"Merit"
The "Can't Make a Decision" post this weekend provoked a lot of back-and-forth discussion regarding the current Sergeant Promotional List and possible the "merit" nominations.
We know our readership ebbs and flows among the ranks and generational shifts within the Department, and newer readers might not know we covered these discussions in depth years ago. We don't have a functional / searchable database to link everything, and for that we apologize. We're limited by the program we're using.
The most recent give-and-take covered a few points, especially the "merit" processes themselves. We asked, years ago, for a list of qualifications for achieving a "meri-clout-orious" promotion so that all members could strive and aspire to reach these goals and better serve the citizens of Chicago.
None ever came.
In fact, the only qualifications we ever heard about involved cheating study groups we never could get into, sexual gymnastics we were incapable of performing / had too much respect for ourselves to perform, or membership in certain demographics / fraternities that we were excluded from based solely on our parentage. It was actually a relief that we were going to have to earn it rather than steal it from a deserving Officer.
Someone else asked if there was a single exempt these days who hadn't received a "merit" promotion, and while we used to know of three that existed back in the day, we can't think of a single one now. In fact, the entire "Merit Board" is made up of persons with two and three "merit" promotions themselves, meaning the connected assholes are making the next generation of connected assholes in every single promotional class.
The guy in charge right now never passed a single promotional exam high enough to say he earned it. Think about that for a moment. This alone explains the rapid downfall of capable supervision across the entire Police Department. A department run by morons who owe a different moron all manner of favors.
Labels: department issues
posted by SCC at 12:07 AM
161 Comments:
Make it legit with specific requirements and procedures across the board or get rid of it. It’s a morale killer in its current form that should have been addressed years ago. Abused with no end in sight by the people in charge.
Snelling is the poster child for what’s wrong with this department
I'm against merit promotions but they're here to stay. I think they should be changed so people are limited to one in their career. You get the merit bump to Sgt? You'd better study really hard to make Lt. You make Sgt off the list? Then the bump could be to Lt. At least you would have studied and passed the Sgt exam. All this depends on them fixing the cheating and secret study groups.
Forget the merit, these last few promotional exams were all about stealing top 200 spots, bosses passing around answers and scenarios.
At least with merit(as of 2017?) the sergeant and their sponsor are listed for all to see.
Prior to around 2015 only about the top 50 spots would be stolen by cheaters. Officers knew it and accepted it because that’s what it was. These days it is completely rigged, what used to be 50 stolen spots is now 200 or 300.
Make the job work for you. Give them nothing.
Forget merit let’s talk about what no one has fought for as a right they should have- seniority when promoted- how TF do you send someone with over twenty years to drive an hour and a half to work and a 8-11yr vet to a near by district that’s a decent commute for them? Tell me how this is right or fair? This needs to addressed otherwise there’s just going to be issues people find ways out but why should it even be like this? where’s the sgts union??? This should be a perk for those that be served over 20 they should pick where they go at least - or something creative that rewards one’s years-
So what can we do about this SCC to make a change? Get Trump involved that’s what!
It has and it will ruin many industries in this nation top spots should always be earned and not by standing on one’s knees to get it
Wait a second... you keep saying these merit hacks never passed a promotional exam but were promoted by merit .. don't you have to pass the promotional test to even be put in for merit ? I thought that was a requirement.... asking for a friend.
CPD is a fraud. Nothing but corruption and cheating going on.
If all your management comes from outside the promotion process, then you have a failed promotion process. All these exempt members are so outstanding, yet the promotion process can’t identify them. Why isn’t consent decree monitor trying to identify the lighting in a bottle that allows the best we have amongst us excel in spite of these horrendous tests? Shouldn’t the testing identify those skills so badly needed that we go around the test to promote them? Prior to 1997 all you had to get you a leg up on supervisor tests was cheating. But we now know that our best and brightest today would have been are too stupid to have excelled at cheating back then. We wouldn’t have Larry’s after hours fitness tutorials, or an IAD chief associated with drug dealing & fraudulent PPP loans, or chief tiny stuttering guy who takes so much ozempic he wears depends. Can someone please identify the things that make them so great so we can start testing for those skills and training for them from day 1 at academy.
O/T:
Reminder!
It’s been said here many times before. DO NOT download Microsoft Outlook (department email) to your personal cellphone. Microsoft Outlook abd Microsoft Edge links each device that your department email address is sign into. It like a cloud. Yes, your web search history can be accessed. Delete both apps off of your personal phone and thank me later.
Ahh yes, DEI was invented in chicago and still lives strongly.
