Upcoming in Blogging
We are tentatively planning a series of articles, written by us and our vast staff, outlining what we see as systemic problems throughout the Department.
These problems are not small ones. Some have been around for years. Some are recent. Many are the result of political pressures put upon the Department. Some are self inflicted. All of them though, deserve some airing out. We know some of what we're planning to write, but welcome suggestions for others.
In any case, we aren't kidding ourselves that we can change the Department. We aren't in any position to do that. But somewhere along the line, maybe someone somewhere will recall what was posted on an anonymous internet blog years ago and adjust their own behaviors to maybe inflict less damage on the Department, their careers and everyone else they come in contact with.
What else can we hope for?
These problems are not small ones. Some have been around for years. Some are recent. Many are the result of political pressures put upon the Department. Some are self inflicted. All of them though, deserve some airing out. We know some of what we're planning to write, but welcome suggestions for others.
In any case, we aren't kidding ourselves that we can change the Department. We aren't in any position to do that. But somewhere along the line, maybe someone somewhere will recall what was posted on an anonymous internet blog years ago and adjust their own behaviors to maybe inflict less damage on the Department, their careers and everyone else they come in contact with.
What else can we hope for?
posted by SCC at 12:01 AM
40 Comments:
So many things are messed up, where would you start? Anyway I am all in favor of your idea. You mihgt start with the number of people who are detailed out of the districts.
Good for you, Scc!! We have got to have some change around here...
"The police and courts are the grease that keep the wheels of the Machine in motion. Without this lubricant, the elaborate machinery would come to a screeching stop. So long as the wheels keep turning, his position will be secure and his power and wealth will continue to multiply, regardless of newspaper crusades, crime commissions, elections, stronger laws or books."
- "Captive City"
Ovid Demaris
Here are few of my least favorite things.
The 48 hour rule has to go.
Witnesses must be detained and taken to the area for further questioning regardless if they are cooperating or not...If you plan on solving any of these ghetto murders.
Merit must go. Make it on test scores only. Pick a number that the list will go to so everyone knows the day they get the results back whether or not they will be promoted in three years time. The number should be around 600 for Det's 400 for Sgt's and 200 for Lt's. Then everyone knows three months after the test whether they made it or not. Not this bullshit that "so and so" is next on the list so I know they will have another class to make him or her.
6 day work week must go.
10 hour days is fine with me.
Minor infractions at CPS's are not a police matter and should be handled internally with parents being fined for their unruly children.
Get the manpower back where it belongs 13,500 or so. We will settle for 13,000.
Put the cops back on the street and out of ALL the silly units.
LET THE POLICE BE THE POLICE!
9/24/06, 11:55:29 PM Post----Are you kidding me? Are you pulling my chain? You must be one of those incompetant area two RBT female detectives writing what you wrote. You have to think about what you say first, before you write. Who you trying to impress? The police department is not for you. Join the Post Office.
11:55:29 PM...
Yep, that about covers it!
Let's also have a new rule that if you don't get a lunch during your tour because of the infamous and constant "backlog", you fill out a time-due slip at checkoff and get a half hour of time on the books. Doing this would improve morale by showing the city actually gives a crap about us.
A hungry copper is a cranky copper.
Great idea SCC!!
SCC, you make a great point!! However, the job is f@#ked up..no doubt about it. But, so is the private sector. I am a Republican and a member of their party.
Does it seem like ever since the republicans took over too many to mention are either in jail, idicted or under investigation??
Hell.....get rid a daley and theres 90% of your problems as well.
I have a thought.
Unless a job is a vice complaint or gang dist (GO's), any event where a comp. refuses to leave a name, should be handled accordingly. Like the #2 parker 6p for your log.
Stop catering to the annymous caller. You don't want to sign complaints because someone is on YOUR property? You don't want to MOVE from your apt because the landlord rents to loud people? YOU bought a millon dollar condo on Clark street and want the police to tell the bars(the reason your condo obtained that price) to keep the music down? Neighbors are blowing off fireworks, but you don't want them to know YOU called?? You wanted permit parking on your block, because you were so special that no other tax paying citz should be allowed to park on the street they payed for too???
Get bit.
There should be an order that allows these calls to be special attention for the beat car. Leave the cars up for jobs that are (here's a thought) AN EMERGENCY!!
Or for a citizen who is serious about signing complaints.
