a compulsory education bill on this issue proper? Do we care what politicians or historical figures were gay? Do we have to peek into the bedrooms as a footnote to history?

I notice that some letters have been dropped from LGBT. I know there are a couple more and maybe numbers and binary or pansexual abbreviations. I do not know where they went, or if there is any history on them to teach.

Part of this is because the Senate is afraid of bullying. I get it, but in my day bullying was a part of growing up. You either han-dled it or grew up wimpy. Our generation did not run to mom-my or the teacher or to a politician to protect us. We met in the parking lot like in that 1987 movie “Three O’clock High” and we settled our differences. Guts and bravery and a punch in the nose settled bullying.

But what do I know? I’m a dinosaur. Times have changed and now you whine and politicians make dumb laws.

But I don’t have an issue with LGBT history. Can’t wait to see the new wave of history books and how are they actually going to teach this course. (If it helps you not feel not isolated, then bless you.)

But pass a law on it? The kicker here, as usual, is the fact that the Senate passes this bill with no funding attributed to teach-ing this history. Go figure.

Sweet homes Chicago

The Chicago City Council has reignited a proposal in which it has provided a $30,000 loan to any Chicago police officers or firefighters who will move to any of the 10 wards which are the most violent in the city. If they stay 10 years, they do not have to repay the loan.

Out of thousands of employees, two have participated in the farthest area on the fringe of the Chatham neighborhood. Yes, just two. The aldermen are perplexed and confused by this. I am surprised by their confusion. It’s a violent area, people. I bet they don’t live there, either.

To be fair, the City calls the program “The Public Safety Of-ficer House Buyer Administrative program to purchase homes in targeted Chicago neighborhoods to enhance revitalization efforts.” Sounds better than “looking for a home in a commu-nity with high homicide rates.” The way they spin it makes it so attractive — unless you know better. The Chicago cops know better. d

OMG: A Jolley, jolly follyn BY JOSEPH ANDALINA

I hate to admit it, but there are some chiefs and sheriffs who actually say and do good stuff. Case in point: Sheriff Mike Jolley from Harris County, Georgia posted the sign you see below out-side his department.

His county respects the Second Amendment. He knows dep-uties and cops can’t be everywhere and this is his way of telling everybody that his citizens will protect themselves.

Look him up. It’s not the first time he has posted stuff on his billboard. It’s refreshing that he is not a mealy-mouthed leader. Kind of like the next guy.

Sheriff Chili DogEtowah County, Alabama Sheriff Todd Entrekin follows the

“letter of the law” for feeding inmates at his jail. Alabama has a depression-era law that allows sheriffs to keep unspent money from jail food provision accounts.

They can legally take any extra money left over after feeding prisoners for themselves – and some do. They keep the money for themselves and can put it in their pockets. The “food provi-sion account” paid, I believe, by the state gives the sheriff a speci-fied amount of money to feed inmates. What’s left over, he keeps. And during a three-year span, Entrekin reportedly took home $740,000. Nice work if you can get it.

Prior to this windfall however, the sheriff reportedly was in debt because he had to borrow money to feed his prison popu-lation. Maybe he wasn’t getting enough aid for the food fund. It really doesn’t make sense. But that’s one excuse for keeping the “overfunded” cash now.

Yes, this is one weird way of running a jail, I agree. However, it is the sheriff’s responsibility to set the diets for inmates. So in Alabama, the amount mandated is $2 a day for each inmate. If the sheriff can feed them for less, he gets to keep what’s left over. There must be some pretty hungry dudes in this here jail.

Dubious? You bet, but the law is clear and that’s the way it is. Maybe lawmakers should think about changing this? Nah, they are lawmakers. Why would they make laws that make sense?

This sheriff has never found a rake he wouldn’t step onWhen Sheriff Israel of Parkland, Florida infamy was asked if

there was anything that could have been done to prevent the high school shooting tragedy, his response was: “If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, O.J. Simpson would still be in the record books.”

WTF? Police leadership at its best? When asked how many calls etc., he received on Cruz warning the police of his tendencies, he said 23; later it was found to be 39.

It’s not all him, however, as the FBI blew a 13-minute frantic call from an informant detailing what Cruz was capable of doing, including Cruz himself, who called saying he was dealing with some “stuff.”

But the ifs-and-buts sheriff sounded like that rake hit him on the head. What I found astonishing is that earlier in 2015, he had taxpayers foot the bill of $12,500 to put huge photos of himself on five Ford Focus squads. Narcissism knows no bounds. No self-re-spect, either.

It is nothing more than five rolling campaign ads. Ego knows no bounds, no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

Another drunk mayorDoesn’t appear to be an exception in our world, does it? The mayor of Romeoville, John Noak, was arrested in April on

suspicion of drunk driving. Earlier, he delivered his “State of the Village” speech, where I’m sure he did not say that afterward he was going to go out and get gassed.

A make-your-own case was called into 9-1-1, and a Romeoville officer spotted the car. There was a lot going on in the stop, which space prevents me from reporting on. But the allegedly inebriat-ed mayor makes the Follies for his “attitude.”

He refused to consent to any breath, blood or urine tests, or to answer questions. He complained that he was not given his Miranda rights, implying that the officer made a procedural mis-take. Little does the drunken individual know of the law regard-ing Miranda.

At one time, Noak asked if the place he was in at the station was under surveillance. When told, “video only,” Noak said to the chief, who always arrives when a mayor gets tagged, “I’m com-ing for you.” Later, he asked a similar question on surveillance and when told video only, he replied to the officer “You’re done.” The officer told him, “Yes, the process is finished,” and Noak said, “No, you’re done.” I wonder what Noak meant? Anyone have any ideas?

The chief apparently did not necessarily feel that the mayor’s statements were of concern. Of course he didn’t. He needs his job.

So naturally, the sobered-up mayor apologized and will make a statement once his case is concluded. We can hardly wait. d


CHIEF’S FOLLIES

News flash: A Decatur police detective commented to a local newspaper that some drug sniffing dogs would have to be euth-anized if marijuana is legalized. He felt the animals would have

Emma, Hogg, Parkland and guns


LEGISLATIVE NEWS

Vita é bella… Life isbeautifulBy Joe Andolina

to be put down because they can’t be retrained.So it’s reported that the police chief, after seeing this com-

ment, “was left scratching his head and apologizing.” Really? Apologizing for his detective’s opinion on a matter which could ultimately prove correct? Why does everyone feel the need to apologize for everything? What did the detective say that was so terrible?

The chief said the detective used a bad choice of words and wishes he didn’t say it. What was he supposed to say? That Lass-ie was going to see Rin Tin Tin in doggie heaven? Of course, af-ter seeing his boss scratch his head and apologize, the detective could see he might have a problem.

An article in the Tribune reports that “experts” in the wake of the detective’s remark have dismissed the assertation of eu-thanasia for these drug dogs. I guess the article has significance as the story confronts the issue that the role of these dogs may change if the deadly weed actually is legalized.

Other experts say that it may be difficult and costly to retrain these dogs, but it can be accomplished by withholding rewards (treats, affection) so the doggie knows sniffing out some Co-lumbian Gold will not yield a positive result.

But what I find interesting was one expert’s statement that there was no reason for any dogs to be euthanized because the plant that makes you fly would be legalized. That’s extreme, he says, and it’s almost like the officer was trying to coerce the peo-ple who are going to be voting on the proposed law.

Now I’m scratching my head on such a ridiculous comment. It’s obvious that you shouldn’t give an opinion that may be con-strued as anti-cannabis legislation, according to the experts. My, how the world has turned.

Vita é bella.

The menace at the high school in Florida has created a world of anger, fear, disgust and a disappointing evolution of fighting amongst ourselves.

As is usual in this country, the press, media and politicians find tragedy as a way to point fingers at those who disagree with each other’s opinions. The killer has been arrested and will get his due. But the frustration that lingers points the finger at the officer who was at the school and did nothing to help those kids. The officer was suspended, and then resigned from his ca-reer after it was learned that he stayed outside during the high school shooting while 17 kids and teachers lost their lives.

It is right to question this officer’s actions. Try as I may, I cannot defend this officer’s actions. Firemen run to fires. Cops run to gunfire. He didn’t. The whys will be answered but in this wake, the students have gone viral on the internet, newspapers and the telly. Protests and more protests demanding new gun laws and restrictions.

Emma Gonzales, an outspoken critic of the NRA is more ra-tional than David Hogg, who comes across as a profanity-laced bully. They blame all us stupid people who own guns and those who belong to the NRA and believe in the Second Amendment.

