* Sun-Times…
With high turnout and low morale, rank-and-file Chicago Police officers decided Wednesday to change union presidents heading into contentious contract negotiations.
With 9,811 votes cast, Police Officer Kevin Graham captured 56.2 percent of the vote to incumbent Dean Angelo’s 43.8 percent. […]
Graham could not be reached for comment. His election virtually guarantees that contract talks with the city will be even more contentious than normal.
Hours before the results were announced, Angelo was anticipating defeat because of the level of discontent.
“Everyone’s frustrated. Very, very, very frustrated on this job. Morale is at the lowest I’ve ever seen. . . . Sometimes when you get frustrated, you want to make a change just for change sake. If that’s the case, there’ll be a different person representing the FOP,” Angelo said.
* Tribune…
Graham, a staunch critic of outside intervention in the department and efforts to strengthen officer discipline, will take the helm of the department’s most influential police union at a moment of uncertainty and consequence.
The FOP — which represents the wide majority of the department’s approximately 12,000 officers — is heading into a contract negotiation later this year.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel has announced and enacted a series of reforms to a police department plagued by misconduct, but FOP contracts have historically helped shield rank-and-file cops from disciplinary investigations, protections reform advocates would like to see scaled back. […]
Graham, a 22-year veteran patrol officer assigned to the Town Hall police district on the North Side, sought to position himself as an opponent of outside intervention in the department and criticized Angelo for failing to more aggressively resist the Justice investigation. Graham has slammed the media for allegedly lying about police misconduct claims and tied the city’s violence to attempts to “put the handcuffs on the police.”
The city council’s Black Caucus reaction should be something to behold.
…Adding… Statement…