Squad
My biggest gripe does not lie with the merit promotion process but the fact that the meritees are not so bright sometimes and they get promoted and immediately moved to some nice unit. Look at the seniority list for Sgts and see how many of the new ones are already in special units. Not saying that they are all merits but lets face it, if we actually put experienced bosses in some of these places, morale might go up and crime down.
Secondly, all the officers have to realize that not all bosses are jagoffs but they do get pissed on from above and accountability skyrockets after a promotion. Sometimes they come down on you hard is because they get it harder on them before you hear about it. Save for a few true jags most bosses become jerks because of the blue shirts working with them.
Tell little Renee Greco to STFU. She doesn't know shit about this Dept. and she has no right to criticize, advise, praise or evaluate anything. Her pretending to be an insidered is not only offensive and phony, its deliberately deceptive and needs to be stopped. . .
Get the manpower back where it belongs 13,500 or so. We will settle for 13,000.
Currently how many on the CPD?
I agree with 11:55:29. Especially about the 6 day workweek. There's at least one unit that works a 10hr day. None of whom I talked to would voluntarily go back to a six day workweek. I think eliminating the sixth day would improve morale and and make for better working conditions. The sixth day should go the way of rotating shifts.
The retired folks REALLY enjoy the blog and are interested in insurance issues. Afterall, you all will be here soon, so it would behoove you youngin's to press the FOP a little harder regarding insurance. Maybe look into a national FOP insurance policy. Keep up the good work! Always interesting and intelligent comments here.
9/22/2006 01:02:02 PM
You sir, are an asshole. Do not associate the Sheriff's Police with the Jail. You are mixing apples and oranges. CCSPD patrols unincorporated Cook County, piss-poor towns like Ford Heights (was there last night, actually), provides specialty technical services, fugitive warrants, ET's (the very best in the state--we get 1-2 bodies a day each man!!). We even assist Chicago and believe me you need it.
FEDS need to look at the CCSP - that joke at 26th & Calif., hiring and promoting untested,unqualified, unfit, who've pissed hot and have all kinds of criminal backrounds...
Get your facts straight. CCSP (The Cook County Sheriff's Police) has NOTHING to do with 26th/Cal. That is the Dept of Corrections. Yeah, we have unqualified nitwits just like your organization. I would offer that the ratio of nitwits to solid coppers is much higher than your dept.
Piss hot? Yeah, the jail has fired about 600-700 since Sheahan started the drug testing in 1992.
The police department fired three. One female sergeant in patrol retired in 2006 rather than face the merit board on a refusal to test pursuant to a crash.
and they're taking $$$$$ to let out convicts and dummy up phony escapes and other acts of theivery... hey Fitz get the troops over to 26th & Calf already, ....
That was the act of lone misguided players, in no way affiliated to the CCSPD.
AND if you really want to hang some hides on the wall go to the Daley Center and get those lawyers and judges in Divorce court, they make "Greylord" look like childs play.
Mixing apples and oranges again sir. BUT, since you are on a roll..... Heres is my thought:
The problem at the Jail is tied to Lawyers and Judges. How come inmates sit at CCJ for weeks, months, and years to push cases through? Marilyn Lemak (DuPage case) killed 4-5 of her kids. In and out of DuPage County Jail in 6 months. She is at the loony bin or Dwight Correctional now.
If that murder occurred in Cook County, she would still be there on motions, status hearings, continuances, writs, etc. No, we don't need to hire another 700 correctional officers, and really fuck up the county budget. The Sheriff needs to convince the Chief Judge that these cases MUST move with the minimum of delays and bullshit by both the SAO and the defense counsel. There needs to be some sort of mandated case management.
Get a handle on Habeas Corpus cases too. Your sentenced? OK. sit in a state facility and retry locally. All circuit court judges are state employees. A cook county judge can try cases in sangamon, will, franklin, harris, etc. Inmates writ up to the county so that there "peoples" don't have to drive 6 hours to visit them.
There is a calculated conspiracy to keep inmates at the jail longer. This creates more work for Lawyers, Judges, ASA's, court reporters, etc. 12,000 inmates at CCJ is a joke! 8 months average waiting on trials is insane. They get sentenced,get TCS, and dress out. Back on the block pitching dope in 4 hours.
Feds wanna look at us? bring it on.... Absolutely nothing happening at the Square!
end young bosses.
what does anyone know after 2 years?
sgt. & dic = 5 yrs
lt. = 10 yrs
cpt. = 15 yrs
i think this is reasonable and know it will retard the rise of some, but that is a small price to pay for the overall health of the dept.