Having spent the winter in paradise, I am now back to reali-ty in good old Illinois. While in the Land of Sunshine, I walked a lot, visited zoos, aquariums, many nature parks and islands, taking photos of all sorts of critters on the beach.

As most of you will agree, the ocean is calming, reflective and mesmerizing. Walking the soft sand, you see a lot of creatures, both alive and washed ashore. I got pictures of a great blue her-on catching a two-foot bonnet head shark. It took 30 minutes before he could get it swallowed. I will never see that again.

Encountered all kinds of shorebirds, crabs and fish, too. And my favorite, sea turtles. Chased a six-foot black racer snake, but it got away – probably good because I didn’t have my gear and was barefoot. I would have gotten bit a few times and I’m sure it would have let loose a lot of foul smelling you know what, too. Defense mechanism. But I got a picture.

Collected many shells, and the carapaces of various sized horseshoe crabs. Saw moray eels, stingrays and, of course, dol-phins. Simply wonderful.

I did not watch much national news, preferring to view hock-ey or read or walk my dog. It’s all just noise anyway. Disruptive and irritating.

Trump makes America great.Trump and Stormy.Blah, blah, blah.But piercing my balloon was the local news and the nev-

er-ending reporting of murder and mayhem that goes on away from the fun in the sand and sun. Sadly, people like those I de-scribed earlier are “the same all over.” They like to kill each oth-er here, too. Robberies, assaulting and crashing into each other is quite normal, if not excessive.

But we can outmaneuver the noise if we try. I tried, and for the most part, was successful. I strongly recommend that you spend some time on a beach near an ocean – anywhere. It is life affirming and the waves can be very, very calming.

Now I’m home, and all I hear is Rahm and Rauner and the 2018 elections, something I did not read or hear about in the land of Disney.

But you know what?Vita é bella — sensa!

Back to the future

Can’t have an opinion

More on unsustainable pensions


They are children, however, and will only learn over time that screaming and name-calling will accomplish nothing. Just cra-zy kid stuff to many, but their emotions are real.

Their naivety and immaturity shines through, even after sym-pathizing and understanding their desire to have mass murder eliminated at schools. Who doesn’t want that? But the vile fin-ger pointing won’t solve the gun crisis now or in the future.

Guns are here to stay. Some new laws will invariably arise but little can be done with an ass bent on mayhem. You can-not deter them all but you can prepare for future events. It will take the right training and the right cops to protect the schools, where our most vulnerable reside. We protect courthouses, state and federal buildings, stadiums, train stations, airports and others, why not schools? Dismantling the NRA, the Second Amendment and other civilian rights will not stop people bent on carnage.

I hate to sound like a cliché, but really, a good cop with a gun is the only answer in our schools until a culture change ever takes place. And by that, I mean people being nice to each oth-er. Like that’s ever really going to happen. Police who will de-fend the schools with the mindset, proper training and com-munity support will prove over time to be the only answer. So let’s get it going.

Vita é bella.

The climate on freeing you of your Second Amendment and owning guns is the current hot topic, as you know. Everywhere it’s some liberal pointing their crooked fingers at the NRA and gun owners. Most of the rhetoric is just stupid.

Three hundred fifty million people in the U.S.; a few of them are bound to be whack jobs. I don’t know how to stop them. I don’t belong to the NRA, but I don’t have any beef with the orga-nization. Everyone’s special interest needs someone to fight for its agenda. Just like union members do. But it’s unfair of liberals to blame the NRA or gunowners. It’s the crazy asses, stupid!

When you think of it, nowhere is really safe. That’s why you have security checkpoints at Disney World, sports stadiums, state and federal buildings, and why you can’t linger at airports where airplanes live.

It’s a crazy train out there. So for your most valuable of pos-sessions — our children — put cops in schools. But as I’ve writ-ten before, it’s got to be the right cops.

As was witnessed in Florida recently, not all of them are very brave. Most are, but not all. Being fearful is not exclusive to a select few. It can affect anyone at any time. So train the boys and girls in blue who want this job and they will take care of the baddies. Bravery and courage is what cops possess, but it’s necessary to be prepared.

I’ll tell you one thing for sure, banning semi-autos and maga-zines like they did in Deerfield is not going to stop anyone from doing something that causes mayhem in schools. It is so stupid. More knee-jerk reactions from clueless politicians. Facing a $100 fine per day for possessing an AR-15 will do little for those bent on murder. So if you’re caught with an AR-15 or 10-round magazines, and you don’t give them up, you are fined this arbi-trary amount? Please — stop.

All it will do is make more criminals of law abiding personag-es. Chi-raq, with the toughest gun laws, has more murders and attempted killings every day. London, where guns are hard to find, they had more than 7,000 gun-related crimes. Yes, in the Land of the Bobbies, people still kill people with guns.

But the choice of weapons for mayhem spreaders in London

and Wales is knives. More than 37,000 crimes involving knives took place in those two cities alone. It’s so bad now that the mayor of London has just banned the carrying of knives in the city. That’s no joke, either.

Maybe more of their citizens need to arm themselves with an AR-15, which as you probably can guess, is a much more ef-fective way to protect yourself when some bloke with a knife comes after you, or whatever weapon is available to those bent on mayhem.

Vita é bella.

Recently there have been op-ed pieces on the city of Harvey and its financial woes. One writer said that the “unfolding crisis in Harvey should send shivers down the spines of public em-ployees and retirees across Illinois.” Wow — shiver me timbers.

He goes on to write that taxpayers already pay the highest combined state and local taxes in the country and have to pay due to — ready — “unsustainable public benefits and a state government who refused to do anything about them.”

The piece goes on to tell us the fiscal worries of Harvey and how its citizens are on the brink of financial collapse. That is due to the fact that money has been garnished from Harvey’s revenue to pay for pensions. And it is bad with the resulting lay-offs of 40 cops and firefighters.

One think tank watchdog group believes four things should be done to help us all in the future.

• End defined benefit pensions for new employees and give them 401(k) plans like the private sector.

Dude. This isn’t the private sector.• Amend the Illinois Constitution to remove the no-dimin-

ishment clause. Dude. Tried and failed. Stop whining.• Give collective bargaining power back to local govern-

ments. *Maniacal laughter* Dude. • Let cities file for bankruptcy.

Dude. Can’t do that here in Illinois. It’s just a trick to kill collective bargaining and renege on commitments.

As we know folks, any time a think tank or watchdog group gives an opinion, you know it will be bad for public workers.

In reading all this crap, I prefer the words of a retired civil ser-vant in Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s book Notes from the Underground as an answer to this op-ed piece above:

“I am a sick man. I am a spiteful man. I am an unpleasant man. I think my liver is diseased.”

And that’s from reading all about my unsustainable pensions. Sick of it for sure.

Vita é bella.

Remember, when you are dead, you do not know you are dead. It is only painful for oth-ers. The same applies when you are stupid.

– Ricky Gervais 1961 -

My addition: …quite possibly referring to many, many, politicians.

A question of guns

The Sound of HonorBolingbrook MAP Chapter #4 member Tom Gallas performs historic bagpipe tribute at National Police Week


LEGISLATIVE NEWS

n BY MITCHELL KRUGELn PHOTOS BY AMBER RAMUNDO

A glow followed Bolingbrook Detective Sergeant Tom Gallas as he slowly marched around the National Law Enforcement Officers Me-morial in Washington D.C. A late-night rain had passed, and the sky offered an ominous spotlight with a hue that might be found at the old World Music Theater or even Carnegie Hall.

Gallas, a member of the Bagpipes and Drums of the Emerald Society Chicago Police Department, played the Midnight Piper, a ritual that has been taking place during Police Week for more than 20 years. As May 13 turned into May 14, Gallas soloed through a loop around the Memorial, passing all 21,000-plus names of sisters and brothers lost in the line of duty inscribed on its walls.

Stopping intermittently to pay tribute to friends of the band on those walls, Gallas piped for nearly 15 minutes. Despite the late hour, nearly 100 people had come to the Memorial at a time when it has also be-come tradition for departments from across the country to gather and raise a glass to a sister or brother who was lost during the previous year.

The Emerald Society Pipes and Drums was the toast of the town during National Police Week as the host band. And that was no more cheers-worthy than when Gallas performed the Midnight Piper as May

The Sound of Honor


13 turned into May 14. His goosebumps-inducing bagpiping stoked the Memorial, providing a score to mark the memory of a lifetime for the hundreds who came out on this night.