Rumors of command staff changes soon
Merit destroyed the Department ! If all these bosses can’t pass promotional exams, either something is wrong with the person …or the test 🤔
Just like the clown who sold out chauvin for her promotion Larry did the exact same thing to JVD. Judas motherfuckers.
McDermott was never a merit?
that's how the politicians stay in charge of the police dept
The biggest problem with these asshole merit jagoffs is once they get any rank they think they are the smartest mf'er in the room and have no clue that everybody knows they stole it and are just a stupid thief and scammer
The FOP should release in rank order every sergeant list they have right now, including the new one. Why keep them a secret? Everyone will know who scored 1st, 100, and more importantly 2,800. Your merit hack who likes to boss you around, she scored 2798 on the list.
Do it catanzara release the list. Is there anything in contract stopping it?
Exactly! It’s disgusting.
If you’ve ever had the displeasure of attending a compstat meeting, that’s where you really notice it. I looked around the room and could not point out one single exempt that didn’t get at least one merit bump.
Who cares. Been fucked 2 times because of merit. I’m done trying be retiring soon enough. Fuck CPD and the brass
Who was the greatest flop as a merit pick?
This is a contractual issue and should be addressed at the negotiation table. If you voted yes on previous contracts you voted to allow it.
Nepotism, Cronyism, and Parochialism.
They should count all box one arrests you've made.
Any White shirt with less than a few dozen box one arrests shouldn't get promoted.
It's too early to get me started.
I believe you must pass one portion of the testing process. Not difficult if the initial written part has say a 55 percent curve to move on.
Dep Chief’s Bird, O’Connor, Bruno, Stevens
Commanders Spreyne, Foster, Kinnane, Baier
Have all passed Sgt & Lt. that I know of.
Being an American who actually understands the English language, the use of the term "merit promotion" for the people who can't pass a test has always confused me. Aren't these people actually a "political promotion"? The people who get promoted because of their test scores are those that actually are promoted due to merit.
Merit is also on Canine and ET positions.
They always find ways to promote or place their cronies in better paying spots.
Cheers to CWB
"One witness told police the shooter was a Black male standing about 5’8″ tall who wore a red hoodie with a pink spider design, according to police radio traffic."
That retired boss who seems to like riverboat gambling and is looking for a job right now should be in the top ten. Can't get hired by anyone cause he's filed for numerous bankruptcies and owes a shitload of money...
Wahhh wahhh you have to drive somewhere. Dont take the promotion unless you can handle it
I know a few people in the top 100 and a few more in the top 300. None of them had the answers. You’re just coping because you didn’t score well and you’re making a fool of yourself. Post your name and score to prove me wrong.
What requirements could there be? To be a sergeant there are already minimum requirements. The merit nomination needs to have 100 honorable mentions? Let’s be real, they can’t put out a required list for merit that the by rank test sergeants don’t also require.
Merit = DEI. Notify Trump and Musk, I’m sure it’s an easy win for them to point it out that Larry himself is a double merit along with many other of his buddies from his academy days (Novalez)
In recent years, you have only had to take part one of the test and that portion has been an ambiguous line of pass or fail. From 40 percent if the rumors are correct.
Why such a low standard you ask? Because the "right" people (or folks) needed to make it to the merit stage...
Chicago values...
Merit isn't the issue! It the testing and accountability and transparency. There's absolutely no reason it should take months to receive a score also it's really odd that you can NEVER verify your test responses to the alleged correct response. Let's not talk about the nepotism and neighborhood access to inside information of the SME (Subject Matter Experts).
Favors given for today, require favors granted at a later date. No matter what those favors may be.
These are the people that show up in your unit and act like everything is legit...
In other words, patronage.
Just about 4 weeks until the Sgt class is planned for April 14th. The Dept. still NOT put out requests for Merit application package....Then you need time to conduct Merit interviews, as well. Decision time, Larry... What you gonna do?
It used to be called the Irish sweepstakes.
What about the officers that have not been able to or allowed to take the second part of the Sgt. test?? Like the one's that were not able to take part 2 because of Military leave, sickness, etc...?? They have to let them take part 2, they cant just exclude them and not afford them the opportunity.. I'm smelling a law suit in the near future.
The city decides after the test is graded what score is passing. Some tests no one failed part 1.
Another issue is too many civilian exempts that never answered a domestic call on midnights, had a holiday cancelled, or testify in court.
100% 👆
The "passing" score is set as the score of the lowest scoring person that needs a merit promotion. That is how all the merits "pass."
Years ago an officer at a roll call asked the WC about clout in the police department. He replied " you either got it or you don't."