FUTURE ARTICLES REGARDING THE CPD
Keep you Blogs short! Remember, we of the Me Generation have the attention spans of four year olds.
Or better yet if you could somehow manage to produce these articles in coloring book form they would be more widely read on this, now college educated, department. Plus we color nicely.
You over look the most obvious answer, level the playing field and make the test fair. A retired Chief recently stated in an open forum how "HE" gave certain people "SOME" answers to the last lieutents test(given in 2001). That same chief also stated how he didn't "Give a f**k" about the fed's becasue he was retired and there was nothing they could do about it. Or how about people sitting on the board to make up the test and have relatives taking the test.And the ever so popular, those who acutally have the test ,i.e. prior knowledge verbal or written.
Off Topic,
CPS Security Flaw.
I wanted to bring to the membership a concern I have been trying to bring to the media and CPD school administration. Nobody has sent a reply.
For the most part, my eyes were opened after attending a seminar at the academy hosted by retired Lt. Col. Dave Grossman called Bullet Proof Mind. If you understand the potential for harm of our children and resources, please join me in writing everybody you can to get this out.
My email to several news outlets was as follows;
In these times of high security alertness, we all know that being attacked by terrorists again is not a matter of if or maybe, but how and when.
One of our most valuable resources is our children. If a school or multiple schools were attacked at any given time, the consequences is enormous. Not only is the life and safety of our children important, but the social and economical impact of such an attack is as follows;
Parents will be afraid to send there children to school, as well as teachers and administrators afraid to go as well. With no children in school, many parents would not be able to go to work in order to stay home with the kids. Teachers and staff would not be working, therefor not receiving a paycheck to support there family. The education system as we know it would break down.
As a parent of a Chicago Public School student and Police Officer having worked security for the schools, I can see a security flaw that leaves our children vulnerable.
When elections take place, the schools are among many facilities being used as polling places. Most High schools have several CPS security officers as well as a crew of on duty police officers, but the grade schools are lacking in security integrity.
With the lack of personnel, people are free to enter a school facility in order to vote. With all the people going in and out of the building, it is very possible that somebody with ill intentions can disappear in the school. Even though one or two security personnel might be on hand, and police stop in from time to time, if there is a disruption by one person, this could cause enough diversion to allow a serious breach leaving the building open to planting a bomb or allowing a person to move throughout the school to cause harm.
Another concern is that by law, Convicted Child Sex Offenders are prohibited to be near or on school grounds, but can they vote? Are we checking names at the door? No! This is an obvious security concern that should not be taken lightly. Either we not use the schools for a polling place during a normal school day, or allow the children to stay home for that day. The day could be switched for one of several teacher administrative days. This should be addressed as soon as possible. We all know the terrorist are always looking for ways to cause the most damage. If I thought of this possibility, Im sure they have already.
give me a radio and PDT that work!
So many problems, so little time.... I can only assume this will be a lengthy series of articles. How about starting at Day One in the Academy and going forward - You could fill days and days of blogs with just the first 10 years of the job and everything that you've learned to be screwed up....
To the CCCO at the jail. Wow! I thought the CPD had issues. Good luck brother.
I agree, lets change election day nation wide to a day the teachers are off. That means Election day would be differant in every school district across the county. Thats fuckin brilliant.
The kids would not go to school if a school is attacked and the poor teachers would lose their paycheck.
Most kids would not get sent to school no matter where the attack was. If they attact the sears tower are you going to send your kid to school that day. HELL NO!!! Will the tacher get paid HELL
YES!!!
If the city or any place else gets attacked who cares if the teachers get paid. Do you think they were worried about the teachers in New York. OH MY GOD we are being attacked, lets make sure the teachers get paid.
Don't let the sex offenders vote, What??? Just watch the news our schools a full of sex offenders. You don't have to worry about a sex offender walking into the school. You need to worry about the sex offenders that are working in our schools. After all Pedophiles flock towards the jobs that will put them in the most contact with our children.
I dont disagree with you that there are many security issues in the CPS. There is not much that can be done to prevent some radical group or some nut job from attacking one of our schools. I hope you are not suggesting we turn each of our schools into a POLICE STATE, to prevent an attack the may never come.
I have been a police officer for 18 years, have had several children attend CPS grammer schools. I have and still do work with my local school as a member of the LSC for the past 16 years.