“It’s very humbling to see the names on those walls and all those people out there to see their loved ones,” confided Gallas, who in his 15th year with Bolingbrook. “When you are asked to do something like this, it makes you feel like all the hard work is worth it.”

Gallas served with the Bagpipes and Drums of the Emerald So-ciety as the band played nearly nonstop through the three days of National Police Week’s headline events. From performing at the Candlelight Vigil when names of officers lost in 2017 were called to jamming at the Annual Emerald Society Memorial March on the rainy evening of May 14 to culminating Police Week with a morning performance on the U.S. Capitol steps at the National Peace Officers Memorial Service on May 15, the host band creat-ed the soundtrack of sorrow, remembrance, honor and celebra-tion at Police Week.

Gallas caught the law enforcement and bagpiping fever through his grandfather, who was a Chicago copper for 34 years. He thought about becoming an architect “for about a second,” then began his career with Lemont before moving to Bolingbrook a year and a half later.

“The respect my grandpa held and everything else made me think this was a very honorable line of work to get into,” Gallas added.

When his grandfather passed away, Gallas witnessed the re-spect the pipes and drums can forge at the funeral. So in 2010, with no experience, he sent an email to members of the Emerald Society Pipes and Drums inquiring about joining. He went down the next Thursday night and was put on a set of bagpipes. Noth-ing has stopped him from playing since.

On the night that Gallas played in the midnight hour, rain poured for much of the evening. But when the pipes tuned up, the rain turned off and a glow hovered over the Memorial. Com-bined with the blue and white lights lining the pathways, surreal turned to sublime.

The loop figured to be a four-song set, and Gallas appropriate-ly opened with “Honor Our Fallen.” One of his drone reeds went out during the next song, “Go Lassie Go,” but Gallas regained his tone during the next tune of his set, “Wearing O’ The Green, Min-strel Boy.” And then Gallas hit the high note with a rendition of his personal favorite, “Fields of Anthenry,” before playing “Irish Soldier Boy” for the officers from Kentucky.

Gallas thought he would play for four to five minutes. But there was a need for encores because during his set, he fulfilled the tradition started in the 1990s to stop at spots on the wall where names of colleagues or friends are inscribed.

Gallas made four such stops during his tour. Each one helped him realize what he explained was his duty here.

“I hope a did a good job for everybody who has their name on those panels,” he stated. “That’s what it ultimately comes down to. I’m very happy to come out here to represent our band and all the officers that have been lost.”

When you make such a midnight run, it typically calls for a fi-nal toast. So on the way back to his hotel, Gallas, his wife and Pipe Major Jon Harmening decided to stop for a nightcap at a basement bar that looked quiet enough to fit their solemn mood.

Upon ordering their drinks, Gallas and Harmening couldn’t help but notice that they weren’t the only law enforcement offi-cers still out and about at 1 a.m., perhaps looking to end the night with a salute to those no longer there to clink a glass with them. Those officers happened to be from the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office in California, which lost Deputy Sheriff Michael Robert Fo-ley in a vehicle accident on Feb. 23, 2017.

Foley’s sister was also there, and when they all saw Gallas and Harmening with their pipes, they hoped for them to play one more time. They blew the place up with a version of “Amazing Grace,” a recognition that going above and beyond the call of duty at Police Week can come at any time.

Accordingly, Gallas practically marched out of Police Week playing with the Emerald Society Pipes and Drums. On the night of May 15, the band played at the National Law Enforcement Of-ficers Memorial as a torrential downpour loomed. The monsoon hit just as the set concluded, and all those who had come for this final rendition quickly scattered to take cover.

But the band played on. Once the set was completed, mem-bers were given permission to disband. But 10 band members followed Gallas and Harmening in a makeshift parade exiting the Memorial back to their nearby hotel. They gained an audience along the way and even an additional bagpiper from Pittsburgh as the tunes echoing through the streets drew civilians to the win-dows and into the doorways of storefronts they passed. Crowds formed under restaurant awnings to take videos and cheer.

“It started raining worse and worse, but we thought, ‘Just play.’ Play for all the bagpipe bands from all over the country,” Gallas proclaimed. “You could just feel it. It made a lasting memory in my mind.” d

Tom Gallas makes his loop around the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial on the night he performed as the Midnight Piper.

Gallas stops at a spot on the Memorial wall where the name of a friend of the band lost in the line of duty is inscribed.

n BY DAN CAMPANA

The sounds or remembrance and the scenes of honor made Tinley Park Po-lice Officer Michael Harmon’s first trip to Washington D.C. for National Police Week in May an experience he’ll never forget.

“You’re kind of struck with awe,” said Harmon, who is in his third year with the south suburban department. “It’s amazing to see all the support from your brothers and sisters from all around the country.”

From the Candlelight Vigil on May 13, when the names of all officers lost in the line of duty from the previous year were read to the wreath-laying ceremony that marked the end of the National Peace Officers Memorial Service on May 15 to the interactions with peers from near and far, Harmon found it all to be “pretty surreal.”

“It seemed like there were candles filling the entire National Mall,” Har-mon described of the powerful tribute at the Candlelight Vigil, where more than 30,000 attendees raised candles follow-ing the roll call of names.

Listening to family members of offi-cers lost in the line of duty and seeing the names of the fallen inscribed on the walls at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial gave him a fresh per-spective on his work.

“It’s a reminder and motivation,” Har-mon said, referring to the potential dan-gers and the drive to serve in honor of those who wore the badge before him. “You kind of put yourself in their shoes. For me, it put things in perspective.”

Before coming on with Tinley Park, Harmon served in the Marine Corps infantry and did three tours in Iraq. Be-coming a police officer ended up being the route many of his military sisters and brothers followed after their service. It seemed a natural fit for Harmon.

“A lot of people back home don’t re-alize we were pretty much policing Iraq after the invasion,” he said, noting with a slight laugh that a different set of police rules exist in Iraq compared to on Amer-ican soil.

A Peoria native, Harmon found his first police job in Tinley Park, which is where his wife’s family is located. He works nights on patrol in a diverse com-munity in which he feels appreciated by residents. Beyond the normal day-to-day shifts, Harmon picks up his share of concert detail at the city’s biggest draw, the Hollywood Casino Amphitheater, throughout the summer until October, and serves on the department’s honor guard.

In his first job, Harmon is quick to make it clear he’s found a home.

“I love the department and the guys I work with,” he said.

Harmon doesn’t have one specific goal for his career, preferring instead to keep his future options open with his sights set on becoming either a field training officer, a firearms instructor or joining a SWAT team.

Joining the Tinley Park Police Depart-ment honor guard about a year ago was a natural move for Harmon, who de-scribed his appreciation for the pomp, precision and clean look as the reasons for getting involved.

“That’s something that carried over from the military,” Harmon explained.

Going to Washington D.C. was a bit of a last-minute trip for Harmon and his Tinley Park colleagues who compose the department’s honor guard. They didn’t have any official duties this year; how-ever, Harmon looks forward to the team getting more formally involved as part of National Police Week in the future.

Moved by what he experienced, Har-mon said he returned with a simple mes-sage to other officers who have not been

to D.C. for the event.“We just tell them you have to go,”

Harmon said, adding it’s especially im-pactful for newer officers, such as him-self, who haven’t dealt with the loss of a colleague or close police friend.

His honor guard duties have taken him to police funerals and memorial cer-emonies, but the meaningfulness of such events didn’t register as deeply as seeing thousands of police officers descend on D.C. in remembrance and honor of offi-cers who didn’t make it home.

“It’s very humbling,” he concluded. d

Awe struckTinley Park’s Harmon inspired by his first trip to National Police Week

Tinley Park Police Officer Michael Harmon stands at the seal at the National Law Enforcement Of-ficers Memorial during his first trip to National Police Week in Washington D.C. in May.



Members, sponsors and friends bring out their best to support Metropolitan Alliance of Police

n BY MITCHELL KRUGELn PHOTOS BY JAMES PINTO

The foursome from the Northlake Chapter whooped it up golf style. Chattering and chortling after every shot no matter how far the ball went, no matter how close to the hole was par for the course of these members at the 23rd Annual Metropolitan Alli-ance of Police Golf & Dinner Outing June 18 at The Links of Car-illon in Plainfield.

More than 150 players participated in an event that cannot be fully defined as an outing. Jamboree might be more exact. Or ad-venture. It was a celebration to be sure, and by the time the play-ing culminated and the post-golf activities began, attendance swelled to more than 200 people.