Agreed. In the sgts or Lts class they should put out the districts that the sgts or Lts are going to and then let them be picked by seniority. That’s a fair way to do it.
Just have to show up at the test and put your ass in the seat.
Nice system they have got set up for themselves. If you have connections, you can get promoted no matter how dumb you are. They use the word "Merit" to ascribe some sort of legitimacy to the process. That is the first lie. The second of the lies is that it is all legit and above board. Another lie is no one ever paid to receive preferred seating as a merit pick. We all know that's not true either.
The stage is set, the game has been decided, and the picks are known well before hand. The cronies get their pick of the best seats in the house. Because it's all rigged...and no one whos important enough to change it seems to care...
Like George Carlin said. "It's a big private club, and you aint in it..!"
If you’re not the police, promotional exams are 2 parts. All you have to do is “pass” the first half of the promotion test & this is why they lower the “passing score” for that 1st test to ridiculously low scores which would in the real world be the equivalent of a “D” (below average) score. If you are the police and you don’t know this, I suspect you are merit made.
How about the merit people that get made and get sent right back to a unit. Wtf kinda bullsh*t is that.
Stop trying to justify JVD. He made himself look bad. 2, maybe even 4 shots he couldve justified that shit. When the guy is a limp sack and you’re still shooting, your thirst for blood has been exposed.
Tickets to the 64th Annual Recognition Ceremony are on sale. $100 each. You complaint, but you’ll be at the self smoothing event making the Supt. think he’s doing a great job.
And he got busted down to Captain.
I’ve been so pissed at this guy for so long. It was always my belief that he was behind all the constant rdo’s being canceled and the tiered deployment. Mental health and the department were the absolute 100% worst when he was in charge. But I want to make sure my anger is/was directed at the right person. Am I correct in my assumption?
Most, if not all (except for McDermott) of all the non merit bosses have since retired or left.
Please stop calling it "merit" promotion. Call it a "DEI" promotion. Just because they use propaganda language, doesn't mean that we have to.
And it makes your personal cellphone physical and/or electronic evidence you will be required to surrender when an investigation occurs.
Bonus! There is a search bar in the upper left corner of the blog page. Searching the word "merit" will pull up several old posts so everyone can get up to speed.
Correct.
Thanks for that! Just deleted.
About 10 years ago there was a Lts. exam that had 701 people on it as having scored high enough to make the list. In the first class of promotions #697 was a merit promotion. At the six month mark she is made the tactical Lt. in the district she was assigned to. Several months later she gets dumped as one of her teams has a totally unacceptable level of activity for over several periods. Shortly thereafter, she is promoted to commander. Then another to deputy chief. Perfect example of how f--ed up the process is. But she clicked a couple of different boxes so that must be the criteria. Glad I'm retired.
Merit should be only 1 bite at the apple. Use it once not every promotion
Why do u care get a hobby chief
Totally agree, only one merit bump, either Sgt or Lt. At least you gotta be somewhat capable !
merit moronicism, it's da Chicaga Way! Youse gotta problem wit dat?
As soon as I get 5 years on, I am going to add my name to the list of merits via CPD database. I don't believe in the No-Win scenario.
Think Kobayashi-Maru...!
JVD was a moron who created half our problems on the dept . JVD is lucky it didn’t happen in current times or he would’ve been sentenced for a way longer time .
Your seniority goes back to zero when you get promoted. You should have known that before you took the test.
I did.
You can always give the stripes up…
Why the fuck did you download ANYTHING from this department to your personal stuff is beyond me.
Not that smart of a move.
McCruden
Milean
Laughran
Pretty sure DeVries made it off score both tests.
List the Bosses who ARENT merit, that’s going to be a short list
All of them
Rumor has it that the BIA Chief is looking for officers and supervisors that willing to follow other officers around. A few members have been approached,.
Some have had four and they’re up for another one.
When?
EXACTLY! I made Sgt off the list in 2014, got sent to 003.
I lived on the n/w side and all the merit hacks were taken care of!
I’m certain the person with the 9:08 post is a total doo nothing, city employee hiding on cpd’s payroll!
Who has the Exempt merit list that’s scheduled to come out on the 17th? Or are we too ashamed to post it? It’s been postponed three times already.
If you know of any fraud or corruption, and you value your integrity, then it is incumbent on you to report it.
If you are just repeating locker room rumors and inuendo, STFU
Use the old list?
All 19th ward. Hmmm
Michelle Rubino
There are sergeants who have not taken the last lieutenant exam because of military. The new test is already rumored to be third quarter. The department doesn’t care, they’d rather settle with an officer in 5 years after the long court draw out than just give them the exam.
Before he was demoted, Nieves also got his ranks on score.