The biggest threat to our shcools today comes from within. The biggest treat are these dog students and their dog parents. I had a case two weeks ago at a south side school where a student was told to leave the property at the end of the day by a teacher. The 13 year old student stood there and muther fucked the teacher. Mama pulls up in a the car sees the verbal altercation, gets out of the car a beats the teacher with a steering wheel club for chastizing her child. The 13 year old student then spits in the teachers face and chases the teacher back into the the school with the club.
Sorry but yous are worrying about the wrong terrorists. You need to worry about the terrorists and child molesters that are allready in our schools.
to 11:55
How can you compel a witness to testify or to accompany you to the station?
He is guilty of nothing and is accused of nothing
How do you know what he saw?
Can OPS tell you what you saw?
Youre hearts in the right place but you need to think about what youre saying
Anyone who has not seen the Wire on HBO needs to see this show and no, I don't what to hear "I see that shit every day". This is well done and hits home and a major reality check. Every suburbanite should DEFINITELY see it. It is in it's 4th season and this year (just 2 weeks into the series) covers the Baltimore inner city school kids and their sucky lives.
>>>>... Her pretending to be an insidered is not only offensive and phony, its deliberately deceptive and needs to be stopped. . .<<<<
9/25/2006 05:24:38 AM
Hahhahahahaha!!!! Thank you, I needed that laugh!!
To SQUAD 9/25/2006 04:42:06 AM
WHAT KIND OF ASSININE COMMENTS WERE THOSE?
BULLY, BULLY, AND more bully. Wouldn't we like to take the bull by the horns but guess what? It seems we can't find it. A Friggin Big As# Bull and a trail of stench dung, and we can't seem to find it!
Our once, so called fine dept. is undaunted with boss's who have little clue whose working under them, where their people are, let alone how to reach them or any knowledge of what their bad dogs are up to. Same ole tune, sh&t still runs downhill to the working chosen. Have to protect the boss/management at all costs, you know the song. "Liability for the city, if they don't." So the thimble headed boss's, merit and not booster the pet rabid pit dogs. After all give away budget and Bow Wow handle leash allotment is only so big.
Were hearing complaints throughout the city, county and state. The Bull Barking Hound disease is ramp-id.
Now were left with ONE BIG Fragmented agency with boss's galore but way too many can't figure out how to do their job or even how to lead, forget inspire that's a lost cause. How many scandals will it take for this city to get a reality check. Maybe what the dept. and this city needs is to be truly embarrassed and inner mixed with Federal oversight. Now, how screwed up is that? The dept. has side stepped an oversight before but maybe just maybe this time they have pushed their scheming too far. They need to be hit from all sides.
Were loaded with poor quality personnel from the bottom up. Try doing your job correctly and covering your behind and your the odd ball. No can't have that, you would be making all the rest look irresponsible. What's that responsibility, you say! Were worse off overall now and that's the big picture. It looks like the higher ups want to remain warm and cozy shrouded and insulated. Diffused far, far away in Never Never Land from any and all accountability. The bigger they are the harder they need to fall, Bully, rabid bull.
To add to the supervisor issue:
I agree there should be absolute no merit promotions-strictly off the test
But how about before becoming a white shirt, you have to pass an even harder FTO test and hold that position (actually training) the PPOs for at least 2 years.
That way the new guys get trained with guys that actually know there stuff and then when they do become a boss-they actually have a clue.
How can someone supervise another but yet can't train someone correctly?
They should quit playing games with the homicide count. When it blows up the people at the bottom will suffer and "Phat Phil" will retire with a $110,000 plus pension.>>> Phil makes $185,000 gets 75% pension! How about 10 hour workdays but the city hated it as officers had to much time off! How about civilians working at 35th street and clean house!
How about just quit bitching. Just stop and do nothing but answer your calls. Take your 2 personals and a lunch everyday. Take your time on calls but be professional.
Make the city come to us. If we would all just stay opn the same page.
If things could improve on the "base level" of law enforcement, the effects would only trickle upward. So much is wrong with the patrol division.
Poor documentation of facts on case reports. Sgts. who don't even read them, just sign them and pass the crap on down to the D.
Too much time being spent on routine jobs. Sgts. who refuse to call their biggest slackers on their excessive time taken to handle routine jobs. Arrests that take Waaaaay too long (and I'm not talking felonies!). 3 hrs. for a misdemeanor arrest is not uncommon.