The top-of-the-line event accentuated the best of what MAP has to offer. Camaraderie catapulted from every tee. Sharing sto-ries and ideas between chapter members and the MAP Executive Board abounded from tee to green. And from the bounty present-ed to each participant at check-in to the gourmet buffet dinner served at the end of the day, the outing went above and beyond the call of duty.

Loyal advisors and sponsors like Gary Pater from Bansley and Kiener Certified Public Accountants, attorney Jim Morici from Morici, Figlioli and Associates and financial planner John Faldu-to from Sawyer Falduto joined loyal members like Tim Garlisch from the DuPage County Sheriffs chapter and Lee Martin from the Naperville Sergeants chapter to show support for MAP and especially the law enforcement officers who all articulated how much this union means to them in between strokes and bever-ages.

Retired members and chapter leaders, like Vice President Da-mon Allenson and the boys from Northlake, came out to promote the all-for-oneness that makes MAP uniquely heartening. The laughs extended even beyond President Keith George’s come-dic stylings at the microphone and the prizes that ranged from

Dan Fitzgerald of the Lisle chapter prepares to tee off.

Arturo Cabral of the Northlake chapter lines up a putt while Bill Scanlan (left) and Damon Allenson watch at the 23rd Annual Metropolitan Alliance of Police Golf & Dinner Outing.

Fore MAP

big-screen TVs to high-end golf equipment and attire to a top-of-the-line Glock had attendees buying streams of tickets measured by running them from one end of their outstretched arms to the other. Anything anybody could seemingly want was on hand, in-cluding a good cigar.

“To combine my love for the game with my love and support for the union, how could I not come to an outing like this?” pro-claimed Garlisch, who is in his 26th year with DuPage County Sheriffs. “Even though we all don’t see each other all the time, the guy in the next chapter is my brother, and we’re here for each other.”

Quick shout-out to the MAP Executive Board members, staff and members’ family members, who came out in force and had every detail planned right down to the sun screen. MAP had asked for a bright, sunny day and got a little more than requested with a summer-swelter that made hydrating in any way, shape and form all that much more important. George did his best to help that cause by reminding members in his pre-golf remarks to partake of as much of the clear liquid – the one known as water – as possible.

“Usually, it’s a little cooler, but we’re cops, and we’re supposed


MAP President Keith George makes his pre-round address to players that featured his unique sense of humor that makes the outing so much fun.

Many of the sponsors come back year after year, like Gary Pater of Bansley and Kiener Certi� ed Public Accountants, who watches a putt roll toward the hole.

Fore MAPCONTINUED ON PAGE 20

to be tough enough to handle the heat,” quipped Martin, who has been on with Naperville for 27 years, the past 17 as a sergeant. “It’s nice to come out, not have to think about work for a while and hang out with the guys from MAP.”

Those who came out for the MAP outing obviously did so first and foremost to show support for the union, its members and the law enforcement profession. Morici explained that the kinship goes beyond the fact that his partner, Figlioli, was a police officer and that his father and his uncles served as Chicago coppers. A connection has grown through being able to help officers with workers’ compensation cases that continue to mount because of the growing exposure to injury on the job.

“It’s in our blood,” Morici added. “It’s because of the people and what they face on the job every day. We’ve been supporting this outing and this organization for more than a decade, and we’re always looking to do more for law enforcement.”

Pater realized one of the great values of being part of this out-ing in 2015. He won a 52-inch flat screen TV in the post-round raffle that year. Later that night, the Blackhawks would clinch the Stanley Cup. His wife would not let him set it up to watch the

game, but he did have it working by Father’s Day. These are the tales – the legends – at the core of MAP’s breadth,

the camaraderie, the close-knit support and the good humor to know when and when not to take things too seriously. Pater not-ed how all of the above fills the fairways and especially comes after the 18th hole.

“You can really see afterward how everybody just has a good time,” he continued. “MAP does a great job representing all the police officers, and we’re happy to do anything we can to support the organization.”

While much of the day is spent chasing birdies, the event also brings out birds of a feather. Aurora Police Officer Mike Ortinau is another of those who plays every year because MAP in his blood. Truly. His father was one of the original members as a Boling-brook officer for 26 years, and who, after going to law school, be-came a legal advisor to the union.

When considering what keeps him coming to the outing each year, Ortinau paused and then submitted, “Everything.”


FORE MAP CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

Chicagoland’s Experts for Remediation Services

Who do you call when faced with an overwhelming cleaning dilemma?

ONLY ONE PLACE - CLEANING SPECIALIST INC!Let our professionals assist you in resolving

overwhelming situations

24 hour Emergency Response Service across the City of Chicago and all of ChicagolandBio-hazard/Crime Scene Remediation

Body RemovalCrime Scene Remediation

Hoarding/Distressed Clean upExperienced, confidential, compassionate staff

Cleaning Specialist Inc.2739 Glenwood Dyer Road • Lynwood, IL 60411

(877) 570-1315 • www.csiillinois.com

Making the rounds as much as shanked shots and missed putts was the reinforcement of the benefits of being a MAP member. Mike Gust, who played with his fellow members from Schaum-burg, qualified the benefit by comparison of what he believes his unit has gained from joining MAP 20 years ago.

“We had another union before, and it’s really different coming to MAP,” Gust articulated. “MAP is much better because it is a la-bor union with labor experts negotiating for you, and not just a retired cop.”

Jim Eccardt, the unit president for the Lisle chapter, comment-ed that looking up and down the Links of Carillon he saw not just golfers or police officers, but family members. He saw members who know the feeling that MAP will always stick up for them.

“It’s nice to be able to trust guys who were in the trenches at some point like Keith, (Secretary) John Ward and the other mem-bers of the board,” Eccardt expounded. “It’s nice to have guys

New Supplemental Health Plan!

Don’t Delay, Call Today!

Scott W. DickinsonLicensed Insurance Counselor NPN #374269

President, Republic Underwriters, Inc.Office: 248-641-7800 Ext.1015 • Cell: [email protected] • www.republicund.com

Premium Rates:Individual: $60/monthIndividual Plus 1: $95/monthFamily: $105/month

Benefits include:Accidental Death & Dismemberment: $5,000Excess Medical Expense: $10,000 with a $100 DeductibleDaily Emergency Visits and Urgent Care Centers: $500 (Primary) up to 10x year. Pays in addition to other Insurance.Hospital Fixed Indemnity Insurance: $500 per day for days 1-3 Hospital ConfinementCritical Illness Insurance: $25,000 Guaranteed Issue, $2,500 First Year benefitTerm Life Insurance: $10,000 – up to age 65

who can guide you, who have all that experience to answer any little question or any big question.”

Not that the day needed any more inducement, but to make it more interesting, the outing was played in scramble format with the low round winning trophies, two free rounds of golf at Carillon for each member of the foursome and the coveted MAP T-shirt with “I cheated at the annual MAP golf outing” on the back.

Mark McQueary, Steve Sinnott, Brennan Woods and Rudy Banducci from the Bolingbrook Sergeants/Lieutenants chapter scrambled for that low round, an 11-under-par 61.

Still, there was a greater reward than victory for this group and everybody who came to the 23rd Annual Metropolitan Alliance of Police Golf & Dinner Outing.

“A little competition, a lot of camaraderie and knowing that we’re all here sticking together,” explained Ken Briley, a member of the Minooka chapter. “It goes a long way and it hits your reset button.” d

Prizes including golf equipment, coolers and many more items highlighted the raffle that culminated the event. Members of the MAP Executive Board.


A look at the action on and around the course at the MAP Golf OutingPhotos by James Pinto

Best Shots


2018 MAP UNION STEWARD SEMINAR

Thursday, September 20, 2018

Please provide the name(s) with individual email addresses of attendees, and department/chapter to

John P. Ward at [email protected] to reserve your place.

The Metropolitan Alliance of Police is pleased to announce our annual steward training seminar. MAP representatives and MAP attorneys will be teaming up for an educational seminar to provide

unit leaders the tools and knowledge necessary to effectively represent your members.

Topics include:Body cameras • Recognizing your rights in collective bargaining activities

Understanding your privileges during discipline hearings • Garrity and Weingarten rights Identifying contract violations and effectively applying the grievance process

Negotiating and enforcing your contracts and more

Benedictine University Krasa Student Center in Lisle, IllinoisSeating is limited on a first-come, first-reserved basis.

Check in begins at 8:30 a.m. The seminar will begin at 9:30 a.m. and conclude at 3:30 p.m.

Lunch will be provided.