Daley jr destroys CPD with merit promotion system. Federal courts ruled against quota promotion for minorities. Not enough of Daley’s people were promoted to rank of Loutenanat from the Sargent rank. He decided to make up a merit one white ,one black,one female black,one Hispanic. Now all black and back then you had to have scored above 70% . Not now,56% is a passing score to be promoted meritoriously. Where are the federal consent decree watchdogs? Tell Trump.
What's wrong with that? If you're not abusing the medical or living outside the city you got nothing to worry about.
His merit picks wont get made then.
They got the doors still open on part 1
: your guy called my guy who called his guy who said no....
Glad I’m gone too. It sucked having to deal with bosses knowing they have a weak grasp of what it is to do police work, but were installed in their positions on “merit”. The only winners are the clueless clouted ones, honest hard working police officers and the citizens are the real victims of this unjust system.
Lots or bosses made off score https://www.scribd.com/doc/316107796/Chicago-Police-Department-merit-promotions
I made merit it by merit twice and I have to agree that I totally deserved it. Some guys are just better cops than others so stop your whining and work harder!
Fuck CPD my morale is in the toilet
No shit to the one that disagreed no wonder we have the highest suicide rate because all people want to say is wah wah stfu- not saying suicide is the answer it’ll take you to hell! But the point is there’s a problem why not make a better work life balance every job we go to is a risk imagine doing this shit for years on end and then seniority goes to 0 once promoted? It should be where who has the most time and is oldest in the class gets where is best for their families otherwise the dept will just be the loser in the end believe that
You’re absolutely right then why isn’t the sgt union fighting about this??? How come I always hear about the fop what about the sgt union?
McDermott quit he never got dumped. Carter responsible for canceled days off.
Here's what it should be for a better Chicago and America
Run 2 miles under 11:54
82 Push ups in 2 minutes
92 Sit ups in 2 minutes
Under 10 days of medical in last 5 years
Less than 5 suspension days in last 5 years
Climb over 6 foot wall unassisted
Unvaxxed
30 out of 30 on firearm qualification
Works on beat, sector, 10/20/30/40/50/90 car in Tier 1 district
Drives American car or truck
No dreads, no nose/tongue piercings
Box one or two on at least 10 felony arrests in past 5 years
If it were these qualities the Chicago Police would be a la Delta Force.
Do it!
And all are soft as puppy shit
They take the tests of the people that they want meritoriously promoted and put them to the side. The rest of the tests they throw in the air. Those that stick to the ceiling get meritoriously promoted too.
Demand the State of Illinois institute a State of Illinois DOGE, —NOW.
The biggest merit abomination in the last 10 years was Sharon Price, Dana Stark's sister in law. Stupid, lazy, incapable of processing a simple juvenile battery arrest. Her complimentary history is a blank page. Her work history is just as prestigious. Never should have been allowed to be a cop, failed everything in the academy but given the special tests so she could pass. Then made a merit sgt, the merit board is a DEI shit show. If you want to know why crime is so bad in Chicago, it's because they promote imbeciles.
McDermott resigned and asked to return to Captain.
Congrats brother. Same here. I got mine. But only one merit promotion. I’ll tell you why the hate is pouring in. PO’s see us working 4 hour days. Making 30k more. In shape, in charge and some just cannot stomach the situation. I always say “Let the good times roll and don’t mind the peanut gallery.”
Don’t hate the player
Old list 60 allegedly
The 2014 Sergeants test got up to 839 on the list. So many people that are sergeants that shouldn't have been supervisors. You can see the poor quality of supervision. No one over 400 should make Sergeant. Also not everyone should be allowed to test. Never made arrests, case reports, testified in court. Guess what you don't have the experience for the position. How can you effectively supervise officers making arrests when you never did them. How are you supervising a crime scene, when you have never been on one before? If you implement that you will make half the department. Ineligible to take an exam.
Hahaha.
Surely 95% wouldn't be able to do a dozen pushups and pullups.
So why are you so Fuckin' DUMB to not score higher?
It can never be legit.
The current Chief of Patrol..
One= Detective (or comparable), Sergeant, or Lieutenant.
Exactly, a lot of good Lts left as soon as they could that would've made great bosses but weren't hooked up and wouldn't play the game.
They should quit allowing civilians being able to submit names for merit. They've never done the job and can hardly be expected to know who deserves it from their limited contact with working police.
That’s because the “merit” picks have already been decided. The rest of the process is for show.
Yea because hard work gets your merit you tool
McDermott 100% got dumped. He was a POS Southside,clouted, no nothing M/F who kissed ass to get the spot. Could care less of his troops. Huge Ego for such a small weasel.