Again, Sgts. who do not monitor activity that brings officers into the station (getting reports, calling for "notifications" on missings, when the calls could easily be made at the location where the report it taken. Has anyone been refused the use of a complainant's phone when documenting a missing person?).
TVBS take too long (no one needs to remain in the station until the desk Sgt. writes the I bond. I guarantee that if you hand over the tickets and car keys of the traffic arrestee to the Sgt., the
TVB will wait for his I Bond!!)
We will NEVER have 13,000 P/O's on this job again! We will have to do what LAPD has done, which is get more done with less. Get used to it, because when enough of us lie down on the job, we only make it harder on the rest of us.
Oh, and lest I forget, working PDT's!!! And how do people go out from roll call every day without an adequate number of case reports to get through a tour of duty? I would be embarrassed to go on the air and say that I didn't have a
g.o.c.r. That's about as bad as going out on the street without a gun.
The city didnt hate it, Charles williams hated it. Housing had it but williams came in as commander and announced in roll call his first day that he hated 10 hr days and he would do away with it. Next period he did he also stated he would never have 10 hr days as long as he was around. What a motivator wait until he becomes Sup! Watch out for him hes a real HATER doesnt act like it but he will stab you in the back the second he can! Watch out for him!
Did Williams ever pass a promtional examination? Was he a "ten pointer" affirmative action sergeant promotee from the eighties?
Hey do you think Williams has to stay till 15 after the hour? How about the suckholes at Fort Fellatio (AKA 35th street)? Do they get their lunches denied because the beast doesn't know how to act? Isn't it sick how everyone on this job works their 4 hour days except patrol - the backbone of this department. Without us this city would burn down and this is how we're treated.
The city got rid of the 10 hour work day because coppers were happy, less stressed, and able to spend more time with their family and friends. These bosses are miserable and misery loves company.
Yo 9/26/ @ 6:56:24 PM
In what way does a longer 10 hour work day allow you to spend more time with your family and friends on a daily basis? Sure the increased 3 and occasional 4 day weekends sound nice, but the 5 day 50 hour week is a "quality time" killer with the kids and spouse. It offers only much poorer work schedule shifts. This was all smoke and mirrors from the FLOPhouse from the get go since Daddy Daley would never consent to increasing manpower merely to improve/normalize the quality of our lives. (and we know with all the malfeasance he is actually too "Broke-Dick" to afford normal staffing replacements anyway.) 10-hour days depend way too much on early ducks to actually payoff on any relief from our current 6 day burnout syndrome; if ALL of patrol did it the duck would be gone from the get-go. Citywide you'd have total misery if the 10 hour day ever was implemented- good riddance. F*ck the longer workday! Eight hour days suck enough as it is. We've all got to work extra jobs to get ahead anyway. Might as well fix this draconian schedule like it should have been ages ago. Beefs, IOD's medical roll abuse, morale levels will all benefit immensely under a FIVE day, eight hour day, no doubt about it. Shitcanning the sixth day does NOT require a longer day. It means a true FIVE day week and no other shell game hocus pocus dominocus wool pulled over our eyes crap. In fact, push for the old CCSP FOUR DAY schedule and maybe we'll see a reduction to five this century! Hell, 3 twelve hour days have become quite normal in the police work world of late- let's push for that since it's provably popular, and maybe find a nice compromise between what we suffer from now and that.
To Swipe this:
I worked the ten hour day for three and a half years. It was the best three and a half years I spent on this job. An extra forty-odd days off a year and half of your weekends off.
Sure the days were longer, but if you can't figure out a way to beat the system then you aren't a very good policeman.
And I never heard one person who actually worked that schedule complain about that schedule. They were too busy spending time at their summer cottages and flying around the country on their long weekends---all without burning a minute of comp time.
The reason we do not have the 10 hr. day, and the reason it only had a limited expansion when we had it, was because we (the CPD) would have needed some extra equipment to implement it citywide
(some extra radios, a few extra cars per District/unit, due to some overlapping times). Anyone who is actually out there WORKING wouldn't notice those two extra hrs. per day, but would definitely notice the expanded time off. If enough people (I.E., PATROLMEN) push it to the union, it might surface yet again. Don't blame Charlie Williams for it's demise.
It wasn't his fault.
the reason the 10 hour work day ended was because the sgt's didn't want it. They refused to share responsibility for the officers between watches.
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