The book on running a chapterMAP seminar will provide leaders with information to serve their members

Metropolitan Alliance of Police chapter leaders should look to the meme to find motivation to best help their members. That image making the rounds warns:

DANGER. EDUCATED UNION MEMBER.Members educated with knowledge about body

camera use, rights during discipline hearings and Garrity and Weingarten rights – among other top-ics – will be able to procure the protection and con-fidence critical to surviving on the job these days. It’s the information the bosses never provide, or per-haps don’t want to provide.

And it’s part of the plethora of information that will be disseminated at the 2018 MAP Union Steward Seminar on Sept. 20 in Lisle.

“In my experience, education makes all the difference,” asserts John P. Ward, MAP secretary and seminar coordinator. “Many times, what the bosses have told you is not even true. And if you knew what’s in your contract, you would know that. That’s the power of being educated in these matters.”

Ward adds that the sixth edition of the seminar, which is pre-sented by the stable of MAP’s attorneys who are labor law experts, will again be focused on building chapter leadership. Leaders who attend will get information they can provide to members to get out in front of critical incident investigations, discipline actions and other internal affairs matters.

“Nothing is more important to the success of the unit than hav-ing this information,” Ward continues. “As a chapter leader, you

can’t hold everybody’s hand. And if you do, you risk being too late. You have to be able to respond when it happens.”

The mission of the seminar being held at Benedictine University’s Krasa Student Center in Lisle is education about how to properly run a MAP chapter. In addition to sessions on members’ rights, the seminar will again provide education about contract negotiations, filing grievances and chapter leaders’ responsibilities in re-sponding to discipline actions, critical incidents and

officer-involved shootings.This is the type of education all members can never get

enough of. Consequently, Ward suggests that anybody who has ever been to the seminar should come again for the rein-

forcement of the information.“When members know their rights and what they’re able to do,

it gives them more confidence in doing what they should be doing or may be afraid to do,” Ward reiterates. “That makes the members better, which makes the chapter better and makes MAP better.”

The seminar includes lunch and all attendees will receive a booklet that covers the basic information about the issues im-portant to running a union chapter. Every chapter member who attends will walk out knowing about the resources they can rely on in just about any situation.

Ward has also seen attendees walk out with what might be the greatest value from the seminar.

“They go back to their units refreshed and energized,” he ex-plains. “It all comes down to what they educate themselves with.”d


Thoughts and prayersTo the family of Samantha Harar, a telecommunicator at

Wescom. Our sympathies to her family, friends and cowork-ers.

Don’t be this guy

North Miami Beach Florida: A cop there is under investiga-tion for a social media post suggesting the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting incident in which 17 children and adults were killed could be a hoax. Fake news, he must think. He says the students are “paid actors” and not survi-vors.

Among other posts, a screen shot shows a victim’s mother screaming and he writes “bad acting.” This 19-year veteran has had other similar run-ins, but an internal investigation is now in the process.

Cops need to keep off Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and the other personal opinion craziness. I’ve said it elsewhere – and many times – that social media can cost you your job.

More on the evil among us and the death penalty

In an effort to be a kinder, gentler nation, the year 2017 was at a historic low for executions. It appears we are willing to be nice to the criminals who kill our fellow men, women and children. It warms my heart, to be sure.

Really?Doyle Lee Hamm was executed in Alabama in February.

Well, he was supposed to be. Due to medical issues and drug use, his veins were collapsed so everywhere they tried to in-stall a drug port for the lethal injection, the state was unable to do so. Arms, legs, feet, groin – nada. He said he was in ago-ny and wished for death. Too bad he didn’t get it.

He experienced pain, bruising and bleeding, and eventual-ly the execution was halted. “Torture”, his lawyer cries. Thirty


BITS ’N’ PIECESBy Joseph Andalina

years on death row for shooting a motel clerk in the head for $350. His lawyer says the process caused “physical and men-tal duress” for Hamm. Maybe something like the motel clerk went through, but the motel clerk died, robbed of his money and his life.

In multiple articles, all you read about is poor Mr. Hamm. He had a bad life. Okay, whose fault is that? Are you sad, too?

Well, the interesting thing here is that he and his lawyer are looking for a settlement, which most likely would be a vacated sentence and avoiding a second attempt to execute this man.

I’m OK with that. I’m not heartless most of the time. But there were no second chances for the motel clerk.

Karma, dudeIn 1993, Susan Morris, a 21-year old college student, was

abducted by Eric Branch when he tried to steal her car. He dragged her into the woods, beat her, raped her and strangled her.

Last February, he was executed. As it took place, he let out a blood-curdling scream, calling his executioners “murderers, murderers.” Now there’s the pot calling the kettle black.

Like I say, karma, dude.

They are kidding – right?Nope. Not hardly. Carl Reimann, of the 1992 massacre in

a Yorkville, Illinois restaurant who gunned down five human beings in a $640 robbery got 50 to 150 years for each murder, plus more time for the robbery.

He’s 77 years old now and by his sentence, he should serve at least another 200 years in prison. But noooo, the Illinois Pa-role Board voted 8-4 to release Mr. Scumbucket.

See what I’ve been saying? He deserved a death penalty. Five people slaughtered. Five families destroyed. All that for $640?

So many do not serve out their sentences. The better angels of somebody’s nature want to now save those who should not be saved. The Board weighed many factors for his release, es-pecially these three:

• Releasing him would not lessen the seriousness of his crime or promote disrespect for the law. Like I said, you are kidding, right? Big fail here, folks.

• Release must not have a negative result on institutional discipline. This makes no sense to me.

• Release means he must conform with conditions of pa-role. How nice is that?

Makes me sick. Worse than that. The death penalty may not deter more killing, but no death penalty doesn’t seem to help, either. Read the paper.

I know one thing. The chair, the noose or the needle would have prevented this travesty.

Surprise?Governor Rauner the Bruce has surprised a lot of folks –

even me. He has announced that he is thinking of reviving the


death penalty for certain murders:• Killing of police personnel. • The killing of two or more people.And it is to be beyond “all doubt” which is a higher standard

of “reasonable doubt.”Go for it, guv. I’m liking it. About time. Democrats are all in shock now. They still want to save mur-

derers for a variety of reasons. It is in an early stage of discus-sion. Is it a political trick to garner votes, or is he really sick of all the murders and mayhem being committed in the state?

We will surely find out and will comment as the proposed legislation rolls on.

Interesting

Nathaniel Hawthorne, the classic author once wrote: “The first thing the British did when they got to America was to build a jail and gallows.” See, they knew. They knew.

Arrested for sittingI have to admit that I was stunned – and nothing usually

stuns me anymore – when I saw two African American men being handcuffed and arrested for sitting at a Starbucks. While I get that the officers were called there, one has to re-member that we do have discretion on every call. Sitting in a Starbucks waiting for a friend and then being asked to leave is ridiculous.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sat in Starbucks wait-ing for a friend and not buying anything until they got there. Sometimes, for my really late friends, it could be 30 minutes.

Police officers really have to start using more individual dis-cretion. Just because someone else wants someone else ar-rested, we do not have to give them their pound of flesh.

It’s also interesting that these two fellows asked to use the restroom and were told no. Really? It’s a restaurant, not a pri-vate business with no walk-in customers. Regardless of policy, when someone’s gotta go, they gotta go.

At least they asked. I never do; I just “go.” And so do you. Po-lice are sometimes made to look very uncaring by the public. And sometimes by this behavior, we look very unfair, too. Now because of one employee, thousands are going to “implicit bias” training. I don’t know which fiasco is worse.

Reptile news to die forHere we go again. People just can’t “let it go.” Facebook, that

is. It is the depository nowadays of everything stupid.Here a woman put a baby rat snake in a box and let her one-

year old reach in to get bit. People are appalled. This snake has very tiny teeth; it wouldn’t puncture the skin until it gets bigger. Big deal? Maybe not.

They live in Florida – snakes everywhere and many are ven-omous. Kids should know to be careful. All four of my kids handled snakes at a very young age – not a year old, though – but I was always relatively sure the serpents were small and placid. Still, you never know.

You must know your reptile. I don’t agree with this woman’s method but none of my now-adult children have any fear of snakes. I know – big deal. But if your children use the out-doors, they should have some knowledge. But I am sort of bi-ased.

Snakes don’t have to bite to hurt youOn a recent trip to Florida, I attempted to apprehend a

six-foot Black Racer snake. It was unsuccessful because I ran into a low-hanging tree limb. Almost knocked me out, which would have been bad because I had my dog with me, and I haven’t taught him how to use my cellphone yet. Well, after having some severe dizzy spells and follow-up tests, I was diagnosed with a likely concussion and vertigo. May have symptoms for a while.