They all are corrupt even the ones with top scores- dad, mom, or uncle got the test to make it appear son, daughter, nephew, niece is soo smart… Only about 10% of officers were truly promoted on legit test scores… most had the actual test or a phone call…
I agree!! Many top score supervisors lack common sense but I found many of the merit bosses are actually smart, compassionate, think out the box and can make a quick decision without looking up a general order…
McDermott got screwed by Carter and Brown. He wasn’t as bad as you think he was. I’d take him over our current Chief of Patrol.
What are tier one districts?
You are wrong
and merit is on for MAIU
As of the Sgt Test a few yrs ago, you have to at least take part 2 as well.
You made merit by merit twice? Yeah... that about sums it up lol
They have it the way they want it.
Bird the perv? Or is that his brother? I so confused! I love you long time!
Sergeant merit lists not even out for April class. Will be forced to use old list. Plan all along?
Class action Lawsuit is brewing.
JVD was a trigger happy moron. That shot a guy 16 times although he was one of the last officers to arrive on-scene.
These are the ones that walk around screwing over others.
There are 3 good pickings in that list.
New changes are going to be like the old changes, very minute and if insignificant.
And you can trust these [eople? Have you even known someone to offer that they had the answers to a test?
Trust me, the answers are out there...CPD hasnt run a straight promotion exam since the 70's...
Lt. Cynthia Curry from BIA.
I am the Great and Powerful OZ...!
Stop your whining and pay no attention to the man behind the curtain..! Big brother knows what is good for CPD. If he didn't, I wouldn't have said so....
Now, I lay before you a deck of cards with 52 Jokers. Shuffle them and determine your destiny..!
Merit promotions = pension theft.
Look at this
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGdfVrmpV1E/?igsh=MWw5ZmtnMWtyMThpcQ==
This is the kind of stuff killing this profession and why the public doesn't respect police officers. This snow flake needs to stop exploiting the murder of French.. yea you knew her, which many did, stop acting like you were with her the night she was killed. Bottom line, when the tough got going, you quit and ran to a dept where you could talk like you did any real police work because you once wore the uniform of the chicago police and were friends with a PO who was killed in the line of duty. Whats even worse is some of those in the video are still on the job in 10 .. driving around in a car acting like the pos you stop and go through based on the same PC you are flaunting in this video all over the internet.. sad
McDermott was no small weasel. His nickname when he was a kid was “tough”. When he was my sergeant back in aught four he was in pretty decent shape. Looked like he could kick a lot of asses and always had a quiet demeanor and not a bully or a loud mouthed braggart like most sergeants were.
But she is so nice though
Tier 1 are hood districts, and yes 95% is accurate. That’s the point. Merit should be for the remarkable not the ordinary.
She’s using it as a retaliation. Not in a legit manner.
Oh shut up…
I completely agree with you on this. Everyone is complaining about Merit, but I’ve witnessed supervisors who just tested well that never worked outside.
DeVries was merit Sgt!!
Yeah I was 380 and didn’t make it due to merit. Again. So your 400 theory is out the window
3/10/2025 09:14:37 AM
is a bonafide clown. He's merit.
One of her videos popped up on my feed one day. Never heard of her but I thought she was a clown. Taking photos of herself, talking about all her law enforcement knowledge and posing in provocative outfits. What's with all the young females coming on this job wearing frito nails, hair down to their ass, tons of makeup and jewelry? Where are the supervisors? They act like they're trying out for reality TV. It's all fun and games until something serious happens and you actually have to be the police.
The connected assholes are making the next generation of connected assholes in every single promotional class.
Having been around Chicago's hiring and promotional process for longer than a lot of you, the saying "We don't take care of anybody that nobody sent" has been around since O'learys cow got BBQ'd. Just a different group of assholes.
Participation trophies acknowledge and celebrate what it takes to show up and commit, which boosts a child's self-esteem and sense of accomplishment, even if they didn't win the competition.
Merit Promotion
Kind of the same thing with better benefits.
They can do merit interviews and packets in 3 weeks time - they have done it before
Is it possible to stand on your knees? Isn't that called kneeling?
The saying is "could not care less". Saying "could care less" means you still care, even just a little.
Dana Starks was also stupid, lazy, and incapable.
"We don't want nobody nobody sent" was an old man Daley saying.
Sean Joyce and Joe Bird were 2 guys who were never promoted meritoriously. The two of them are also the smartest 2 people we’ve had on the department in a while.
But NEVER been the police/made an arrest!
They are professional degree earners. Sat at HQ and never worked the street.
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