Yes, stupid is as stupid does.

Look at this beautyNo, not me, but thanks anyway. No concussion is going to

stop me from handling critters.Here is yours truly with a Granite Anerythristic Corn Snake,

which is basically a black-and-white color with no genetic yellow or red pigments and bred to the granite type. Or some-thing like that. I think she’s gorgeous.

More snake bitesFrom Meka leka heinie ho:Q: Joe, are you some sort of sick psycho freak with all this

snake crap?A: Yes, Meka, I am.From Chilly beanie little wienie:Q: Mr. A, you belong in a mental hospital. A: Wienie, that has been suggested, and my wife is consid-

ering her options.From scared to death:Q: Idiot, aren’t you afraid you will get bit?A: Death, it’s not “if” you get bit, it’s how many times.I don’t mess with Timbers since my younger years when I

was a nimble “yout.” Been bitten by a variety of harmless ser-pents, the worst of which was a two-foot Anaconda. Bit me twice in a second. That one hurt.

Feel free to express yourself, anytime.Reptile lives do matter. d

23rd Judicial District Court, Kendall County Christopher MeyersAddison Amanda MantonAlgonquin Civilians Rene MassowAlsip Kyle ForsythBridgeview Rakan HammoudehBuffalo Grove Eric Sarat Evan WoodwardCarpentersville Dhaval PatelCenCom Michael PaulusCook County TC Supervisors Jessamy MorbyCortland Brian SawyerChicago State University Jordan SteardCrystal Lake Ilya KrutogarskiyDarien Matthew GizaDeKalb County Kathryn Butts Joshua Martinez Rociel Najera

Ryan WallisDuPage County Coroners Ashley JemersonDuPage County Forest Preserve Daniel Vargas Nathan WaldoDuPage County Forest Rangers Hahnz TeopeGrundy County Civilians Lisa Imes Bethany Mannan Cayla SkoliHanover Park Civilians Mariangela BologninniHazel Crest Kaitlyn Grennes DeShawn Jackson Jason Johnson Jasmine Lockhart Darius PowellHoffman Estates Clayton JohnsonHomewood Timothy RosenbergIndian Head Park Louis D’Attomo Anthony MaravigliaJustice Samuel HogancampLaSalle Corrections Thomas Bradley

McHenry County Clerks Dan Golbeck Karen LosMETRA Asonta Dodd Lisa Greenwood Michael Hosteny Armrhad Johnson Stanley RodriguezMomence Craig Abraham Randal Bogathy James MrjenovichMoraine Valley College Ross BrenzaMorris Dakota CollofelloMount Prospect Nora SobotkaMundelein Jessica SextonNiles Roy Brines Michael DatiNortheastern Illinois Campus Police Paul WhitfieldNorthern Illinois University Mia Shovonn WilliamsNorthern Illinois University Dispatch Darby Fisher Jared James

Donald WronkowskiNorthwest Central Dispatch Joseph Filipek Stephanie VenturelliOak Forest Michael Corona Adam Tudor Lee WestOak Lawn Detention Officers James KocherOswego James LukaszekPark Forest James Johnson Jennifer KeithPlainfield Brandon Fox Ricardo RoblesRiverwoods William KirbyRomeoville Marisol Diaz Rebecca JourneySchaumburg Ian Miller Tom Piszczor Mohamed SobhySaint Charles Nicole Diehl Joseph Gaske Richard JacksonStreamwood Civilians Sarah Grueneberg

Streamwood Village Hall Civilians Chrisy Tang Nancy Tourtellott

Tinley Park Steven Carrabotta Michael McCullough

University of Illinois Chicago Michael Nardulli Elizabeth Phalen Michael Rowe Royce Williams

Wescom Emily Seeman

Westchester Gary Padalik

Wheaton Miguel Palomo

Willow Springs Edward McKinney Gerard Murillo Mark Wirth

Winfield Jordan Clapper Ryan Lemezis

Woodridge Aaron Meeks Czar Zeman

Algonquin Timothy WilkinBlue Island Bernadine RzabBolingbrook Kristen Swienton

Brennan Woods

DuPage County Coroners

Timothy Rounce

Maywood Sergeants

Michael Babicz

Mount Prospect

Michael Angarola

Jeffrey Schmitz

Niles

Timothy Naleway

Saint Charles Sergeants Michael McCowan

Schaumburg Command Alan Takei

University of Illinois Chicago Jose Bermudez

Michael Kotz Terry WilliamsWheaton Sergeants James Craig Robert Miller Angela Smith Princeton Youker

Arlington Heights Robert Hess Michael McEvoy

Bolingbrook Command David Schurr

Carol Stream Sergeants Glenn Harker James Lucas

Carpentersville Angel FigueroaCrystal Lake Sean McGrathDeKalb County Dianna Roman

DuPage County Paul Bergermeister Kimberly McCormick

Hoffman Estates James Kenaga

Justice Ronald Urbanski

Maywood David Gude

Mount Prospect Thomas Hoskinson

Mount Prospect Command Timothy Janowick Robert SmithOak Forest Eric WynnOrland Park Sergeants Tim HastyRoselle Douglas Oden

Schaumburg John ZwiroskiSchaumburg Command Patricia DonovanStreamwood Civilians Cathy PlanzUniversity of Illinois Chicago Zyad Hasan Wheaton Andrew Uhlir

Orland Park John Bush

Celebrating Promotions

Honoring Retired Members

Welcoming back members from military service

Welcoming New MAP members: June 2018


MAP MEMBER NEWSWelcoming new members, celebrating promotions, honoring retired members and more

BensenvilleMike Larson PresidentSaul Herrera Vice PresidentTom Gilliam Secretary

Crystal Lake Mike Jedlicka President Adam Danowski Vice PresidentKurt Majzner TreasurerPhil Lloyd-Mietus Secretary

DeKalb CountyBecky Taft PresidentJosh Duehning Vice presidentJill Miller SecretaryMary Ann Criscione Treasurer

DuPage CountyMark Wollenberg PresidentPat Burke Vice president (AB)Ryan Culver Vice president (LEB)Brian Barkalow SecretaryDonald Krause TreasurerScott Kuchell Sergeant-at-ArmsStephan Josic Sergeant-at-Arms

University of Illinois ChicagoAnthony Robinson PresidentMatt Paulish Vice PresidentChris Eterno Administrator #1Leah Estrada Administrator #2Geroid Martin Secretary Bryan Muhammad Treasurer Billy Honoites Sergeant-at-Arms

BolingbrookCongratulations to those members who received com-

mendations and awards. The following employees received 2017 awards:

Civilian of the Year: Police Aide Giselle Velasco Officer of the Year: Officer Steve Alexander Supervisor of the Year (tie): Lieutenants Mark McQueary

and Dave Schurr018 Top Gun Award: Sergeant Nick Keedy Office Lindsay Kinsella was presented with a lifesaving

award for her actions on Feb. 5, 2018. She deployed her AED equipped with “Narcan” to respond to a 28-year-old overdose patient, whose family had stated, “He was already gone.” The male subject regained consciousness as the Bolingbrook Fire Department arrived on scene.

Mount ProspectThe Mount Prospect Police Department Awards Commit-

tee named Investigator William Ryan, a nine-year member of the department, as the 2017 Officer of the Year.

In making the selection, the committee considered Ry-an’s overall performance during the rating period and his “passionate commitment to law enforcement.” He was also

recognized for his positive attitude, reliability, teamwork, initiative and professional work ethic as just a few of the factors leading to his selection.

Ryan’s overall effort and involvement as an integral part of several noteworthy investigations and arrests during 2017 also contributed to his selection. Ryan received three departmental commendations and was also the “Officer of the Quarter” for the second quarter of 2017.

Officer Eric Knippel, a three-year veteran of the depart-ment currently assigned to the patrol section, was named a runner-up for the honor. During the award period, Knippel received five letters of appreciation, one honorable men-tion and three departmental commendations. The commit-tee cited Knippel’s outstanding performance and attention to duty during the award-rating period.

Officer Christopher Johansen, a three-year veteran of the department, was also named a runner-up. During the award period, Johansen received four departmental com-mendations including being named the “Co-Officer of the Quarter” in the first quarter of 2017. The committee cited Johansen’s outstanding performance and attention to duty during the award-rating period. d

Newly elected board members

Chapter News


Joseph MazzoneElk Grove Village Five-year contract in effect May 1, 2018 to April 30, 2023:• Negotiated different wage rate for officers

still in the academy• New benefit for firearms certification and

Field Training Officer stipend:• $750 for firearms certification• One-hour straight time pay for each

day as FTO• Next-step probation to 18 months gradua-

tion from academy• Wage increases:

• May 1, 2018: 2.25 percent• May 1, 2019: 2.5 percent• May 1, 2020: 2.5 percent• May 1, 2021: 2.5 percent• May 1, 2022: 2.5 percent

• At the seventh step, maintain the ninth-ranked among 20 comparables – should equal at least .5-percent adjustment

• Increase in longevity pay• Created an opt-out benefit for insurance:

Officer to be paid 20 percent of the vil-lage’s share of the current premium cost for either single, single-plus-one or family medical coverage

• Increase in uniform benefit• 10-hour shifts have been included in the

contract at the discretion of the chiefWaukegan SergeantsContract for May 1, 2016 to April 30, 2018, pursuant to arbitrated award by Arbitrator Richard Hanft on March 24, 2017: Pursuant to that award and the tentative agreement of the parties, the following are the modifica-tions to the contract:• Eliminated residency requirements• Redefined personal leave days• Implemented and modified 12-hour shift

schedule• Modified holiday pay: time-and-a-half for

all hours worked on a holiday• Designated double time for call-ins on

designated holidays• Increase in uniform allowance• Increase in longevity pay• Full retroactivity• Modification and increase of vacation

buyback• Modification of layoff and recall language• Wages:

• 2 percent on Dec. 1, 2016 with addi-tional 1.5 percent make-up increase retroactive to Dec. 1, 2014

• 2 percent on May 1, 2017DuPage CountyContract for Dec. 1, 2015 to Nov. 30, 2019:• Modifies represented unit to include

Court Security Officers• Updates definitions and acronyms by

agreement of parties• Provides for quarterly list of promotions

and suspension• Provides for local dues deduction• Provides that any employee transferred

into a bargaining unit who fails the pro-

bationary period will not be terminated but will be transferred back to the previ-ous position

• Maintains current transfer list and post on internet

• Provides for redefinition of seniority• Clarifies seniority rights• Provides for semi-annual seniority list• Provides for the arbitration of any dis-

cipline imposed on any member of our chapter, including any suspension or pe-tition to terminate

• GPS and other electronic device not to be used as the sole basis for discipline

• Changes to grievance procedure regard-ing persons entitled to hear the grievance

• Allows for vacation to be used in hourly increments

• Allows for vacation carry-over and cash-out on that vacation to avoid forfeiture

• Provides for employee to be absent for a fixed number of shifts and not notify sheriff each day.

• Clarifies restrictions of light-duty policy• Provides court house deputies with the

ability to use their sworn seniority date when shift bidding

• Verification of overtime policy• Increases pager stipend• Creates and implements Deputy in

Charge of Pay/FTO stipend• Clarifies benefits for light duty• Provides for the hiring of Court Security

Officers• Provides for the new position of Gang

Unit Officer or Judicial Intelligence Offi-cer being staffed by deputy sheriffs

• Maintains status quo on sick-leave buy-back to not negatively affect pension ben-efits and maintains status quo on numer-ous attempts to take away by the county

• Provides for retroactive pay effective Dec. 1, 2015

• Administration Bureau received raises of:• 2 percent on Dec. 1, 2015 (Employees

with 17 or more years of service will re-ceive a 2.25-percent increase

• 2 percent on Dec. 1, 2016• 2 percent on Dec. 1, 2017• 2 percent on Dec. 1, 2018

• Law Enforcement Bureau (Deputies, Cor-porals and Detectives):• 5 percent across the board step in-

crease retroactive to Dec. 1, 2015• 2 percent on Dec. 1, 2016• 2 percent on Dec. 1, 2017 (Employees

with 10-16 years of service will receive a 3.5-percent step increase.

• 2.5 percent Dec. 1, 2018 • On Jan. 1, 2018, employees hired to the

position of Court Security Officer will receive $17.85 per hour with a 1-per-cent increase on Dec. 1, 2018.

• Contract was arbitrated by Arbitrator Bri-an Clauss and the award was issued Jan-uary 17, 2018

Richard ReimerSt Charles • Three-year agreement: 2.5 percent in-

crease each year• Officer-involved shooting drug testing

provisionGary DeutschleGilberts• Language clarifying holidays and taking

holidays off• Holiday pay: Time-and-half for hours

worked on holiday• Wage increases of 2.5 percent for four

years• New language regarding sick days sched-

uled in advanceHanover Park PD Civilians• Wages

• All Employees (except Records Clerks/Aides): 2.5 percent for 2017, 2018, 2019 (with full retro)

• Records Clerks/Records Aides: 2.5 per-cent for 2017, 2 percent for 2018, 2.5 percent for 2019 (with full retro)

• “Red Circle” employees will get $750 payment

• Insurance: No language change until 2019. On July 1, 2019, employee’s premi-um contribution shall not exceed 13 per-cent of the total premium

• Beginning in 2018, if employees use no sick time, they will receive cash bonus of $200, payable at annual employee rec-ognition event or the first pay period of February

• Article 12, Section 2 change “after fifth oc-currence” to “after sixth occurrence”

• Holidays: All part-time employees will be paid four hours’ holiday pay for all holi-days listed in the collective bargaining agreement

• Uniforms: Each member shall be provid-ed a polo style shirt with village logo

• Persons assigned to clean kennels will be provided appropriate personal protec-tion equipment

• Education: Mirrors Village Handbook• Court Time: Minimum two hours. If no

village vehicle is available, mileage reim-bursement under village travel policy. If an officer calls in sick for court, it is a sick “occurrence” under the collective bar-gaining agreement

• Language Competency Pay: If a full-time employee passes foreign language profi-ciency test, employee will receive an an-nual bonus

Mark McQuearyProspect Heights Patrol Officers • Wages: 3.5 percent, 2.75 percent, 2.75 per-

cent, 2.75 percent• Increased sick leave buy back• Separate checks for longevity and unused

holiday buy backProspect Heights Sergeants • Wages: 4.0 percent, 2.5 percent, 2.5 per-

cent, 2.75 percent• Increased sick leave buy back• Separate checks for longevity and unused

holiday buy backd


Contract CornerUpdates from our attorneys about collective bargaining agreements for MAP chapters

MAP COLLECTIVE BARGAINING CHAPTERS23rd Judicial Circuit Court ClerksAddisonAlgonquinAlgonquin CSOs/DispatchersAlsipArlington HeightsBarrington HillsBartlettBensenvilleBlue IslandBolingbrookBolingbrook CiviliansBolingbrook Sergeants/ LieutenantsBridgeviewBuffalo GroveBurr Ridge Sergeants/ CorporalsCarpentersville CiviliansCarpentersville PoliceCarpentersville SergeantsCenCom E-9-1-1ChannahonChicago State University PoliceChicago State University SergeantsClarendon HillsCoal CityCook County DCSI Deputy ChiefCook County Dispatch and Vehicle ServicesCook County Dispatch SupervisorsCortland Crest HillCrest Hill SergeantsCreteCrystal LakeDarien Police and SergeantsDarien Police CiviliansDes Plaines Des Plaines Sergeants/ LieutenantsDeKalb CountyDuPage County Coroner DuPage County Forest PreserveDuPage County Forest Rangers

DuPage County Patrol/ Court SvcsDwightE-Com Dispatch CenterEast DundeeElgin Community CollegeElwoodElk Grove VillageFox River GroveFrankfort SeargentsGenoaGilbertGlenwoodGrundy County CiviliansHanover ParkHanover Park CiviliansHanover Park SergeantsHarvey PatrolHarvey SergeantsHawthorn WoodsHazel CrestHickory HillsHoffman EstatesHoffman Estates SergeantsHomewoodHuntleyIndian Head ParkISTHAISTHA Call-takersJohn Stroger Hospital Police SergeantsJohnsburgJusticeJustice SergeantsKane County Peace OfficersLake ForestLake in the Hills Lake in the Hills Police Dispatch/CSO’sLakemoor LaSalle CountyLaSalle County Correctional OfficersLemontLemont SergeantsLisleLockportMattesonMatteson Sergeants

Maywood PatrolMaywood SergeantsMcCook McHenry County Court ClerksMetraMokenaMomenceMinookaMontgomeryMoraine Valley CollegeMorrisMorton CollegeMount ProspectMount Prospect SergeantsMundeleinNaperville CiviliansNaperville Civilians Unit 2Naperville SergeantsNew Lenox SergeantsNilesNorridgeNorthlakeNorthlake SergeantsNorth AuroraNortheastern Illinois Campus PoliceNorthern Illinois Telecommunicators Northern Illinois UniversityNorthern Illinois University SergeantsNorthern Illinois University Security OfficersNorthwest Central Dispatch Oak ForestOak LawnOak Lawn Detention OfficersOlympia FieldsOlympia Fields CiviliansOrland ParkOswegoPalos Hills Palos ParkPark ForestPark CityPeru T/Cs PlainfieldProspect HeightsProspect Heights Sergeants

Quadcom DispatchRiver Valley Detention Center Supvs RiverwoodsRomeoville Romeoville SergeantsRoselleRound Lake Round Lake Park Round Lake SupervisorsSt. CharlesSt. Charles SergeantsSchaumburgSchaumburg CommandSEECOMSeneca SouthcomSouth BarringtonSouth ElginSouth HollandStegerStreamwoodStreamwood CiviliansStreamwood Village Hall CiviliansTinley ParkTricom DispatchUniversity of IllinoisVilla ParkWarrenvilleWarrenville SergeantsWaukegan SergeantsWescom DispatchWest Dundee Westchester Westchester SergeantsWestern SpringsWestern Springs SergeantsWheaton Wheaton Sergeants/ LieutenantsWill County Management AssociationWillow SpringsWilmingtonWinfieldWinfield SergeantsWinnetkaWoodridgeWoodridge Civilians


LEGAL COMMENTARY FROM MORICI, FIGLIOLI & ASOCIATES

Choosing their wordsThe Illinois Appellate Court, First District recently

issued a decision in favor of a suburban police offi-cer who had requested health insurance through the Public Safety Employee Benefits Act (PSEBA). In the case of Marquardt v. City of DesPlaines, Officer John Marquardt suffered a knee injury while inspecting and writing citations on an overweight dump truck that had been traveling on the public roadway. The injury occurred when the officer was climbing a lad-der attached to the trailer in order to document the material contained in the trailer causing it to be sig-

nificantly overweight.Marquardt underwent multiple surgeries to attempt to repair his

left knee injury but was unable to return to full-duty work as a po-lice officer. He applied for and was awarded a duty disability pen-sion benefit. However, the City of DesPlaines denied his request for health insurance under PSEBA, claiming his injury did not occur under one of the four circumstances delineated in section 10(b) of the act: during a fresh pursuit, during a response to an emergency, as a result of an unlawful act perpetrated by another or during the investigation of a criminal act.

He filed suit against the City of DesPlaines in the circuit court of Cook County and that court found in favor of Marquardt. None-theless, the City of DesPlaines appealed, claiming the decision was contrary to the language of the PSEBA statute. The City of Des Plaines argued on appeal that Marquardt was not investigating a criminal act at the time he was injured because an overweight truck violation is not punishable by incarceration and only by a mone-

tary fine. Additionally, his injury did not directly result from, nor was it caused by someone committing an unlawful act. Rather, the unlawful act of driving the truck had concluded and Marquardt was only completing required paperwork and inspecting the truck when he suffered his knee injury.

The appellate court focused on the specific language of the stat-ute to properly determine the outcome of the case, whether his in-jury was “the result of an unlawful act perpetrated by another.” The court first found that operating an overweight truck in violation of the Illinois Vehicle Code constituted an unlawful act under PSEBA. The court then defined the phrase “as the result of” using the plain meaning found in dictionaries: Result means a consequence, effect or conclusion and “as a result” is equated to the phrase “because of something.” Noting these definitions, the court ruled that Mar-quardt’s knee injury was clearly a consequence or effect of the truck driver’s unlawful act of driving an overweight truck on the roadway and the officer’s injury was sustained because of this unlawful con-duct.

This well-reasoned decision by the appellate court now clarifies that the benefits afforded by the PSEBA statute will apply to many scenarios and circumstances that police officers find themselves in every single working day. d

Officer John Marquardt was represented by David Figlioli and Carl Virgilio of Morici, Figlioli & Associates located in Chicago. David Figlioli handles a variety of personal injury claims but spends the bulk of his time handling cases that involve social security disabili-ty, workers’ compensation, firefighter disability pension claims and claims involving the PSEBA and PEDA statues.

DAVID FIGLIOLI


During life-or-death situations, there are physiological reactions and bodily responses that occur, which can and do impact officers’ tactical training. Since Ferguson, there has been much more nega-tive media attention about an officer’s reactions during deadly sit-uations.

Unfortunately, most people do not understand the confounding factors that an officer is faced with during a critical situation, such as history with the offender, past experiences, location history, speed of real time, etc. However, one aspect that is most important — the biological aspect of the fight-or-flight stress response that occurs in the human body — is not being addressed to understand officers’ reactions.

Humans, like every other mammal, have a biological and physi-ological reaction in threatening situations, and an officer’s trained responses will be limited due to human biology. Specifically, Sid-dle and Grossman suggest that when the heart rate reaches above 175 beats per minute (BPM), the most significant symptoms of the sympathetic nervous system occur and vasoconstriction (restricted blood vessels causing reduced blood flow) will be at its highest, as well as auditory exclusion and tunnel vision.

Tactical training can and does help an officer anticipate and identify these bodily responses, and practice can help limit the ef-fect of these innate factors, but the biological response cannot be completely negated.

The fight-or-flight stress response often affects what an officer hears, sees and can do despite tactical training. These innate body alarm systems will provide a lightning-fast response to a threat in order to keep you alive, which is the most important factor in deadly force encounters. Once danger has been sensed, the sym-pathetic nervous system (SNS) is activated, and anything that the body deems as nonessential will be limited and suppressed. There-fore, if someone just ate a large meal, the body would not work on digestion and may even void the bladder to concentrate on other lifesaving reactions such as getting blood to the extremities to help the body move quickly and to limit the amount of blood loss to vital organs, if injured.

The body’s physiological responses to life-and-death situations often cause auditory exclusion (temporary loss of hearing); tunnel vision; loss of near, monocular and night vision; loss of motor con-trol; and vasoconstriction. Solomon and Horn (1986) found that 83 percent of officers who had been in a police shooting experienced a time distortion, 67 percent had auditory exclusion and 56 percent had a visual disturbance. Arthwhol and Christensen (1997) found that 88 percent of officers had a distortion of sound during a police shooting. Hence, tactical training does help, but it does not elimi-nate or override human biology in life-or-death situations.

During life-or-death situations, the body will also assess the situ-ation in a more global way and jump to conclusions based on rough similarities to keep itself alive. For example, if somebody is hold-ing something shiny and metal in the hand and acting aggressively, one may conclude it could be some type of weapon. If one does not, they could likely be stabbed or shot, and therefore the human body will not allow the body to risk itself by assuming that it is not a dangerous situation. In fact, when the body’s alarm system is ac-tivated, adrenaline is released, and the body receives a burst of en-ergy. Blood pumps faster, muscles tense, eyes widen, breath speeds up, hands tremble, etc. As the body’s alarm system is activated, fine motor skills (such as writing and typing) deteriorate, and gross mo-tor skills (such as running and jumping) improve.

According to Siddle and Grossman, the optimal performance for an officer in a life-or-death situation will be between 115 and 145 BPM, where complex motor skills, visual reaction time and cogni-tive reaction time will be at their highest. When an officer’s heart rate increases above 145, complex motor skills deteriorate.

All research has found that despite police training, biology in-fluences officers’ psychological reactions during life-or-death sit-uations. Despite some civilians wanting or expecting officers to be able to overcome human biology, they cannot. Officers are just like every other human. It is important for police departments, police officers, civilians and the court system to understand that when an officer says he or she cannot recall or has a distortion in a report, this because of biology and not due to an officer lying. Officers can practice breath control to decrease the impact of biology taking over during critical incident.

Stay safe! d

Carrie Steiner is a licensed clinical psychologist and founder of the First Responders Wellness Center, a private practice full-service agency to meet the needs of police and first responders’ emotional wellness. Dr. Steiner was a Chicago Police Officer for 13 years, Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) leader, peer support member and Chicago Police Academy instructor. If you have questions or concerns, please contact Dr. Steiner at 630-909-9094 or [email protected].

Tactical performance and physiological reactions during critical situations


10-1 Police Wellness by Dr. Carrie Steiner, licensed clinical psychologist and former police officer

Official Magazine of the Metropolitan Alliance of Police ... Newsletters/Summer/MAP RAP... · and...

Documents

Transcript of Official Magazine of the Metropolitan Alliance of Police ... Newsletters/Summer/MAP RAP... · and...